Bushido: The Soul of JapanChivalry is a flower no less indigenous to the soil of Japan than its emblem, the cherry blossom; nor is it a dried-up specimen of an antique virtue preserved in the herbarium of our history. It is still a living object of power and beauty among us; and if it assumes no tangible shape or form, it not the less scents the moral atmosphere, and makes us aware that we are still under its potent spell. The conditions of society which brought it forth and nourished it have long disappeared; but as those far-off stars which once were and are not, still continue to shed their rays upon us, so the light of chivalry, which was a child of feudalism, still illuminates our moral path, surviving its mother institution. It is a pleasure to me to reflect upon this subject in the language of Burke, who uttered the well-known touching eulogy over the neglected bier of its European prototype. |
Contents
Rectitude or Justice | |
Politeness | |
Honor | |
The Institutions of Suicide and Redress | |
The Training and Position of Woman | |
Is Bushido Still Alive? | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
according become believe Benevolence blood Bushido called century ceremony character chivalry Christian common courage dare death duty English equal ethics example existence expression father feelings feudalism flower force foreign give grace hand head heart Heaven honour human husband idea ideal important influence institutions Japan Japanese kind Knighthood learned less living loyalty manners master means military mind moral mother natural never noble observe one’s peace politeness position Precepts present prince question race readers reason relations religion respect samurai sense side social society soul speak spirit story suicide sword taught teaching tender term things thou thought true truth turn virtue warrior whole wife woman writing young youth