Nitobe originally wrote Bushido: The Soul of Japan in English (1899), in Monterey, California, though according to the book's preface it was written in Malvern, Pennsylvania. The book was first published in English in New York in 1899.[2] It was subsequently translated into Japanese in 1908 by Sakurai Hikoichirō. Thereafter, Yanaihara Tadao’s translation became the standard text in Japanese which was published by Iwanami Shoten.[2]
As Japan underwent deep transformations of its traditional lifestyle and military while becoming a modern nation, and the result of his meditations was this seminal work. A fine stylist in English, he wrote many books in that language, which earned him a place among the best known Japanese writers of his age.
He also delved into the other indigenous traditions of Japan, such as Buddhism, Shintoism, Confucianism and the moral guidelines handed down over hundreds of years by Japan's samurai and sages. Nitobe sought similarities and contrasts by citing the shapers of European and American thought and civilization going back to the Romans, the Greeks and Biblical times. He found a close resemblance between the samurai ethos of what he called Bushido and the spirit of medieval chivalry and the ethos of ancient Greece, as observed in books such as the Iliad of Homer.
Criticismedit
The book has been criticized as portraying the samurai in terms of Western chivalry which had different interpretations compared to the pre-Meiji period bushido as a system of warrior values that were focused on valor rather than morals.[2][3][4]
Nitobe Inazo did not coin the term bushidō. The written form bushidō was first used in Japan in 1616 with the Kōyō Gunkan.[2][5][6][7] In the 17th century, the concept of bushidō spread to the common population such as the ukiyo-e book Kokon Bushidō ezukushi (古今武士道絵つくし, "Images of Bushidō Through the Ages") by artist Hishikawa Moronobu (1618–1694) which was written in the accessible kana and includes the word bushidō.[2] Bushidō as a system of warrior values existed in multiple forms dating back to the medieval era.[3][8] The unwritten form of bushidō first appeared with the rise of the samurai class and the shogunMinamoto no Yoritomo (1147–1199) in the 12th century.[8]
Referencesedit
^Dennis J. Frost (2010). Seeing Stars: Sports Celebrity, Identity, and Body Culture in Modern Japan. Harvard University Press. pp. 53–54. ISBN978-0-674-05610-7.
^ abcdeKasaya Kazuhiko (June 12, 2019). . Nippon.com. Archived from the original on 8 November 2019.
^ ab. SamuraiWiki - Samurai Archives. Archived from the original on September 11, 2017.
^. Britannica.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2020.
^Willcock, Hiroko (2008). The Japanese Political Thought of Uchimura Kanzō (1861–1930): Synthesizing Bushidō, Christianity, Nationalism, and Liberalism. Edwin Mellen Press. ISBN978-0773451513. Koyo gunkan is the earliest comprehensive extant work that provides a notion of Bushido as a samurai ethos and the value system of the samurai tradition.
^Ikegami, Eiko, The Taming of the Samurai, Harvard University Press, 1995. p. 278
^Kasaya, Kazuhiko (2014). 武士道 第一章 武士道という語の登場 [Bushido Chapter I Appearance of the word Bushido] (in Japanese). NTT publishing. p. 7. ISBN978-4757143227.
^ abShin'ichi, Saeki (2008). "Figures du samouraï dans l'histoire japonaise: Depuis Le Dit des Heiké jusqu'au Bushidô". Annales. Histoire, Sciences Sociales. 4: 877–894.
Complete text of 13th edition online from Gutenberg
Bushido: The Soul of Japan public domain audiobook at LibriVox
December 12, 2023
bushido, soul, japan, this, article, includes, list, references, related, reading, external, links, sources, remain, unclear, because, lacks, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, november, 2009, learn,. This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations November 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message Bushido The Soul of Japan is a book written by Inazō Nitobe exploring the way of the samurai It was published in 1899 Cover for Bushido The Soul of Japan 1900 Contents 1 Overview 2 Criticism 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksOverview editBushido The Soul of Japan is along with Hagakure by Yamamoto Tsunetomo 1659 1719 a study of the way of the samurai A best seller in its day it was read by many influential foreigners among them President Theodore Roosevelt President John F Kennedy and Robert Baden Powell the founder of the Boy Scouts 1 Nitobe originally wrote Bushido The Soul of Japan in English 1899 in Monterey California though according to the book s preface it was written in Malvern Pennsylvania The book was first published in English in New York in 1899 2 It was subsequently translated into Japanese in 1908 by Sakurai Hikoichirō Thereafter Yanaihara Tadao s translation became the standard text in Japanese which was published by Iwanami Shoten 2 As Japan underwent deep transformations of its traditional lifestyle and military while becoming a modern nation and the result of his meditations was this seminal work A fine stylist in English he wrote many books in that language which earned him a place among the best known Japanese writers of his age He found in Bushido the Way of the Warrior the sources of the seven virtues most admired by his people rectitude courage benevolence politeness sincerity honor and loyalty He also delved into the other indigenous traditions of Japan such as Buddhism Shintoism Confucianism and the moral guidelines handed down over hundreds of years by Japan s samurai and sages Nitobe sought similarities and contrasts by citing the shapers of European and American thought and civilization going back to the Romans the Greeks and Biblical times He found a close resemblance between the samurai ethos of what he called Bushido and the spirit of medieval chivalry and the ethos of ancient Greece as observed in books such as the Iliad of Homer Criticism editThe book has been criticized as portraying the samurai in terms of Western chivalry which had different interpretations compared to the pre Meiji period bushido as a system of warrior values that were focused on valor rather than morals 2 3 4 Nitobe Inazo did not coin the term bushidō The written form bushidō was first used in Japan in 1616 with the Kōyō Gunkan 2 5 6 7 In the 17th century the concept of bushidō spread to the common population such as the ukiyo e book Kokon Bushidō ezukushi 古今武士道絵つくし Images of Bushidō Through the Ages by artist Hishikawa Moronobu 1618 1694 which was written in the accessible kana and includes the word bushidō 2 Bushidō as a system of warrior values existed in multiple forms dating back to the medieval era 3 8 The unwritten form of bushidō first appeared with the rise of the samurai class and the shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo 1147 1199 in the 12th century 8 References edit Dennis J Frost 2010 Seeing Stars Sports Celebrity Identity and Body Culture in Modern Japan Harvard University Press pp 53 54 ISBN 978 0 674 05610 7 a b c d e Kasaya Kazuhiko June 12 2019 Bushidō An Ethical and Spiritual Foundation in Japan Nippon com Archived from the original on 8 November 2019 a b Nitobe Inazo SamuraiWiki Samurai Archives Archived from the original on September 11 2017 Samurai groups and farming villages Britannica com Archived from the original on October 17 2020 Willcock Hiroko 2008 The Japanese Political Thought of Uchimura Kanzō 1861 1930 Synthesizing Bushidō Christianity Nationalism and Liberalism Edwin Mellen Press ISBN 978 0773451513 Koyo gunkan is the earliest comprehensive extant work that provides a notion of Bushido as a samurai ethos and the value system of the samurai tradition Ikegami Eiko The Taming of the Samurai Harvard University Press 1995 p 278 Kasaya Kazuhiko 2014 武士道 第一章 武士道という語の登場 Bushido Chapter I Appearance of the word Bushido in Japanese NTT publishing p 7 ISBN 978 4757143227 a b Shin ichi Saeki 2008 Figures du samourai dans l histoire japonaise Depuis Le Dit des Heike jusqu au Bushido Annales Histoire Sciences Sociales 4 877 894 Further reading editInazo Nitobe Bushido The Soul of Japan Kodansha International Tokyo 2002 ISBN 978 4 7700 2731 3 John W Dower War Without Mercy Race amp Power in the Pacific War Pantheon Books New York 1986 ISBN 0 394 75172 8External links editComplete text of 13th edition online from Gutenberg nbsp Bushido The Soul of Japan public domain audiobook at LibriVox Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bushido The Soul of Japan amp oldid 1151075862, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
