Giri (義理)[1][2] is a Japanese value roughly corresponding to "duty", "obligation", or even "burden of obligation" in English. It is defined as "to serve one's superiors with a self-sacrificing devotion" by Namiko Abe. It is also associated with the complex Japanese values that involve loyalty, gratitude, and moral debt.[3] This value is so integral to Japanese culture that the conflict between giri and ninjō, or "human feeling", is said to have been the primary topic of Japanese drama since earlier periods in history.
Giri is defined as social obligation and is best explained in the way it goes in direct conflict with ninjō. According to Doi Takeo, giri can be classified with those forms and actions that locates the self in relation to society whereas ninjō falls within the category of the inner and intimate realm of the self.[4] Scholars refer to the dynamics of the giri-ninjō relationship as a dichotomy that reflects the human dilemma of needing to belong to the realm of the outside (soto) and of the inside (uchi).[5]
Giri relationship also have an emotive quality. Fulfilling one's obligation does not merely entail the consideration of interest or profit anticipated since giri is also based on feelings of affection.[6] This is seen in the perpetual nature of giri relationships.[6]
Aspects
A bag of giri choco.
Giri may be seen in many different aspects of modern Japanese behavior. An example is Japanese gift-giving. It is marked by an unwritten but no less real perceived balance of "giri" in which unusually large gifts must be reciprocated. "Giri choco" is a specific term referring to the obligation of close colleagues or associates to provide Valentine's Day or White Day chocolates to each other even if they feel no romantic feelings (although Valentine's Day is a Western tradition that was imported to Japan only relatively recently, and White Day is a holiday invented in 1978 by the National Confectionery Industry Association to sell twice as many confections each year).
There is also the case of Japanese corporations, which has one of the lowest rates of laying off or firing employees of any industrialized nation, and employees reciprocate that loyalty through their personal habits. Whereas in the West, engineers from different companies might be friends, this is far rarer in Japan. Employees' sense of obligation may be so strong that they consume only the beer and other products produced by their conglomerate's affiliates. Part time workers, however, are not so particular.
Japanese abroad often complain about the poor service to be found in non-Japanese countries. While some modern Westerners might prize individuality and the right of a serviceperson to be an assertive social equal with opinions, Japanese generally value carrying out one's work obligations (giri) to the best of one's ability, including what might seem to those from less formal social environments like excessive, mawkish, or even hypocritical or contrived formality and servility.
Some social historians believe the pervasiveness of the concept in Japanese culture is a reflection of the static feudal order that defined Japanese society for centuries. "Giri books", or village registers that included all the unpaid obligations of one family or individual to another, were a cultural phenomenon that could exist only in a static agricultural culture, as opposed to a migrant or hunter/gatherer tradition.[1]
In popular culture
In the film The Yakuza (1975), the concept of grii is a major in the story. The character Tanaka Ken (Takakura Ken) owes Harry Kilmer (Robert Mitchum) a "debt that can never be repaid" for saving the life of his 'sister' (actually Tanaka Ken's wife) and her young daughter during the post-war occupation of Japan. In the film, he describes giri to a Westerner as "the burden hardest to bear".
In The Transformersanimated series episode "The Burden Hardest to Bear", the Autobot Kup uses the concept of giri to describe the burden of leadership facing Rodimus Prime. Much of the episode is set in Japan, and deals with Rodimus Prime's reluctance to be a leader, only to eventually come to grips with his responsibility.[7]
In William Gibson's semi-dystopian Sprawl trilogy, Eastern themes, including giri, often play a role. Loyalty to one's company, or in this case international corporate mega-entities, is taken to the extreme to include surgically implanted monitoring devices and employees living almost exclusively within the regimented confines of the company. It is also seen at an individual level, the term mentioned several times in the novel Mona Lisa Overdrive. Most notable is the exchange between the console cowboy "Tick" and the Yakuza authority Yanaka.
In [The Chuck's World book saga - https://chucksworld.co.uk/], Giri is a central theme to the books. The concept of duty and obligation is fundamental to all of the main characters and is central to the bonds that tie them into a family.
The TV series Giri/Haji explores the duty that the protagonist bears, and the burden of repaying it on behalf of his brother.
^ abRoger J. Davies, Osamu Ikeno (2002), "Giri: japanese social obligations", The Japanese mind: understanding contemporary Japanese culture, Tuttle Publishing, pp. 95–101, ISBN0-8048-3295-1
^Kaplan, David E.; Dubro, Alec (2003). Yakuza: Japan's Criminal Underworld. Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 17. ISBN978-0-520-21562-7.
^Buckley, Sandra (2006). The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Japanese Culture. New York: Taylor & Francis. p. 172. ISBN0-415-14344-6.
^Graham, Fiona (2004). Japanese Company in Crisis. Oxon: Routledge. pp. 196. ISBN978-1-134-27850-3.
^ abDean, Meryll (2002). Japanese Legal System. London: Cavendish Publishing. pp. 18. ISBN978-1-84314-322-2.
^"The Burden Hardest to Bear". The Transformers. Season 3. Episode 91.
External links
On-Giri; What is it? An article by Paul Starling, Kyoshi-Shihan, first published Australasian Fighting Arts Magazine Nov 1980
Giri, Moral Obligation, Part 1, Part 2, About.com
February 26, 2023
giri, japanese, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, relevant, discussion, found, talk, page, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, giri, japan. This article needs additional citations for verification Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Giri Japanese news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message Giri 義理 1 2 is a Japanese value roughly corresponding to duty obligation or even burden of obligation in English It is defined as to serve one s superiors with a self sacrificing devotion by Namiko Abe It is also associated with the complex Japanese values that involve loyalty gratitude and moral debt 3 This value is so integral to Japanese culture that the conflict between giri and ninjō or human feeling is said to have been the primary topic of Japanese drama since earlier periods in history Contents 1 Concept 2 Aspects 3 In popular culture 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksConcept EditGiri is defined as social obligation and is best explained in the way it goes in direct conflict with ninjō According to Doi Takeo giri can be classified with those forms and actions that locates the self in relation to society whereas ninjō falls within the category of the inner and intimate realm of the self 4 Scholars refer to the dynamics of the giri ninjō relationship as a dichotomy that reflects the human dilemma of needing to belong to the realm of the outside soto and of the inside uchi 5 Giri relationship also have an emotive quality Fulfilling one s obligation does not merely entail the consideration of interest or profit anticipated since giri is also based on feelings of affection 6 This is seen in the perpetual nature of giri relationships 6 Aspects Edit A bag of giri choco Giri may be seen in many different aspects of modern Japanese behavior An example is Japanese gift giving It is marked by an unwritten but no less real perceived balance of giri in which unusually large gifts must be reciprocated Giri choco is a specific term referring to the obligation of close colleagues or associates to provide Valentine s Day or White Day chocolates to each other even if they feel no romantic feelings although Valentine s Day is a Western tradition that was imported to Japan only relatively recently and White Day is a holiday invented in 1978 by the National Confectionery Industry Association to sell twice as many confections each year There is also the case of Japanese corporations which has one of the lowest rates of laying off or firing employees of any industrialized nation and employees reciprocate that loyalty through their personal habits Whereas in the West engineers from different companies might be friends this is far rarer in Japan Employees sense of obligation may be so strong that they consume only the beer and other products produced by their conglomerate s affiliates Part time workers however are not so particular Japanese abroad often complain about the poor service to be found in non Japanese countries While some modern Westerners might prize individuality and the right of a serviceperson to be an assertive social equal with opinions Japanese generally value carrying out one s work obligations giri to the best of one s ability including what might seem to those from less formal social environments like excessive mawkish or even hypocritical or contrived formality and servility Some social historians believe the pervasiveness of the concept in Japanese culture is a reflection of the static feudal order that defined Japanese society for centuries Giri books or village registers that included all the unpaid obligations of one family or individual to another were a cultural phenomenon that could exist only in a static agricultural culture as opposed to a migrant or hunter gatherer tradition 1 In popular culture EditIn the film The Yakuza 1975 the concept of grii is a major in the story The character Tanaka Ken Takakura Ken owes Harry Kilmer Robert Mitchum a debt that can never be repaid for saving the life of his sister actually Tanaka Ken s wife and her young daughter during the post war occupation of Japan In the film he describes giri to a Westerner as the burden hardest to bear In The Transformers animated series episode The Burden Hardest to Bear the Autobot Kup uses the concept of giri to describe the burden of leadership facing Rodimus Prime Much of the episode is set in Japan and deals with Rodimus Prime s reluctance to be a leader only to eventually come to grips with his responsibility 7 In William Gibson s semi dystopian Sprawl trilogy Eastern themes including giri often play a role Loyalty to one s company or in this case international corporate mega entities is taken to the extreme to include surgically implanted monitoring devices and employees living almost exclusively within the regimented confines of the company It is also seen at an individual level the term mentioned several times in the novel Mona Lisa Overdrive Most notable is the exchange between the console cowboy Tick and the Yakuza authority Yanaka In The Chuck s World book saga https chucksworld co uk Giri is a central theme to the books The concept of duty and obligation is fundamental to all of the main characters and is central to the bonds that tie them into a family The TV series Giri Haji explores the duty that the protagonist bears and the burden of repaying it on behalf of his brother See also EditCross to Bear Philotimo analogous concept in Greek cultureReferences Edit a b Roger J Davies Osamu Ikeno 2002 Giri japanese social obligations The Japanese mind understanding contemporary Japanese culture Tuttle Publishing pp 95 101 ISBN 0 8048 3295 1 Ruth Benedict The Chrysanthemum and the Sword 1946 Kaplan David E Dubro Alec 2003 Yakuza Japan s Criminal Underworld Berkeley University of California Press pp 17 ISBN 978 0 520 21562 7 Buckley Sandra 2006 The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Japanese Culture New York Taylor amp Francis p 172 ISBN 0 415 14344 6 Graham Fiona 2004 Japanese Company in Crisis Oxon Routledge pp 196 ISBN 978 1 134 27850 3 a b Dean Meryll 2002 Japanese Legal System London Cavendish Publishing pp 18 ISBN 978 1 84314 322 2 The Burden Hardest to Bear The Transformers Season 3 Episode 91 External links EditOn Giri What is it An article by Paul Starling Kyoshi Shihan first published Australasian Fighting Arts Magazine Nov 1980 Giri Moral Obligation Part 1 Part 2 About com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Giri Japanese amp oldid 1141019368, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
