What anybody know a bout samurai i am interested to know the story or that kind of history ?

Question

What anybody know a bout samurai i am interested to know the story or that kind of history ?

Answer 1

Samurai are members of the military class of Japanese warriors.  Apparently Prince Naka decided he was going to reform the military due to a lack of battle winning on the part of the Japanese soldiers.  In 702 AD the population was required to report regularly for census and 1 out of 3 adult males were drafted for military service.  These men were required to supply their own weapons and were excempt from being taxed.  A code was set up called Taiho and these soldiers were classified into 12 ranks with each being divided into two sub ranks.  The 1st rank was to report directly to the emperor, the 6th rank was known as Samurai and were to deal with day to day affairs and were "public servants".  These public servants or Samurai were skilled in combat and later became the Emperor's preferred tools in putting down rebellions.  Some of the Samurai were quite educated but the civilians considered them to be no more than barbarians.  One Emperor of Japan decided to disband the army and when his rulership started to decline these warriors became magistrates amassing wealth. Also because of their training in the martial arts they became protectors of the Japanese clans so through protective agreements and political marriages they accumulated political power.  They were followers of Budda and were also studiers of Confucianism.  As education was valued among them some became of the cultured nobility of Japan and they adopted cultured arts of the nobility such as calligraphy, poetry and a desire for music.  A Samurai used one name of his father's and grandfather's and was to choose one other name, and they could choose their own last names.  Their marriages were arranged by someone of their same rank and who was already married.  The woman was to bring a dowry and this was used to start their new life.  A Samurai was also allowed to have a mistress but she was checked out by the clan and could only be of a best family.  If the Samurai's wife gave birth to a son, he would automatically be Samurai.  He also could divorce his wife if she did not produce a son or he could choose adoption in lieu of divorce.  A divorce was often avoided as it was thought it would be an embarrass ment to the person who arranged the marriage. The Samurai's weapon, the wakizashi or honor blade, was always worn at his side.  When he entered a house it was the custom to leave his weapon outside.  He also carried a small dagger used to commit suicide if it was so warranted. He was also skilled with a bow and was skilled in shooting from horseback.

Answer 2

Despite been abolished, the history and philosophy of the Samurai lives on in the form of the Samurai sword. Today, Samurai sword is of great popularity all over the world. But for collecting valuable Samurai sword, you must have some knowledge of its master ---Samurai to feel the spirit within the sword.

Below follows a concrete history of the Japanese warrior (Samurai):

  By 200AD, the growth of farming drew people away from hunting and from hunting skills. Some were naturally better suited to fighting than others. Gradually, those who fought became warriors. Warriors of this era fought on foot with bows, stabbing swords, and spears. Armor was worn, but most warriors probably had only shields.

The samurai's importance and influence grew during the Heian Period(794-1185), when powerful landowners hired private warriors for the protection of their properties. Towards the end of the Heian Period, two military clans, the Minamoto and Taira, had grown so powerful that they seized control over the country and fought wars for supremacy against each other. The government had come to depend on the men of the Kanto, courtiers no longer personally took up arms. The term "samurai", meaning "those who serve" came into use. Warriors continued to fight on horseback, with bow and arrows as their primary weapons, but also with a newly designed sword. The Emishi had been found to be fighting with curved swords, which seemed much better suited to slicing cuts inflicted from horseback, and thus the Japanese tachi, which had previously been modeled on the continental sword, was revised for the same effect.

Though originated from regional groups of ancient warriors, Samurai quickly lost their provincial ways. They developed a unique, sophisticated culture that was renowned for stoicism, honor and military expertise during the Kamakura period (1192-1333).



During the Muromachi period (1338-1573), Samurai culture created the idea of artist-warrior. Samurai training began to include the ritualized tea ceremony and flower arranging to add refinement and balance to the warrior persona. The code of Bushido became formalized. Bushido is the way of Samurai. Bushido stressed concepts such as loyalty to one's master, self- discipline, respectful, and ethical behavior. The samurai's loyalty to the emperor and his overlord, or daimyo, was unsurpassed.

    The peak of the Samurai era was in 12th century Japan when they enjoyed the benefits of belonging to a unique, privileged class.

The downfall of the Samurai began during the Edo period (1603-1867). According to the Edo Period's official hierarchy of social classes, the samurai stood at the top, followed by the farmers, artisans and merchants. Furthermore, there were hierarchies within each class. All samurai were forced to live in castle towns and received income from their lords in form of rice. Masterless samurai were called ronin and caused minor troubles during the early Edo Period. The gradual decline of the Samurai continued until the last Shogun resigned during the Meiji Restoration in 1868. In 1871,the new government abolished feudalism and betrayed the Samurai by stripping them of all their privileges. Thus ended the era of the Samurai.

Answer 3

Here's a cool website with tons of information:

http://www.samurai-archives.com/

On the left side of the screen is a list of many interesting topics such as Famous Samurai, Famous Women, Famous Generals, Military Rulers of Japan, Samurai Battles, Samurai Culture, etc.