The Way of the Samurai: Confucianism, Taoism, Zen and Shintoism

To understand modern Japan, it becomes important to study the way of the samurai. The word samurai means to serve and be helpful to others around you.. . .

When examining samurai stories of Japan, try to ask how each teaching from the main schools of religion can interpret the story in a new way.

• Confucianism: morality, ethics, filial piety, political, patriarchal, right action, education

• Taoism: transformation, longevity, immortality, health, alchemy

• Buddhism: rebirth, renunciation, transcending death and rebirth (nirvana), wisdom

Ideals like compassion, filial obligation, and moderation are part of all three religions, and remain important standards defining Japanese character, even if one is Christian.

To the samurai, Confucianism is important because of it teaches respect for authority. Zen Buddhism became important to the samurai because of it direct connect to the moment which is vital in life and death situations.

Filial Piety and the Samurai

Filial Piety is the central part of a Confucian value system concerned with the need to produce beneficial behavior patterns from children who are expected to care for their parents. According to Confucius, a variety of virtues are needed to maintain a strong society: filial piety, righteousness, love, loyalty, sincerity, justice, tranquility, moderation, and harmony.  Filial piety remains the most important. 

In Ikiru, the son is not dutiful and does not seem to care for his father, which is a betrayal of the tenets of filial piety because the father sacrificed so much for his son. The idea is that if you take care of your son, he will take care of you in your old age. Kanji's son seems to think of his old father as a burden and not a treasure.

Even in today's Marxist/Capitalist society of China, filial piety is still valued.    In some Chinese ghost stories, this virtue also appears. "Indeed, in zhiguai generally one can find stories that carry moral messages, such as promoting the virtue of righteousness, filial piety, or loyalty "  (Poo 53).

The Classic of Filial Piety  (Xiao Jing) is the key text of Confucian value. The text is in conversation format between Confucius and his pupil, Zeng Zi. The key aspect of this Confucian value system is its patriarchal pattern where the son is expected to be the true model of filial piety, specifically the eldest son.   Indeed, the original Chinese character or ideograph  for filial piety is xiao which  is composed of two characters: lao (old) and  zi (son) (Ikels).  It is the duty of the son, especially the eldest son to care for his parents.   This son is expected sacrifice almost everything for his parents. His purpose in life is to take care of his parents. 

Thus, filial piety is about maintaining obedience between familial relationships, especially between the father and son. That key relationship becomes the model for all relationships in society which follows a prescribed hierarchy of power: father-son, husband-wife, and then older brother-younger brother. Other social relationships are also modeled on such relationships: emperor-minister, and teacher-student. Even friend-friend relationship  if the one is considerable older.

Filial piety originated in China and expanded to Korea, Japan and other Asian countries influenced by China's cultural, political and economic powers.  As Asian families immigrated to America, they brought such values of filial obligations with them.  However, filial piety often conflicted with Western society that values independence and individuality. Asian American literature is full of stories about how the "Americanized" children of Asian families often had problems dealing with such conflicts as they tried to fit in and also still show respect toward their parents.

Works Cited

Poo,  Mu-Chou. "Ghost Literature: Exorcistic Ritual Texts or Daily Entertainment." Asia Major 13. 1  (2000): 43-63.

Works Consulted

Ch'en, Kenneth. "Filial Piety in  Chinese Buddhism." Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies. 28 (1968): 81-97.

Ikels, Charlotte. Ed. Filial Piety: Practice and Discourse in Contemporary East Asia. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2004.

Janelli, Roger L. and Dawnhee Yim." The Transformation of Filial Piety in Contemporary South Korea.  In Ikels, Charlotte. Ed. Filial Piety: Practice and Discourse in Contemporary East Asia . Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2004. 128-152.

Hashimoto, Akiko. "Culture, Power, and the Discourse of Filial Piety in Japan: The Disempowerment of Youth and Its Social Consequences." In Ikels, Charlotte. Ed. Filial Piety: Practice and Discourse in Contemporary East Asia. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2004. 182-197.

Mo, Weimin and Wenju Shen. "The Twenty-Four Paragons of Filial Piety: Their Didactic Role and Impact on Children's Lives."  Children's Literature Association. 24.1 (1999): 15-23.

A version of this was published in the Greenwood Asian American Literature Encyclopedia 2009  written by the instructor. 

The Mystical and Magical Way of Onmyodo

In Japan, Taoism would morph into a tradition of esoteric philosophy/magical/alchemy called Onmyodo which emphasized the wu xing (the five elements, water, wood, fire, earth, metal) and in'you (yin and yang). The Japanese heavy metal band Onmyou-za celebrates these ideas. In films like Throne of Blood (1957) and Ran (1985), such mystical elements mix with aspects of Shintoism.

ONMYO-ZA - KUMIKYOKU [YOSHITSUNE] ~ Youtube

Shintoism: The Way of Nature

While China developed Taoism, Japanese religion emphasized nature which became known as Shintoism. An important aspect of Shintoism is the idea of purity.

Zen and Satori: Enlightenment

In "Seven Samurai," Takeshi Shimura as the head samurai, Kambei, personifies an enlightened warrior. Indeed at the beginning, he shaves his head and pretends to be a monk in order to save someone, showing his selfless manner. This foreshadows his role in the film.

Although in zen enlightenment is always "self" earned. The master is always necessary at least as a guide to the boat. The student must enter the vessel and pass over to the other side alone.

Zen and Satori

Satori, enlightenment, is only obtained by one's effort or non-effort. In several films, the master/student relationship was explored by Kurosawa.

The answer cannot be taught, yet the master can show the direction toward the answer. There is a point where the student is lost and is at the breaking point.

Spiritual Birth: Kufu

Kufu, "sort of spiritual birth pang, " occurs (D.T. Suzuki Zen and Japanese Culture 178). Although spiritual enlightenment may not have been reached by these students, some sort of growth did occur.

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