Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Bushido which literally means Way of the Warrior is a code that has greatly influenced the culture and people of Japan. Developed in Japan between the Heian and Tokugawa ages (9th - 12th century) Bushido was the code of the Samurai. In Bushido: The Soul of Japan Inazo Nitobe explores how the influence of the ancient code of Bushido has had such a lasting effect on the culture and traditions of Japan.
Synopsis
First published in 1900, Bushido is the work of a Japanese scholar and educator--and a Quaker--writing in English for a Western audience to explain the virtues most admired by the Japanese: rectitude, courage, benevolence, politeness, sincerity, honor, loyalty, and self-control. The author's approach is twofold. First, he delves into Japan's ancient traditions of Buddhism, Shintoism, and Confucianism, and the moral guidelines handed down over hundreds of years by Japan's samurai and sages. Then, he compares and contrasts Japanese tradition with Western thought and civilization going back to the Romans, the Greeks, and Biblical times.
About the Author
Inazo Nitobe (1862-1933) was born in Japan and began studying English when he was nine years old. He attended colleges in Japan, the United States, and in Germany—where he earned five doctorate degrees. Nitobe was an educator, a cultural ambassador, and one of the best-known Japanese writers of his time.