Rōnin | Samurai, Bushido, Feudal Japan (2024)

Japanese warrior

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rōnin, any of the masterless samurai warrior aristocrats of the late Muromachi (1138–1573) and Tokugawa (1603–1867) periods who were often vagrant and disruptive and sometimes actively rebellious.

By the 12th century the term rōnin began to be used for samurai who, as a result of either losses in battle, the untimely death of their lord, or their own misdeeds, had been dispossessed of their fief and their noble sponsorship. During the tumultuous period before the founding of the Tokugawa shogunate, their numbers increased rapidly; they remained a great cause of disorder throughout the first half of the 17th century.

In the mid-19th century many impoverished samurai were attracted to the movement to expel Western foreigners from the country and restore the old imperial family to their rightful place as the actual rulers of Japan. Large numbers of these samurai left their lords and became rōnin. These rōnin heightened the revolutionary mood of the country in the years prior to the Meiji Restoration of 1868 by assassinating moderate officials, pro-Western scholars, and foreigners residing in Japan. Although the violence continued for a short while after the restoration, the rōnin ceased to exist after samurai privileges were abolished in 1873. The affair of the 47 rōnin in the early 18th century, in which the rōnin avenged the death of their lord, has been the subject of many popular Japanese theatrical, cinema, and literary works.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.

Rōnin | Samurai, Bushido, Feudal Japan (2024)

FAQs

Rōnin | Samurai, Bushido, Feudal Japan? ›

A ronin

ronin
In feudal Japan (1185–1868), a rōnin (/ˈroʊnɪn/ ROH-nin; Japanese: 浪人, IPA: [ɾoːɲiɴ], 'drifter' or 'wandering man', lit. 'unrestrained or dissolute person') was a samurai who had no lord or master and in some cases, had also severed all links with his family or clan.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Rōnin
, or "wave man," was a samurai without a master in feudal Japan. These masters were typically daimyo, a type of Japanese feudal lord. The samurai were a Japanese warrior class trained in the art of war and who followed a strict code of honor and loyalty called Bushido
Bushido
The collection of ideals that we know as Bushido represents the Samurai code of honor. The tenets of the Bushido code are rectitude, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honor, loyalty, wisdom, and care for the elderly.
https://study.com › lesson › bushido-definition-code-virtues
.

What is the Bushido in feudal Japan? ›

Bushido is the way of warrior, the codex of Samurai during feudal Japan which promoted the importance of loyalty, honor and martial arts. The Bushido philosophy refers to not fearing death and dying for valor. It is sometimes criticized for disrespecting human life.

What was the role of ronin in feudal Japan? ›

In feudal Japan, a ronin was a warrior, a samurai without a master, who travelled the country offering his service to anyone in need of a sword to hire. But unlike the lonesome cowboy or gunman in Western movies, the ronin in Japanese culture has always had a tragic dimension, a sense of failure.

Did ronin follow Bushido? ›

Answer and Explanation: Ronin, which means 'wanderer', were samurai who did not have a master for some reason. Like other samurai, ronin were expected to follow the code of bushido, even though they were masterless.

What is a Rounin? ›

In feudal Japan (1185–1868), a rōnin (/ˈroʊnɪn/ ROH-nin; Japanese: 浪人, IPA: [ɾoːɲiɴ], 'drifter' or 'wandering man', lit. 'unrestrained or dissolute person') was a samurai who had no lord or master and in some cases, had also severed all links with his family or clan.

What are the main points of Bushido? ›

The collection of ideals that we know as Bushido represents the Samurai code of honor. The tenets of the Bushido code are rectitude, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honor, loyalty, wisdom, and care for the elderly.

How is Bushido used today in Japan? ›

IN MODERN SOCIETY

While there are no samurai in Japan today, the philosophies of ancient times are now found and applied in martial arts, devotion to one's work, and the ceremonial quality found in traditional arts.

What happens if a samurai breaks Bushido? ›

Samurai could attempt to regain honor over time, yet some transgressions of the code could be so severe that those who broke bushido committed a form of ritual suicide known as seppuku in order regain their honor even in death.

Does Japan still practice Bushido? ›

There are multiple types of bushido which evolved significantly through history. Contemporary forms of bushido are still used in the social and economic organization of Japan.

Why did the samurai take the Bushido so seriously? ›

The Bushido code guided the samurai in life and death, and stressed loyalty to the leader and honor in every aspect of life. The Bushido code arose from Zen-Buddhism, Confucianism, and Shintoism, and taught the importance of service to master and country.

What best describes Bushido? ›

What today's readers may find most enlightening about Bushido is the emphasis on compassion, benevolence, and the other non-martial qualities of true manliness. Bushido refers not only to martial rectitude, but to personal rectitude: Rectitude or Justice, is the strongest virtue of Bushido.

What is Bushido in Japanese work culture? ›

As the country grew into one of the major world economic powers in the 1980s, people within Japan and outside of it once again began to use the word "bushido." At that time, it came to mean extreme hard work, loyalty to the company that one worked for, and devotion to quality and precision as a sign of personal honor. ...

What is the Japanese philosophy Bushido? ›

Bushido contains eight key principles which are Justice, Courage, Compassion, Respect, Integrity, Honor, Loyalty, and Self-Control, and Samurai must uphold these. Bushido has been influenced by the various experiences that the Samurai had on the battlefield and in martial arts training.

What is Bushido and why was it important to the samurai quizlet? ›

Bushido is a code of behavior followed by Samurai warriors in Japan. Bushido is based on a heavy sense of duty, bravery, and honor. This meant that the Samurai warriors would take pride in the hardships that await them and are meant to be trained not to fear death.

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