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The Confucian Elements in the Book of Five Rings 1 The Confucian Elements in the Book of Five Rings 1 ACTA ASIATICA VARSOVIENSIA No. 27, 2014 PL ISSN 08606102 EMIL CIECIEL¥G The Confucian Elements in the Book of Five Rings Abstract Confucianism arrived in Japan at the beginning of the fifth century A.D. Confucianism influenced the growth of feudalism and the creation of bushidô, the code of moral principles and an inspiration for Japanese warriors. Miyamoto Musashi was one of the most famous samurai in Japanese history. He established the Niten Ichi Ryû kendô school. In the Book of Five Rings, Musashi set down his own principles, in the belief that each of his students should live by them. Some Confucian elements were included in the Book of Five Rings. Confucianism appeared in Japan in 402 AD with the Analects of Confucius.1 Confucianism probably had a strong influence on the development of the Bushidô, the unwritten collection of warriors moral rules.2 Thus, Confucian ethics soon became the framework for the education of samurai. This article makes an attempt to discern the crucial Confucian elements existing in the Gorin-no Sho (The Book of Five Rings), a work written by one of the most renowned Japanese warriors. The principles contained in the Dokkôdô (The Way to be Followed Alone) will serve as a guide here. Throughout the article the traditional Hepburn transcription3 has been applied. The goal of this article is to present the Confucian elements in the Book of Five Rings. Confucianism is a system of teachings started by Confucius, and continued by his students.4 According to Confucius, each person should live according to the Way of Heaven.5 This means the procedure of moral norms, such as obedience to parents, kindness, righteousness and loyalty6. As Professor Rodney L. Taylor explains: The focus of all of Classical Confucianism lay in understanding the Way of Tien, which emphasized the need 1 Japanese Confucian Philosophy: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/japanese-confucian/ (accessed 29.06.2013). 2 John Whitney Hall (ed.), The Cambridge History of Japan, Vol. 4, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008, p. 92. 3 James Curtis Hepburn, A Japanese-English and English-Japanese Dictionary, Tôkyô: Maruya, 1888. 4 Konfucjanizm [Confucianism], in W³adys³aw Kopaliñski, S³ownik wyrazów obcych i zwrotów obcojêzycznych [Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases in Foreign Languages], Warszawa: Muza SA, 2001, p. 272. 5 Rodney L. Taylor, Religion of the World. Confucianism, Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2003, p. 10. 6 Konfucjanizm , p. 272. 2 EMIL CIECIEL¥G for moral education for individuals and the establishment of moral rule to bring peace and order to the world.7 Miyamoto Musashi, one of the most famous warriors, was born in 1584. His life remains a mystery to modern scholars, beyond the fact of his existence almost nothing is known.8 The first important question is the warriors place of birth. In the Introduction he mentions that he was born in Harima province: I am a warrior of Harima province, Shinmen Musashi No Kami Fujiwara No Genshin.9 However, most of the researchers think that Musashi was not born in Harima province, proof of this including the samurai monument on Temuki Mountain in Kokura, Kyûshû, founded by Musashis adopted son Miyamoto Iori (1612 1677).10 There is an inscription on this monument: Musashi Genshin from the Shinmen family, a descendant of the House of Akiyama. He came for the first time to Harima as a thirteen year old boy in order to fight against Arima Kihei....11 It can be assumed that the son of the samurai knew the fathers past. Therefore, it is hard to deny that unreliable information was issued there. Why then is such a fact given in the introduction? Some scholars believe that the Gorin-no Sho was written by one of Musashis apprentices, or at least the Introduction to the book was.12 It seems be very probable that the Introduction is not of Musashis authorship, which would also explain the mistake concerning his place of birth. Nevertheless, it is difficult to establish that the work as a whole was not written by the samurai. However, were it to be true, one would recognise a similarity to the Analects of Confucius, which were most probably actually noted down by Confucius apprentices.13 Obviously, this conjectural resemblance does not indicate any Confucian element in Gorin-no Sho. Hence, Musashi was in all likelihood born in Miyamoto village as Bennosuke.14 His father, Shinmen Munisai Taketo, was a samurai, regarded with respect by the shôgun Ashikaga Yoshiaki (15371597).15 Musashi never knew his mother, who had died because of postpartum complications.16 The samurais childhood, or, to be more specific, his upbringing, poses another problem for researchers. According to the legend, Dôrin (Dôrimbô) was supposed to be his teacher.17 7 Taylor, Religion , p. 10. 8 Arkadiusz Izdebski, Witold Nowakowski, ¯ycie Musashiego Miyamoto (15841645) [Miyamoto Musashis Life (15841645)], in Gorin-no Sho. Ksiêga Piêciu Krêgów [The Book of Five Rings], Musashi Miyamoto, Bydgoszcz: Diamond Books, 2010, p. 11. 9 Gorin-no Sho: The Book of Five Rings, http://www.uvm.edu/~asnider/IDAS_2011_CD/ Teachers/Steve%20Llanos%20Materials/Strategy%20Books/Book%20of%20Five%20Rings%20- %20Musashi.pdf (accessed 29.06.2013), p. 2. 10 Izdebski, Nowakowski, ¯ycie Musashiego , p. 12. 11 Ibidem. 12 Ibid., p. 11. 13 Confucius: http://asianhistory.about.com/od/ancientchina/p/Confucius.htm (accessed 29.06.2013). 14 Jinichi Tokeshi, Kendo. Podstawy, filozofia i zasady walki [Kendo. Basics, Philosophy and Rules of Combat], Bydgoszcz: Diamond Books, 2008, p. 241. 15 G. Cameron Hurst III, Samuraj na Wall Street [Samurai on Wall Street], in Gorin-no Sho. Ksiêga Piêciu Krêgów [The Book of Five Rings], Musashi Miyamoto, Bydgoszcz: Diamond Books, 2010, p. 113. 16 Izdebski, Nowakowski, ¯ycie Musashiego , p. 12. 17 Ibid., p. 13. The Confucian Elements in the Book of Five Rings 3 However, scholars reject this theory, as they do the one in which the monk Takuan was Musashis master.18 For some of the researchers, Musashis father was his master, although he did not die until the year 1607.19 Had Munisai died earlier, then Bennosukes uncle must have been teaching him.20 During his life, Musashi fought over sixty duels.21 According to legend he fought his first duel at the age of thirteen. His opponent was the aforementioned Arima Kihei. Musashi naturally won, but it is impossible to establish the authenticity of that duel.22 It should be added that in the Introduction to the Book of Five Rings there is a note concerning that single combat: My first duel was when I was thirteen, I struck down a strategist of the Shinto school, one Arima Kihei.23 Unfortunately, it is impossible to confirm the authenticity of the duel on the basis of this note alone. As mentioned above, we do not know who the author of the Introduction is. If it was one of Musashis apprentices this note might be based on legend as well. Of course, one can also assume that even if Musashi himself was the author he may have given unreliable information. It is worth observing that since his early years the samurai attached importance to learning, in this particular case the study of fencing. There is a very important and significant resemblance to Confucius here. It can also be acknowledged that Musashi is not an exception, and the fact that he devoted himself to learning was linked to the deeply rooted Confucian ethics in Japanese culture. In any case, this education made him achieve good results, and in consequence Musashi has been acknowledged as one of the best fencers in the history of Japan. In the introduction to the Book of Five Rings the author stresses that he had never failed in a duel.24 It should be added that he did go to war, though he always supported the Toyotomi House against the Tokugawa, eventually resulting in him standing on the defeated side. He participated in the battle of Sekigahara in 160025 as well as in the Siege of Ôsaka in 1615.26 Without any doubts, these events shaped his political views, which had a direct influence on his later life. The fact that Musashi was a rônin is crucial. In the introduction to the Book of Five Rings he writes: Since then I have lived without following any particular Way. Thus with the virtue of strategy I practice many arts and abilities all things with no teacher.27 In this place another problem appears. At the end of his life, at the age of fifty seven, Musashi became military advisor to the Hosokawa court in Kumamoto.28 Therefore it can be supposed that he followed his own words, as he states in the aforementioned quotation. He never abandoned the art of war. The only question is his status. Could he, while serving for the House of Hosokawa as the military advisor, be treated as a rônin? It should be observed 18 Hurst III, Samuraj , p. 118. 19 Ibid., p. 113. 20 Ibid., p. 114. 21 Gorin-no Sho , p. 3. 22 Hurst III, Samuraj , p. 114. 23 Gorin-no Sho , p. 3. 24 Ibidem. 25 Hurst III, Samuraj , pp. 114115. 26 Izdebski, Nowakowski, ¯ycie Musashiego , p. 16. 27 Gorin-no Sho , p. 3. 28 Hurst III, Samuraj , p. 115. 4 EMIL CIECIEL¥G that even if the Introduction was written by one of Musashis apprentices they must have known whether their master had been a rônin or not. Hence, it can be assumed that at the end of his life the sword master had found a lord for himself, and as a result was no longer a masterless samurai.
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