Loyalty, bonds of kinship and warriors in the late Heian period and Middle Ages

Katalin Acevedo-Horvth, Japanese Filology Program, ELTE BTK

Both loyalty and family bonds had a great importance for samurai. This paper delineates the patterns where loyalty or bonds of kinship could be seen in the samurais life. Sometimes the samurai had to confront with a conflict between loyalty to his family on the one hand, and to his ruler or lord on the other. The present article adopts prose epics for representing the behaviour and way of thinking of the samurai in the end of Heian-era and early Medievals, and shows the importance of kinship and also of the lord. This article uses literary documents for introducing these themes such as Mutsuwaki or Heike Monogatari. Beginning with the background of the samurai let me give an introduction about the rising of the warriors in Japan. Land, tax local administration, and military systems all deteriorated from the early Heian period (794-1185). Central government weakness was exposed by warfare and regional rebellion from the early tenth century. With the breakdown of public order in the countryside, provincial families armed themselves to defend and advance their private local interests. They increased their power by reclaiming tracts of land, intruding into public lands and private estates, and gaining influence at court by acting as military enforcers in provincial rebellions and frontier wars. By the beginning of 12th century samurai (bushi), organized in regional bands, were clearly emerging as a major force in the Japanese military and political arenas. Although the court government claimed to control the countryside, the court was little more than a shell of authority. Central military institutions were ineffective and the civil aristocracy of the court militarily inept. The courts abdication of governmental authority left a power vacuum in the provinces, into which warriors naturally moved. From this they were drawn into the arena of central politics. 1 The Japanese court of the eleventh and twelfth centuries ruled a sate that seemingly had no army. Without a soldiery of its own, increasingly dependend on the members of the warrior class. 2 The power structure of the society was severly shaken by three disturbances which succeed after the middle of the twelfth century. These were the Hogen ad Heiji
Martin Collcutt: The Emergence of the Samurai and the Military History of Early Japan. Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies. Vol.56. Jun., 1996, pp. 152. 2 Karl Friday: Teeth and Claws. Provincial Warriors and the Heian Court. Monumenta Nipponica, Tokyo Vol.43, 1988, pp. 154.
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wars of 1156 and 1159, the war between the Taira and the Minamoto clan from 1177 to 1185, and the Shokyu war of 1221. This paper aims to show the relations and moral behavior such as lord-vassal bond, loyalty, and family relations through medieval prose epics in this period. Loyalty can be seen as a part of samurai code of ethics. Clearly, from as early in Japanese history as the period when Chinese writing and its corresponding philosophy entered Japan, loyalty was regarded as perhaps the prime virtue that a Japanese, soldier or otherwise, could possess. The theme of loyalty runs throughout Prince Shotokus Seventeen Article Constitution of 603. Loyalty is indispensable to state-buiding, and the entire Japanese structure of legitimacy. The lord-vassal bond of Heian ad Kamakura warriors is often characterized as involving deep personal commitment, even extending over generations. Although material considerations were not unimportant, many Japanese scholars have emphasized the human-heartedness (bushi no nasake) of the bond and deny that warrior and master were linked contractually. 3 Let me introduce in details about the samurai ideals through war tales (gunki monogatari, gunkimono). The war tales or so called military chrocicles, written for and about the military, have a number of identifying characteristics: Their basic subject is the warrior class, and its military activities. They describe historical events. Their structure is episodic and loose. They are lively, witty and superficial. The gunkimono all came into being during times of intermittent war in the period from the mid-twelfth century to the end of the sixteenth.They offer a picture of a society dominated by warriors as those warriors viewed themselves. That is the reason why this paper aims to present warrior loyality and kinship throughout war tales from the 11-13th centuries. Firstly, let us see the code of loyality, bonds of kinship and moral appeared in Mutsuwaki, A Tale of Mutsu. 4 Several part and scene give precious information about the general image of the warriors of the time. As in later periods, already a strong image about cowaridce existed in the Heian period: Live or die, a warriors greatest shame is cowardice! The next issue that must be presented is matters of honor in Mutsuwaki. The rebels captured him (Taira Kunitada) when his horse fell, but since he was a brother-in-law of Tsunekiyo, one of their chieftains, he was granted his freedom. The other warriors considered it a disgrace.
G. Cameron Hurst: Death, Honor and Loyality: The Bushido ideal. Philosophy East and West. University of Hawaii Press, 1990, pp. 518. 4 A Tale of Mutsu is a short record, written in Chinese, of the confrontation between Yoriyoshi and the Abe. The long, arduous campaign known to Japanese historians as the Former Nine Years War in the eleventh century. It was set down not long after the actual events. Helen Craig McCullough: A Tale of Mutsu. Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, Vol.25, 1964, pp181.
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In this gunkimono not only bond in a family can be seen but a bond uniting lord and vassal as well. It is described clearly in this passage from Mutsuwaki: Yoriyoshi provided a filling meal for his men, saw their weapons were put to rights, and personally visited the injured to care for their wounds. The warriors were deeply touched.5 On the other hand we can also see how vassals thought about service to their lord: I stand ready to give my life in your service, -pledged Takenori. I look on it as nothing more than a feather. Though I may die facing the rebels, never shall I turn my back on an enemy in order to live. 6 Mentioning about live or die, a basic idea among warriors is shown in many war tales. Both A Tale of Mutsu and war tales beckon us into a realm of shadow-play violance, of mannered, ritualistic warfare as seen in Taiheiki 7: In countless thousands of myriads they cut open their bellies at the edges of trackless crags or smashed their bones to bits at the bottom of chasms fifteen thousand feet deep. 8 The risk of getting hurt or even dying is presented through the warrior whose wounded brother has just disembowelled himself: On the day when I left Suzuki in Kii, I made up my mind and to give my life for His Lordship. Nothing could make me happier than to die in the same place as my brother. 9 Changing to the topic of kinship, Mutsuwaki describes family bonds as a strong connection: (Yoritoki consulted with his sons and nephews:) Men live in this world for the sake of their families. Unremarkable as Sadato may be, I am his father and I love him. I couldnt endure it if he were to be executed. Well have to close the barrier and ignore the summons. Yoriyoshi himself will not come, but even if he does, we can defend ourselves. Besides, I could always die with Sadato if we were defeted, couldnt I? In an other part of A Tale of Mutsu we can read about the image of a warrior who left his lord for another. This paper mentioned before that the relation of lord and vassal can be contractually, but in Mutsuwaki it is obviously different: The governor treated him generously and granted him a district to administer, but after his marriage to one of Yoritokis daughters his loyalty wavered, and when it came to a clash of arms he deserted his old master for Yoritoki. He is disloyal and dishonorable. 10
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pp 187. 7 Taiheiki: Japanese historical epic (gunki monogatari) written in the late 14th century. 8 Translation from Helen Craig McCullough: The Taiheiki. New York, 1959, pp 271. 9 Translation from Helen Craig McCullough: A Tale of Mutsu. New York 10 Helen Craig McCullough: A Tale of Mutsu. Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, 1964, pp 189.

A Tale of Mutsu. Translation by Helen Craig McCullough, Stanford University Helen Craig McCullough: A Tale of Mutsu. Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, Vol.25, 1964,

Disloyality showed in another scene as well, where disloyality could lead to death: At the juncture Tsunekiyo was taken prisoner. Yoriyoshi sumoned him: Many generations of your ancestors have served my family, but for years now you have flouted the imperial authority and despised your former lords. This is a treacherous, mean behaviour. Yoriyoshi was so enraged that he cut off his head slowly with a dull sword to make him suffer as long as possible. However, Mutsuwaki reports about real and true relation of a warrior to his master, a service that last until the end of life of lord. Vassals even chose to die together wih their master: Though Tsunemori had broken through the victorious enemies around him, he had barely managed to escape, and knew nothing about what had happened to Yoriyoshi. He questioned a soldier, who said: The general is surrounded by rebels. Only five or six men are with him. Its hard to see how he can get away. For thirty year now I have been in Yoriyoshis service.-said Tsunemori. I am sixty and he is almost seventy. If he must die, I intend to share his fate and go with him to the underworld. Heike Monogatari11 also presents the bond between lord and vassal very detailed. Our bodies shall repay our debts; our lives shall count as nothing where honour is at sake. We are ready to die for our general. Than he was asked by his lord: How do you feel, Saburohyoe? It is the end, my lord , answered Tsuginobu. Is there anything you would wish for in this world? enquired Yoshitsune. What is there that I should want? Only that I regret that I shall not live to see my lord come to his own. For the rest it is the destiny of one who wields the bow and arrow to fall by the shaft of an enemy. And that it should be told to future generations that I, Saburohyohye Tsuginobu of Mutsu, died instead of my lord at the fight, on the beach of Yashima in Sanuki, in the war of the Genji and Heike, will be my pride in this life and something to remember on the dark road of death. In Heike Monogatari loyalty to ones lord and courage in the face of odds and in the face of certain death are painted in bright colours: Seizing Imai by the hand, Kiso burst forth: I was so anxious about you that I did not stop to fight to the death in the Rokujo Kawara, but turned my back on a host of foes
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Heike Monogatari (The Tale of Heike) is a medieval prose epic written down in Japan some time during the twelfth or thirteen century. It is a gunki monogatari, a war tale or military novel. The Heike Monogatari is the record of a series of actual battles which took place during the Middle Ages between the Taira (Heike) and Minamoto (Genji) clans for supremacy in Japan. The prose epic itself covers only the few years between 1180 and 1185 marking the final phase of the struggle and the downfall of the Taira (who had been in power during the initial phases of the conflict). Herbert S. Joseph: The Heike Monogatari: Buddhist Ethics and the Code of the Samurai. Folklore, Vol. 87, 1976 4

and hastened off here to find you. How can I express my gratitude for my lords consideraton? relied Imai:I, too would have died in defence of Seta, but I feared for my lords uncertan fate, and thus it was that I fled hither. Then our ancient pledge shall be broken and we will die together said Kiso. 12 Behavioural levels of the Samurai at the battle might be found in the many considerations offered by various warriors in terms of practical conduct in battle. Another example of this attitude may be found in the following statement made by a retainer, who, in wishing to protect his master from being caught by the Genji, considers it perfectly poper to deceive the Genji and gain his ends13: The samurai must live up to his reputation even the smallest matters. So I will go back and deceive the oncoming officials. Then I will cut my way out through them and rejoin my master. The code of honour operates in full force and makes very strong demands upon the individual in action. The example below consists a speech given by a retainer who is dying on the field of battle: What is there I should want? Only that I regret that I shall not live to see my lord come to his own. For the rest, it is the destiny of one who wields the bow and arrow to fall by the shaft of an enemy. And that it should be told to future generations that I, Sato Suburyohyohye Tsuginobu of Mutsu, died instead of my lord at the fight on the beach at Yashima in Sanuki, in the war of the Genji and the Heike, will be my pride in this life and something to remember on the dark road of death. In the Tale of Heike conflict between loyalty to ruler and parents is also recognizible. Taira no Shigemori a paragon both of loyalty and filial piety, found that his father, to whom he owed filial obidience, had plotted against the imperial family, to whom he owed loyality. Shigemoris impassioned response became a classic statement of the dilemma for samurai: How sad! If I try to remain loyal in the service of my lord, I should then in a trice cast to oblivion the kindness of my father, higher still than the eighty thousand leagues of the peak Sumeru. How piteous! If I should think to evade the offence of filial impiety, I should then have become a traitorous minister disloyal to my lord. To go forwards or backwards is alike impossible; right can by no means be discerned from wrong. This is all I request of you: simply take my head. 14

English version; A.L. Sadler: The Heike Monogatari. Stanford University Press 1918. Herbert S. Joseph: The Heike Monogatari: Buddhist Ethics and the Code of the Samurai. Taylor and Francis Ltd.,1976, pp. 99. 14 I.J. McMullen: Rulers or Fathers? Past and Present; Oxford University Press. 1987. pp. 58.
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Conclusion

In this paper I tried to explore about the relationships between lord and vassals or family members and show their importance. The strong human connection can be found easily in the literary works in various situations. Through these prose epic pieces we also able to see the moral code that guides the samurai. This code is working inside the warriors and as the war tales show, a very strong moral item for warriors in this time was loyalty.

Bibliograpy
Butler, Kenneth Dean: The Heike Monogatari and the Japanese warrior ethic. Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies. Vol. 29. 1969 Collcutt, Martin: The Emergence of the Samurai and the Military History of Early Japan. Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies. Vol.56. Jun., 1996 Friday, Karl: Teeth and Claws. Provincial Warriors and the Heian Court. Monumenta Nipponica, Tokyo Vol.43, 1988 Herbert S. Joseph: The Heike Monogatari: Buddhist Ethics and the Code of the Samurai. Taylor and Francis Ltd.,1976 Hurst, G.Cameron: Death, Honor and Loyality: The Bushido ideal. Philosophy East and West. University of Hawaii Press, Vol.40, 1990, Kajiwara, Masaaki (edit): Heike Monogatari. Shin Nihonkotenbungakutaikei 45. Iwanami, 2004 McCullough, Helen Craig: A Tale of Mutsu. Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, Vol.25, 1964 McMullen, I.J.: Rulers or Fathers? Past and Present, Oxford University Press. 1987 l Yanase, Kiyoshi; Shida, Itaru (edit): Shomonki, Mutsuwaki, Hogen Monogatari, Heiji Monogatari. Shogakukan, 2002.