What is seppuku？
Japan has always revered the spirit of Bushido, especially during the Warring States period, and there were many famous military generals, and while we long for their heroic deeds and political power, we cannot ignore the extreme formalized form of suicide in the spirit of Bushido - seppuku. This horrible and painful way of death has been handed down to us, and the victims were often samurai who were either defeated in battle due to poor command, or who had committed a capital crime. Although seppuku belongs to the honor of going to justice in the samurai culture, this hellish and painful rite of passage cannot be understood or imitated by those of us who have embraced the modern civilization. So what is seppuku, is this pain deliberately inflicted, and are there forms of the ritual? Why did the samurai hold seppuku in such high regard?
Let's explore that next.
What is seppuku？
Seppuku is when a samurai inserts a sharp weapon into his abdomen and makes a zigzag pattern from left to right or then a cross pattern from top to bottom, thus slowly bleeding to death.
The Origins of Seppuku
The origin of seppuku can be traced as far back as the Heian Period, when a highly skilled robber named Fujiwara Yoshi appeared in Kyoto, he burned and looted at night causing panic, and later committed suicide after being surrounded by officers seppuku, the first of many documented references to seppuku. This was an accident, though, and at this point seppuku is not substantially different from any other form of suicide, nor does it have any special significance. It was not until the Battle of Takamatsu Castle in Bichu in the Warring States period that the meaning of seppuku changed significantly. The castle there, in present-day Okayama Prefecture, was where Toyotomi Hideyoshi carried out his water attack, and when he learned of the Honnouji Incident, he returned to Kiuchi in a panic, subsequently, in order to reach a settlement in which both sides retreated, Toyotomi Hideyoshi made the suicide of Shimizu Sōji, the lord of the castle, a condition. Shimizu Sōji drives a boat on the water, seppuku in pain on the spot, and is subsequently beheaded by Kaishakunin, japanese culture has always had a tendency to worship the strong and capable, at the end of life can do such a crazy act is really shocking, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and a number of military generals also feel deeply, it was only after this that seppuku was given the term “honorable death”. Japanese folklorist Del Chiba has pointed out that seppuku culture is based on the fact that the abdomen is the place where the buried souls of human beings come out in the open and allow the soul to be released freely.
Why was seppuku done
Seppuku is a typical behavior of Japanese Bushido, the motive is more complicated, there are several main reasons:
1. defeat in war (e.g. Asai Hisamasa, who chose to commit suicide by seppuku in 1573 under heavy attack by Oda's army)
2. Responsibility: Assumption of liability due to negligence.
3. Sacrifice: Sacrificing oneself in order to save the lives of one's subordinates or fellow soldiers (e.g. Shimizu Sōji, the first person to give seppuku its special significance as described above).
4. admonish death: to admonish a lord (e.g. Hirate Masahide, who protested against Oda Nobunaga's indolence by seppuku in 1551).
5. honor: died to preserve his dignity.
In addition to these, there were seppuku performed to build up a reputation, to bring favor to the family and descendants, to protest against untrue crimes, or to embark on a journey of death before the lord.
The Ritual
There is a set of strict etiquette prescribed for seppuku, and if the rituals are not followed to the letter, it is not considered Bushido and is not entitled to the treatment it deserves. In 1663, the Tokugawa government issued (Martyrdom Prohibition), which prohibited unauthorized seppuku by samurai, seppuku became an honorary criminal law that could only be enforced with the permission of the government, and seppuku orders were issued in writing by the Crown, with a special “prosecutor” delivering a notice to the executor to prepare the person who was to be executed, and the seppuku person was to kneel down and give thanks in a respectful manner. Seppuku is usually performed at night, and the person who commits suicide by seppuku first bathes, shaves his beard, and wears a stately white kimono, while the sword used for seppuku is placed directly in front of him, and can be padded with a special fabric. At this time, the samurai would make mental preparations to die, such as writing “death poems” or drinking for the last time, when it was time for the official seppuku, the two Kaishakunin, the head and the deputy, faced the samurai, who gave his name, and the prosecutor next to him had to ask the samurai if he had any last words and record them, Kaishakunin drew his sword and waited, then the samurai would undo the kimono he was wearing, take the sword and stab himself in the stomach, Kaishakunin swung his sword and cut off the samurai's head. This process is important, if the seppuku person rolls around in pain and wails in agony after his stomach is cut open, or if he falls backwards, he cannot be considered a warrior, and his honor and his family's property will not be preserved after his death. Also, the abdominal fat is quite thick and dense with nerves, there are no organs that can kill with a single stab, and without the help of Kaishakunin, it usually takes hours to kill. In order to minimize the pain as well as to prevent shouting and moaning from occurring, Kaishakunin was allowed to make up for it, and Kaishakunin would not completely sever the samurai's neck, but would leave the head and the neck still connected by a layer of skin, with the head hanging down on the chest in what appeared to be a thank-you gesture. Finally, after the inspector has checked that there is no mistake, the body will be wrapped in a quilt and put into the coffin. This is the culmination of a ritualistic and elaborate seppuku.
After the Edo period in Japan, samurai seppuku became a purely ceremonial event, Symbolically, a fan is used to make a gesture to the stomach, pretending that the step of seppuku has been completed, and at this time the Kaishakunin quickly and ruthlessly decapitates the samurai directly, completing the entire ritual, which is called Fan-Belly, and is the dominant way of seppuku in the Edo period.
What sword is used for seppuku
A shorter length of tanto is usually used for seppuku, and in seppuku ceremonies, the tanto is considered a spiritual symbol that represents the determination and honor of the warrior.
Does seppuku still happen
Seppuku is actually a cruel criminal law, out of step with modern civilization, and not worth celebrating or remembering. During the Meiji Restoration period, Japan learned from the advanced technology and culture of the West, and seppuku was no longer the mainstay of capital punishment, except for the influence of the spirit of samurai, and some soldiers were still enthusiastic about this kind of extreme death penalty. After World War II, seppuku gradually withdrew from the stage of history.
