Japan is one of the first-world countries that can be called a Utopia of the modern world. However, the history of Japan was crimson red because Japan had been in countless internal wars. In these wars, the warrior class known as samurai and ronin played a crucial role. Although distinctive in nature, They were the people who shaped the rich tapestry of Japanese history.
From the 12th century to the 19th century, Japan was run in a particular social hierarchical, and political system. This era was called the “Feudal Era”. In the feudal system, there were feudal leaders who occupied vast amounts of land and controlled large armies. They were called the Daimyō. Daimyō maintained the order and provided protection for their domain. The Samurai were the military class that was second in the social hierarchy. The samurai served their master, the daimyō in exchange for land and food. They were bound by the code of Bushido. It is a strict ethical code that emphasizes loyalty, bravery, and martial arts mastery.
Ronin are also samurai who lost their master. The loss can be due to the death of the master or loss of favor. According to the Bushido code, the samurai has to commit seppuku (a form of suicide ritual) if their master is dead or lost. The samurai who didn’t choose to honor the code was meant to suffer great shame. The discrimination imposed by the samurai and daimyō was the undesirability of the Ronin status.
Samurai were bound by loyalty to their lord. On the contrary, Ronins didn’t have any ties such as these. It was one of the reasons why the Ronins were able to lead an independent life. However, this also made their life miserable as their main source of income is lost. A significant number of Ronins became sellswords or mercenaries while many others fell into crime.
The Ronins were often portrayed as tragic heroes or anti-heroes in Japanese culture. They possessed both the virtues and the flaws of a samurai. Samurai led a disciplined and predictable life which didn’t provide much fuel for the heroic stories. On the other hand, the Ronins led an unpredictable life. Their life reflected a broader version of loyalty, honor, and the struggles that were against societal constraints.
The Ronins are not spoken as much as the samurai in Japanese history. Yet, some of them made their place in the histories through their actions. The revenge of forty-seven Ronin is such a historical event. A band of Ronin avenged the death of their former master by killing a powerful court official who insulted their master and compelled him to perform seppuku. They were prepared to face execution. However, due to a considerable amount of public support, the authority ordered to grant them an honorable death. This story was turned into numerous plays and dramas.
In Japanese history, both Samurai and Ronin had made a significant impact. The Samurai were celebrated for their Bushido code and how they shaped the feudal era of Japan. The Ronin were remembered for their complex way of life. Life which had contradictory legacies, both as honorable warriors and rebellious outcasts. These legacies remind us that honor and rebellion have grey areas and the line between them is blurred. Both are shaped by the choices and circumstances defining our lives.
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Writer,
Abdul Ahad Bin Feroz
Management Trainee,
Content Writing Department,
YSSE.