The Code of the Samurai
All warriors were expected to adhere to the ethical code bushido, or the “way of the warrior.” Bushido—primarily an informal system of values subject to individual interpretation rather than an explicit set of written rules—advised warriors to live honorably by being mindful of the nearness of death. A warrior was advised to judge his actions in the present moment by looking backward from the moment of his own death—as if he were already dead. An honorable death was highly valued.
The samurai prized virtues such as honesty, courage, benevolence, respect, self-sacrifice, self-control, compliance with duty, and loyalty. These qualities, which contribute to military discipline and efficiency, have always been valued in fighting men. Over time the warriors refined their code to more explicitly encompass their leadership roles in society and their civil responsibilities. In this context bushido was thought to bring balance and stability to social organization.
In all contexts the essence of the samurai code lay in the concepts bun and bu, or culture and arms. In their personal behavior, in society, and in politics, warriors were expected to balance their expression of these concepts. For the individual, martial prowess was not to take the form of unbridled aggression, and civil deference was not to give way to weakness. At the level of society, political force was to be moderated with cultural activities, but force was always to be available to defend the culture. A samurai scholar of the 1700s compared bun and bu to the wings of a bird, writing:
Culture and arms are like the two wings of a bird. Just as it is impossible to fly with one wing missing, if you have culture but no arms, people will slight you without fear, while if you have arms but no culture, people will be alienated by fear. Therefore, when you learn and practice both culture and arms, you demonstrate both authority and generosity, so people are friendly but also intimidated, and they will be obedient.
