These days I have had a great fascination with Samurai. Here are some known facts about them:
Samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan. They served as the retainers of the feudal lords, known as daimyo, and followed a code of conduct called bushido, which valued bravery, honour, and loyalty. Samurai were skilled in using both the bow and sword, and also practiced various arts such as tea ceremony and flower arranging.
It’s pretty interesting to learn that they were abolished in the late 19th century when Japan became modernized and created a conscript army.
Here’s a brief summary about bushido:
Bushido is the term for the code of conduct and way of life of the samurai, the warrior class of feudal Japan. It is derived from the word bushi, meaning “warrior”, and do, meaning “way”. Bushido is influenced by various philosophical and religious traditions, such as Zen Buddhism, Confucianism, and Shintoism. It emphasizes values such as loyalty, honor, courage, justice, compassion, and self-discipline. Bushido also regulates the samurai’s duties to their lord, their family, and their fellow warriors.
