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Chrono
7th May 2004, 03:49
Has it been reported that during seppuku a samurai will chant or pray?

Mekugi
7th May 2004, 04:15
Poems could be read. "Death Poems" are still around and some grace literature to this very day. However, I don't think that during the slicing of the belly there would be much room for anything other than "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGG"

Is that a chant?


Originally posted by Chrono
Has it been reported that during seppuku a samurai will chant or pray?

Chrono
7th May 2004, 04:20
Originally posted by Mekugi
Poems could be read. "Death Poems" are still around and some grace literature to this very day.

I remember death poems being in Shogun, but I wasn't sure if that was true or not. But, I should have known that to be true because I've seen a couple of books that have collections of them.

But, I was thinking, that right before the ceremony they would say a private prayer or something before coming out. Probably should have said that earlier.

Jon

Chiburi
7th May 2004, 14:00
I don't know why exactly, but I like this little poem I came across once:

What are clouds,
But an excuse for the sky?
What is life,
But an escape from death?
- Kasigi Yabu

It was categorized as a death poem, I remember, and I have also come across others, by Japanese authors, that were niched away under the same category. Perhaps they were prepared in advance, though, and recorded, to make space for the more natural "Aaaaargh!" of the instant, as Russ already pointed out :p

All the best,

[Edited to get the smiley to work]

kabutoki
7th May 2004, 14:18
Hi,
do we know that those poems were read in the ceremony ?

Karsten

Tri-ring
7th May 2004, 15:37
Konbanwa Everyone,

Although "Death poems" or jisei no ku (Ž«?¢‚Ì‹å?jwere read prior to seppuku they were not limited to the ritual suicide, they were read by most daimyos and famous samurais.
It's usually about their last impression concerning life.

Here are some famous words(Sorry for the crude translation);

Toyotomi Hideyoshi
˜I‚Æ—Ž‚¿?@˜I‚Æ?Á‚¦‚É‚µ?@Œá‚ª?g‚©‚È?@
?@?@?@?@?@?@˜Q‰Ô‚ÌŽ–‚à?@–²‚Ì‚Ü‚½–²
(My life is like a dew drop that fades into the mist
a life is a dream within a dream)
Tokugawa Ieyasu
?æ‚É?s‚_?@‚_‚Æ‚ÉŽc‚é‚à?@“¯‚¶‚±‚Æ?@?@
?@?@?@?@?@˜A‚ê‚Ä?s‚¯‚Ê‚ð?@‚í‚©‚ꂼ‚ÆŽv‚¤
(A departure leaving and left are the same
Not able to travel aside is true parting)
Oda Nobunaga
?¥”ñ‚É‹y‚΂¸
(This is nothing to be ashamed)

K.Miwa

Tri-ring
12th May 2004, 14:06
Konbanwa Everyone,

I found this article in the Japan Times that they found poem written by Tojo and other WW2 criminals.
Here is the link.
Japan Times (http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20040512f1.htm)

K.Miwa