Musashi's Dokkodo (The Way of Walking Alone)
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dokkodo
Introduction
Musashi, the Myth and the Man The Truth behind the Legend “Saints have no moderation, nor do poets, just exuberance.” — Anne Sexton In 1935 novelist Eiji Yoshikawa (1892 – 1962) changed the martial arts world when he published his epic Musashi, a fictionalized account of the adventures of Miyamoto Musashi which was serialized in the newspaper Asahi Shimbun. The legendary swordsman was well known to practitioners of classical Japanese swordsmanship, but virtually no one had heard of Musashi beyond that fellowship. Certainly he was not the mythic figure we think we know today, one who has been portrayed in books, movies, manga, and comics to the point where he has become a household name far beyond the traditional martial arts community. Yoshikawa was a talented writer, one who ignited the imaginations of his readership. Once he created the mystique of Musashi it caught fire, growing in the same way that virtually all myths are born and developed. Suddenly Musashi was larger than life, a figure whose methods of thought, strategy, and tactics were adopted across a wide spectrum of Japanese society, especially amongst military leaders and captains of industry. They studied his ancient treatise on strategy Go Rin No Sho, intuiting relevance and meaning in modern life. Before long Musashi’s legend spread beyond the shores of Japan, making an impact on people from all walks of life all across the world. In fact, his treatise Go Rin No Sho has been translated into English at least a dozen different times where it was published under the title The Book of Five Rings and various derivations thereof. [2] It has also been printed in languages as diverse as Arabic, Chinese, Greek, German, Indonesian, French, Lithuanian, Spanish, and Thai. If Musashi had not written this exposition Go Rin No Sho and Yoshikawa subsequently publicized it centuries later, it is likely that Japan’s most famous swordsman would have been relegated to the dustbins of history along with most other luminaries of his period, known only by historians and historical re-enactors. Nevertheless, Musashi retired to a cave near the end of his life, put down his swords, and took up a pen. And, Yoshikawa brought those ancient writings back to life. In the process he is largely responsible for making Musashi the venerable sword saint that he is today. When legendary figures pass away, we tend to turn them into saints, though not necessarily in a spiritual manner. Nevertheless, we do it much in the same way that religious institutions deify noteworthy members of their organizations. The formula works this way: First, while the future saint is still alive society does not acknowledge his or her brilliance. These individuals are often branded eccentrics, mavericks, or rabble-rousers. Secondly, after they die we discover their message, recognize their contributions, and adopt them as our own. Thirdly, we canonize them, putting special emphasis on their remarkable deeds and honorable behaviors while ignoring or brushing over any questionable or contemptuous acts they may have performed. “No, he wasn’t crazy, just a little quirky. Perhaps a touch eccentric, but what genius isn’t? Think of all the contributions he made to…” we might say to ourselves. Once that justification has taken root and been accepted by the masses, the last stage of canonization takes place when we as a society turn them into saints. And then we build statues of them, name things after them, and pay homage to their memories. And so it was with Musashi. Roughly three hundred years after his death in 1645, Musashi suddenly became an icon and a hero. His name is synonymous with samurai ethos, as ubiquitous as katana, Download 1.13 Mb. Do'stlaringiz bilan baham: |
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