Bushido: An Antiquated Values System?
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A Critical Review of the Classic Samurai Text:
Bushido: The Soul of Japan by Inazo Nitobe
Part Five: Politeness (Rei)
Politeness is Power in Repose
Article by Sean Hannon
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We continue to explore Bushido’s major principles, concepts, and values as articulated in the classic 1899 Japanese text, Bushido: The Soul of Japan, by Inazo Nitobe, and evaluate their applicability in today’s modern world. Bushido: The Soul of Japan is one of the first major works on samurai ethics and Japanese culture. It is considered by some to be the first collective statement of what is commonly referred to as the Seven Virtues of Bushido.
Nitobe offers for consideration seven virtues of Bushido that attempt to illustrate the philosophical values of the samurai. However, it should be recognized that there are not, in truth, seven virtues of Bushido. This is only Nitobe’s subjective articulation of samurai culture and it is little more than an artificial construct. Other academics like Nitobe or practitioners of Bushido could easily and perhaps in an equally comprehensively fashion offer four, ten, or even one-hundred virtues of Bushido. Furthermore, the seven virtues presented here are concentric. That is, each value overlaps with and is influenced by another. No single virtue of Bushido exists or can exist by itself. Remember, all systems, including Bushido, Aikido, or any other, are ultimately artificial. The holistic nature of any system of values is unlikely to be comprehensively articulated in written language. Some virtues transcend written word. Nonetheless, we will attempt to explore each thoroughly.
Politeness or ‘Rei’ - Power in Repose
Now here is a virtue that I was not initially excited to explore. Politeness, in and of itself, sounds like a boring virtue. It reminds me of my mother repeatedly telling me as a child to take my elbows off the dinner table. However, Nitobe, as is becoming the norm, quickly intrigued me with a unique understanding of and application for this virtue. He warns that Politeness, or “Rei”, is a poor virtue if it is exercised merely out of fear of offending good taste or caring too much about what others think. Instead, Politeness should be “the outward manifestation of a sympathetic regard for the feelings of others.” He continues, “In its highest form, politeness almost approaches love.” Still, Nitobe does not gauge Politeness as superior to any other virtue of Bushido. Instead, he acknowledges its equivalency and complementarity to the other virtues.
Certainly for many, Politeness may initially be perceived a peculiar virtue of warriorship. However, as has been stated before, with the increasing status of the samurai class came proportionally increasing degrees of societal responsibility. As such, Politeness among this warrior class (and, in turn, the other classes, as well) was elevated to the pinnacle of social intercourse. Elaborate systems of etiquette and propriety (manners, if you will) came into vogue surrounding many common daily activities. For example, there became a best way to bow, to walk, to sit, to demonstrate table manners, and even a proper, ideal way to prepare and serve tea. “A man of education (i.e. Bushido) is expected to be a master of all of these,” Nitobe declares.
This attitude, this consciousness surrounding the virtue of Politeness is not limited to how one behaves or conducts oneself in the presence of others. Self-Politeness is as much a reflection of how one respects oneself as it does others. Good hygiene, proper dress and appearance, and being physically fit are all signs of how much – or whether or not – one respects oneself. That quality of self-respect spills over in the form of manners in how one treats others.
Nitobe is not alone in his opinion of Politeness. Famous samurai, Yamamoto Tsunetomo from the 17th century book, Hagakure (a.k.a. Hidden Leaves), or more commonly known as The Book of the Samurai, emphasizes the importance of politeness, manners, and self-respect when he is quoted as saying, “Samurai… without fail, pay attention to their personal appearance,” and “It is because a samurai has correct manners that he is admired.”
There are indeed, cultural differences regarding what is considered polite. For example, Nitobe states that in America and the West, we praise and appreciate gifts given to us. However, in Japan gifts are slandered and depreciated. In America, the logic is, “Here is a nice gift. We would not dare give you a gift were it not nice,” and that is why it is praised. In Japan, the logic is, “No gift I give you could possibly be good enough for you,” and that is why it is slandered. Ironically, although these two statements seem diametrically opposed to one another, the intent is the same – to be polite.
Politeness also at times traverse cultures expressing itself congruently in what Nitobe describes as “little acts scarcely noticeable.” For example, no matter what country you are from, it is common, when having a conversation with someone who is standing in the bright sun, for the other person to also position himself in the bright sun to share in their friend’s discomfort. This is a sign of sympathetic Politeness that says, “I will share your discomforts because I care about you.”
Nitobe suggests that some foreigners (i.e. non-Japanese) may slight or snicker at the Japanese elaborate discipline of Politeness – that too much time and energy are invested into the most menial of tasks. However, Nitobe puts forth that “if there is anything to do, there is certainly a best way to do it, and the best way is both the most economical and the most graceful.”
To me this very much sounds like the purpose behind the Japanese martial arts of Aikido and Iaido. Aren’t they the continuous practice of finding the most graceful, efficient way of executing a given technique or sword kata? Frequently on the mat I hear instructors in our dojo say, “No wasted movement. You foot is too far back. Your posture isn’t upright enough. You’re breathing too hard or not enough. Your sword blade is too high or too low.” They are all concerned with our efficiency, our economy of movement, our gracefulness, and, therefore, our manners and Politeness. Do you see the progression of thought here? Politeness leads to gracefulness. Gracefulness leads to efficiency. Efficiency leads to power. Therefore, couldn’t one see how Politeness is a path to power?
Of course, this consciousness of Politeness certainly isn’t limited to warriorship. It can be done with any and every activity. A perfect example in Japanese culture of this discipline is Sado (Cha-no-yu) or the tea ceremony where one consciously, deliberately and with absolute, predictable precision manipulates a bowl, a spoon, a napkin, etc. “To a novice,” says Nitobe, “it looks tedious. But one soon discovers that the way prescribed is, after all, the most saving of time and labor; in other words, the most economical use of force, hence… the most graceful.” In this respect, Politeness actually becomes a powerful spiritual discipline. It is not the activity itself, but the acute mental awareness that is forged within any given discipline that becomes important. “It is the moral training involved in strict observance of propriety,” that Nitobe emphasizes in this virtue.
Politeness can even serve as a remedy to fear. How so? The practice of Politeness (etiquette, manners, or gracefulness) can create states of being that facilitate commitment and fearless action. For example, Nitobe quotes one of the best Japanese schools of etiquette for his time, the Ogasawara. “The end of all etiquette is to so cultivate your mind that even when you are quietly seated, not the roughest ruffian can dare make onset on your person.” I often express this concept to new Aikido and Iaido students when they share concerns or worry about not doing something right, not knowing etiquette, or being afraid of accidentally doing something that might be construed as offensive. “Your intent is far more important and speaks much louder than any action your make or omit on the dojo floor,” I say. “It is your intent which expresses itself through the awareness and integrity of your physical actions. Your specific, physical actions are far less important than the intent we can see behind those actions.” Here is a famous story that further illustrates this concept.
The Samurai and the Tea Master
A great, but small and frail tea master was walking through the busy streets of Kyoto when he accidentally bumped into the sword of a hot tempered samurai. The samurai, feeling extremely disrespected, demanded that the tea master fight him in a duel. The tea master fervently attempted to apologize to the samurai explaining that he meant no disrespect, but the samurai was irate and demanded that they should fight at dawn the next morning at the city gates.
The tea master knew that there was no way he could defeat the samurai, but he also could not dishonor himself or his family by failing to meet him in combat. The tea master was terrified. He hurried to the only sword master he knew and pleaded with him to be trained in one night to become an able swordsman. The sword master tried, but the tea master was a hopeless student. No matter how patient the sword master was, the tea master remained inept and spiritless.
Feeling unable to help, the sword master said, “Let’s take a break. I hear you are a great tea master, would you please make tea for us?”
“Of course,” replied the tea master.
As he began his careful, masterfully practiced preparation of the tea, the sword master’s eyes suddenly widened with great enthusiasm. “There! That’s it! You must approach your opponent tomorrow in the same spirit you approach your tea ceremonies." With that, the sword master loaned the tea master a samurai sword.
The following morning, the tea master went to the city gates to meet his fate. Frightened and uncertain of himself, he found that a crowd had gathered, and the samurai, still fuming with anger, was waiting with his sword at his side. Remembering what the sword master had said, the tea master faced the samurai on the damp, misty hill. He closed his eyes, set his intention in exactly the same way he did whenever he performs the tea ceremony, accessing the graceful, efficient mastery of his art. Then the tea master slowly lifted his heavy, borrowed sword above his head, stared into the eyes of his opponent, and waited.
In that moment, the samurai’s face changed from anger to astonishment. The samurai suddenly threw down his sword, dropped to his knees, and begged the tea master for forgiveness. "Please excuse me, I have been mistaken. Had I known you were such a great swordsman I never would have challenged you! Forgive my short temper and please take me as your student in the tea ceremony so that I may learn to face death with such dignity.”
This story illustrates the power of Politeness, the power of gracefulness, the power of efficiency, the power of economy of movement, the power of mastery in all things, in every thing and in any thing. “That calmness of mind, that serenity of temper, that composure and quietness of demeanor… are without doubt the first conditions of right thinking and right feeling,” says Nitobe.
I can find no way to state Nitobe’s conclusion any better than in his own words, “…by constant exercise in correct manners (or Politeness), one brings all the parts and faculties of his body into perfect order and into such harmony with itself and its environment as to express the mastery of the spirit over the flesh.” Politeness is a path to power and a means to self-mastery. Doesn’t this sound exactly like the sentiment of O Sensei, Morihei Ueshiba, and his explanation of the purpose of Aikido?
We can demonstrate this virtue in any seemingly benign or trivial activity, and perhaps more importantly, we deserve it. We deserve to have the very best drive to work, the very best making of a sandwich for lunch, the very best Aikido workout, or whatever. We can strive to cut our grass with a sense of mastery and grace. We can clean our garage, empty the dishwasher, walk our dogs, or listen to a distressed friend or colleague with that same acute, level of awareness that the tea master possessed in his confrontation with the samurai. Indeed, we can cultivate great power in our lives by striving to practice Politeness, manners, grace, and mastery in everything that we do.
“Fine manners,” says Nitobe, “…mean power in repose.” I interpret this to mean that power is a product of practiced Politeness. Furthermore, “…a constant practice of graceful deportment must bring with it a reserve and storage of force.” Therefore, one could quite easily conclude that consciously living the Bushido virtue of Politeness actually has the net effect of producing a reserve and storage (a.k.a. power) in the individual. Similarly, the practice of Aikido and Iaido are the pursuit of maximizing one’s personal economy of force.
So is Politeness an antiquated virtue of Bushido? Is there any reason why Politeness cannot exist in our current society as it was espoused in that of feudal Japan? This one is a no-brainer: absolutely not. Politeness remains as relevant today as ever.
In the next article on the Bushido virtue of Truthfulness or “Makoto”, we will explore a topic that has challenged people of all cultures for centuries. We will spend some time exploring the relationship between Truthfulness and Politeness from a Bushido perspective. Indeed, we will evaluate the ramifications to husbands of honestly answering common, daily, catch-22 questions such as, “Honey, do I look fat in this dress?”
See you next month.
Read Part Six
Re-read Part One
Re-read Part Two
Re-read Part Three
Re-read Part Four
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