It's been eight years today, since I wrote this article GIRI. Which was published on a website, now defunct. To reweigh a few days ago, the characters in the facebook, on "the seven virtues of Bushido," the character and quickly remembered this old study as it is the same character of Gi 义, as one of the seven virtues, Moreover, it is that comes on top of the list.
The seven virtues of the samurai.
Whereupon I have decided to present here on the blog, and its extension, as of today, I can bring something more to that old show, to hear more from these extensive calligraphy and its philosophy.
So I've broken into three parts to try to explain the concept Giri, in all its broadest sense, and their various meanings, its origin and especially its cultural transmission.
GIRI PART 1 OF 义理. Giri
is in general terms, the personification in " sense of duty" to maintain a correct behavior and correct spiritual transmission. This form is ethics, morality, and that includes the honor. Is again an unwritten code, where interpersonal relationships instill perform this act, mixing between the label and socialization.
In Japan, "the art of living" explicitly implies continuity, perpetuating the traditions from father to son, to convey the essence of the ancestors, to respect the central shaft that links to every man with Kami (gods) originals.
is why in the world of " arts" comes from the quality of this and especially its transmission, to continue to exist, and is continuing, but it is not always transmitted by blood. When a child does not deserve it, or when there is no heir, made what might be called the adoption of a "spiritual heir". Martial Arts Teachers, within the set of artisans and the samurai followed faithfully to this rule. That is what has made the concept of Giri endure even today.
Authorized persons as heirs, they "should " faithfully maintain this continuity, and this "duty " GIRI called .
The word Giri, is well represented by two Japanese kanji and GI 义 理 Ri.
义 GI, justice, morality, loyalty.理
Ri, reason, logic.
To explain more about the subject, I support his handwriting, composition, their meaning and especially its inner sense, we read a number of authors such as Nitobe Inazo inventor of the word Bushido 武士道 (characters above were not conjugated), a word which never heard the true Samurai, it refers to "an unwritten code."
Most Kanji by separate times say very little to Western eyes, yes, that a few that we like and we attract, and many times, we are not satisfied with a simple and plain meaning (their own Current Japanese dictionaries as well), but the kanji, you can have others, and those "other" be more appropriate. As we will see clearly discerned no Nitobe own character as righteousness or justice ... they finally opted for " justice." Analyzing
escrituras de Inazo Nitobe en su libro.
Leyendo al magnífico escritor japonés Inazo Nitobe con su obra Bushidō. Que explica como uno de los siete “ saberes ” del Bushidō, quien lo sintetiza como 義 GI ( justicia ) y lo coloca en la primera posición, superior en el rango de las siete virtudes marciales.
En el articulo III, La Rectitud o La Justicia.
Nitobe explica como el precepto más sólido del código del samurái, el cual era, no mezclarse en asuntos turbios o bajo cuerda. Haciendo referencia the "righteousness " with the saying of a famous bushi, which defines righteousness as a resolving power: "Righteousness is the power to decide, without hesitation, a certain line of conduct in accordance with reason: to die when it's right to die and hit when hit right. " Inazo Nitobe
"Righteousness is similar to the bones that provide strength and shape to the body." Miyamoto Musashi
On the next page
Nitobe Gishi analyzed, which by that name few would identify with a "knight errant ", more commonly known as Ronin 浪人 , literally "wave man " and second meaning "man who wanders ." is a masterless samurai , which either seeks to serve a clan and wanders through Japan without a fixed destination. Literary remains, a wanderer, like a wave at sea. Nitobe
tries to explain the feeling of "Forty-seven faithful" in Spain was written as " The 47 ronin" and in Japan are called " Forty-seven Gishi ." Nitobe in his book does not introduce the character Gishi Japanese word, which is 义士; (义 Gi = fair, straight, true and 士 Shi = man). Nor Gishi introduces the characters, involving them with those of Jiro or ( Ronin ), because for many years the term of 士 Shi = male, was employed to determine a warrior, " a man worth ten "in Chinese calligraphy character is associated with a person of worth, an intellectual, a military officer, someone from among many and therefore, Japan will be also often attributed this relationship to the "samurai."
Nitobe much talk of the term samurai, but does not leave the appropriateness of the term, which is 侍 Ji, samurai . The use of the characters for " soldier, warrior, samurai, etc"., these have been changing at different times of Japan's history, as in antiquity, the period known Edo (1603-1868), were used 武士 Bushi characters : warrior instead of 侍 Ji, which means no man warrior, if not, 亻 (人) Nin, a man or person who serves 寺 Ji, Temple . Also the verb Looking 侍 jisuru, "serve, serve" , symbolized the kanji to a "man of the temple " or "a servant temple."
On the next page again Nitobe, goes on to talk of " value," but says wander and exposes what has been moving away from an origin and original meaning, until we have a perverted sense and popular sense. The Gi-ri, whose literal meaning, says it's "Straight reason, although over time, expresses, who came bearing a vague sense of duty and that the public expects to see fulfilled by the holder of such virtue . But a more original and pure, Giri meant purely and simply " duty", hence the talk of Giri we have towards our parents, higher to our inferiors, to society in general, and so on. Nitobe Inazo
Nitobe in his book also hosts philosophical ideas Immanuel Kant, for " reason" and " categorical imperative."
The explanations of the German philosopher Immanuel Kant gives explanation to this subject so westernized and that in his writings of 1778 and 1781, established the " categorical imperative" as the principle supreme morality and ultimately means "Act so that you want, what you do is universal law of nature ."
So " will" follow the categorical imperative, one that works and does his duty, just for that. Where " goodwill" acts " pure respect for duty", not guided by any conditions or assumptions as pleasure, fear, feelings, etc. He left here
philosophical ideas, to delve deeper into the meaning of the characters. Looking deeply
Japanese characters.
义 GI, is a character that shapes many words, but this combination of 义理 Giri, given also the meaning of " value." This is because the great Chinese philosopher Confucius in his Analects explains that "the courage " is doing just right.
years later the most eminent follower of Confucianism. In the West known as Mencius ( Ji Mengke 姓 孟 轲), in his work, known as Mengzi, argues that man is good by nature and must be able to develop a conduct "fair and straight ."
In his many writings, the idea prevails " the sense of duty." <
The teachings of Confucius, with the subsequent introduction of Buddhism and Taoism practice of Lao-tzu then were never completely melt or fuse, if not, as ideas of who should command in China, prevailed one or the other. Confucian Mencius developed the idea and created a comprehensive philosophical system, which is perfectly adapted to the times, bringing their ideas lasted several centuries. So the moral ideas of Confucius and his universal theory of "benevolence , sustained for millennia.
His moral doctrine was explicitly based on four virtues " benevolence, righteousness, propriety and wisdom " arguing that the first two were the primary " benevolence and justice," as the argument that any society that Based on these principles will ensure the stability of "order feudal "and the unity of a country. Chinese
These teachings were pierced borders and the wisdom of the value, which were recorded in the hearts of the young samurai, from their earliest childhood. So in the Bushido code accommodates these ideals and are subsequently transmitted to the Japanese people through history and culture warrior through centuries of feudal governments.
But why were recorded especially in the spirit of the samurai these ideas?.
In Japan, interpersonal relationships are greatly influenced some ideas and some thoughts regarding with a glorious past, where systematically those ideals are constantly renewed, as honor, " duty," " obligation", et., these feelings are understood as GIRI 义理 in the " duty of reciprocity. "
This " duty" means encompass the duties, rights and obligations, many times made, or that which undertakes to respect the " personal honor." In Japan every class and every Japanese in particular are subject to a particular giri, and when more higher you climb the social ladder, the more challenging becomes this giri in your environment.
In the old code of the samurai involved a giri, with many parts, and often compromised the honor, and therefore, life. These assumptions, even today, are very present in everyday life in Japan, as an example, Japanese students have a duty undertaken, this is basically passing the exams. When it fails, the giri is the cause, so often, the high rate of suicides in Japan today.
suicide as a result of Giri, staff, due to failure at school is not a taboo subject (as if is in Spain), Japan is seen as a way to " honorable" in their responsibility to the failure. The
Giri is also a way to preserve what they worked so well in the past and retrofit to existing circumstances. The Japanese ideal is to live according to society, for it is frowned upon individualism, all current social behavior in Japan, should be respecting "morality " and "respect " fundamentally the group, and more especially to "superiors."
Japanese society still Establishing the hierarchy of the group, the diversity of existing groups, family, study, work, etc. provides different ways of " appointments" and " appropriate behavior" to their immediate superiors and to older parents, and parents owe them the utmost respect, following in the order to "teachers " (called Sensei 先生) and more advanced (called 先辈 Sempais).
again have to go back to the days of the samurai, when they, the middle social class between the nobility and common people attended a "Special schools", where they learned especially from the Chinese classics (Confucius and Mencius), writing, china, and its connotations, with some teachers are very committed to the arts and Chinese philosophy.
This finds us and shows that understanding the meanings of Chinese calligraphy, are more appropriate in understanding Japanese thanks to these teachers, and especially the ideals of the samurai, and not the actual meanings. So the samurai understood perfectly the meaning of these characters and their true meanings.
In this text answers that question earlier, which went unanswered. If the recall:
But why were recorded especially in the spirit of the samurai?. Because only they were attending a special school, where they learned especially from the Chinese classics, Chinese writing, and its connotations, where teachers were in turn committed to the arts and Chinese philosophy.
be why understanding this Chinese calligraphy contains the authentic essence of meaning, and as I have explained many times before, Chinese calligraphy carries us past the pictographs, old signs and understanding of " a more extensive "Through their lines.
In the language of neo-Confucian used Yili Xue Zhi 义理 之 学 (义理 之 学), as the study and the principle of justice (the teaching of principles), which is synonymous with "philosophy "neo-Confucianism that is an overview of metaphysics, cosmology and ethics. So
义理 Yili (义理) in Chinese contains a full sense of "moral " and respects "reasonable social " broader than 义理 Giri Japanese.
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