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Japanese Bushido, in Mandarin Wu-Shi-Dao.
From the Chinese dictionary:
Wu(tone 3) from "stop" and "lances," with a general meaning
of "military" or "martial." Some common Chinese compounds are: wu-da and
wu-shu meaning "martial arts," wu-qi and wu-zhuang meaning "weapons,"
wu-li meaning "military force".
Shi(tone 4) from "one" and "ten," with a general meaning of a
scholar or gentleman (an educated person). Shi-lin, the "forest" of the
shi, is the "intelligentsia" or "literati." Shidaifu is a "scholar
official" A man of proper principles, great ability and good character.
Before the Han dynasty (ca. 200BC - 200 AD), a member of the military
aristocracy; after Han, includes broader meanings of scholar and
bureaucrat. Much more than a mere soldier or fighter.
Wu-shi means "knight" or "warrior" or "samurai."
Dao(tone 4) means way, path, road, or, broader, way of life,
as in Daoism, DaoDeJing, etc. Japanese do.
Bushido or Wu-Shi-Dao thus is the way or path of the warrior, samurai or
knight.
It’s much more just than a code; it’s a way of life and way to live. |