Bushi

Bushi (武士) is a term of Chinese origin literally meaning “warlike Gentilhomme” in Japanese.

The term appears for the first time in the book of Japanese history, Shoku Nihongi (続日本記) written under the era Heian about year 800.

Bushi and Samurai is often confused but they correspond to different periods and functions. In the beginning, bushi is the only name to indicate the Guerrier S Japanese.

Bushi were knights in armor whose principal weapon was the yumi (arc). They were in charge of the protection of the clan S family religious called Uji . It is this proximity with the religious nobility which is at the origin of their name of “warrior gentleman”.

Under the era Heian, a scission takes place between the nobility with whole share, the very refined aristocracy Impériale (Kuge) and classifies it bushi (semi-warlike, semi-noble and especially less refined).

In 1156, the three principal bushidan (warlike 武士団, clans), Fujiwara, Will conceal and Minamoto, clashes at the time of the Rébellion of Hōgen to succeed the capacity with the imperial nobility forced to withdraw itself in province.

In 1185, at the conclusion of the Rebellion of Heiji and the War of Gempei, Minamoto No Yoritomo establishes the supremacy of the warlike caste and sets up the Shogunat de Kamakura.

bushi with the samurai

At the 17th century, at the beginning of the Period Edo, the Shoguns Tokugawa create a social hierarchy at four levels called “system shi-No-KB-sho ”:

the warlike nobility (士, shi = gentleman gathered within 武家, buke , literally “house of the warriors”),
the peasants (農, No ),
the craftsmen (工, KB ),
and the tradesmen (商, shô ).

The richest bushi are named Daimyō. They are surrounded by a troop of warriors recognizable servants to the fact that they carry two sabers (Daisho) . These warriors servants accompanied the daimyo at the time of the obligatory alternate residences (Sankin-kotai) at the court by the Shogun.

The word Samurai comes from the verb sabouraü which means “to be useful” or “to remain beside”, when it is about an important person. The substantive of the verb sabouraü ” is sabouraï which became “samurai” about the 16th century century. For this time, the term “samurai” has been used to name the various types of warriors applying the code bushido.

The bushi is thus distinguished from the samurai by his membership of the higher class of the warriors.

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