Every year from November to
December, a familiar historical story is told in kabuki repertoires, bunraku plays,
movies, TV drama and even novels, entitled Chushingura (忠臣蔵, The Treasury of Loyal & Dutiful Retainers).
This tragic and touching story is related to an incident that involves forty-seven
ronins (leaderless samurai warriors) and their mission to avenge the death of
their lord master in the Edo era.
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| Artwork of Utagawa Hiroshige |
Called the “Ako Incident” (赤穂事件), this true historical event occurred at the Pine Corridor of Edo
Castle in 1701 when there was a tension over matters of protocol between two daimyo lords, Asano Naganori, the lord
of Ako and Kira Yoshinaka, a court master. It is said that the corrupted Kira
insulted Asano into drawing his sword and attempting to kill him. Asano was
immediately sentenced to commit seppuku, the ritual suicide by the shogunate
authorities, his lands were confiscated and house was abolished while Kira was
left unpunished. Asano’s retainers were angry and vowed to take revenge for their
lord but this proved to be an arduous task. After almost two years of careful and secret
planning, they finally killed Kira and went to the
grave of their lord to convey this. They then surrendered themselves to the authorities
and were ordered to commit seppuku. Seppuku is an
honorable death which is unlikely for committing any murder but somehow they
could for their loyalty and conduct and now the forty-seven ronins lie
peacefully besides their master at Sengakuji Temple, Takanawa, Tokyo
The Ako incident remains as a legend. Ako
city in Hyogo Prefecture, the ancient ruling base of Asano and his retainers, holds
the Ako Gishisai festival (赤穂義士祭）on December 14 every year to commemorate this event. http://www.city.ako.lg.jp/
“Bushido”
(武士道) has long been referred to for hints and insights into the character
of the Japanese people. “Bushido” symbolizes the ethical code of samurai
warriors that is based
on a moral way of life and can be traced back to Chūshingura. This “way” stressed on
loyalty, courage and honor until death.
Chūshingura, been one of the most popular themes of
all literature and historical stories in Japan, often strikes a chord with many Japanese people, even now, because it
symbolizes bushido that commonly embraced an emblematic virtues of dedication, benevolence, courage, respect, politeness,
sincerity, honor, loyalty and self-control in which all good people would
persevere in their daily lives.
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