BUJUTSU- The systems of the warriors
1. The technical / tactical methods of fighting (jutsu) The term bujutsu 武術 denotes the „technique of the warriors“, and is a superordinate name for all the fighting methods of the Japanese bushi (warriors) before the Meiji era (from 1868). The term is an evolution of the previous bugei (from 794) and includes:
2. The philosophical training of the warrior (bushido)
3. The medical methods (kappō)
For nearly two millennia, bujutsu’s methods matured to perfection, producing innumerable variations.
These extended across the entire breadth of warrior education under arms (buki) and were divided into styles (ryū), which independently contained complex methods of martial art.
What is Bujutsu?
The term bujutsu refers to the Japanese martial art and is from the beginning of Japanese history together with the terms kyūba no michi (way of the bow and the horse) and later bushidō (way of the warrior) the essential guide in the development of Japanese society (nihon shakai) , The samurai, who practiced bujutsu and purified themselves by bushido, epitomized all social ideals – they were at the forefront of the social hierarchy and for over two millennia were the only ones who influenced the fate of the Japanese Empire.
Her craft was the martial arts (bujutsu).
For more than a millennium, they were constantly developing and perfecting new fighting methods (ryū), with which they trained their armies and fought each other.
The majority of the bujutsu ryū was founded by the buke (aristocratic warriors), some others but also by roin (men and unemployed samurai).
Ordinary people from the lower stratum of the population founded the systems of Kobujutsu (Japan).
Each Ryyu drew his followers from that social class from which the founder also came.
The seat (honbu dōjō) was located where the founder of the style (shosei or shodai) was.
Most training facilities (dōjō) were but in the vicinity of the seats of the rulers (daimyō) or in the big cities.
Bujutsu and Budo
The systems of bujutsu are war systems and meant to kill.
The former warriors were trained to survive in combat.
They learned to handle weapons as well as to defend themselves without weapons.
The term budō designates the „way of the warrior“ and as such the change of the bujutsu to an exercise under the aspect of the way (dō).
It was already in use in the Japanese Middle Ages, after Terada Kanemon (jikishin ryū) in the bujutsu his time a more intensive mental education of the students demanded.
This included a doctrine (dō), combined with bunbu (combination between culture and martial arts) and shingitai (unity of mind, technique and body).
Kano Jigorō took up this idea and wanted to reform the entire bujutsu (butokukai) using the example of his creation judo.
Kanōs budō started with value-based intentions, but the result was a completely different one.
The real doctrine under a sensei was too demanding for the general public, the systems became independent under the influence of the masses to superficial martial arts.
In this way, lost the spiritual values of this concept in the effort to transform the newly created budō into a sport.
As a result, the Budō term was problematic, as well as the modern martial arts called budō, but had completely different content.
As a competitive sport, martial arts spread around the world, establishing large organizations where today the majority of its members follow false illusions.
Because martial arts is neither bujutsunoch budō, even if the last term is still used.
Wer andere besiegen will, muss sich zuerst selbst besiegen.
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Wer andere erkennen will, muss zuerst sich selbst erkennen.
[Lü Bu We]
© PHOTOGRAPHY BY NORBERT WEBER
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