Harakiri. Japanese tradition of rescue honor samurai

Harakiri, or SEPPUKU - a very difficult ritual, during which samurai demonstrated their courage in the face of pain and death and the purity of their thoughts before the gods and people. This ritual execution was erected by the Japanese to the rank of art. And so how to make Harakiri correctly:

The first thing to be done is to find an assistant (Kaiska or Kaiskunin). Contrary to the generally accepted opinion of technically Harakiri, this is not suicide in the literal sense of the word, but applying fatal injuries. In fact kills Kaiskunin. If Bakufu (the Government of Sögun) ordered to perform a SEPPUKU, then an official assistant was appointed. In other cases it was necessary to ask for help from close friend Or in a person who owns a sword sufficiently to kill one blow. If a friend refused to act as a Kaiucunina on the grounds that he would not have a sword in a lack of degree, he could be asked to be repeated. A friend must agree, as now all the errors that he may be allowed will be forgiven.

An ideal place for holding a sippuk ritual is a garden or a Buddhist temple (Shinto temples are not suitable for these purposes, as they cannot be missed by murder). Harakiri must be dressed in white clothing, symbolizing the purity of intentions. It should be sitting in Pose Sadeza (traditional Japanese way of sitting on his knees). The servant brings a wooden table, which contains a cup of Sake, the sheets of traditional Japanese paper "Vasi" made from the cortex of a tute tree. Also on the table there are written accessories and Kodzuka knife. Also as a knife, you can use Tanto - Dagger without Ephesus, wrapped in several sheets of paper so that he can be held for the blade. Samurai can use his sword of Vakidzasi.

In some cases, for example, when a person is too young or too dangerous for others, a fan is put on a knife instead of a knife.

The cup is filled with Sake with one of the helpers participating in the ritual. The cup is filled with left hand, which in other circumstances is considered unforgivable rudeness. Making Harakiri drinks sake in two receptions, every time making two throats. If you have a sake at one reception, it will become a sign of greed, and if in three or more - a sign of indecision. In general, four throats are made. The word "four" in japanese Incidentally, the word "death".

Then it is necessary to write a farewell verse in the habit genre (in the first and fourth line of five syllables, in the second, third and fifth lines of seven syllables, only five lines). Vaca should be elegant, natural, something about the guise of our being. In no case should not be mentioned by the fact of the upcoming death. Asano, whose Seppuk provoked a famous incident called "Forty-seven Ronins", as they say, wrote a particularly bad farewell poem, showing the immaturity and weakness of character, which in a sense and served as the reason that he was ordered to make SEPPUK.

At this point, the Harakiri makes the upper clothes (Kamysimo) and fills the sleeves under his knees, trying to prevent the clothes sharply falling on one side. Then he takes the Kodzuka knife into one hand, with the other hand raising the Sanbo table and putting it under his buttocks. In this case, the body leans a little forward, taking the right position.

If a person committing Harakiri is so young or so dangerous that he was replaced by the knife on the fan, Kaishakunin inflicts the sword of Cyriioroshi - a vertical kick from above, as soon as a person concerns the fan of his belly. If Harakiri is performed by a knife, then Kaisyacunin will wait until the person will immerse the blade of the knife deep into the left side of the abdomen, and then he holds the blade to the right with a sharp ascending cut at the end.

Samurai, who finds the strength, can then immerse the blade in the groin and make an incision up to the chest, completing it with a horizontal cut under the ribs. However, Kaisyacunin must closely monitor what is happening and hit by a sword at the first signs of pain or indecision.

Kaisyacunin should strike so that the head is not completely cut off, and remains connected to the body of the skin in the throat area. It is necessary to strike exactly, otherwise it will be disrespectful in relation to a person committing Harakiri. With a weak blow, a person can start moving, splashing blood. Especially unacceptably beat Kanana in the jaw, as Kaiskunin Yukio Misima did in 1970. As noted above, minor misses in the technique of performing the final impact may be forgiven if Kaisyacunin agreed to his role from friendship.

After the end of the ritual, all knives and swords involved in Harakiri are thrown out, as they are considered dedicated death.

It can also be noted that some jackets killed themselves in a ritual known as Jumoundia Giri. This is exactly the same ritual as Seppuk, except that there is no Kaiskunin. After performing cuts, a person calmly sits around about half an hour and expires blood. Last manMade Jumondi Giri, was General Nodi, who did it as Junci (committing suicide due to loyalty) after the death of Emperor Maidie in 1912. He not only committed Dzumondi Giri, but also managed to fasten his white naval navit.

The reasons for the commitment of the SEPPUKU were Junci (the suiciders of the faithful - although this reason was not encouraged by the government, since it took too many lives), FUNSI (suicide in protest), Kansi (as reproaching his Mr. for his behavior) to redeem the shameful actions or avoid captivity in battle. Under such circumstances, it was usually not time for the ritual in full, so it was often cumulative with life tritely cutting the throat.

The estate of medieval Japan.

Accepted in the samurai environment, this form of suicide was committed or a sentence as a sentence, or voluntarily (in cases where the honor of the warrior was affected, as a sign of loyalty to his daimyo and in other such cases). Making Seppuk, samurai demonstrated their courage in the face of pain and death and the purity of their thoughts before the gods and people.

In the case when the SEPPUKU was to commit persons who were not trusted, or who were too dangerous, or did not want to commit suicide, the ritual dagger (Kusutungobu) was replaced by a fan, and thus SEPPUKU was reduced to behead.

It should be noted that penetrating injuries of the abdominal cavity are the most painful compared to the same injuries of other parts of the body. Women from samurai giving births could cut her throat.

Etymology

"SEPPUKU" and "Harakiri" are written by the same two hieroglyphs. The difference is that "SEPPUKU" is written 切腹 (first there is a hieroglyph "cut" and then "stomach", "onny", Chinese-Japanese readings are used at reading), and "Harakiri" on the contrary - 腹切り (first hieroglyph - "belly" used "kunny", Japanese reading). Often indicate that "Harakiri" carries some household and derogatory shade: if the "SEPPUKU" implies perfect for all the rules ritual suicide, "Harakiri" translates rather as a "driving a stomach with a sword." In fact, 切腹 ("SEPPUKU"), "Onan" reading, is used only in official speech, in the conversational speech, the Japanese use "Harakiri", respectively, without investing in this derogatory meaning. Thus, "Harakiri" is a conversational, and "SEPPUKA" is a written term, and they denote the same action.

History of origin

In antiquity, the SEPPUKU was not distributed in Japan; More often there were other suicide methods - self-burning and hanging. The first Sepuccue was committed by Daimo from the genus Minamoto in the war between Minamoto and Tyra, in 1156, with Hegen. Minamoto but-taetomo, defeated in this short, but fierce war, cut my belly to avoid shame of captivity. SEPPUKU is quickly vaccinated among the military estate and becomes honorable for a samurai way to reduce accounts with life.

SEPPUKU consisted that the suicide cut the stomach across, from the left side to the right or, in another way, cut it twice: first horizontally from the left side to the right, and then vertically from the aperture to the navel. Subsequently, when the SEPPUKU spread and began to be used as a privileged death penaltyFor him, a special difficult ritual was developed, one of important moments which was that the assistant (Kaiska) of the involuntary suicide, usually his best friend, one silent sword cut off him in the right moment Head, so SEPPUKU in meaning was reduced to ritual behead. Default was made when the body of the suicide began to tear ahead. The samurai stoically tolerated the torment, showing the power of his spirit (Hara), and as soon as the body swings - the sword swamped his life.

A legal difference was established between the behead on the SEPPUC and ordinary beheading, and for privileged individuals, starting with samurai, the death penalty was replaced in the form of condescending death through the SEPPUKU, that is, the death penalty, but only in the form of ritual decapitation. Such a death penalty was relying for misconduct, do not give birth to samurai ethics, so it was not considered shameful, and there was her difference from the ordinary death penalty. Such was the ideology, but to what extent it was carried out in practice, it is difficult to say. The fact is only the fact that the SEPPUKA in the form of execution was used only to the privileged class of samurai and so on, but in no way to the classes of the population that were referred below samurai.

This official use of SEPPUKU refers to a later time, namely to the Tokugava period of Syugunata, but independently of it, this way of suicide in private application was very widely distributed in the entire mass of the population, almost becoming a mania, and the most insignificant reasons began to serve for the Ceppuca . After the restoration of Meiji with the beginning of the organization of the state system on the European sample and began under pressure from new ideas by changing everything in general, the mistake of life, the official use of SEPPUK was eventually canceled, and at the same time private application began to be output, but did not disappear. Cases of SEPPUKA often met in the 20th century (for example, suicide japanese writer Yukio Misima in 1970), and each such a case met the hidden approval of the nation, creating a more prominent position of the Hero of Glory and Majesti in relation to some applicable sippuk.

Ideology

There is a point of view according to which the SEPPUKU was implanted with the religious dogmas Buddhism, his concept of fraternity of being and the impermanence of the whole earthly. In the philosophy of Zen-Buddhism, the center of human life and the location of his soul was considered not the heart or head, but a stomach that occupies the middle position in relation to the whole body and contributing to a more balanced and harmonious development of man. In this regard, there have been a mass of expressions describing different independent states a person using the word "belly", Japanese Hara [Fuch]; eg, haradatsu - "Walking with a riser belly" - "angry", hara Kitanai - "Dirty belly" - "Low aspirations", hara-but Kurkey Chito - "Man with black belly" - "Man with a black soul", hara-but nai chito "The" man without belly "is" a ramumous man. " It is believed that the opening of the abdomen by SEPPUKU is carried out in order to show the purity and chasingness of their thoughts and aspirations, the opening of their innermost and true intentions, as evidence of its inner rightness; In other words, SEPPUKU is the last, extreme excuse for herself in front of heaven and people.

It is also possible that the emergence of this custom is caused by the causes of a more utilitarian nature, namely the continued having tools of suicide - a sword with it. Plowing the belly by the sword was a very effective means, and it was impossible to stay alive after such a wound. In Europe, there was some analogy of this ritual: the custom of rushing to the sword in ancient Rome did not cause any particular ideology of this phenomenon, but due to the fact that the sword was always with him. Both in the West and the East, the use of a sword as a suicide tool began among the villains of warriors who constantly wore it with them.

see also

• Suicides committed by SEPPUKU

Notes

Literature

• // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 tons and 4 extra). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.

Links

• Jack Seward, Hara-Kiri: Japanese Ritual Suicide (Charles E. Tuttle, 1968)
• Christopher ROSS, Mishima's Sword: Travels in Search of a Samurai Legend (Fourth Estate, 2006; Da Capo Press 2006)
• SEPPUKU - A Practical Guide (Tongue-in-Cheek)
• Zuihoden - Mausoleum Date Masamune - when he died, twenty his supporters killed himself to serve him in the next life
• SEPPUKU AND "CRUEL PUNIHMENTS" AT THE END OF TOKUGAWA SHOGUNATE
• Sengokudaimyo.com The WebSite Of Samurai Author and Historian Anthony J. Bryant

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Watch what is "Harakiri" in other dictionaries:

- (Japanese.). The Japanese custom, which is sentenced to execution, as well as depressed hopeless grief or despair deprived themselves of life, plowing the belly. Vocabulary foreign wordsincluded in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. Harakiri ... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

harakiri - Harakiri, NK., S. Punishment, catch up. Make a harakiri to whom to spill, scrub, beat someone Japanese "Harakiri" samurai suicide by plowing the abdomen ... Dictionary of Russian Argo

Nonfiling, punishment, suicide dictionary of Russian synonyms. Harakiri Sushch., Number of synonyms: 3 Nonflower (44) ... Synonym dictionary

- (from Japanese Hara Belly and Kiri cut), in Japan suicide plowing the abdomen. It is known since the Middle Ages. Accepted in the samurai environment, committed a sentence or own decision … Modern encyclopedia

- (From Jar. Hara Belly and Kiri cut) in Japan suicide plowing the abdomen. It is known since the Middle Ages. Accepted in the samurai environment, this form of suicide was committed to a sentence or voluntarily (in cases where the honor was affected ... Large encyclopedic Dictionary

Harakiri was the privilege of samurai who were very proud that they could freely dispose own life, emphasizing this terrible rite contempt for death. In the literal translation from Japanese Harakiri means "to cut the stomach" (from "Hara" - belly and "Kira" - cut). But if you look deeper, the same writing of the hieroglyph, as the word "Hara" have the words "soul", "intentions", "secret thoughts". In our review, the story of one of the most incredible rituals.

SEPPUKA or Harakiri is a form of Japanese ritual suicide. Initially, this practice was provided for Bouchido - the Code of honor of Samurai. SEPPUKA was used either voluntary samurai who wanted to die with honor, and not to get into the hands of their enemies (and probably torture), or also it was the form of the death penalty for samurai who committed serious crimes or disgraced themselves. The solemn ceremony was part of a more complex ritual, which was usually carried out in front of the audience, and consisted of a short blade (usually tanto) in the abdominal cavity and dissection of the abdomen across.

The first registered act of Harakiri was committed from the genus Minamoto named Yerimas during the battle at UDI in 1180. SEPPUKU ultimately became a key part of Becido, the Code of the Samurai Warriors; It was used by warriors to avoid hitting the enemy to avoid the shame of Iloa to avoid possible torture. Samurai could also order to make Harakiri Daimo (feudal). The most common form of the SEPPUK for men was the opening of the belly across with the help of a short blade, after which his assistant broke the samurai suffering by decaying or dissecting the spine.

It is worth noting that the basic meaning of this act was to restore or protect his honor, so the warrior who performed such suicide was never flawed completely, but "only half". Those who did not belong to the samurai caste was impossible to do Harakiri. Yes, and Samurai almost always could carry out Seppuk only with the permission of his master.

Sometimes, Daimo ordered to perform Harakiri as guarantees a peace agreement. It looked at the attacked clan, and its resistance was actually stopped. The legendary collector of Japanese lands Togoli Hideshi used the suicide of the enemy in this way several times, with the most dramatic of them actually ended the Daimo's large dynasty. When the ruling genus Hodzo suffered a defeat in the battle at Odavar in 1590, Hidenus insisted on the suicide Daimo Khozo Udzimas and the expulsion of his son Hozo Udzinao. This ritual suicide was put an end to the most powerful Daimo family in the eastern part of Japan.

As long as this practice has not become more standardized in the XVII century, the sippuk ritual was less formalized. For example, in the XII-XIII centuries, the commandar Minamoto-But Yurimas made Harakiri much more painful way. Then it was made to reduce the scores with life by immersing Thachi (long sword), the vaccine (short sword) or tanto (knife) in the intestine and the subsequent ripping of the stomach in the horizontal direction. In the absence of Kaiska (assistant), the samurai himself took out the blade from his abdomen and challenged himself themselves in the throat, or fell (from the standing position) on the blade, insecluded on the contrary to the land opposite his heart.

During the EDO period (1600-1867), Harakiri has become a detailed ritual. As a rule, it was performed in front of the audience (if it was a planned SEPPUKU), and not on the battlefield. Samurai washed the body, dressed in white clothes and touched his favorite dishes. When he finished, he was served knife and fabric. The warrior put the sword with a blade to himself, sat on this special fabric and was preparing for death (usually he wrote a poem about death at that time).

At the same time I got the assistant Kaisak at the same time, who drank Sake's cup, swallowed his kimono, and took Tanto (knife) or Vakidzashi (a short sword), wrapped him with a blade part of the fabric so that it did not cut his hands and immersed himself in the stomach, Making the incision from left to right after that. After that, Kaisyak flawed a samurai, and he did it so that the head partially remained on his shoulders, and did not cut it completely. Due to the similar condition and accuracy necessary for her, the assistant was supposed to be an experienced fencer.

SEPPUKA eventually turned from suicide on the battlefield and ordinary practice in war time In a complex court ritual. Assistant Kaisak was not always a samurai friend. If the defeated warrior fought adequately and good, then the enemy who wanted to honor his courage, voluntarily became an assistant at the suicide of this warrior.

The feudal times existed a specialized form of Ceppuca, known as Kansha ("death from understanding"), in which people commit suicide in protest against the decision of their Lord. At the same time, Samurai did one deep horizontal cut of the belly, and then quickly tied to the wound. Thereafter this man He appeared before his master with a speech, in which he announced a protest against actions Daimo. At the end of the speech, Samurai has stripped the bandage from his fatal wound. It should not be confused with Funshi (death from indignation), which was suicide in protest against the actions of the state.

Some samurai performed a significantly more painful shape of the SEPPUKA, known as "Jumondi Giri" ("Conductive section"), at which there was no Kaiska, who could put a quick end of the suffering of a samurai. In addition to the horizontal cut of the abdomen, the samurai also did a second and more painful vertical cut. Samurai, who performs "Dzumondi Giri", was to precipitate his sufferings until he expands blood.

For all who are interested in the history and culture of the country of the Rising Sun,

Since the rite described below was applied not only as suicide, but also executed, I found it possible to tell you about him:
Inseciously linked and closely adjacent to Beanido as part of morality rite Harakiri., emerging in the medium of warriors during the formation and development of feudalism in Japan. Samurai or other representatives of the highest layers of the Japanese society committed suicide (by the Harakiri method) in case of insulting their honor, making an unworthy act (the name of the warrior's name in accordance with the norms of Becidido), in the event of the death of his suzido or [at a later time, during the EDO period , (160? -1867), when the rite was finally formed] - by the court sentence as a punishment for the crime.

Harakiri was the privilege of samurai who were proud of the fact that they could freely dispose of their lives, emphasizing the performance of the spirit and composure, contempt for death. The cutting of the belly required the warrior of great courage and excerpts, as the abdominal cavity is one of the most sensitive places of the human body, the focus. Many nerve endings. That is why samurai, who considered themselves the most bold, cold-blooded and volitional people of Japan, preferred this painful form of death.

In the literal translation of Harakiri means "to cut the stomach" (from "Hara" - stomach and "Kira" - cut). However, the word "harakiri" has hidden meaning. If you consider the composite Binoma "Harakiri" - the concept of "hara", then you can see that he in Japanese corresponds to the words "belly", "soul", "intention", "secret thoughts" with the same writing of the hieroglyph.

Starting from the Hayean era (IX-CPVV.), SEPPUKA is already becoming custom, in which they ended the life of suicide, dilding from their own sword. Nevertheless, the rite was not even then mass phenomenon. Harakiri suicide was widely distributed in samurai only at the end of the XII century, during the struggle for the power of two powerful genera - Taira and Minamoto. Since that time, the number of cases of Harakiri is constantly growing; Samurai made SEPPUKA, most often not wanting to give up in captivity or in the event of the death of their Mr.

Harakiri, after the death of Mr. ("Suicide Following"), was called "Obara", or "Tilyofuk." In antiquity in Japan, at the death of a noble person, with him buried and his closest servants, luxury items, etc., in order to ensure it all necessary in by the Military World. This custom has become later called "Junci". Subsequently, to save people from painful death during the burial alive, they were allowed to suicide here, on the grave of their owner. Emperor Suinin, who ruled at the beginning of our era, according to legends, generally banned Junci, and servants, burying together with Mr. Around his grave ("Chitogaki" - "fence from people"), ordered to replace anthropomorphic figures from clay. However, the custom of death following the suzerane, somewhat transformed, preserved in feudal time And he accepted the view of a voluntary deprivation of his life through Harakiri on the grave of feudal. In accordance with the norms of Bouchido Samurai did not put their lives in anything, giving themselves entirely serving only one Mr., so the death of Siserine and entail numerous cases of Obara. I suppose "to give my bodies to Mr. on his death," usually 10-30 (or more) the closest servants of the feudal killed themselves, making Safpuk after his death.

Not only vassals of the feudalists were voluntarily left, but Daimo themselves. For example, on the day of the death of Sögun, Iamitsa (1651) suicide was committed by five noble princes from his environment, which did not want to "survive their Mr.".

In the period of internecine wars, Harakiri acquires a mass character in the class of samurai. An opening of the belly begins to dominate other suicide methods. As mentioned above, mostly beads were resorted to Harakiri in order not to get into the hands of enemies when the troops of their daimyo were defeated. The same samurai simultaneously burned out their guilt in front of Mr. for losing in battle; They descended in this way from shame.

One of the most famous examples Harakiri Warina's committing under defeat is the SEPPUKU Masashige Kusunoky. Having lighted the battle, Masasige and 60 of his devotional friends committed a rite of Harakiri. This case was considered samurai one of the most noble examples of devotion to debt in Japanese history.

Usually, after opening the abdomen, the Japanese warrior cut myself and throat to stop the torment and die faster. There were cases when samurai or commanders disappeared to their suicide with cold weapons so that the warriors of the enemy could have been able to use the heads of Harakiri after their death as evidence of their "courage" and military skills in front of Mr. and to decline for this lie respect and honor Samurai own clan. So Nitta Yoshisad, who fought against the genus Asikaga. He, not to be a recognized enemy, in front of Harakiri lasted his face.

Another reason for the SEPPUKU was the desire to prevent the punishment of any unworthy honor of the samurai act, the oversight or non-compliance of the order or non-fulfillment of orders. In this case, Harakiri was performed at his own discretion or decision relatives.

Harakiri was produced as a sign passive protest Against any scinting injustice to preserve the samurai honor (for example, when it is impossible to perform blood revenge), in the form of a victim in the name of the idea or when it is deprived of the possibility of applying its professional skills of warrior as part of the daubs of the feudal (let's say, with vassalitet lies). In short, Harakiri was a universal exit from any predicament in which Samurai was provided.

Often Samurai made Harakiri on the most minor and irrelevant reasons. M. Khan described the case of SEPPUCE of two samurai from the environment of the imperial family. Both samurai made Harakiri after a short dispute due to the fact that their swords accidentally treated each other when the beacies were held along the palace staircase.

Such ease of depriving itself of life was due to the complete neglect of it, developed with the help of a Zenskaya teaching, as well as the presence of a culture of death in the medium, creating around the masculinity resorted to the SEPPUK, and who made his name famous not only among the remaining live, but in future generations . In addition, in the feudal time, suicide through the opening of the abdomen became of the soldiers so common that it turned out essentially into the real cult of Harakiri, almost mania, and the reason for his commission could be a completely insignificant occasion.

Harakiri was performed different ways and means that depended on the technique developed by various schools. Samurai, immersing weapons in the abdominal cavity, had to cut her so that the surrounding could see the insides of the SEPPUKA and thereby the "purity of thoughts" of the warrior. The belly was cut twice, first horizontally from the left side to the right, then vertically from the diaphragm to the navel. Thus, the goal (suicide) was fully justified by the means (Harakiri); After this terrible injury to stay alive was no longer possible.

There was also a way of opening the abdomen, in which the abdominal cavity was cut in the form of the letter "x". The first movement was rubbed from the left hypochondrium to the right - down. It was conducted by a samurai in a conscious state, carefully and with attention when the beagi had a lot of strength for this operation. The second incision was made already in the conditions of great blood loss with a leaving strong pain conscious. It was heading from the bottom left of the abdomen up - to the right, which was easier for the right hand.

In addition to the cruciform opening of the abdomen, other ways were also applied. The most common was to swell the abdomen by means of a slanting section from left to right - up, sometimes with a small addition rotation to the left-up, or in the form of two slots forming a straight angle. At a later time, the Harakiri operation was simplified: it was enough to make only a small incision or simply introduce a small samurai sword in the stomach, using the weight of his own body. Obviously, under the influence of this simplified method of opening the abdomen, the way of suicide was then developed by shot in the stomach (TEppobar).

The method of opening the abdomen depended, mainly from the Samurai itself, on the degree of its self-control, patientity and endurance. A certain role was also played by an agreement with the suicide assistant, which sometimes chose a samurai to assist "help" when committing Harakiri.

In rare cases, Harakiri was not steel, but a bamboo sword, which was much harder to cut the insides. This was done in order to show a special exposure and courage of a warrior, to exalt the name of the Samurai, as a result of the dispute between the beads or by order.

SEPPUKA was committed, as a rule, in the sitting position (meaning a Japanese way of seating, when a person touches the knees of the floor, and the torso rests on the heels of the legs), and the clothes, lowered from the top of the body, stuck under his knees, thus preventing the body drop after Works of Harakiri Navitin, because to fall on the back at such a responsible action was considered a shame for a samurai.

Sometimes Harakiri was made by warriors in a standing position. This method received the name "Tatabara" from the Japanese - Safpuk standing (in a natural position).

The stomach was opened with a special dagger for Harakiri - Kusutungobu, had a length of about 25 cm and considered a family value that was usually kept in a toconom on a stand for a sword, or Vakidzasi - a small samurai sword. In the absence of a special tool to perform the SEPPUK, which happened to samurai extremely rarely, a big sword could be used, which was taken by hand for the blade, wounded by matter for the convenience of the operation produced. Sometimes turned around with matter or paper and a small sword blade with such a calculation so that 10-12 cm of the cutting surface remain free. At the same time, the dagger was taken over to handle, but for the middle of the blade. Such a cut area was needed in order not to hurt the spine, which could be an obstacle to the further rite. At the same time, according to the rules of SEPPUK, it was necessary to follow the blade, which could pass too superficially, cutting only the abdominal muscles, which could be no longer fatal.

Harakiri (as well as the possession of weapons) samurai began to learn from childhood. Experienced mentors in special schools explained the young men, as needed to start and bring to the end of Seppuk, while maintaining their own dignity and showing the ability to own themselves until the last lifestyle. This training, tremendous popularity, distribution and glorification of Harakiri in the feudal society of Japan gave their results: Children of Samurai often resorted to committing the rite of opening of the abdomen. A. Belisor, for example, described the case of Harakiri Seven-year-old Son Samurai, who committed suicide to the hired killers sent to his father, but killed by the mistake of another person. When identifying the corpse of a young samurai, wanting to use this error to save the life of a parent as if in despair snatched the sword and silently resounding his belly. Criminals who believed in this kind of deception, retired, considering their work made.

For wives and daughters of Warriors, Harakiri was also not something special, but the women unlike men cut themselves no belly, but only the throat or caused a deadly blow to the dagger in the heart. Nevertheless, this process was also called Harakiri. Suicide through the cut of the throat (Dzigai) was fulfilled by Samurai wives with a special dagger (Kaikan), a wedding gift of her husband, or a short sword, handed each Samurai daughter during the rite of majority. Cases of application for this purpose and a large sword were known. Custom prescribed to bury the harakiri with a weapon that it was fulfilled. Perhaps it is this that can be explained by the presence in the ancient female burials of swords and daggers.

In accordance with the norms of the Becidido code for his wife, the samurai was considered disgrace to do not be able to commit suicide if necessary, therefore women also taught the correct execution of suicide. They had to be able to cut artery on the neck, to know how to tie their knees before death so that the body was then found in the chaste pose.

The most important motives for committing suicide by Samurai wives were usually the death of a husband, an insult of a pride or violation of the words given by her husband.

Arch of ceremonies and rules when making Harakiri, generated for a long time, in general features It was already decorated at Syogunate Asikag (1333-1573), when the custom of the Safpuk began to acquire the force of the law. However, a complex ritual, accompanied by SEPPUK, was finally formed only in the EDO era, when SEPPUKA was applied officially as a sentence of a court sentence for the crime of beads. An obligatory face in the execution of the official SEPPUKA was the assistant making Harakiri Samurai - "Secundant" (Kaiska, or Kaiskunin), cut off his head.

The story of Seppuk has a lot of examples, "when, after opening the belly, the heroes found their strength to write a spiritual testament with their own blood." However, despite the upbringing in the spirit of Zen and the ability to own themselves, the samurai could subconsciously lose control over his actions due to terrible pain and die "ugly": with an expression of suffering, falling overnight, with a cry, etc., disgraining the same name . In this regard, Kaiskinunin was introduced - the assistant convicted in Harakiri, whose responsibility was to stop the torment of the samurai, launched the stomach, by separating the head from the body.

Further, the Tokugava authorities confirmed and clearly determined that death through Harakiri is the honorable death of privileged classes, but in no lower layers of Japan's society. The legislation thoroughly determined the strict sequence of the Harakiri ceremony, the place of its holding, the persons appointed to hold the SEPPUKU, and so on.

In the case of Harakiri Samurai, seeking to warn punishment by the authorities or the head of the clan, on its own, discretion or decision of relatives, the Bouri family did not lose his property and income, and the suicide sought an excuse before the court of offspring and deserved honored burial. Execution of harakiri as special view Punishment imposed on a crime entails confiscation of property.

Usually, the samurai was an official who showed him a sign with the sentence to Harakiri to the house to the house (in front of Mr. or the authorities). After that, an official who brought the sentence, and the servants accompanying him could leave a convicted house or to give under the supervision of any Daimo, who became responsible for the samurai sentenced to Seppuk, and for the fact that the same was punished by contacting.

In accordance with the Code of Harakiri, shortly before the suicide ceremony, the appointment of persons responsible for conducting the procedure for opening the abdomen and for presence in the act of the SEPPUKA act. At the same store, the place was chosen for the execution of the rite, which was determined depending on the official, official and social position of the sentence. Approximate Söguna - Daimo, Khatamoto and Vassaly Daimo, who had a commander's rod, - made Seppuk in the palace, the samurai of the lower rank - in the garden of the house of the prince, who was given a convicted person. Harakiri could take place in the temple. The placement of the temple or chapel sometimes hired officials to make Harakiri if the order for the SEPPUKU came during a trip. This explains the presence of a special dress for Harakiri's samurai for Harakiri, which Bouri always had with him.

For the rite committed in the garden, the fence from the stakes with a closer matter stretched on them was built. The fenced area was to be equal to about 12 square meters. m if the sippuk performed an important person. There were two entrances in the fence: the North - "Umbammon" (the translation of his name is "the door of a warm cup" - it remains unexplained) and the South - "Eternal Door" (or "Sygu-Emon" - "door exercise in virtue"). In some cases, the fence was made without doors in general, which was more convenient for witnesses who were observed on what was happening inside. The floor in the fallen space was covered with mats with white camimons, for which the strip of white silk or white felt was laid ( white color It is considered in Japan-road). Here, sometimes the similarity of the gate made from bamboo wrapped with white silk, which were like a temple gate; Hung the flags with sayings from the sacred books, put the candles if the rite was produced at night, etc.

When preparing the Harakiri ceremony in the room walls, the rooms were draped with white silk fabrics. The same was done with the outside of the house of the convict - she was abused by white cloths, closing colored shields with the names of the coat of arms embroidered on them.

On the eve of the execution of the rite, if the convict was allowed to do Seppuka in his own home, the samurai invited close friends to himself, drank Sake, ate spice, jumped about the fraudity of earthly happiness, emphasizing that beads are not afraid of death and Harakiri for him - ordinary phenomenon. This is exactly the full self-control and dignity before and during the rite of suicide - and they were waiting for everyone around the samurai.

Kaiska was chosen by the clan representatives or the convict himself. Usually, the best friend, a student or a relative of Character sentenced to Harakiri, who could own the sword performed in the role of Kaiska. Initially, in antiquity, the term "Kaiska" was applied to the guardians of the Lord or to persons who provided any help to others. As mentioned above, starting from the XVII century, more precisely from the Empo period (September 1673 - September 1681), the presence of Kaisaka during the SEPPUCH, spent by the court sentence, becomes mandatory.

"Secundant" had to cut off the head of the convict, which, as a result of spiritual weakness or fear, poured the belly only for visibility, or samurai, who simply could not bring Harakiri to the end, without having physical forces on it (since he fell into an unconscious state).

Samurai, invited to the ceremony of SEPPUKA as a kaiska, was to express the readiness to be useful in this matter, but in no case can not depict sadness on the face; It was equivalent to the abandonment, the cause of which was the insufficient art of ownership by the sword, which was considered as disgracing for the warrior. "Secundant" chosen by the convict was obliged to thank him for his trust and high honor.

Kaiska should not have been used during the commission of his own sword during the commission, and he took it from the convicted person if he asked him, or his daimyo, since in the event of an unsuccessful impact of wine for it lay on the skeleton of the owner.

In addition to Kaiska, a convict usually helped another one or two people. The first submitted a small samurai sword was sentenced on a white tray - an instrument of making SEPPUKU, the duties of the second was the presentation of witnesses of a severed head for identification.

On the eve of the Harakiri ceremony, a list of persons who, according to the rules, were to be present at the site of the SEPPUKU. These were 1-2 major advisers Daimo (Karo), 2-3 secondary advisers (Yunnin), 2-3 monogasir - approximate 4th degrees, head of the palace (Rusui, or Rusuban), 6 Self-graders 5-6 rank (if convicted Prince's supervision entrusted), 4 lower rank samurai, which was put in order the place of execution of the SEPPUKU and buried the body (if the request of the relatives of the convicted person on the extradition of the remains was rejected). The number of servants depended on the rank of sentenced. If Harakiri is committed within the clan (i.e., the Samurai was condemned to Harakiri not by the Government of Sögun, but 2-3 servants helped with his own Mr. - feudal prince).

Public censors were acting as witnesses, the main of whom declared a convicted sentence immediately before Harakiri actually and then immediately left the place where Seppuk should have been made. The second censor remained to witness the execution of the sentence. Representatives of the authorities made not only death, but also strict adherence All ceremonies and formalities at Harakiri Samurai. The smallest details were considered important, each gesture and movement were strictly defined and regulated.

In accordance with the ritual Kaiska and his assistants put on their ceremonial clothing (in case of conviction of the criminal by the government), with Harakiri Samurai from their own clan - only kimono and waist clothes are Hakam. Khakama before execution of the SEPPUKA was converted. With Harakiri, the samurai of high rank "Secundants" had to wear white clothes.

The servants put on a hemp dress and also turned their hakam. Before reading the sentence, the convict was brought on a large tray to shift the dress, which was put on after reading it. During the SEPPUKU Boui was dressed in white clothes Without emblems and jewelry, which was considered as a funeral dress. It was called "Sinisodus" ("Death Robe").

After the preparation and inspection of the Place of Harakiri were completed, and Kayyaky and those present during the SEPPUKA are processed to the knowledge of the ceremonies, the main ceremony has come. The atmosphere of Harakiri required solemnity and was supposed to be "beautiful." From those present, it was necessary to relate to the convicted person with attention and respect.

The owner of the palace (at home), in which the ceremony was held, conducted censors to the place where the sentence was read, while the etiquette demanded that witnesses be dressed in a ceremonial hemp dress and walked with two swords. Then he was given a convicted person surrounded by the accompanied persons: the monogasir was in front, the Yunin - from the back, six servants of 5-6 rank - on the sides.

After everyone was seated in places, the main censor, without looking towards the criminal, began to read the sentence, trying to do it with a smooth voice, in order to give peace of mind and the hardness present. The convicted person was allowed to say the main witness what he wants, however if his speech was shot and unconnected, Clan censor (chief witness) made a sign of servants, and those who sentenced themselves. If the convict asked for written accessories to set out his last will, the approximate Daimo should have refused him, as it was prohibited by law. The main censor was then leaving the place of the sippuk, and immediately after reading the sentence should be carried out that the courage does not change with the condemned time.

The cereals during the reading of the sentence sat on the right and to the left of the convicted. In their duties, it was not only in every way to help the samurai sentenced to Harakiri, but also to kill him (cut off her head or stabbed) when trying to escape by the daggers who were hiding for the sinus.

The convict was part of the fallen space (if Harakiri was performed in the garden) through the northern entrance and occupied his place for execution of the SEPPUK, sitting face to the north. It may have been an appeal to the West with the appropriate design of the vehicle of the SEPPUKU. Kaiska with his assistants entered through the southern gate, he became left behind, descended his ceremonial clothes from his right shoulder, expressed the sword and put the sheath from him from him, making everything so that this was not seen sentenced.

Another assistant at that time presented to the convict on the tray of the dagger, and the self-serving samurai helped relieve clothes and expose the upper part of the body. Making Harakiri took the weapon proposed to him and did one (or more, depending on the method), the abdominal breaks in the abdominal cavity, trying to cut muscles and intestines along its entire length. It was necessary to produce this operation without hasty, confidently and with dignity.

Kaiska carefully should have been watching the sippuk producing and put the final blow to the dying. Depending on the agreement and the conditions of the commission of Harakiri, several moments were distinguished to cut off the head: when the "second" departs, putting a tray with the dagger before the beads; When a convict exercises hand to take a tray (or, according to Ritual, raises the tray to the forehead); When Samurai, taking the dagger, looks at the left side of the abdomen; When a convict makes himself a blow to the dagger (or the abdominal rubber does).

In some cases, Kaiska was waiting for the moment of loss of consciousness and only then cut off the convicted head. It was especially important for Kayyaka not to miss the right moment to separate the head from the body, as it is very difficult to be ahead of man who lost the ability to own themselves. This was the art of Kaiska.

When making the rite, Harakiri also appeared on the "aesthetic" side of the case. Kaiska, for example, was recommended to apply such a blow, in which the head separated immediately from the body would still hang on the skin of the neck, as it was considered ugly if she rolled along the floor.

In the case when "Secundant" failed to cut off his head with one blow and the convict did an attempt to get up, Samurai's servants were obliged to finish it.

When the head was cut down, Kaiska moved away from the corpse, holding the sword with the tip down, got on his knees and wiped the blade with white paper. If Kaiska did not have other assistants, he himself took a severed head per bunch of hair (Mahe) and, holding a sword for the blade, supporting the chin's chin's chin of the convict showed the profile of the witness (left and right). If the head was bald, it was supposed to pierce the left ear cork (the auxiliary knife, which is available during the sword sheath) and thus attribute it to examine. In order not to blur the blood, the "second" should have had ash with him.

After witnessing the commitment of the rite, the witnesses rose and went into a special place, where the owner of the house (palace) offered tea, sweets.

At this time, the lower rank samurai covered the body, as it lay, white shirms and brought smoking. The place where Harakiri occurred was not subject to cleansing (in rare cases, it was sanctified by prayer), it should constantly stay in memory; The squeamish attitude to the room, blurred by the blood of the convicted person, was revealed.

A.B. Spevakovsky "Samurai - Military estate of Japan"

Ritual killings are known to many people in the world: slaves and concubines were killed together with their lord so that they serve him in afterlife, prisoners sacrificed the gods. But in addition to the murders, suicide existed - a voluntary decision for any reason to leave life. For example, in the ancient, poisoning and falling on the sword was common, but the most famous ritual suicides are Japanese Harakiri and Septuk.

Literally, it means "plowing the belly". This is a ritual suicide, a rite taken among the samurai estate. Harakiri could be:

1. voluntary forced: appointed in the form of punishment. Samurai sentenced to death could voluntarily commit suicide in such a way to preserve the honor of the family;
2. voluntary: applied exclusively in their will. Usually samurai made such a decision if they were affected by their honor or honor of the feudal chief (Daimo).

The effect itself is quite enough complex order And is a privileged version of the death only for a samurai. Simple peasants did not have the right to conduct a ritual. Harakiri should not only kill a person, but also demonstrate his unshakability, strength and hardness of the spirit.

Many know only the term Harakiri, but there is also word "Septuk" or "Seppuk"which also denotes ritual suicide. Both words are written by the same hieroglyphs, and the whole difference is concluded in shades:

It is believed that Harakiri is more "domestic" name with a derogatory, detrimental tint. In other words, Harakiri is a simple swelling of the belly, and the septic is a ritual sublime effect. However, Wikipedia says that the Japanese themselves, pronouncing "Harakiri" in conversation, do not try to import the action.

Where it comes from

It is believed that Harakiri as a swelling of the belly correlates precisely with the philosophy of Buddhism and his dogmas about the structures of being and the whole earthly. According to this religion, it is in the abdomen of a person is the center of his life, his soul, and not a heart or head. Being in the center of the body, the belly helps the harmonious development of the body.

Examples of such an attitude towards the stomach ("Hara") can be traced in some Japanese phraseologiza:

1. "Hara Kitanay" - "dirty belly" or "Low aspirations";
2. "Hara, but Nai Chito" - "Man without belly" or "man without soul";
3. "Hara-but Kurkey Chito" - "Man with a black belly" or "Man with a black, cruel soul";
4. "Haragitanay" - "dirty belly" or "sneaky man";
5. "Haradatsu" - "climb to the stomach" or "getting angry";
6. "Hara about Watte Hanasimasy" - "Let's talk, opening the stomachs" or "with pure thoughts."

It is worth noting that the soul in japanese understanding Not equivalent to the soul in European. It is rather a concentration of thoughts and feelings, the source of emotions. Plowing the abdomen is the discovery of all thoughts.

There are 3 options for the popularity of such a Suicide variant:

In the ancient ritual swelling of the belly was not common: instead they were born and hanging. First Septuk committed in 1156 Meodal Minamoto But-Tetethomo: Because of the lost war with the clan Taira Samurai, the stomach, not wanting to get in captivity. So he retained military honor.

Subsequently, the need to septuk was spelled out in the Samurai Code of honor - Busido. It was said that samurai should constantly think about death and die if His honor or honor of Mr. If his lord was lost or a mortal wound was delivered if his master was killed in a lost battle. It should be done calmly, with dignity, to the end, keeping the presence of the spirit and hardness of intention. In other words, at any strange situation, samurai could always commit suicide and stay in people's memory as a decent and beneficial warrior.

How to spend

The main task of Harakiri is cutting belly. To do this, they prepared a one-sided short ritual sword - Koustungoba. Its length was approximately 30 cm. It was auxiliary in battle weapons to achieve an enemy or cut off the heads.

The man sat on his heels, touching the knees of the floor, and shouted the upper part of the body. The clothes were put on her knees, so that the samurai did not fall forward. Fell on the back was a shame.

Waste the stomach could be made in several ways:

The first centuries of Harakiri were held only by a samurai, which was to patiently wait for death, not shouting, not falling and not expressing pain. If Samurai lost control over himself, it was considered a shame for him and family. After the ritual complicated and at the same time they made more "simple": as soon as the samurai began to lose consciousness or fall, his assistant (Kaisyacunin) was cut off his head with one silent.

Chop down your head too was not easy: It was necessary that the head remains hanging on a thin flap of the skin. Fully fleeing head, shown by the floor, was considered an inesthetical spectacle. After the final fall of the body, the assistant wiped the blade with white paper, the head itself was raised and showed present (if such were), only then the body was covered with a white cloth and began to prepare for the burial.

Some features

Far from everyone could quietly survive such a painful procedure silently and with honor, and therefore rules have been complemented:

Output

Among ritual suicides the most famous is Harakiri - Japanese version of suicide. He was distributed in the Middle Ages and had great importance For representatives of the samurai estate. Among the most recent suicides, there are several military leaders who died after defeat in World War II (including "Father Kamikadze" Takadziro Onii), Writer Yukio Misima and Judoist Isao Inocum, who died in 2001. The death of many of them caused some approval in Japanese society, as these people died, as she likes samurai.