The Tale of Genji can be used to show how samurai culture varies from the culture of the Heian courts. The samurai culture is honorable, loyal, and respectful, while the Heian courts were polygamous and corrupt in some aspects. Many of the aristocrats of the Heian courts strive only to gain power and to satisfy their own needs for pleasure. The central government of Japan was undergoing many changes and as such many of the aristocratic figures were struggling for power.
[...] Magoemon on the other hand attempts to prevent the suicide of the lovers', since he cares about his brother and attempts to protect him against a hasty mistake in killing himself over love. Magoemon attempts to look over his brother's best interests. The first Japanese warriors came from early drafting of citizens, whom had to provide their own weaponry. This form of drafted soldiers ended shortly with the strengthening of clans, whom recruited their own warriors. The Taiho Code, of 702 AD, first used the term 'samurai', as lower ranking imperial bureaucrats, however the term would not be used in a militaristic sense for several hundred years later. [...]
[...] In Four Major Plays of Chikamatsu, a Chinese influence can be seen in The Battles of Coxinga, which is placed both in China and Japan, but mostly focuses upon restoring China's rightful dynasty. It is evident that China had an influence over Japan when their literature links the two countries together within the same story. There are also Buddhist influences in the short stories, such as in The Love Suicides at Amijima, the two lovers whom commit suicide cut off their hair so that they become a Buddhist monk and nun, and so no one will hold their previous lives' vows against them. [...]
[...] Genji, whom was born into a life of aristocracy and the courts, never feels the true pain of suffering until late in this tale even though the first Noble Truth states that birth is suffering. Constantly desiring more women to satisfy his needs, Genji strives for the satisfaction of adding to his list of conquests which is the second Noble Truth, Suffering's Origin, Samudaya. One of Samudaya's qualities is the craving for sensual pleasures, which relates to Genji's case. It is not until Chapter Thirteen of the book that Genji tries to correct himself from these desires of lust and pleasure, ironically focusing on a new desire; which was his power and status in the courts. [...]
[...] Some of the samurai's traits are also noted in some of the Four Major Plays of Chikamatsu. In both The Love Suicides at Sonezaki and The Love Suicides at Amijima, the main characters in both short stories express characteristics comparable to the samurai. In The Love Suicides at Sonezaki, Tokubei realizes that he had made an error, and essentially disgraced himself and his uncle for losing the two kamme. As a result of the disgrace and Tokubei declining to marry his aunt's niece, Tokubei and Ohatsu decide to kill themselves so that they can both die together rather than have to handle the dishonor they have caused. [...]
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