News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-07-19
HARA-KIRI IN JAPAN.
The japanese Gentlemans Method
of Departing from this Life.

The japanese GentIeman's Metho'
of Departing from this Life.
Hara-kiri, the Japanese method Q
self destruction in the barOnlal days
! was practised only by the Samurai, VIII
were the two-sworded retainers of tn
barons of Daimiyos. Men only per
formed this operation on themselves
Women of the same rank pierced thei
throats when under the force of circum
stances they were constrained to take
their own lives. Those of the masse:
who committed suicide did so by eithel
hanging, drowning OF terrible throat
cutting. A physician past middle life
says that of 100 of the common people
who committed suicide i'll the older
times-thirty years ago is now spoken
of as Olden times-sixty did so by
drowning themselves in river, lake,
pond, or we'll; thirty hanged themselves
! and ten cut their own throats. In these
modern days laying themselves down
on the railroad track after dark for the
on coming locomotive to crush and de-
stroy seems to be q growing fashion.
Hara-kiri was the gentleman 5 method
of taking leave of this mortal life. It
was knightly deed and method, and
so illustrious. When the act was COM
manded as a penalty for some misdeed
| the minutest details of the etiquette of
| the occasion were most punctiliOusly
observed. The officers in whose pres
ence the deed was to be done were ar
ranged in the order of their rank in the
room. The short weapon with which
the cutting must be done was handed to
the doomed man on tray with a bow.
On receiving it he bowed his thanks in
response. Taking the knife in his right
hand he thrust the point into the left
side of the abdomen to such depth rs
he chose, and then drew it forcefully
along the whole front to his right side.
The depth of the thrust and cut seem to
have been left to the discretion of the
culprit. When this gruesome work was
finished the man was supposed to put
down the knife and say the equivalent of
the words 81 am sorry to trouble you"
when the Kaishaku-nin, or assistant,
who during the preliminaries had stood
in the background, naked sword in hand,
lifted his sword and with one swift, deft
blow severed the unfortunate's head
from his body.
This was the official method. When
the act was solely that of the individual,
hara- kiri was the first stroke. The bust
ness was finished by fatal thrust at the
throat. The reasons for official and
personal hara- kiri were various. In
olden times in Japan blood was lightly
esteemed, and was made to flow on many
trivial occasions. An unwary act of
l. h l.
atoned for in this way. Open disobedi-
ence or disloyalty insured command
to do the fateful thing.
The story of the Forty seven Ronins
illustrates well the bloody code of the
olden times of Japan. A noble at court
was annoyed and angered by one of
somewhat higher rank to point where
he could no longer restrain his temper.
He drew his sword there and then-a
forbidden deed--and made a cut at his /
enemy. For drawing his sword and /
using it in that place he was condemned |
to hara- kari and his estates confiscated. !
His Tetainers-now Outcasts-re9arded |
the destruction of the author of their
lords death and disgrace as loyal and
Dious act They waited long and watch
I'd vigilantly for fitting opportunity to
=
aid hold of their enemy, and having
arrested him, they gave him. Gin view |
IF his rank, " the opportunity to perform
nara -kiri, but as he declined they cut
1fT his head, and presented it as pro-
offering before the tomb of
heir old master. They next surrendered
themselves to the proper authorities,
md in due form expiated their last deed
by performing hara-kiri.
Another interesting case is that of
Daimiyo, who gave himself up to the
pleasures of sense, regardless of the
affairs of his domain and the needs of the
Tine. An upper and influential retain
er, deplored the recklessness of life and
ihe Generalization of every department
If life in the domain, and implOred his
ord to reform his conduct and set out on
he basis of bringing his domain into
even more than its old time wealth,
power and prestige. The suggestions
we're listened to and laughed at as the
,roaking of an old crow. After a while
5he loyal old retainer could endure the
right, the thought, the anxiety no long
er. He wrote q long letter to his lord
giving a full statement of his fears,
thoughts, hopes and feelings, which he
placed before him on the soft mat. He
hen took up his sword and with the act
If hara-kiri sealed his letter and en-
orced its message with his life's blood.
Another case illustrates another phase
# the olden times. According to the
Id morality the first of the five great
citations is loyalty of the servant
o the master. The second on
he list is the duty of obedience of chill
lren to their parents. Occasions would
arise when there was q seem
ng conflict between the two. The only
on of a Samurai had been commanded
o remain at home in care of the family
While the father went elsewhere in con
lection with some expedition. The Da-
miyo, perhaps not knowing this, gave
riders that the young man should go on
ONE exploiting party. Having no one
o consult with the young man took
ouncil of his own loyal heart. He wrote
ut in a letter the conflict of mind he
lad in view of the conflicting commands
nd of his inability to decide, and then
" hara-kiri shed his blood to show that
n his heart he was both loyal and obe-
lent.
Hara kiri is rarely, if ever heard CT as {
eing done i'll Japan nowadays ys.-Boston
= |