Sai

***Sai*** (塞; *sāi*) were the hereditary military nobility caste of medieval and early-modern Kanton from the 8th century to their abolition in the 1900s. They were the well-paid knights of the *kong* (the chiefs of the ancient clans). They had high prestige, respect and special privileges such as the ability to have more than one wife. They upheld and followed closely the *saiken* codes of martial virtue, indifference to greed or anguish, and fast loyalty, engaging often in the protection of their chiefs. During the largely peaceful Gahuang Period (1424-1765) they became the masters of the nation's military and served as a collective under the Emperor. In the late 1800s, their families comprised less than 5% of the population. The beginning of the Bengtuo Period ended their feudal roles and they moved into professional roles. Their memory and influence remain prominent in Kantonese modern culture.

## Terminology

In Kantonese, the word *sai-dou* (塞豆) is usually used to refer to *sai* of upper ranking; the generic representative character remains "塞". Sometimes, they will be called *fu-sai* (服塞), literally meaning "warrior who waits upon/obliges", often when referring to lower ranking individuals.

The word *leng-sai* (愣塞) refers to those who might be called "officers" in English; generally speaking, powerful men who had a level of control over a group of their own loyalists and admirers. *Zhui-sai* (缀塞) referred to sai who had multiple wives and practiced polygamy.

## Philosophy

### Religious influences

The philosophies of the Qiren faith, and by lesser extension Buddhism, influenced the *sai* culture. Qiren meditation became an important teaching, because it offered a way to calm one's mind. The concept of physical purity led many *sai* to feel that torture and needless killing was a tainting, dirty practice which would result in a hellish afterlife. Murder for a cause (柠釦) seen as the justification of battle. The most defining concept in *sai* philosophy was the stress of deferential respect and loyalty towards one's chief or commander, and the importance of the ranking system to keep order.

The *sai* code of ethics, known as *saiken*, came into existence in the late 9th century as a way to train and indoctrinate young warriors into the way of *sai*. The associated *yu-nan*, or "right to strike", enabled *sai* to inflict pain and suffering upon others in the name of morality, religion, loyalty or saviour.

## Doctrine and concepts

There are many concepts associated and linked closely to the way of the *sai*, many of which were taught or proported by elder, respected warriors who wished to spread their wisdom with younger men. The Book of the Warrior is a tome written in 1435 by the famed *sai* Angshan de Zhiukou, in which he detailed the numerous idealogies a *sai* should find himself taking on. Apart from the eight values of the *saiken*, there were a number of more nuanced concepts which all men were expected to understand.

> "It is more than crucial for the common *sai* to look upon his death as an act of honour and lasting memorability. How can his legacy be known if he himself becomes aged and withered, having no accountability of his past battles? Eternal shame follows the warrior who allows his moment of deathly glory to pass him by. He should not ruin his name forever by holding his own life dear...The main purpose of one's life being thrown away is in some great and valiant conquest of a lord. It is exactly this demise that will be the great fame of one's descendents."
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Other *sai*, such as Jiyu de Tang, held close focus on the act of fighting, especially when it came to battles and warfare. He felt strongly about the doctrine of the *saiken* and its usefulness in creating strong, respected and honourable warriors. As he said in 1512:

> "All *sai*, regardless of ranking or prestige, will find themselves at least once amidst the discord and bloodshed of the battlefield. What I must say is this: when facing fear, discard it as a broken blade. When facing anger, quell its control and harness its power. When facing anarchy, look for the purity and stillness inside. When facing death, kneel before it as a servant to his lord."
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The percieved horror of shame and cowardice is deeply entrenched in *sai* philosophy. The idea of running from death or pain is unthinkable in the *sai* way; the endurance of either death or torture is seen as an act of great honour and chivalry. The great warrior Huankan de Kanbai once stated:

> "Those who are reluctant to experience the pain of death or the trials of torture, and are unwilling to embrace either for the sake of their commander, cannot call themselves true men. Engage in committed combat fully expecting death and you shall live; pray for your survival and you shall surely meet death. Of course the world is ever changing, but the *sai* must not think on this; he should entertain no other possibilites than those he knows are true, for his fate is always determined."
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## Arts and education

By the 13th century, upper-class *sai* were highly literate to the introduction of written language from China and Japan, and were learning to write in calligraphic style with Sino-Japanese characters. Some warriors, known as *min-sai* (闵塞), thought of themselves as being of a higher ranking than others due to their skills of writing, art and knowledge of literature. It was common for warriors to idealise the arts and aspire to become skilled in them.

By the beginning of the Gahuang Period, Kanton had an above-average literacy rate, almost comparable to that of Japan during the same time. The number of *sai* who could read and write was high. At one point, a common colloquial term for *sai* was *zuimin-can* (最闵灿); this literally meant "man of the military and the arts".

## Culture

### Education

In general, *sai*, aristocrats and priests had a very high literacy rate and had knowledge of many characters. A large amount of art and poetry was produced by the warrior class, especially on topics surrounding love, death, and the battlefield, which was a constant source of morbid inspiration even for young, inexperienced *sai*.

It was common for the sons of *sai* (and indeed, most of the nobility) to be sent to monasteries or abbeys upon reaching 10 years of age, and they would remain there until they turned 16, learning to read, write and uphold religious practices. As soon as they entered into society, they would usually marry and buy a home of their own, in which they would raise a family. This system produced scholars and learned men, who, despite being recognised as *sai*, might never truly fight in a great battle or war. This was extremely common at the end of the Kuai Period, and lasted through the Gahuang.

### Names

A *sai* was usually named with a "face name" (*er-zhan*), much like many outstanding members of the nobility, which was not his birthgiven moniker. This name was usually reflective of some positive or admirable quality present in the warrior, and was used to address the man by anybody not his immediate family. This title would be given at his coming-of-age ceremony (*wanming*). Sometimes, *sai* could choose their own face names, especially if they had already achieved a great success before coming into maturity.

### Marriage

High-ranking *sai* almost always had arranged marriages, which were often orchestrated by the two families and a "go-between" fortune-teller or match-maker. This was a necessity for those of high rank, as they had few opportunities to meet women. However, lower-ranking warriors were free to mingle with and have romantic relations with almost any woman they wanted, bar the daughters of the nobility. A dowry would be given to the *sai* and his lover in order to set up the couple's new household.

Along with a main wife or *hanmei* (韩美), *sai* were also permitted to keep concubines or lovers who were not officially recognised as wives or childbearers. When wives of an arranged union were a necessity, concubines were often the most appreciated lovers of the *sai*, women he often felt considerably more fondness for. Certain rules were put in place; for example, children born of a concubine could not be considered heirs, but somewhat contradictory, if a concubine was discovered as being infertile, she was no longer allowed to engage in sexual activity with the *sai*. However, concubines could be of any class or rank within society, and if taken by a warrior, could often be lifted to a status of high prestige and respect.

Divorce was exceedingly uncommon, though existent. A wife's consistent failure to produce a son was suitable cause for divorce; however, adoption of a male heir was considered a much better alternative. If a *sai* did not like his wife or enjoy her company he could arrange a divorce, but this was generally avoided as it would deeply embarrass both families.

## Women

Maintaining the household was the main duty of women of the *sai* class. This was especially crucial during early feudal periods, when warrior husbands were often traveling abroad or engaged in clan battles. The wife, or *hanmei* (meaning "first woman") was left to manage all household affairs, care for the children, and perhaps even defend the home forcibly. For this reason, many women of the *sai* class were trained in wielding *anzhou* (long, spear-like weapons) or special knives called *chizang*. This also gave rise to the traditional art of *daozhuang* (lit. "under clothes"), which involved the concealment of weapons prevalent in armour and formal dress.

Traits valued in women of the *sai* class were humility, obedience, self-constraint, strength (both physical and emotional) and devotion. Ideally, a *sai*'s wife would be skilled at managing finances, educating and caring for her children (or sometimes the concubines of her husband), and looking after any elderly relatives who might have been living under her roof. Qiren ideals required that a woman should maintain her 'purity', therefore never initiating or showing particular interest in sexual intercourse, showing only chaste affection towards her husband (especially in public) and speaking in an elegant, articulate manner.

Though given much responsibility surrounding familial affairs and the home, wives were never seen as being on the same bearing as their warrior husbands. Women could not engage in political affairs and were almost never the heads of their households or the breadwinners. However, women in the *sai* class were never completely powerless, and often wielded an amount of influence. In fact, there are a handful of warrior wives who have been venerated and enshrined as *shen*, viewed as representations of the 'perfect woman'.

As time went on, more value became placed on education, and the learning of girls at a young age became important to families in the upperclass. Qualities such as intelligence and wit began to weigh against the criteria of physical attractiveness, becoming desirable attributes. Many texts were written for women during the Kuai Period which pertained to how a woman might become not only a successful wife, but a respected and learned scholar. Nearly all women of the *sai* class were literate by the dawn of the Gahuang Period.