The
true story of the 47 ronin (masterless samurai) of the province of Harima is
probably the best-known story of the valor and ideals (the Code of Bushido) of
Japan's famous samurai warriors. Our tale begins in 1701, a time of relative
peace during the Tokugawa Shogunate. The Shogun Tsunayoshi lived and ruled from
Edo, while the Emperor, who had little political power, lived in Kyoto. To show
respect to the Emperor, Tsunayoshi sent gifts and envoys to Kyoto for the New
Year's celebrations, and in return, the Emperor sent his own envoys to Edo in
March. To receive the Imperial envoys, Tsunayoshi appointed two young daimyos
(feudal provincial lords), Naganori Asano-Takuminokami, The Lord of the Castle
of Ako in Harima Province, and Munehare Date, Lord of Sendai to act as hosts
during the forthcoming visit of a member of the Imperial Court in Kyoto. Because
the daimyos were inexperienced in entertaining high born guests, the Shogun
appointed an elderly high official named Yoshinaka Kira-Kozukenosuke to assist
them.
Kira,
whom history describes as greedy and conceited, became very angry with Lord
Asano for not presenting him with expensive gifts (to show appreciation,
respect, etc.) and instead of helping Lord Asano became very abusive and
insulting towards him. Kira, determined to get even, used every opportunity to
publicly humiliate Asano. After two months of abuse, Asano's tolerance was gone.
On
March 14, unable to take the insults from Kira anymore, Lord Asano drew his
sword (itself a capital offense when done inside Edo Castle) and struck Kira
wounding him slightly. For his offense, The Shogun Tsunayoshi ordered Lord Asano
to immediately commit seppuku (ritual suicide). Kira, on the other hand,
received no punishment; in fact, he became an object of sympathy and was allowed
to continue his official duties.
The Shogun's failure to
have Kira share in the responsibility angered the followers of Asano,who felt
that Kira's improper actions were ignored and Asano's punishment too harsh.
By
law, when a samurai lord committed seppuku, his castle was confiscated by the
Shogun, his family was disinherited, and his 321 samurai retainers were ordered
to disband, thus becoming ronin or masterless warriors. Asano's samurai were
unsure of how to act in the wake of this disaster. Some thought they should
refuse to turn over the castle to the Shogun, some thought they should plot
revenge and kill Kira, and others thought they should respect the law and
surrender peacefully.
Oishi
Kuranosuke, Asano's Chief Councilor, listened to the varying opinions and
finally decided on a plan. He would petition the Shogun to reestablish the House
of Asano with Lord Asano's younger brother, Daigaku, as it's head. If that
failed the samurai of Lord Asano would refuse to turn over the castle and defend
it to the death.
In
the next few days, as the Shogun's agents were on the road enroute to the Ako,
all of the Asano samurai which were opposed to the petition deserted the castle,
leaving only 60 loyal samurai behind. Before the shogun's men could reach the
castle, Daigaku Asano sent a letter to Oishi, asking him to obey the orders of
the Shogun and hand the castle over.
Oishi
and the 59 other samurai accepted Daigaku's request as binding on them as the
word of Lord Asano himself, but before they quit the castle they made plans to
avenge their Lord Asano's disgrace by killing Kira, whose un-samurai like
character had brought their lord and house to such a tragic end. Only this would
restore Asano's rightful honor.
The
men split up to conceal their plans from Kira, who naturally suspected that
Asano's retainers would try to get revenge against him. Oishi went to Yamashina,
a suburb of Kyoto, where he earned a reputation as a drunken gambler, a ruse
that successfully deceived the Shogun's police and Kira's many spies.
The
Shogun, still concerned that the affair might not be ended, ordered the arrest
of Daigaku Asano and sentenced him to confinement in the main villa of the Asano
family, thus ending any remaining hope that the House of Asano might be
reestablished.
For
nearly two years they waited, disguised as merchants, street vendors and even
drunks to get information on Kira and to be close to him should an opportunity
arise to storm Kira's mansion. Finally, Kira and his allies finally relaxed
their suspicions of Oishi and his men.
At
a secret meeting, Oishi and the other 59 ronin decided that the time had come to
move against Kira. But Oishi would allow only 46 of the men to participate with
him in the attempt. He sent the other 13 back home to their families.
One
by one Oishi and his men infiltrated Edo, and on a snowy winter night of
December 14, 1702 the 47 ronin attacked the mansion of Kira while he was having
a tea party. The 47 ronin divided into two bands and stormed the mansion from
the front and rear gates. In the great battle that followed, the 47 ronin
entered into battle against Kira's 61 armed guards. At the end of the 1 1/2 hour
battle, Asano's ronin had either subdued or killed all of Kira's men without any
losses of their own.
After
a thorough search, Kira was found hiding in an outhouse. The ronin brought Kira
to the courtyard and offered him the same chance their Lord Asano was given to
honorably commit seppuku. Kira could not commit seppuku, so the ronin
beheaded him. Then, to symbolize the completion of their mission, the 47
returned to Asano's grave at Sengaku-ji Temple and set Kira's head before it,
thus declaring their Lord's honor redeemed.
Prepared
to die for their deed, Oishi sent two delegates to the Magistrate of Edo,
informing him of what had been done and telling the official that they would be
waiting at the Sengaku-ji Temple, awaiting orders from the Shogun.
The
Shogun Tsunayoshi, instead of being angry, was deeply impressed with the loyalty
demonstrated by the 47 ronin. This made Tsunayoshi decision all the more
difficult. Although clearly sympathetic to their heroic act, he was nonetheless
faced with a dilemma. Should he spare the 47 ronin in recognition of their great
display of bushido and their defense of their Lord Asano's honor, or should they
be punished according to the law. If he overlooked their crime for sentimental
reasons would that belittle their honor and weaken the samurai code? After 47
days of deliberation, Tsunayoshi ordered that Oishi and 45 of his men were to
execute themselves not as criminals but as honored warriors. The youngest of the
ronin, who had been sent to Ako with the news of Kira's death was spared from
the sentence.
On
February 4, 1703, the 46 ronin were divided into four groups and handed over to
four different daimyo, who were ordered to supervise and witness their deaths.
Oishi and the other 45 ronin all committed seppuku simultaneously,
dignifying themselves in their valiant sacrifice. Upon their deaths, the 46
ronin were buried side by side next to their master at Sengaku-ji Temple.
Today,
the memory of the 47 ronin is celebrated in a play called Chusingura which moves
the audience to tears and excitement as it develops the theme of the magnificent
sacrifice of the 47 ronin. Additionally, each year thousands of Japanese visit
the gravesite of the 46 ronin at Sengaku-ji Temple to pay homage to the honor
and loyalty of the 47 ronin and their dedication to the code of bushido.
