The samurai code
Too bad the movie “47 Ronin” bombed in the United States after its Christmas Day release was met with indifference from American audiences. I daresay it should gain a larger and more eager following internationally, especially in Asia, particularly in Japan where the remains of the real 47 ronin are buried. In fact, Sengakuji Temple, where the gravestones of the warriors can be found, has become a popular pilgrimage destination and holds a festival commemorating their deaths.
A Japanese scholar claims that the tale of the samurai, who become ronin or mercenaries after the death by compelled suicide of their master, has become the “national legend” of Japan. The story, of warriors who avenge their master’s death by waging an insurrection against a rival lord and are then ordered by the reigning shogun to themselves commit ritual suicide, is “the most famous example of the samurai code of honor, bushido.”
So famous, in fact, that the 47 ronin have influenced countless plays (including kabuki dramas), novels, songs, comics, and, of course, movies.
We even have a contemporary example of how far and how deep—and how enduring—the samurai code of honor has been for the Japanese. Recently, there was news of the passing, at the age of 91, of Hiroo Onoda, a Japanese soldier who came out of hiding in the jungles of Lubang Island in Mindoro in 1974. Believing that World War II was still being waged, Onoda and two companions (one died and the other surrendered) eluded pursuers, convinced that flyers telling them that Japan had surrendered was all part of enemy propaganda.
I still remember newspaper photos of the time showing the Japanese soldier in his bedraggled uniform walking out of his lair. For some time “Onoda” became a byword among Filipinos symbolizing gullibility and stubbornness.
But in Japan, so reports say, Onoda was viewed and treated as a hero.
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From World War II alone have emerged stories of Japanese officers and soldiers preferring suicide to surrender. There are tales of soldiers jumping off cliffs to their deaths rather than surrendering, of officers committing bushido in the face of overwhelming odds.
And, of course, there are the famous kamikaze pilots, trained and indoctrinated to crash their planes into allied ships, sacrificing their lives to hinder the enemy.
This is all part of the samurai code, we are told, a code that upholds honor above all, a code that dictates loyalty to one’s cause and superior, and death as superior to surrender.
Reports say that Onoda’s extraordinary 29-year saga in Lubang was born of an order by a superior officer “to stay and fight,” as Onoda recalled in a memoir. And so while other people, including (or especially) Filipinos, found his life of sacrifice pointless, if not even comical, a report in the New York Times says that to the Japanese, “it was a reminder of the redemptive qualities of duty and perseverance.”
I wonder now if, had he been given a chance to watch the movie “47 Ronin,” Onoda would have felt a kinship with the loyal ronin of myth and legend. Or would he have been reminded of his failure to live up fully to the samurai code, which demanded that, in the face of imminent defeat, he give up his life to preserve his honor?
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Book-club discussions, movie showings, cultural presentations, and promotions of Australian food and wine mark the celebration of Australia Day next week, traditionally celebrated on Jan. 26.
Australian Ambassador Bill Twedell hosted a barbecue for the local media at his residence recently, not just to thank the media for their cooperation but also to introduce the best of what Australia has to offer.
Most prominent of these is the laid-back casual style of entertaining that puts most guests immediately at ease. Aside from the usual “barbie” fare of steaks, fish and sausages (“no shrimp on the barbie, sorry”), the ambassador also served Australian wines, cheeses and sweets, and a special brand of coffee. At the close of the dinner, Ambassador Twedell even raffled off bottles of Australian wine, showcasing the increasingly sophisticated array of wine from Down Under.
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Australia Day will be marked locally by a two-week festival, in partnership with Fully Booked, of acclaimed and best-selling works by Australian authors.
Foremost of these is “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak, which has also been made into an internationally-acclaimed film. A “read before you see it” book-club session will be held at the book fair before the movie is shown on Feb. 19. I’ve seen the movie’s trailer, and I must say that I was sufficiently intrigued and penciled in an inner reminder to drop by Fully Booked for the book reading.
Also on the bill of fare is an outdoor film screening and a mini-food fair at Greenbelt Park on Jan. 25. The food fair features tasting of lamb-on-a-spit, cooking demonstrations, and wine tasting. The evening will then end with a screening of “Red Dog,” a movie that won best film in the most recent Australian film awards.
Australian arts are also being showcased in performance festivals featuring Australian artists, including “Short + Sweet,” a theatrical initiative “which engages local playwrights, directors and actors to produce stage pieces that each lasts for 10 minutes or less.” The inaugural S+S Manila will be held from Jan. 26 to March 9 at UP Diliman.
And, of course, the best of Australian food and beverages will be featured in various promotions in supermarkets, retail outlets and major hotels during a month-long festival.
