Seppuku

credits to en.wikipedia.org for the picture.

It's time for me to blog in English.
Well, due to some 'popular' demand,
I guess I will, maybe for once in this week,
blog in English, to maintain my English standard.
And sister, I'm doing this all for you!
Given the fact that you are the 'jiak-kan-dang'(English speaking) people.
See, for your honour!

The topic I'll be discussing about is the big word, Seppuku,
or otherwise known as Hara-Kiri.
For those that do not understand what does these two phrases means,
please take a look at the above picture.
Seppuku is a wide known form of Japanese suicide ritual,
often committed by the warrior classes(samurais) in Feudal Japan.
The reason for doing so is to maintain the code of Bushido(Way of the Warrior);
A samurai of a defeated clan, or whom has done something lawfully or morally wrong,
is required to commit the Seppuku in order to maintain his honour,
such that he will not bring about shame when living sinfully.

Originally the Seppuku is a voluntarily act,
but many times in Feudal Japan it is a form of capital punishment,
mainly for the warrior classes.

I have always admired the Japanese culture,
as well as the form of shame society that resides in the country;
the way they choose to die rather than face humiliation,
is something that requires much courage to be done.
As we Han Chinese have a saying,
“士可杀，不可辱”，(a gentleman would rather die than humiliated),
explains how honour is held high in feudal societies,
as well as the coincidence of Eastern societies having the same concepts in the past.

The way that samurais choose to die in order to uphold their Code of Bushido,
is something that is rarely seen in societies nowadays.
In feudal times, many valued virtues and morals much more than their lives;
these morals and virtues were passed down for many generations,
and were often viewed as the core of how a society function.
It was said that without these values,
people of the society would not be able to distinguish what is morally right, and what is morally wrong.
Hence, when some people choose to commit Seppuku in Japan,
they are actually upholding the core values of their shame society.

Given the present society, may I humbly ask,
how many of you readers here,
would sacrifice your lives to uphold certain morals and values?

In today's society, mankind are often describe as 'the race chasing after the 5Cs'.
Another saying also goes like this,
in which being alive is depicted as the greatest asset that one would have;
giving the fact that only being alive,
then you would have the abilities to seek wealth and fortune.
Being the slaves of fame and wealth,
I doubt rarely anyone would rather uphold the virtues and lose their lives.
In contrast, many would choose to give up these values to preserved their lives.

Another Chinese saying goes like this,
“留得青山在，不怕没柴烧”(as long as the forest is preserved, there will still be firewood to burn);
this depicts how greedy, as well as selfish the society has come to.

In the evolution of mankind,
we gradually become more advanced, and more wealthy;
but as we start to linger after these advancements and wealth,
we tend to trade our morals and values for them.

In the shame societies of Japan and Korea,
Seppuku is still a frequent ritual,
committed by many who choose to uphold their 'purity' or 'innocence'.
But will there be such a day,
where the brave ritual of Seppuku becomes a legend of the past?

Many said that living is all about legacy.
Passing the wisdom of the past to the future.

Wherever we start to linger over power, wealth, fame,
and give up on those morals and virtues....

I would say,
we have lost the legacy of mankind.