The rise and fall of Japanese warrior monks

The idea of ​​a Japanese “warrior monk” is undeniably attractive to this. It immediately reminiscent of many romantic images of the warriors who fight evil with the power of faith. This is a religion with teeth…and fists, kicks, blades, etc. This is also a strange fetish.

First of all, Japan is not the only place for warrior monks. For example, the Teutonic Order and the Templar were monastery orders of the jihadists, vowing chastity, poverty and obedience. They were warrior monks like their fellow Buddhists, and later on an ignorant beginning and a sad ending. It’s cool in the middle. Let’s talk about all of this.

Hiei Mount Hiei background in Utagawa Hiroshige (1833)

The warrior monk was created to fight against other monks

The history of Japanese warrior monks began when the capital was moved to Kyoto in 794. According to Feng Shui principles, one of the most critical parts of the city is a mountain in the north to protect it from evil energy. That mountain is Hiei Mountain, occupied by the huge Enryaku-ji temple. Suddenly finding myself as a spiritual protector of the Imperial Court, Enryaku-ji’s stock surged when taken Some Stay away from the reputation of Todai-ji and Kofuku-Ji temples in Nara. They are not very good.

From around the 10th century, tensions between temples began to break out into occasional deaths. Most disputes are about land or abbot’s appointment. After too many battles, Ryogen, under the abbot of Enryaku-ji, decided to fight the permanent combat troops against Hiei in 970. They are more like private security made up of laymen. But over the years, many appointed people have joined their ranks and fought against their fellow countrymen. But they come from different temples or branches of Buddhism, so great violence can be launched on them.

Between the 10th and 12th centuries, Enryaku-ji, Todai-Ji, Kofuku-Ji and Onjo-Ji (also known as Miidera) have been constantly attacking each other. The monks at Hiei Mountain burned at least Miidera. So slowly, all these battles taught Buddhist monks the art of war. They will soon have a chance to test on the battlefield. The result is…mixed.

The skull of his slain entangled Taira after his life. Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1883)

The warrior monk briefly caught…or 60

In 1180, the Gipe War broke out between the powerful Tedar and the wide field plants. Miidera great In the UJI campaign. Especially a monk, it is said that gochi-in no tajima naginata Glaive cut the arrow flying directly towards him, earning the nickname “Arrow Tajima”. Eventually, the battle is lost around Miidera and the army of Taiwan destroys the temple. Later, the monks in Kofuku-Ji killed the delegation of Taiwan Kiyomori, showing 60 beheaded heads around Sarusawa Pond, Kiyomori ordered Nara to burn Nara to the ground as revenge. After that, Enryaku-ji gently escapes the conflict.

In the next few years, it was not very good for the reputation of the warrior monks. The capital moved from Kyoto to Samurai Kura, and Shiyyama soon discovered that unlike the ancient Kyoto nobles, Samurai was not afraid of them. They also practiced Zen Buddhism, a school that was completely different from any warrior monk center, so their curse and condemnation did nothing to them. Even after the shogunate moved the shogunate to Kyoto in the 14th century, the monks of Mount Haoyi were not taken seriously by the samurai. Then, suddenly, the empire and warrior governments collapsed, and the country entered a time of two centuries of civil war. This is the Buddha to the warrior monks.

Japanese warrior monk

Warrior Monk and Demon King

During the Sengoku period, warrior monks Prosperous. Using their organizational skills, religious symbolism and proficiency in various weapons, including guns, Japan’s jihadists became a force that cannot be ignored. Feudal lords competed with each other to gain favor from warrior monks, especially Hiei Mountain, who eventually formed an alliance with the mighty Asai and Asakura in hopes of helping one of them ascend the throne or shogunate.

The problem is that both families are oda nobunagais one of the greatest military leaders in Japanese history and the person who initiated Japanese unification. He warned the Enryaku-ji monk to avoid his obstacles rather than assisting his competitors. They didn’t listen. Therefore, on September 29, 1571, Nobunaga obtained his nickname “King of Demons”. He surrounded the mountain with 30,000 troops and then moved upwards, destroying and killing everything on their roads. Finally, 20,000 people were killed, including monks, temple workers, women and children. This ended the organized army of Japanese warrior monks, and the reason this was all so fast was because enryaku-ji No defense.

Enryaku-ji relies primarily on the terrain and its status as a spiritual guardian in Kyoto to protect himself. Todai-Ji and Kofuku-Ji also have similar open goals. Ikko-ikki, who was actually a peasant fanatic led by warrior monks, actually built a religious fortress. Only one of them was occupied by Nobunaga ten years,grateful It could have been the monk of the Muwei. Perhaps, if Enryaku-ji followed the example of ikko-ikki, then its ending wouldn’t be… anti-climax.

So, hey- Is it right to call the warrior monk sohei?

Sohei This is a popular term for Japanese warrior monks for Western and Japanese sources, but for several years there has been controversy over its accuracy. the term Literally, it is a “priest soldiers” that seems to be an accurate description of monks who have 60 people in the flight or cut down arrows. But, as we mentioned earlier, the first temple warriors were not monks or priests, and although it was still common for the monastery to recruit warriors over time, recruiting vows but not living like monks. They are essentially the “ringtones” they hired before the big fight.

As part of a Japanese monastery, there are privileges, such as protecting you from law by saving you from past crimes. All you have to do is say a few words, you don’t have to believe, put on the monk’s robe and armor, and do your best: fight and kill. Then, you can go and have a drink. These people are an important part of the monastery army, but calling them Sohei is inaccurate.

What about those samurai commanders who were appointed as Buddhist priests or monks, such as Takeda Shingen or Uesugi Kenshin? They are sohei? Is it important that monks themselves do not use the term? Their enemies call them It’s not (Evil monk). Where is it suitable? Definitely the one you can call Sohei,,,,, But this is a very narrow definition that has been used too widely in the past.

“Monastery Warrior” seems to be the safest term because it applies to everyone who fights professionally for the temple, whether they are monks or not. But “Soldier Monk” sounds cooler, so that’s what we end up doing.

Source:

Japanese Warrior Monk AD 949 – 1603, Stephen Turnbull

The gate of power, Mikael Adolphson

Heike’s story, Translated by Royal Tyler

Buddha’s teeth and claws, Mikael Adolphson

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