Kaishaku 介錯

The Last Samurai was aired on TV today. Watching it again, the concept of kaishaku 介錯 set me thinking. In the show, one of the Emperor's generals had lost the battle and was captured. As an atonement for the shame in losing the battle and being captured, he was offered the choice of committing seppuku 切腹, which is ritual suicide to atone for one's mistakes without blemishing one's honour. The person committing seppuku drives a short dagger into his abdomen and draws is across (and sometimes up as well), while an appointed second (usually chosen by the person committing seppuku) will then cut of his head to shorten his misery.

Being a second (known as kaishakunin 介錯人) is not an easy task. The cut must be clean and swift, else it won't serve the purpose of shortening the person's pain. At the same time, because the person is not a common criminal, the kaishakunin is not expected to cut off his head off fully. Cutting the whole head off is a punishment for common criminals. Instead, he is supposed to cut off the head at the neck, yet not through the whole neck, instead leaving a bit of skin uncut so that the head does not fly off. So, some skill is actually required to be a second. And to be chosen as a kaishakunin is a great honour, for it means that the kaishakunin is recognised as being skillful enough to carry out his duty.

It is not an easy concept to understand. To truly understand seppuku and thus kaishaku, you need to understand bushido 武士道. The Way of the Warrior is not easy to understand without living it. It is not about waving swords or killing people. It is a way of life, that focuses on how to live life, how to treat people, how to treat yourself. It is as applicable today as it was 200 years ago, if you know the basic underlying principles of honour, duty, compassion, courage and integrity.,