Japanese Reading This Summer - 7

It has been after a while in reading lengthy of story, I would be able to keep writing about this book "Ten - Chi - Jin".  In addition to the author's rhythmical writing, there are something the life of Kanetsugu Naoe was telling us.  Also, there was a mystery which no one including the author can figure out.  How and why Uesugi survived the lost war against Tokugawa who became Shogun later.

I feel I owe you an explanation a little bit.  Uesugi including Naoe was the subject clan of Toyotomi.  Tokugawa fought against Toyotomi and won the war.  Later Tokugawa became Shogun and destroyed all Toyotomi related people.  Many clans were perished.  But, Uesugi was not.  Why?

It was true that Uesugi did not take part in major war between Toyotomi and Tokugawa when they fought.  So, the Uesugi army which was said to be one of strongest in Japan that time was kept with no damage.  If Tokugawa tried to punish Uesugi like he did to other clans, Uesugi tried to fight to the end.  Tokugawa might not have won so easily.

Naoe being good strategist, had established pipeline with Tokugawa generals, key people, earlier, and never cut off the pipeline established.  So, even after Toyotomi lost their war, Uesugi, through Naoe and his Tokugawa pipeline could still talk.

Truth might be combination of all above or more.  I think Naoe was a person who could envision the best and worst  scenario and prepare for accepting 2nd best, 3rd best..., with cool understanding of the situation he is facing up to.  But, in addition, the strength of his were created by believing strongly in "Gi - Ultimate Righteousness" and "Ai - Love", which are the basics of Samurai spirit.

Even their enemy Tokugawa could not reject "Gi" and "Ai" and they became basic spirit of Samurai society.

Related Posts:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/japanese-reading-this-summer-6.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/japanese-reading-this-summer-5.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/japanese-reading-this-summer-4-origin.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/japanese-reading-this-summer-3.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/japanese-reading-this-summer-2.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/japanese-reading-this-summer-1.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/04/can-money-buy-real-alliance.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/02/general-who-prevailed-love-in-japans.html


Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link