what is seppuku?

Question

what is seppuku why is it performed and who performed it? i really need to know!

Answer 1

Seppuku, (Sape-puu-kuu) the Japanese formal language term for ritual suicide (Hara-kiri (Har-rah-kee-ree) is the common language term.), was an intregal aspect of feudal Japan (1192-1868). It developed as an intregal part of the code of bushido and the discipline of the samurai warrior class.
Hara-kiri, which literally means "stomach cutting" is a particularly painful method of self-destruction, and prior to the emergence of the samurai as a professional warrior class, was totally foreign to the Japanese.

Honor for the samurai was dearer than life and in many cases, self destruction was regarded not simply as right, but as the only right course. Disgrace and defeat were atoned by committing hara-kiri or seppuku. Upon the death of a daimyo loyal followers might show their grief and affection for their master by it. Other reasons a samurai committed seppuku were: to show contempt for an enemy; to protest against injustice, as a means to get their lord to reconsider an unwise or unworthy action and as a means to save others.

I practise iaido, the art of Japanese sword-drawing, and we learn about Japanese customs etc.

Answer 2

切腹 (Romanized:Seppuku/English:cutting the belly)-also known as 腹切り(Harakiri/English:belly-cutting) was a key part of 武士道(Bushido/English: Way of the Warrior),the code of Samurai/Ronin warriors .

Samurai could be ordered by their daimyo (feudal lords) to commit seppuku. Later disgraced warriors were sometimes allowed to commit seppuku rather than be executed in the normal manner. Since the main point of the act was to restore or protect one's honor as a warrior, those who did not belong to the samurai caste were never ordered or expected to commit seppuku. Samurai women could only commit the act with permission. Samurai/Ronin can also do this when they did something disgraceful of something stupid in battle.


How to perform:
A. Get a Tanto(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tant%C5%8D)/Wakizashi
B. Open your Kimono (belly area)
C. Make a left-right cut(first, stab yourself)
D. Then a Kaishakunin(someone who helps you in Seppuku) will decapitate you (either by beheading or cutting all your body parts), then he'll pay respect to you.


The Rituals before was like an execution...you get a last meal (with your favorite food on it), then you'll be given a bath, then they'll make you wear a clean, white Kimono. After eating your last meal, they'll put the tanto/wakizashi on a plate in your table then do the steps in killing yourself.


Today in Japan, some stupid people still do this.


Just don't do it.

Answer 3

What Is Seppuku

Answer 4

Seppeku was the ritualistic suicide performed by the samurai. the word seppuku means belly cutting, and this would be performed after being put to shame, loss of honor, or defeat. and in this ritual was performed in different ways of cuting the belly, 1) 1 slice across, 2) 2 or more across, 3) 1 across and another going down the abdomen.

Answer 5

Seppuku, also called Hara Kiri is ritualized suicide.

Why is it performed? Mainly, over disgrace (whether personal or familial).

Who performed it? The Japanese, it was a custom of theirs.

The men would perform a deep horizontal cut across the abdomen with a tanto (knife), and if they struggled with pain....they generally had another there to behead them.

Women, would generally slit their own throat in the same fashion.

To understand seppuku, you need to understand their culture....a Japanese person generally would rather die with pride, than live in disgrace.

Answer 6

Seppuku is a form of ritual suicide practiced in Japan by samurai. It was used to restore the honor of a samurai who had been disgraced by drawing a weapon in the presence of his lord, deserting, etc. The samurai disembowels himself with any form of Japanese sword (wakizashi is the most common, but katana and even tanto have been used). Eventually, it became customary to have a second man standing behind the samurai who was committing seppuku to decapitate him with a katana after he had slashed himself across the stomach (because death by disembowelment is, after all, extremely painful).

Answer 7

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RE:
what is seppuku?
what is seppuku why is it performed and who performed it? i really need to know!

Answer 8

seppuku was performed by japanse warriors or japanese officials who were brought to shame...were they had to slice there abdomin with a wakazahsi i think...then someone would cut off there head...supposedly seppuku was a form of dying by not bringing shame to themselves or to the person's famiy

Answer 9

It's like a traditional way of doing a suicide.
And also a punishment to the outlaws.
You make the criminals stab them selves in the stomach and then cut their head off right after that in honor of their bravery(for less pain and also if they try to escape, they can just kill them right there and then).

Answer 10

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