The RelIgion of the Samurai: A Study of Zen Philosophy and Discipline in China and Japan

Bushido, "the way (or the moral) of the warrior") is a Japanese term describing a codified samurai way of life, loosely analogous to the concept of chivalry in Europe.

The "way" originates from the samurai moral values, most commonly stressing some combination of frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and honor until death. Born from Neo-Confucianism during times of peace in Tokugawa Japan and following Confucian texts, Bushido was also influenced by Shinto and Zen Buddhism, allowing the ...