What Is Meant By Hara-Kiri?

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What Is Meant By Hara-Kiri?

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Answer 1

A renowned tradition in Japan that was perpetuated in the region for many years, Hara-Kiri was initially practiced by members of the Samurai (warrior) class in old Japan. In the literal sense, Hara-Kiri means 'belly cutting'. The term Hara-Kiri refers to ceremonial suicide and has a strong historic significance. Voluntary Hara-Kiri goes back all the way back to the 12th century and was undertaken for a variety of different reasons.

One reason was to efface the dishonor and disgrace of defeat in any battle. Another reason to practice Hara-Kiri illustrated protests from the subordinate's side at the supposedly offensive or unacceptable behavior of the superior.

As evident from its literal meaning, if Hara-Kiri is practiced in accurate accordance with the rules that it prescribes, it is a slow excruciatingly painful experience. The agony and scrupulous nature of Hara-Kiri was basically meant to demonstrate the proverbial military virtues of valiant courage and total self-control.

Answer 2

Hara-Kiri is a Japanese word meaning "belly-cutting". It is a Japanese practice of ceremonious suicide by disembowelment i.e. Cutting open the stomach and removing the internal organs. It was originally restricted by custom to noblemen but later adopted by all classes. This form of suicide is performed for the sake of honour. Hara-kiri originated in feudal Japan and samurai or warrior noblemen used it to avoid dishonour of being captured by their enemies. It later became an indirect method of execution. A noble on receiving a message from emperor that his death had become essential used to perform hara-kiri. A dagger was used as a suicide weapon. As practised by persons of all classes, hara-kiri frequently served as an ultimate gesture of devotion to a superior who had died, or as a form of protest against some act or policy of the government. The practice eventually became so widespread that for centuries an estimated total of 1500 deaths occurred annually by this method; more than half of these were voluntary acts. Hara-kiri as an obligatory form of execution was abolished in 1868. Incidences of it as a form of voluntary suicide are rare in modern times. Many Japanese soldiers in recent wars, including World War II, resorted to hara-kiri