Undefeated swordsman, master of battlefield strategy, martial arts icon—Miyamoto Musashi, who lived in Japan in the 1600s, is the most famous samurai of all time. His masterwork, the Book of Five Rings (Gorin no sho) , is one of the most insightful texts on the subtle arts of confrontation and victory to emerge from Asian culture.
Over the centuries, Musashi's reputation has grown to mythic proportions, but, in fact, much about Musashi and his life remains a mystery. Here, Kenji Tokitsu, a modern martial arts master and scholar, turns a critical eye on Musashi's life and writings, separating fact from fiction, and providing a view of the man and his ideas that is accessible and relevant to today's readers and martial arts students.
Tokitsu provides a vivid and meticulously researched biography and a fresh translation of the Book of Five Rings , along with four other texts on strategy, all with extensive commentary. He is a thoughtful and informed guide, putting the historical and philosophical aspects of the text into context.
目次
1. Childhood and training The birth of Musashi Musashi's childhood and his first duel The founding of the school of two swords The two sources of Musashi's art The school of two swords 2. Musashi's duels Duels and wars Studying the arts of other schools through duels The duel against Sasaki Kojiro Musashi at the battle of Osaka 3. Deepening the way Maturity Musashi's last years Composition of the Gorin no sho and Musashi's death 4. Writings on the five elements (Gorin no sho) The scroll of earth The scroll of water The scroll of fire The scroll of wind The scroll of heaven 5. The texts preceding the Gorin no sho The mirror of the way of strategy (Hyodokyo) Thirty-five instructions on strategy Forty-two instructions on strategy The way to be followed alone (Dokkodo) 6. Notes of Musashi's disciples on the practice of his school 7. The school of musashi (Hyoho niten ichiryu) The branches of the Hyoho niten ichiryu The Hyoho niten ichiryu today 8. The transmission of Musashi's art The role of Musashi's writings in the transmission of his art The transmission of Musashi's art through practice 9. Musashi today : the practice of a contemporary adept The labyrinth created by the way of holding the sword The Nenryu school and its lineage 10. Weapons and ethics in swordsmanship training The status of warriors Technique and the status of the body Integration of the religious element into the art of the sword The formation of katas 11. Budo The Meiji turning point and the modern notion of budo The evolution of budo in the twentieth century 12. The relationship between adversaries The complexity of combat in budo The significance of the quest for kizeme Confrontation and harmony 13. One life, one art
