Post by Soji Okita on Dec 5, 2005 22:29:32 GMT -5
((from WIKIPEDIA-online encyclopedia))
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinsengumi#Shinsengumi_rules
Shinsengumi rules
TokyoPopular fiction claims that the Shinsengumi law was written by Kamo Serizawa or Isami Kondô, but it's more likely to have been written by Toshizô Hijikata (since its strictness fits his personality more than the other leaders). The law has five articles, which prohibit the following:
Deviating from the samurai code (Bushido)
Leaving the Shinsengumi
Raising money privately
Taking part in other's litigation
Engaging in private fights
The penalty for breaking any rule was seppuku. In addition, the Shinsengumi had these laws:
If the leader of a unit is mortally wounded in a fight, all the members of the unit must fight and die on the spot.
Even in a fight where the death toll is high, it is not allowed to retrieve the bodies of the dead, except the corpse of the leader of the unit.
The most prominent of which is this: "If a Shinsengumi member engages in a fight with a stranger, be it on duty or not, if he is wounded and can't kill the enemy, allowing him to run away, even in case of a wound in the back, seppuku is ordered."
Hijikata forced them to follow extremely strict rules to make the group operate in bushido (or samurai) ideals and create fear within the group to absolutely obey orders from Hijikata and Kondo. These rules are a major reason why they rose to be such a strong, feared force consisting of hundreds of expert swordsmen, each endowed with the official sanction and an unflinching propensity to kill.
Countless members were forced to commit seppuku for breaking the rules or were killed for being spies.
It was said that the blood of Shinsengumi members flowed like water in the streets of Kyoto.
The Ikedaya Affair of 1864, in which they prevented the burning of Kyoto, made the Shinsengumi famous overnight and they had a surge of recruits. At its peak, the Shinsengumi had about 300 members. They were the first samurai group ever to allow those from non-samurai classes like farmers and merchants to join because Japan had always had a strict class hierarchy system. Many joined the group for the desire to become samurai and be involved in political affairs.
[edit]
Post-Ikedaya Shinsengumi hierarchy
Commander: Kondô Isami , a practitioner of the Tennen Rishin Ryû
Vice Commanders: Hijikata Toshizô, Yamanami Keisuke
Military Advisor: Kanutsarô Itô
Troop Captains:
Okita Sôji
Nagakura Shinpachi
Saitô Hajime
Matsubara Chûji
Takeda Kanryûsai
Inoue Genzaburô
Tani Sanjûrô
Tôdô Heisuke
Suzuki Mikisaburô
Harada Sanosuke
Spies: Shimada Kai, Yamazaki Susumu
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinsengumi#Shinsengumi_rules
Shinsengumi rules
TokyoPopular fiction claims that the Shinsengumi law was written by Kamo Serizawa or Isami Kondô, but it's more likely to have been written by Toshizô Hijikata (since its strictness fits his personality more than the other leaders). The law has five articles, which prohibit the following:
Deviating from the samurai code (Bushido)
Leaving the Shinsengumi
Raising money privately
Taking part in other's litigation
Engaging in private fights
The penalty for breaking any rule was seppuku. In addition, the Shinsengumi had these laws:
If the leader of a unit is mortally wounded in a fight, all the members of the unit must fight and die on the spot.
Even in a fight where the death toll is high, it is not allowed to retrieve the bodies of the dead, except the corpse of the leader of the unit.
The most prominent of which is this: "If a Shinsengumi member engages in a fight with a stranger, be it on duty or not, if he is wounded and can't kill the enemy, allowing him to run away, even in case of a wound in the back, seppuku is ordered."
Hijikata forced them to follow extremely strict rules to make the group operate in bushido (or samurai) ideals and create fear within the group to absolutely obey orders from Hijikata and Kondo. These rules are a major reason why they rose to be such a strong, feared force consisting of hundreds of expert swordsmen, each endowed with the official sanction and an unflinching propensity to kill.
Countless members were forced to commit seppuku for breaking the rules or were killed for being spies.
It was said that the blood of Shinsengumi members flowed like water in the streets of Kyoto.
The Ikedaya Affair of 1864, in which they prevented the burning of Kyoto, made the Shinsengumi famous overnight and they had a surge of recruits. At its peak, the Shinsengumi had about 300 members. They were the first samurai group ever to allow those from non-samurai classes like farmers and merchants to join because Japan had always had a strict class hierarchy system. Many joined the group for the desire to become samurai and be involved in political affairs.
[edit]
Post-Ikedaya Shinsengumi hierarchy
Commander: Kondô Isami , a practitioner of the Tennen Rishin Ryû
Vice Commanders: Hijikata Toshizô, Yamanami Keisuke
Military Advisor: Kanutsarô Itô
Troop Captains:
Okita Sôji
Nagakura Shinpachi
Saitô Hajime
Matsubara Chûji
Takeda Kanryûsai
Inoue Genzaburô
Tani Sanjûrô
Tôdô Heisuke
Suzuki Mikisaburô
Harada Sanosuke
Spies: Shimada Kai, Yamazaki Susumu
