Samurai rank by tsuba

[Steve Waszak]

Thanks for the excellent link, Henk-Jan... Much appreciated.

 

Cheers,

 

Steve

[george trotter]

I was ready to move on from this thread, but I simply have to take exception to two notions I keep seeing repeated here.

 

The first of these is the idea pertaining to tsuba denoting “rank,” and, relatedly, that there would have been some sort of widespread “system” existing throughout the land that would support and reinforce the semantic framework of tsuba denoting rank.

 

Errrr...Steve, with respect,...the title of this post is "Samurai rank by tsuba".

Firstly, this led me to believe that the topic asked: was the rank of a samurai depicted by his tsuba?

Secondly, the very word rank denotes a formal system of grades...to have a formal system of grades that all can understand and adhere to requires that it be published/promulgated (call it what you will), so that people in the samurai class across the land would be able to understand it and conform to it, otherwise all would be confusion.

Regards,

[cabowen]

George, it would appear that Steve is saying he doesn't believe that tsuba were used as indicators of rank in a regimented, prescripted, formal system. Rather, he seems to be postulating that they were used in an informal manner to signal one's good taste, wit, and erudition in an effort to distinguish and elevate one's self in some sort of social pecking order or ranking.

 

Comments Overheard at the Moon Viewing Party on Kokoronosemai Bashi:

 

"Did you happen to see the tsuba that Lord Iki is wearing this evening? The interplay between the tekkotsu and the marsh mist, bringing to mind the Chinese poet Wushu, the host's favorite! What sensitivity! No wonder he gets invited to all the han social events- everyone looks forward all season to his attendance to marvel over his latest tsuba...."

 

"Oh my, yes, he simply embarrassed Lord Imo, that rube from the south who is always a season out of step-imagine! he actually wore the same tsuba he wore at last season's Hanami! Doesn't he realize he will never get ahead or invited to the A list parties if he can't learn that kinko is soooo Genroku..."

 

"I think we all agree on that...But did you catch that waki-goto the new Lord Share is sporting? He is just trying too hard. It totally clashed with our host's Bizen tokkuri. Major faux pas. Someone better take him aside and set him straight before he is blacklisted...I mean, my god, what's next? Ko-Mino at the Bonenkai?"

[Steve Waszak]

Hi George,

 

Aw, well, you've sort of misquoted me... You forgot to add the "As I have stressed in previous posts" part. In other words, way back in the early days of this thread, I (and not only I) rather strongly asserted that there would have been no formally recognized association between tsuba and official rank. So I was just saying in the the post you've quoted me from that it was a bit exasperating to see the thread continue merrily along as though nothing had been asserted about this formal relationship (this would include the "system" supporting a would-be association of tsuba and rank).

 

Cheers,

 

Steve

[Ford Hallam]

Really enjoyed reading your commentary, Steve but I have to award the 'golden sake cup of appreciation' to Mr Bowen for his witty parody. :D

[christianmalterre]

here at us-we do call it the "red lantern"

 

Christian

[Ken-Hawaii]

Sorry guys, but you asked an interesting question at an awkward time.

If I didn't know better, I'd say this thread was set up to jerk around some of us having a private correspondence not too far back.

 

Curran, I was off-island yesterday & so didn't see your post until this morning. I have no idea what private correspondence was going on, but my posting of this question was based solely on Skip's article in the "To-Ron" newsletter I received late last week.

 

BTW, I used the word "rank" because that is what Skip used in his commentary. He showed five beautiful Higo tsuba, probably from the Nishigaki forge, which he says "show stages of development from entry level to mid-range Samurai rank." My uneducated eyeballs can't really see a lot of difference among them....

 

Obviously, Samurai did indeed have different ranks, & my original intent was to ask if the tsuba was the way one Samurai could tell whether his status was higher or lower than someone else he met, but I can't tell from this thread if there was some other way, too.

 

Ken

[cabowen]

Really enjoyed reading your commentary, Steve but I have to award the 'golden sake cup of appreciation' to Mr Bowen for his witty parody. :D

 

Glad to see it found an appreciative audience, even if it was an audience of one....

[Geraint]

Well I certainly enjoyed it Chris, I second the award!

 

Christian, "lantern rouge", if I understand your reference correctly that was a nice try but I fear this thread is doomed to run and run......,

[Jean]

I shall end the topic quoting Shakespeare "much ado about nothing", and add that Skip said "probably" so there was absolutelly no certainty.

[ROKUJURO]

.....Comments Overheard at the Moon Viewing Party on Kokoronosemai Bashi:

 

"Did you happen to see the tsuba that Lord Iki is wearing this evening? The interplay between the tekkotsu and the marsh mist, bringing to mind the Chinese poet Wushu, the host's favorite! What sensitivity! No wonder he gets invited to all the han social events - everyone looks forward all season to his attendance to marvel over his latest tsuba...."

 

"Oh my, yes, he simply embarrassed Lord Imo, that rube from the south who is always a season out of step-imagine! He actually wore the same tsuba he wore at last season's Hanami! Doesn't he realize he will never get ahead or invited to the A list parties if he can't learn that Kinko is soooo Genroku...".....

Is this cited from the BOWEN MONOGATARI? Gorgeous!