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Infeudal Japan (1185–1868), arōnin (/ˈroʊnɪn/ROH-nin;Japanese:浪人,IPA:[ɾoːɲiɴ], 'drifter' or 'wandering man',lit. 'unrestrained or dissolute person') was asamurai who had no lord or master and in some cases, had also severed all links with his family orclan.[1] A samurai became arōnin upon the death of his master, or after the loss of his master's favor orlegal privilege.[2][3]
In modern Japanese, the term is usually used to describe asalaryman who is unemployed ora secondary school graduate who has not yet been admitted to university.[4][5]
The wordrōnin is usually translated to 'drifter' or 'wanderer'; however, perkanji,rō (浪) means "wave" as on the water, as well as "unrestrained, dissolute", whilenin (人) means "person". It is an idiomatic expression for 'vagrant' or 'wanderer', someone who does not belong to one place. The term originated in theNara andHeian periods, when it referred to aserf who had fled or deserted his master's land. It later came to be used for a samurai who had no master. In medieval times, the ronin were depicted as the shadows of samurai, master-less and not honorable.
According to theBushido Shoshinshu (the "Code of the Warrior"), a samurai was supposed to commitseppuku (alsoharakiri, "belly cutting", a form of ritual suicide) upon the loss of his master.[6][7] One who chose not to honor the code was "on his own" and was meant to suffer great shame. The undesirability ofrōnin status was mainly a discrimination imposed by other samurai and bydaimyō, the feudal lords.[citation needed]
Like other samurai,rōnin woretwo swords.[8]Rōnin used a variety of other weapons as well. Somerōnin—usually those who lacked money—would carry abō (staff around 1.5 to 1.8 m (5 to 6 ft)) orjō (smaller staff or walking stick around 0.9 to 1.5 m (3 to 5 ft)) or ayumi (bow). Most weapons would reflect theryū (martial arts school) from which they came if they were students.[citation needed]
During theEdo period, with theshogunate's rigid class system and laws, the number ofrōnin greatly increased; confiscation of fiefs during the rule of the third Tokugawa shōgunIemitsu resulted in an especially large increase of their number.[2] During previous ages, samurai were able to move between masters and even between occupations. They could also marry between classes. However, during the Edo period, samurai were restricted, and were—above all—forbidden to become employed by another master without their previous master's permission.[citation needed]
Because the former samurai could not legally take up a new trade, or because of pride were loath to do so, manyrōnin looked for other ways to make a living with their swords. Thoserōnin who desired steady, legal employment becamemercenaries that guarded trade caravans, or bodyguards for wealthy merchants. Many otherrōnin became criminals, operating as bandits and highwaymen, or joining organized crime in towns and cities.Rōnin were known to operate or serve as hired muscle for gangs that ran gambling rings, brothels, protection rackets, and similar activities. Many were petty thieves and muggers. The criminal segment gave therōnin of the Edo period a persistent reputation of disgrace, with an image of thugs, bullies, cutthroats, and wandering vagrants.[2] After the abolition of the Samurai, some of the ronin continued with their thuggery and their mercenary work and activities, such as participating in the infamous assassination of KoreanEmpress Myeongseong of the Joseon Dynasty in 1895, theEulmi Incident.[citation needed]
Until theSengoku period, peasants accounted for the majority ofdaimyō armies, so they accounted for the majority of ronin.[citation needed]
Especially in the Sengoku period,daimyō needed additional fighting men, and even if a master had perished, hisrōnin was able to serve new lords. In contrast to the laterEdo period, the bond between the lord and the vassal was loose, and some vassals who were dissatisfied with their treatment left their masters and sought new lords. Many warriors served a succession of masters, and some even becamedaimyō. As an example,Tōdō Takatora served ten lords. Additionally, the division of the population into classes had not yet taken place, so it was possible to change one's occupation from warrior to merchant or farmer, or the reverse.Saitō Dōsan was one merchant who rose through the warrior ranks to become adaimyō.[citation needed]
AsToyotomi Hideyoshi unified progressively more significant parts of the country,daimyō found it unnecessary to recruit new soldiers. TheBattle of Sekigahara in 1600 resulted in the confiscation or reduction of the fiefs of large numbers ofdaimyō on the losing side; consequently, many samurai becamerōnin. As many as a hundred thousandrōnin joined forces withToyotomi Hideyori and fought at theSiege of Osaka. In the ensuing years of peace, there was less need to maintain expensive standing armies, and many survivingrōnin turned to farms or became townspeople. A few, such asYamada Nagamasa, sought adventure overseas as mercenaries. Still, the majority lived in poverty asrōnin. Their number approached half a million under the third Tokugawa shōgunIemitsu.[citation needed]
Initially, the shogunate viewed them as dangerous and banished them from the cities or restricted the quarters where they could live. They also prohibited serving new masters. Asrōnin found fewer options, they joined in theKeian Uprising of 1651. This forced the shogunate to rethink its policy. It relaxed restrictions ondaimyō inheritance, resulting in fewer confiscations of fiefs, and it permittedrōnin to join new masters.[citation needed]
Not having the status or power of employed samurai,rōnin were often disreputable and festive,[2] the group targeted humiliation or satire. It was undesirable to be arōnin, as it meant being without a stipend or land. As an indication of the shame felt by samurai who becamerōnin,Lord Redesdale recorded that arōnin killed himself at the graves of theforty-sevenrōnin. He left a note saying that he had tried to enter the service of thedaimyō ofChōshū Domain but was refused. He killed himself, wanting to serve no other master and hating being arōnin. On the other hand, the famous 18th-century writerKyokutei Bakin renounced his allegiance toMatsudaira Nobunari, in whose service Bakin's samurai father had spent his life. Bakin voluntarily became arōnin, and eventually spent his time writing books (many of them about samurai) and engaging in festivities.[citation needed]
In the 19th century,Emperor Meiji abolished the Samurai class and any status the ronin had died with them.[citation needed]
Numerous modern works of Japanese fiction set in the Edo period cast characters who arerōnin.[citation needed]
