Imagawa Sadayo

The Imagawa family represented the younger line of the Asikaga clan, taking their surname from Imagawa - the name of the estate in Mikawa province. Imagawa's father supported the shogun Takaudzi un as a reward received the post of governor of the province of Suruga , where the clan settled for a long time.

Imagawa's military career began with a quarrel between the Northern and Southern Courts. He sided with the former and defeated Hasokawa Kn Хuji during the Yoshino campaign by 1361. Returning to Kyoto , he cut his hair and devoted himself to religion, taking the name Ryosyun.

In 1370, the bakufu , having lost control of most of the island of Kyushu , sent Ryoshun there as a military governor to pacify the territory.

Imagawa devoted the next 10 years to this task.

In 1395, the shogun Yoshimitsu , frightened by the power of Ryosyun, sends him to his earlier post of governor of Suruga, where Imagawa devoted most of his time to literature and poetry

Imagawa began to compose poems from an early age - already at the age of 20 his poem entered the Imperial Anthology. However, later works brought Ryoshun great fame, including:

• Miyiyukibi , the traveler’s diary, which included some of his poems
• Nan Taiheiki
• Rules written in 1412 for a younger brother, Tadaaki. These rules, also called wall inscriptions, were very popular as a textbook of moral behavior until World War II. Written in the Kanbun style , they set forth the point of view according to which a warrior should possess the necessary skills in both the military and literary fields.

As a Buddhist, Ryosyun preached vitality, but as a representative of the warrior class, he had great respect for his profession.

• Code Bushido. Hagakure. Hidden in the foliage. / Translation by A. Bochenkov, V. Gorbatko. - M .: Eksmo, 2007 .-- 432 p.