Benkei - A Tale of Honour and Bravery
This is a story of a real historic figure who lived in Japan. However, certain details of his life have been lost to time, altered throughout the years or glorified as legend.
The stories of his childhood vary greatly, with some calling him a child born of rape, an offspring of a temple god or even a demon-esque child with monstrous teeth.
At a young age, Benkei chose to join the monastic body. He then travelled to many religious places such as monasteries in Japan. Now, unlike modern monasteries, the monasteries of old served the purpose of being a military establishment as well. It was during this time that he learned to use the Naginata, a crescent moon spear.
At seventeen, he left the monk life behind and became an ascetic. Benkei is often depicted wearing a black hat - an apparel unique to such mountain ascetics, or yamabushi. Besides his Naginata, he also carried with him a broad axe, a saw, a rake, a sickle, a wooden mallet and an iron staff.
As a rogue warrior, Benkei walked around Kyoto nightly. In these nights, he would challenge many samurai warriors to duels, which he won. Upon defeating such warriors, he would take away their swords.
In such fashion, he collected 999 swords.
What was he going to do with 999 swords? Melt them and build a super-sword? No! For him, it wasn't about him possessing their swords. Rather it was about taking those swords away from the opponent samurai, who he saw as being unworthy and arrogant.
That young man was Minamoto no Yoshitsune, son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo. Yoshitsune is now considered a famous and respected warrior. Instead of dueling at the shrine, Yoshitsune and Benkei walked to Gojo bridge (some records say Matsubara bridge). In this fateful battle, Benkei ultimately lost. Afterwards Yoshitsune went to Kiyomizu temple.
Benkei, frustrated and angry, followed Yoshitsune to that temple and challenged him to another battle. The outcome of this match was no different. After losing twice to the smaller man, Benkei swore fealty to him and served as a retainer thereafter.
As Yoshitsune's retainer, Benkei accompanied him on his travels. They fought together in the Genpei war against the Taira clan, emerging victorious.
Now, Benkei's duty was to protect Yoshitsune from enemy troops while he committed seppuku. So, Benkei went to the main bridge that lead up to the castle. There he stood guard against the pursuing soldiers. Legends say that it was here that Benkei killed 300 trained soldiers in combat.
In this siege against one man, the attacking soldiers decided that it was futile to engage in close quarters combat. Therefore, they decided to use bows and arrows to attack Benkei from a distance. After firing arrows at the giant for quite some time, some of the brave soldiers went up close to have a look. They found out that the warrior had died standing upright!
This event is known as the Standing Death of Benkei (Benkei no Tachi Ojo).
He was 34 years old.
The Tale of Benkei
Benkei was born Saito Musashibo Benkei. He was a sohei, who later became a rogue warrior. History records put him at 6"6' in height, at the age of seventeen.
So, about the height of Mads Mikkelsen or one and a half Peter Dinklage standing on top of one another.
A sohei means a warrior monk.
The stories of his childhood vary greatly, with some calling him a child born of rape, an offspring of a temple god or even a demon-esque child with monstrous teeth.
At a young age, Benkei chose to join the monastic body. He then travelled to many religious places such as monasteries in Japan. Now, unlike modern monasteries, the monasteries of old served the purpose of being a military establishment as well. It was during this time that he learned to use the Naginata, a crescent moon spear.
At seventeen, he left the monk life behind and became an ascetic. Benkei is often depicted wearing a black hat - an apparel unique to such mountain ascetics, or yamabushi. Besides his Naginata, he also carried with him a broad axe, a saw, a rake, a sickle, a wooden mallet and an iron staff.
As a rogue warrior, Benkei walked around Kyoto nightly. In these nights, he would challenge many samurai warriors to duels, which he won. Upon defeating such warriors, he would take away their swords.
In such fashion, he collected 999 swords.
What was he going to do with 999 swords? Melt them and build a super-sword? No! For him, it wasn't about him possessing their swords. Rather it was about taking those swords away from the opponent samurai, who he saw as being unworthy and arrogant.
Meeting Yoshitsune
In his quest for his 1000th sword, he came across a young flautist at Gogotenjin shrine in Kyoto. That was when his life changed.That young man was Minamoto no Yoshitsune, son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo. Yoshitsune is now considered a famous and respected warrior. Instead of dueling at the shrine, Yoshitsune and Benkei walked to Gojo bridge (some records say Matsubara bridge). In this fateful battle, Benkei ultimately lost. Afterwards Yoshitsune went to Kiyomizu temple.
Benkei, frustrated and angry, followed Yoshitsune to that temple and challenged him to another battle. The outcome of this match was no different. After losing twice to the smaller man, Benkei swore fealty to him and served as a retainer thereafter.
As Yoshitsune's retainer, Benkei accompanied him on his travels. They fought together in the Genpei war against the Taira clan, emerging victorious.
In the end
Towards the end of their career/adventures, Benkei and Yoshitsune found themselves surrounded at a castle (Koromogawa no tate). Here, Yoshitsune decided to commit seppuku - the act of ritual suicide - and retired into an inner room.Now, Benkei's duty was to protect Yoshitsune from enemy troops while he committed seppuku. So, Benkei went to the main bridge that lead up to the castle. There he stood guard against the pursuing soldiers. Legends say that it was here that Benkei killed 300 trained soldiers in combat.
In this siege against one man, the attacking soldiers decided that it was futile to engage in close quarters combat. Therefore, they decided to use bows and arrows to attack Benkei from a distance. After firing arrows at the giant for quite some time, some of the brave soldiers went up close to have a look. They found out that the warrior had died standing upright!
This event is known as the Standing Death of Benkei (Benkei no Tachi Ojo).
He was 34 years old.
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