WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Often called “hara-kiri” in the West, “seppuku” is a form of ritual suicide that originated with Japan’s ancient samurai warrior class. The grisly act typically involved stabbing oneself in the belly with a short sword, slicing open the stomach and then turning the blade upwards to ensure a fatal wound.

Detailed explanation-2: -As practiced by defeated samurai, it was meant as atonement. It also demonstrated enormous psychological courage, which was a way of winning back some measure of honor even in defeat. In later years, Japanese officials would sometimes commit hara-kiri to protest a superior’s decision.

Detailed explanation-3: -Examples of hara-kiri After giving orders for one last fanatical banzai charge, he decided to commit hara-kiri in his cave. The hara-kiri was an especial part of this training. They were all sentenced to commit hara-kiri, which they did willingly. In his humiliation he committed hara-kiri.

Detailed explanation-4: -Hara-kiri means stomach-cutting in Japanese where the word hara refers to stomach and kiri refers to cutting. Harakiri and seppuku mean exactly the same thing in Japanese, but, Japanese people almost never use the word harakiri and prefer the word seppuku instead.

Detailed explanation-5: -This very painful form of suicide consists of self-inflicting a wound in the abdomen using a sharp instrument. It was first reported in 988 A.D. in the East but has now become rare in both the East and West. These four cases occurred over a 40-year period in the Trieste and Bari medicolegal area.