In Japanese society, particularly in historical feudal Japan, ''isagiyosa'' (, "purity") is a virtue, translated with "resolute composure" or "

manliness Masculinity (also called manhood or manliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles associated with men and boys. Masculinity can be theoretically understood as socially constructed, and there is also evidence that some behaviors cons ...

". Able to be interpreted as "grace with pride", ''isagiyosa'' is the capability of accepting death with composure and equanimity. It stands besides other central virtues such as public-spiritedness (''kō no seishin''), loyalty (''seijitsusa''), diligence (''kinbensa'') and steadiness (''jimichisa'').

Cherry blossom A cherry blossom, also known as Japanese cherry or sakura, is a flower of many trees of genus ''Prunus'' or ''Prunus'' subg. ''Cerasus''. They are common species in East Asia, including China, Korea and especially in Japan. They generally ...

s, because of their ephemeral nature, are a symbol of isagiyosa in the sense of embracing the transience of the world. Honda (2001) maintains that these virtues are not Japanese in particular but form a moral code common to all Asian agricultural societies.Honda Yoshihiko, 2001, ‘Taiwan de “Taiwanron” wa dô yomareta ka,’ Sekai 688: pp. 220-228, cited after Ulrike Wöhr, ''Japan’s “Return to Asia”: History, Diversity, Gender'', �
Images of Asia in Japanese Mass Media, Popular Culture and Literature
��, Papers Presented at ICAS 2, Berlin, Germany, 9–12 August 2001ü .

References

Japanese aesthetics Japanese values Japanese words and phrases {{japan-culture-stub

See also

References