Besides these retainers there were free Sa murai who had no lord to serve. They were called Ronin (floating 'men). They were orig inally retainers of some Daimyos, but they lost or for some reason left their lord, and so be came lordless Samurai. They were permitted to have family names and bear two swords like all the rest of the military class. They were very independent and a source of great trouble to the government. But the principle of Bushido was sometimes best exemplified by these men, as is well known by the story of the 47 Ronins.
The physicians, priests and scholars did not belong to any feudal classification. They did not belong to Samurai. So they were legally Heimin (common people), but they were not so treated. They were honored and respected. The physicians and scholars were entitled to have family names and bear swords (physi cians only one). They at first shaved their heads just as the Buddhist priests do even now. This was for the reason that during the Ashi kaga period the civil wars were so general and learning declined so much that the priests alone were the learned class as in the dark ages of mediaeval Europe. During the regency of Sho gun Tsunayoshi, A.D. 1681-1709, scholars ceased to shave their heads, but the physicians com monly did shave their heads till the present era.
The Buddhist priests were the great instru ment in the spiritual and material civilization of Japan. As militarism prevailed in the coun try, they alone had the key of knowledge and education. Some of them were teachers and counsellors to the emperors, shoguns and local magnates. They were universally recognized as such by the common people. During the Tokugawa period the special class of scholars arose, and the government undertook the educa tion of the military class. But the education of the common people was left still to priests and private persons. Hence all private schools devoted to the education of the common people were called Terakoya or church-schools. To send children to the church meant to send them to school. As scholars arose the privilege of educating the children was not monopolized by the priests as in the previous periods, but their influence was enhanced in another direction. Since Christianity, that is (Roman Catholicism), was entirely prohibited (A.D. 1636), every Japanese was obliged to belong to some Bud dhistic church. Thus the priests had the power of census in their hands. All births, deaths and marriages were registered by the priests, and their certificates were necessary. Every
Buddhist church had its constituents among the people, who supported the priests and the tem ples belonging to them. The priestly functions were open to all classes, if they wished to enter them. In the age of militarism and hereditary nobility, priesthoods alone were free to all. Those, therefore, who were tired of worldly ambition, fond of learning and were offended at the feudal caste-system, entered the priest hood.
The art of healing was highly respected in Japan, and physicians were employed as court doctors both in the central and local govern ments. In fact it was the art of healing which saved Japan from Oriental stagnation and de cay. It was in the year 1771 A.D. that a few able physicians in Yedo began the study of the Dutch language and medicine, which finally opened the eyes of the intellectual class to Western science and civilization. aBe a prime minister or become a physician, for they are both benevolent arts? was a common saying in China, and it continues to be so in Japan until this day, though the maxim itself was forgotten long ago in China.
Heimin or the common people consisted of two classes. Those who lived in villages were called Hiyakusho. They were peasants. Those who lived in the towns were called Chonin. They were merchants, traders and artisans. They were not allowed to have family names or bear swords. Merchants and traders had their shop-name, and used it before their per sonal names. Otherwise they named their par ticular trade. So did also peasants. They called themselves Hiyakusho so and so. But by ex ceptional merit they were sometimes entitled to have family names and bear swords, which was considered a great honor. At first the Heimin were allowed to bear swords, but as it proved dangerous long swords were pro hibited to them, A.D. 1644, and finally all swords were prohibited, A.D. 1668.
The town people, or Chonin, were put under the jurisdiction of a machi-bugyo or governor, but they were largely left to their own self government. The Elders, called Machi-Toshi yori, were selected and appointed from them (there were three in Yedo). Below them there were Nanushi, or headmen, for one or more streets (268 in Yedo). Under these there were Jinushi or land-proprietors, and Yanushi or house-owners, who perfdrmed various import ant functions for their wards. There were also Goningumi (five-men-association), consist ing of five neighboring households organized for mutual help.