Miyamoto Musashi -- Sword and Zen (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: (Japanese) Yoshikawa Eiji
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-11-01
Features: He is a legendary sword saint renowned throughout Japan, a 17th-century sword master, and a figure of legend from four hundred years ago. He killed countless people before the age of seventeen, but at twenty-one, he vowed to practice and later defeated sixty-six masters in duels, ultimately achieving the highest realm of "Sword and Zen Unification." This realm guided him to victory against the exceptional swordsmanship and strength of Kojirō in the duel at Arashiyama Island, relying on his spiritual sword to secure the final triumph and become the master of all. He was also an artist, possessing a refined side; at the same time, his unique romantic life could serve as a mirror for modern love. He is the protagonist of the novel—Miyamoto Musashi. This book is set against the backdrop of Japan's Sengoku period and the early Tokugawa era, depicting Miyamoto Musashi's arduous journey of seeking the true essence of "Sword and Zen Unification" as he wandered the world with a lone sword, driven by unwavering perseverance and strength, on the historical stage that transitioned from chaos to tranquility. The book is divided into seven parts: Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Void, Two Heavens, and Round Brightness, narrating the tumultuous life of Musashi. At the same time, it is also a classic of Sino-Japanese cultural exchange in the era.