Record of Famous Generals in Japan's Warring States Era: Tokugawa Ieyasu

Author: Gu Mu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: Perseverance is the shortcut to victory, and Tokugawa Ieyasu proved this with his life journey from hostage to ruler. "If the cuckoo does not sing, wait until it sings." His early years of hardship and suffering as a hostage forged his indomitable resilience and calm, astute personality. As he followed Nobunaga on his military campaigns, Ieyasu certainly displayed bravery and determination, but more importantly, he grew stronger through "patience" and "waiting." Ultimately, with immense inner strength, he established the Tokugawa Shogunate, laying the foundation for the long-lasting peace of the Edo period.
Tokugawa Ieyasu was born in the impoverished and backward region of Mikawa. His father, Tōyama Katsuyoshi, was the lord of Okazaki Castle, a small domain surrounded by powerful clans both within and outside his territory. Unable to protect himself, Katsuyoshi had no choice but to send his young son Takechiyo as a hostage to secure protection from the Imagawa clan, forcing Ieyasu to live a miserable life under others' mercy until adulthood. Fortunately, Ieyasu had the most simple and brave Mikawa samurai under his command during the Sengoku period. As he led the Mikawa samurai in campaigns alongside Nobunaga, he expanded his power and carved out his own space for survival. To maintain this hard-won situation, Ieyasu even painfully executed his own beloved son. After Nobunaga's death, Ieyasu, as a scion of a noble family, bowed to the lowly Nobunaga, whose hidden patience and keen insight into the situation were unmatched at the time. When the opportunity arose, he acted decisively, completely neutralizing potential enemies.