Fuurinkazan is the military flag established by Takeda Shingen in the Warring States period of Japan.
「風 (Fuu)」means “Wind.”
「林 (Rin)」means “Forest.”
「火 (Ka)」means “Fire.”
「山 (Zan)」means “Mountain.”
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“風林火山” are four characters derived from the monumental military treatise “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu, a renowned military strategist from the late Spring and Autumn period in China. In the seventh chapter, focused on military maneuvers, the original text reads: “其疾如風,其徐如林,侵掠如火,不动如山。” Hence, the flag of “風林火山” is also known as the “Sun Tzu” flag. These four sentences convey:
- “其疾如風“: Actions are rapid, akin to the speed of a gusty wind.
- “其徐如林“: Troops move in dense, organized formations, resembling the orderly nature of a forest.
- “侵掠如火“: Attacks and raids are aggressive, akin to the ferocity and uncontrollability of fire.
- “不动如山“: Holding positions firmly, resembling the unshakable stability of mountains.
In Japan today, you can see elements of “風林火山” in many movies, TV shows, anime and games, and it has even become one of the most commonly used idioms.
Takeda Shingen and Sun Tzu’s Art of War
Although Sun Tzu’s Art of War was introduced to Japan as early as the Tang Dynasty (735 AD), it was not disseminated to the outside world after it was introduced to Japan because it was regarded as the “secret manual” of the imperial court and the military families.
It is noted that the Sun Tzu Art of War was preserved by the Oe family in Japan, then passed to the Oe Koubo family, then to the Minamoto no Yoshitomo family, and then to the Takeda Minamoto family in Koshu. Among the Koshu school, The Art of War was passed down and applied, and was fully utilized in warfare by Takeda Shingen during the Warring States period. In other words, it was not until the Warring States period in Japan that Sun Tzu’s Art of War began to be openly utilized.
After reading Sun Tzu’s Art of War, Takeda Shingen chose the above lines from it as the flag seal. The four characters Wind, Forest and Fire Mountain symbolize speed, organization, strength and solidity respectively. He not only understood their literal meaning, but also incorporated their connotations into the formulation of tactics and strategies to respond to war with flexibility, organization, full use of strength and firmness. The tactics, military flags, and approach to war utilized by Takeda Shingen embodied the ideas in Sun Tzu’s Art of War. His military achievements and his application of the essence of Sun Tzu’s Art of War led him to be regarded as a pioneer and leader in military strategy during the Warring States period in Japan.
A short story about the Fuurinkazan(風林火山) flag
Legend has it that Takeda Shingen once hung his Fuurinkazan flag on a pine tree located in the village of Hinoharu, Nagasaka-cho, present-day Kita, Yamanashi Prefecture. The pine tree was owned by a local resident named Shimizu Renmo during the Meiji and Taisho periods. In 1902, during the construction of the Central Main Line by the Ministry of Railways , the Hinoharu Station was established close to this ancient pine tree.
Shimizu Renmo was concerned about potential pollution from the steam trains that would soon pass near the tree. He made three written requests to the Railway Institute seeking protection for the old pine tree, but received no positive response. The railway was inaugurated in 1904, and ten years later, in 1914, the pine tree, where the legendary banner was hung, indeed withered and died.
Shimizu officially filed a lawsuit against the Railway Institute, alleging an abuse of power during the railway planning, resulting in the pollution that caused the death of his ancient pine tree. Eventually, he won the case and received compensation. This incident became a landmark case in Japanese civil litigation and is famously known as the “Shingen-kou Hata-kake Matsu Incident.“
The novel of 風林火山
“風林火山” is a historical novel by the Japanese author Inoue Yasushi. The novel primarily revolves around Yamamoto Kansuke, a strategist for Takeda Shingen during Japan’s Warring States period in Kai Province. It portrays Kansuke as a deceptive anti-hero, skilled in manipulation and strategy. The work has been adapted several times into film and television.
The narrative details Yamamoto Kansuke’s journey, from initially using tactics to join Takeda Shingen through the services of Itagaki Nobumasa, to his eventual demise in the failed fourth Battle of Kawanakajima.