Dappan. ~A Vig of Japanese History~

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Enryu
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Dappan. ~A Vig of Japanese History~

Post by Enryu »

Ryoma Sakamoto (3 January 1836– 10 December 1867) was the leader of the movement to overthrow the Tokugawa Bakufu (the Tokugawa Shogunate), and create a new Japan.

He was born in a low-class samurai family, and was always bullied in his childhood. His mother had died when he was a preteen, and his family had trouble with the high-class samurai. He was not so keen at school, nor at Kendo classes when he was young.

Nevertheless, Ryoma, with the help from his family, had changed when he was older. In 1853 he was allowed to travel to Edo (Tokyo) to train his kendo skills even further. But there he saw the Kurofune, a group of ships led by Perry. Perry was forcing the Japanese to be more open to other countries.

He has finished his training in 1858 when he traveled to Edo for the second time, and went back to his country, Tosa. But there, in Tosa, a grup of low-class samurai was willing to group up and change Tosa. They called themselves the Tosakinoutou, and it was led by Zuizan Takechi, a friend of Ryoma. Ryoma had joined this group, but had not joined their plot to assassinate one of the politicians of Tosa in 1862. Instead, he was willing to Dappan, to leave one's country without permission (and this was hard, for you had to run through jungles and mountains, etc.) and become free. (Although if caught he would have to perform Seppuku, or Harakiri.)
AFter he has done many great things that changed Japan, (like creating the plot to finished the Tokugawa Bakufu) but then it would take too long.
So I'll stop here. If you are williong to know all of the rest, go to Wikipedia.

Although he was at first in the Sonnou Joui, he gradually began to understand foreign countries, and welcome them. He was also famous for wearing leather boots and having a pistol with him, even though he had a Katana

So, that's the first part of Ryoma Sakamoto's life. I respect him, and since it's been about 140 years after his death in 1867, ( :idea: 2007-1867 = 140! WOW! :D ) I've made him in Lego form:
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Enkou ... kamoto.jpg

And create a Vig called Dappan.
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=228701
(when public)

Hope you guys like it!
Last edited by Enryu on Thu Jan 25, 2007 4:39 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Spongey
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Post by Spongey »

A very nice vig. I like the Sakamoto fig as well. It's very impressive that you have such respect for this obviously important, but fairly unknown, historical figure.

(On a side note, not trying to take away anything from this creation, that makes 200 posts! :D)
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Post by kelderic »

Nice vig! I like the way you made the scabard for the sword.

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Enryu
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Post by Enryu »

Oh yeah, and this is what he looks like.

Not that handsome...


He is one of the most respected people in Japan, although not so famous in other parts of the world... :roll:
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Re: Dappan. ~A Vig of Japanese History~

Post by JPinoy »

Enryu wrote:140 years after his death in 1867, ( :idea: 2007-1967 = 140! WOW! :D )
Great little history lesson!

But oh.... the MATH.... LOL! :lol:

You were correct on the first part... but why did you put 1967 for?
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Post by Dunechaser »

Great fig, and cool vig! I especially like how you attached the sword at his side.

If I may... :D

According to the Wikipedia article in Japanese for "dappan" (there isn't an English version), the term does literally mean "to escape one's han (fiefdom) and become a ronin (masterless warrior)." However, the term is more generally used to refer to a vassal's renunciation of his obligations to his lord. In other words, a samurai's rejection of his duties to a daimyo, thereby becoming a ronin.

And to the best of my knowledge, the only jungles in Japan were built of concrete fairly recently. :wink:

Further reading for interested parties:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryoma_Sakamoto

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edo_period

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonno_joi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokugawa_shogunate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_ships

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiji_Restoration
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Enryu
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Post by Enryu »

Dunechaser wrote:Great fig, and cool vig! I especially like how you attached the sword at his side.

If I may... :D

According to the Wikipedia article in Japanese for "dappan" (there isn't an English version), the term does literally mean "to escape one's han (fiefdom) and become a ronin (masterless warrior)." However, the term is more generally used to refer to a vassal's renunciation of his obligations to his lord. In other words, a samurai's rejection of his duties to a daimyo, thereby becoming a ronin.

Well, yeah, it does mean that, but I just explained it a bit well, easier. :lol:
dappan, in kanji is written 脱藩. 脱 (datsu ) means to escape, and 藩(hann) is fiefdom.
JPinoy wrote: But oh.... the MATH.... LOL!

You were correct on the first part... but why did you put 1967 for?


Oops! Gotta fix gotta fix :oops:
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Post by Dunechaser »

Enryu wrote:dappan, in kanji is written 脱藩. 脱 (datsu ) means to escape, and 藩(hann) is fiefdom.
Awesome. It appears that I'm not the only E-J bilingual LEGO fan on C-C. 8) Where'd you learn Japanese?
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Enryu
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Post by Enryu »

Dunechaser wrote:
Enryu wrote:dappan, in kanji is written 脱藩. 脱 (datsu ) means to escape, and 藩(hann) is fiefdom.
Awesome. It appears that I'm not the only E-J bilingual LEGO fan on C-C. 8) Where'd you learn Japanese?

Ahem. I AM japanese... :wink:
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Post by Dunechaser »

Enryu wrote:Ahem. I AM japanese... :wink:
Assumptions (I assumed you were German) will get you every time...

I'm going to go crawl into a corner now. 申し訳ございませんでした。 とても恥ずかしいです。 :oops:
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Post by Maedhros »

Dunechaser wrote: 申し訳ございませんでした。 とても恥ずかしいです。 :oops:
Hmm... I think I understood that... bah.. must start learning Kanji some day...

Nothing spectacular about the vig but I really like the fig, clever solution for the sword and good choice of head (Krum is by far my favourite fleshie.. ok, contested by Alfred now since he makes the perfect evil gentleman ;))
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