is a Japanese term of

Zen Buddhist Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text=:ja:禅, 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a East Asian Buddhism, school of Mahayana, Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Ch ...

origin which means "enduring the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity". The term is generally translated as "perseverance", "patience", or "tolerance". A related term, , a compound with ''tsuyoi'' (strong), means "suffering the unbearable" or having a high capacity for a kind of stoic endurance. ''Gaman'' is variously described as a "virtue", an "ethos", a "trait", etc. It means to do one's best in distressed times and to maintain self-control and discipline. Gaman is a teaching of

Zen Buddhism Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...

Analysis

''Gaman'' has been attributed to the Japanese-Americans and others held in United States' internment camps during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

and to those affected by the

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami The occurred at 14:46 JST (05:46 UTC) on 11 March. The magnitude 9.0–9.1 (M) undersea megathrust earthquake had an epicenter in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Oshika Peninsula of the Tōhoku region, and lasted approximately six m ...

in northern Japan. In the internment camps, ''gaman'' was misperceived by the non-Japanese as introverted behavior or as a lack of assertiveness or initiative rather than as a demonstration of strength in the face of difficulty or suffering. ''Gaman'' and the related term ''yase-gaman'' are, in Japanese society, closely related to complying with conformity, and silent heroism, which seems to be hidden pride for compensation for sacrifice and be satisfied to pay reciprocal service in advance, or to be seen themselves as victims by folks. ''Gaman'' toward authority, 'unquestioning obedience' or 'blind obedience' is supposed to be unfit to a healthy democracy. Mentality of Gaman seems to be derived from the strong conviction of Japanese way of fatalism, which was reinforced by Buddhism mujo,

impermanence Impermanence, also known as the philosophical problem of change, is a philosophical concept addressed in a variety of religions and philosophies. In Eastern philosophy it is notable for its role in the Buddhist three marks of existence. It ...

nihilism Nihilism (; ) is a philosophy, or family of views within philosophy, that rejects generally accepted or fundamental aspects of human existence, such as objective truth, knowledge, morality, values, or meaning. The term was popularized by I ...

, tradition of self destruction ,the collective nature of its society, and the forced attitudes of resignation and submission under the Edo feudal period. Those world-views were depicted in

The Tale of the Heike is an epic account compiled prior to 1330 of the struggle between the Taira clan and Minamoto clan for control of Japan at the end of the 12th century in the Genpei War (1180–1185). Heike () refers to the Taira (), ''hei'' being the ''on ...

, the works of Yoshida Kenkou, Kamo no Chomei.The sequence of events of Japanese fatalism seems to be explained as dormant,ceaseless accumulation of self-righteousness and sudden manifestation of aggression if suppression(Gaman) fails. After the

, the resilience, civility, lack of looting and ability of the Japanese to help each other was widely attributed to the ''gaman'' spirit. The 50–70 heroes who remained at the damaged and radiation-emitting

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant The is a disabled nuclear power plant located on a site in the towns of Ōkuma, Fukushima, Ōkuma and Futaba, Fukushima, Futaba in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. The plant Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, suffered major damage from the 2011 ...

despite the severe danger demonstrated what was regarded as ''gaman'' as well. ''Gaman'' is also used in

psychoanalytic PsychoanalysisFrom Greek: + . is a set of theories and therapeutic techniques"What is psychoanalysis? Of course, one is supposed to answer that it is many things — a theory, a research method, a therapy, a body of knowledge. In what might be ...

studies and to describe the attitudes of the Japanese. It is often taught to youth and largely used by older Japanese generations. Showing ''gaman'' is seen as a sign of maturity and strength. Keeping private affairs, problems and complaints silent demonstrates strength and politeness as others have seemingly larger problems as well. If a person with ''gaman'' were to receive help from someone else, they would be compliant; not asking for any additional help and voicing no concerns.

Notes

Bibliography

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External links

The Art of Gaman: Arts and Crafts from the Japanese American Internment Camps, 1942-1946
at Smithsonian Institution

at the University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts

at NHK.or.jp (in Japanese; archived)
''Gaman''
at American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) (archived) Japanese words and phrases Japanese culture Zen Buddhist philosophical concepts Words and phrases describing personality

Analysis

See also

Notes

Bibliography

Further reading

External links