Is it better to be a warrior who can break bones with a single strike but falters when it comes to understanding the world around them, or a scholar who is philosophically and culturally adept, but is powerless to defend themself?

The answer is “Option C”: none of the above. 

In this newsletter, I’m going to explain why embracing both sides of this particular coin is the key to true ‘mastery’ and, if you want to go really deep, realising a life of resilience, power, and wisdom through the martial arts.  Naturally, whether you want to call it mastery, self-actualisation, being ‘supernormal’ (as we like to say here at Budo etc), or simply being a competent human being is up to you. If you are reading this, however, it seems fair to assume some form of martial endeavour sits somewhere in your chosen developmental framework. 

Whatever the nuance of your personal path, at some point it will become necessary to consider how you best achieve an appropriate equilibrium between the martial, the academic, and the cultural.  Prioritising one element over another eventually, inevitably, will leave you incomplete - either strong but unenlightened, or wise but vulnerable. 

That’s where taking some time to think about the concept of Bunbu Ryōdō (文武両道) comes into play.

I’m not, as usual, bringing any particularly original thinking to this party – this concept has been associated with the traditional martial arts pretty much from their inception. Unfortunately, as with many aspects of budo, it seems to have been forgotten (or discarded) by many today. The answer is embodied in the Japanese concept of Bunbu Ryodo, which I’ll unpack a little here.   

What, then, is Bunbu Ryodo?

Well, as with many wonderful budo-related phrases, Bunbu Ryodo encapsulates a very important principle in a way that is quite difficult to accomplish in English (or other European languages). 

In essence, it means the pursuit of both the Academic and Cultural, and the Martial Ways. While it has become something of a shorthand for it, Bun Bu Ryodo doesn’t literally translate as “the pen and the sword” as is sometimes thought, although the intention isn’t far from the mark. You can see, more specifically, a little more into the concept by looking carefully at how the phrase is constructed.

Bun 文 means, literally, writing.

Bu 武 means military or, most commonly these days, “martial”.

Ryo 両 means both (same kanji as used in ryote dori, for example, double hand grab).

Do 道 means way or path. Of course there are many books and articles around that go into great depth about the philosophical nature of “do” but, for our purposes, its natural interpretation is perfectly fine. 

This term Bunbu Ryodo has apparently been around for centuries, with the combination of Bun and Bu (pronounced as Monmu) being traceable as far back as 7th Century China (where it was used to describe the 42nd Emperor’s proficiency in academic knowledge and military affairs. 

Over time the usage of Bunbu Ryodo has morphed a little and, in contemporary society, it is now more commonly used to describe “life balance”, especially in the context of achieving physical and mental equilibrium. It is, for example, invoked when talking about the encouragement of sportspeople to also focus on their academic studies (something not unique to Japan by any means). 

Perhaps the best way to boil it down is to think about it is that it concentrates the idea of the quintessential Warrior Scholar as the epitome of the well-rounded or developed person. 

This, albeit rather superficial, overview could be a reasonable place to stop – certainly it would be enough for the average person – but, is often the case, it is the underlying concept where the truly interesting and important elements lie, especially in relation to its application in the contemporary world, and not just dancing around the bare explanation of the phrase itself.

Modern Relevance

The relevance of Bunbu Ryodo to the modern Budo practitioner should be far closer to its original intent and, to get there, a little understanding of Japanese history also helps to understand not just its importance but also its enduring relevance and modern resonance:

After a period of continual civil war that extended for hundreds of years, Japan found its way to a prolonged period of peace known as the Edo period [1603 – 1867]. If you imagine that, up until this time, the warrior class – the Samurai – had been wholly devoted to war, clearly, they had a period of adjustment to find their “new normal” in an era with different civil and social priorities emerging. As such, they were encouraged to develop other pursuits of a more cultural and literary nature alongside the development and maintenance of their martial studies. Obviously, of course, the martial arts (as such) themselves were also evolving at the same time to reflect changing norms. 

In addition to this cultural interweaving of combined martial and academic studies as a result of pre-modern historical changes, the accelerated development of modern Budo also had a strong association with learning institutions with both Kano (the founder of Judo) and Funakoshi (the most prominent exporter of Karate to mainland Japan) using schools and universities as one of their means to gather firm footholds for their arts. Additionally, some of the Classical arts like Katori Shinto Ryu, also used educational institutions as vehicles for the promotion (due to the perceived need to raise exposure in order to ensure the preservation of tradition) of their arts. 

While the history is interesting and demonstrates the intertwining of martial and academic ways over a very long period of time, the more pertinent question is how it should it inform the thinking (and actions) of the modern Budo practitioner?

The core is the same as it has always been – striking the right balance and not over prioritising, or even discarding, one aspect at the expense of the other. 

Too much “Bun” is not healthy. 

As fascinating as the academic study of history and research of the martial ways is, fundamentally Budo is an experiential art. You learn by doing. You have to put the effort in in the dojo. You have to sweat, endure and persevere in order to grow. Books, digital media and easier access to communication channels have all variously been revelatory in terms of opening up the “information age” of Budo and providing practitioners with, almost, limitless access to resources that were barely available even a few decades ago. They have served to open access to an instant global audience, and remove much of the unjustified and unnecessary mystique surrounding the martial ways. Unfortunately, there is a downside to this information super-revolution that manifests in the archetypal “keyboard warrior” and “self-taught expert” neither of whom generally invest sufficient time learning or practicing the physical skills of their craft to justify their projected wisdom. The Pen is not mightier than the sword in this regard. 

Similarly, too much “Bu” is equally detrimental. Without the rounded learning and wider study of the arts being practiced and, especially, without encouragement towards broader academic or cultural interests beyond their martial pursuits, all that is produced is a cohort of, essentially, unrefined fighters. You can see this clearly in the modern emergence of pure “combat sports” or “Reality Based Self Defence” systems. These derivatives have value in their own way, for the purposes of what they do, but do not lead to the development of a new class of Warrior Scholars as they are absent the underlying philosophy of Bunbu Ryodo.

How do you practically apply this to your training?

In mastering the principle of Bunbu Ryodo, you’re not just training to be a fighter or a scholar – you’re forging yourself into a complete warrior. 

Don’t settle for half-measures. 

Train hard.

Sweat.

Read.

Think.

Study.

Go broad and deep – expand and extend your academic, cultural, and martial ranged.

Be relentless in your pursuit.

It becomes clear quickly that true mastery lies in the conscious, and harmonious, blend of physical prowess and intellectual depth. By cultivating both the martial and the cultural, you will establish a path to becoming a truly well-rounded person, capable of facing any challenge with strength and wisdom.

Keep this in mind, and you’ll always be squared away.