What Do the Seven Pleats Mean on the Hakama?
Hakama are traditional Japanese pants once worn by men only. They were worn by men in a variety of professions and social strata. Today, they are worn primarily for martial arts and ceremonial purposes and are worn by both men and women. The seven pleats of the hakama represent the traditional virtues of bushido, the Warrior's Code, and are designed to remind the wearer of his duty to live his life according to these virtues.
Other People Are Reading
-
Historical Significance
-
The hakama was traditionally a full flowing pants-like garment worn only by men in Japan. The style, fabric, and colors of the hakama reflected the wearer's station in life and profession. There were both divided (like pants) and undivided (like a skirt) versions of the hakama; professions requiring the use of horseback or manual labor typically sported the divided version. Today the hakama is worn most often for martial arts training and performances and can be worn by both men and women.
Bushido
-
The hakama can have either five or seven pleats; while the former is most common, the latter is considered more auspicious since the number seven is believed to have special properties and to bring good luck. The five-pleat version generally reflects the five virtues--gotoku--of Japanese traditional society. The seven-pleat hakama represents the Warrior's Code, or bushido. Wearing the hakama symbolizes the traditions passed down from one generation of warriors to the next.
-
Meaning of the Seven Pleats
-
The seven pleats, representing the traditional virtues of the samurai, are divided into five on the front and two on the back of the hakama. The five on the front are asymmetrically placed with three to the right and two to the left. The five front pleats represent Yuki (courage, valor), Jin (humanity, benevolence), Gi (justice, righteousness), Rei (courtesy, civility) and Makoto (sincerity, honesty). The two pleats in back represent Chugi (loyalty) and Meiyo (honor, dignity).
Modern Variation on Meanings
-
There are several modern variations on the virtues represented by the seven pleats. These typically contain Jin, Gi and Rei from the traditional version. The fourth and fifth front pleats are Chi (wisdom, intellect) and Shin (sincerity) instead of Yuki and Makoto. The back two pleats in the modern version are Chu (loyalty) and Koh (piety) instead of the traditional Chugi and Meiyo.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Orlando/Valueline/Getty Images
