The samurai warriors believed that they had to obey their master. This allegiance between the samurai warriors and their masters came before anything else including friendship and family ties. This concept of honor or bushido code is sometimes difficult to understand in the western and modern civilizations since in the western teachings and in modern societies, family comes first.
This unwritten Samurai code of conduct, is known as Bushido. The true Bushido code holds that the true warrior must possess loyalty, courage, veracity, compassion, and honor as important, above all else.
An appreciation and respect of life was also imperative, as it added balance to the warrior character of the true Bushido warrior. He was often very stoic with a deep and strong philosophical passion. He could be deadly in combat and yet so gentle and compassionate with children and the weak.
