Ninja (hiding, lurking), otherwise called shinobi - scout, saboteur and assassin in feudal japan.

Who are ninjas?

Ninja training

In accordance with the surviving chronicles, the ninja were fearless, trained people who, from an early age, trained in the most difficult skill of ninjutsu, which included many skills. weapons (also with bare hands), suddenly appear and disappear imperceptibly, master medicine, herbal medicine and acupuncture, improve visual memory, hearing and night vision. Shinobi could be under water for a long time, breathing through a straw tube, climb walls and rocks, navigate unfamiliar territory, have an excellent sense of smell, etc.

The initiation took place, as in the samurai family, at the age of 15. At this time, young men and women began to study Xian Taoism and Zen Buddhism.

Ninja, 19th century drawing by Hokusai

From a political point of view, the ninja were outside the feudal system, their community had its own structure. Moreover, shinobi were "quinin" - that is, they were outside the structure of Japanese society, did not have an established position in it, but could play any social role, despite the fact that even a peasant occupied a certain place. Ninja clans were scattered throughout Japan, but most of them were in the forests of Kyoto and the mountains of Iga and Koga. From time to time, samurai entered the ninja communities, who lost their lands and overlords (ronin). In the 17th century, there were about 70 ninja clans. The strongest schools were Koga-ryu and Iga-ryu. The formation of the ninja class took place along with the formation of the samurai class, but due to the fact that the samurai had power, they became the dominant class, and the ninja formed a large-scale spy community. In addition - "nin" (another reading of "shinobi") means "secret", they could not act openly. The very essence of ninjutsu did not allow this. Despite this, the "night demons", as the ninja were sometimes called, instilled fear in princes and samurai. However, the shinobi almost never killed the peasants, due to the fact that the peasants could give them help. In addition, killing was not the main occupation of the ninja. Their main trade was espionage and sabotage. The role of a merchant, a circus performer, a peasant made it possible to travel around Japan without suspicion.

Ninja finally formed by the 10th century, the golden age of shinobi falls on 1460-1600, the era of internecine strife and the unification of the Japanese state; they are recruited by Tokugawa Ieyasu during a power struggle with warlord Toyotomi Hideyori and his mother Asai Yodogimi lasting for 15 years. In 1603, the first Tokugawa shogun, having decided that ninjas could be hired against him by the daimyo, outraged by the outcome of the confrontation, pitted two of the most powerful shinobi clans, Iga and Koga, against each other. As a result, by 1604, few survived from the ninja organization, later they swore allegiance to the shogun. To top it off, as a result of the end of the civil strife, the need for the services of a ninja disappears.

Ghillie ninja suit

According to Japanese historian Gorbylev, the shinobi never wore the black tight-fitting suit that is so common in cinema and manga. Ninja camouflage and night clothes were ash, reddish brown, tan or dark gray. It was these colors that made it possible to finally merge with the darkness of the night, while a completely black suit would stand out sharply. Shinobi camouflage clothing was baggy in shape. During the day, the ninja wore ordinary clothes, which made it possible to blend in with the crowd.

The completely black costume, which is attributed to the ninja, originated from the bunraku puppet theater. The puppeteer is located right on the stage, dressed in a black suit, and the audience “does not see” him - therefore, if the “demon of the night” kills someone in the kabuki theater, the actor who played the killer was dressed in a puppeteer costume.

Videos ninja

The video tells about ten interesting facts about shinobi.

Ninja (loosely translated - "warrior-shadow")- the so-called stealth scouts, specialists in secret assassinations, spies who did not leave traces of medieval scouts. However accurate translation more simple and capacious - "patient", and the teaching they followed - ninjutsu - is translated as "the art of being patient." Ninjas were reputed to be masters of all types of weapons, brilliant fist fighters, experts in numerous poisons, geniuses of disguise, able to hide from enemies even in an open field.

Ninjas, secret agents medieval japan, were not samurai, but in the clashes that lasted centuries military nobility they played an important, sometimes decisive role. They did the unbelievable sometimes. So, in the morning of 1540, in one of the numerous rooms of the castle, which belonged to the famous samurai Fugashi, a terrible sight opened up to the servants: in a pool of blood on the tatami lay the body of their master. Probably Fugashi didn't even see his killers. The sensitive hearing of the samurai was not disturbed by a single sound - he was killed while sleeping. Another thing was also surprising: the soldiers of the guard lay right there, killed so quickly that they did not even have time to draw their swords. Some had no wounds on their bodies, but their glassy eyes were frozen in horror. The monstrous event was also striking in that all the doors were locked from the inside, and the castle itself was a fortress surrounded by high walls and a deep moat. At each door leading to Fugashi's quarters, there were guards, who did not notice a single stranger.

The very fact of the murder in medieval Japan, torn apart by clan strife, was not surprising, but the nature of the successful assassination attempt and its mystery gave rise to many rumors. They talked about the killer ghosts that lived in the dark cellars of the castle and penetrated through the latticed loopholes into the chambers of Fugashi, about the spirits of the dead, avenging the samurai for their death. It was hard to believe that people could do something like this.

Almost two centuries after this event, the motorcade of the samurai Shogumi was heading to the capital. The road went along the edge of the forest. The vanguard of the guard disappeared around the corner, followed by Shogumi. When the retinue made a turn, a truly mystical picture opened up to her - two warriors without heads were sitting on horseback. The samurai himself disappeared, and his horse lifted its muzzle up in fright. Looking up, the guards saw the body of their master, hung on a bough of spruce, leaning over the road. Who managed to deal with three strong warriors? The search for the killers in the forest yielded nothing.

Both mysterious murders have already been attributed to the ninja in our time.

It is assumed that the ninja and their art of acting secretly and imperceptibly appeared due to the craft of espionage developed in medieval Japan.

But there are claims that ninjutsu originated in Japan in the 6th century, shortly after the penetration of Buddhism from China and Korea. However, other researchers consider this a fiction, which is explained by the specifics of the East, where it is believed that the more ancient the phenomenon, the more valuable it is. And since ninjutsu has survived so many centuries, this alone proves its value.

Already from the 6th-7th centuries, much was known in Japan that the ninja later adopted, for example: the manufacture and use of poisons, fights with improvised means. From Buddhism come special finger positions (mudra) and the pronunciation of sounds (mantra) filled with mystical meaning. At the same time, famous warrior monks appear - yamabushi, who embodied the spirit of hermitage and wisdom. They wandered around Japan or lived in the mountains, engaged in self-education. Yamabushi were excellent at all types of martial arts and often taught peasants fistfight during periods of a ban on the possession of edged weapons.

With the strengthening of centralized power in the 7th-8th centuries, there is a demand for skilled spies and scouts. To satisfy him, the first school of ninjutsu appeared near Kyoto, which belonged to the Hattori clan. Members of the school learned a lot from yamabushi, but unlike the mountain hermits, warriors actively used their knowledge to spy in favor of their master. The name "ninja" itself did not exist then, and those who are considered to be the founders of ninjutsu were very different from the mythologized characters. They were in the service of the master, they worked for hire and did not think about what spirituality is.

By the beginning of the 12th century, Japan entered a period bloody civil strife. Samurai with even greater zeal set to martial arts. Their practice mainly included the art of wielding a spear (sojutsu), swordsmanship with halberds (naginata), archery (kodo), the art of swordsmanship (kendo), the art of horseback riding and fighting on horseback (bajutsu). The spies who belonged to the warring clans adopted a lot from the military training of the samurai, but eliminated many ritual elements that did not have practical value in battle. They used only what allowed them to quickly win and avoid danger. If the samurai could not violate the ritual, since he was in full view all the time, and indeed it was about his honor and spirituality, then for spies, the problems of morality, and even more so honor, did not exist.

In addition, the weapon itself left its mark on the combat technique. A real samurai katana sword was terribly expensive.

Naturally, the katana - the "soul of the samurai" - was inaccessible to the scout. Spies used small swords - lighter and more fragile. The art of owning a katana was manifested in tachi-kaze - the number of swings with a sword. They should be as few as possible, and the best option it was believed to kill an opponent with one blow, barely removing the katana from its sheath. The light ninja sword did not allow such crushing blows, but it could be rotated and sorted out in the hand, which made the technique more diverse and fast. An experienced ninja rotated the sword with such speed that a protective barrier appeared in front of his body, blocking the path of arrows.

Any item in the hands of an experienced warrior turned into a weapon. A ninja disguised as a wandering monk could use a heavy monk's staff. It was a complete surprise for the enemy when a sharp blade jumped out of the end of a harmless stick or a poisoned arrow flew out. Sometimes a hole was made in the staff, and a long chain was hidden there. Another, short stick was used not only to protect against blows, but also as a lever to break the limbs of the victim.

The characteristic weapons of the ninja were kusarigama - a peasant sickle with a long chain attached to its handle; nuntyaku (nunchaku) - a flail for threshing grain; tonfa - the handle of a manual grain mill. special category were small improvised items - thin (for example, an ordinary needle). Throwing weapons also belonged to the thin ones - for example, shurikens (sharply sharpened polyhedral plates). Thrown by an experienced hand, they hit a target at a distance of up to 25 meters. Shurikens could be poisoned, it was almost impossible to escape from them when they were thrown in a fan of 5-6 pieces.

To protect themselves from the chase, the ninja left behind sharp spikes - tetsu-bishi. In the semi-dark enfilades of the castle, the guards inevitably ran into these small "mines", and the ninja again disappeared, uncaught and unrecognized.

Firearms were rarely used by infiltrators. The shot revealed the shooter. Effective at close range and extremely unexpected for the victim, wind pipes with a set of poisoned needles were used. Poison was also part of the ninja's arsenal.

To get a prisoner, the ninja usually used a thin, strong rope (Gasilo) with small weights at the ends. He threw it at the opponent's legs, the weights twisted around them by inertia, and he stumbled; jumping up, the ninja finally entangled the hands and feet of the victim, threading the rope under the groin and securing it with a loop around the neck. At the slightest attempt to free himself, the prisoner only tightened it even more.

Internecine War XII centuries in Japan strengthened the role of hired bodyguards and experts in espionage, and the subsequent period Japanese history- Kamakura (1185-1333) was the time of the emergence of many schools of ninjutsu (there were from 25 to 70 on the island of Honshu alone). Each village allocated people to the squad of the samurai-feudal lord - spearmen, foot soldiers, servants. Some of them turned into lower-ranking samurai, nicknamed ashigaru (light-footed). They were the prototype of those who later became known as ninja.

Over time, they began to form clans. The fighters could be related by family ties. But above the closest relationship was an oath. She bound the clan with strict discipline, based on the subordination of the younger to the elders and the observance of the rituals of samurai communication. Then there was a division into three categories - geniuses, chuunin and zenin. Genin were the direct perpetrators of sabotage, murder, and espionage, and they developed operations and led small groups of tyunin. The Zenin stood at the top of this hierarchy.

Ninja clans were often formed in villages as well - to defend their homeland from the raids of bandits and daring wandering samurai. Violent skirmishes often took place between the village ninja and the samurai. In order not to be recognized, commoners covered their faces with masks made of dark matter leaving only the eyes open. Self-defense units were often hired to settle scores between samurai.

If a ninja was captured, the punishment for him was extremely cruel - he was boiled alive in boiling oil. The corpse was hung on the castle wall as an edification, and the samurai were proud of the large number of failed assassination attempts on them. This spoke of their invulnerability and that "they are protected by spirits."

Adhering to extreme practicality, the ninja did not seek to defeat the enemy "according to the rules", as prescribed by the code of samurai honor - bushido. It was necessary to appear unexpectedly, strike with a stiletto or a sword, add poison and just as unexpectedly hide: "a ninja comes from the void and goes into the void without leaving traces." There were dozens of methods to implement this commandment. "Patient" was able to seep through small cracks, for example, crawl under the fence, making a tunnel no more than 20 × 20 centimeters. Thanks to training that began in childhood, the ninja could, without harm to themselves, make artificial dislocations in the shoulder, elbow, and hip joints. This helped them, wriggling like a snake, free themselves from tight fetters or pretend to be dead, lying in an unthinkable position.

The basis of the tactic was to pass off the false as the real. Avoiding an unexpected attack, a ninja, for example, kindled a fire in his dwelling, set the table, and spent the night in a secluded hut or dugout - personal safety is above convenience. Great pretenders were the ninja in combat. When they got hit, they pretended to writhe in pain. Blood was coming out of his mouth, supposedly from his throat, but actually sucked from his gums. Ninja fell, agonized, uttering death rattles. But as soon as the enemy approached, a knife blow followed from below or a shuriken flew into the throat.

The ninja tried to avoid direct confrontation, not expecting to be stronger than the samurai. In open duels, the samurai sword was a death sentence for a spy. That is why it was necessary to "come from the void" and strike a decisive blow. Cases when it seemed that this was exactly what was happening were not uncommon, and in feudal Japan they believed in the existence of tengo - mystical creatures, half crows, capable of disappearing in an instant, as if dissolving into thin air. In fact, the ninja achieved "invisibility", acting, for example, under the cover of night, silently tracking down his victim.

Great attention was paid to the ability to disguise and use the terrain. A ninja could swim for hours along the river, holding on to a log and merging with it, he could dig under a samurai house for weeks and saw down stone floorboards in it. This is probably how the assassins infiltrated the Fugashi samurai's castle.

Among the ninja there were many women called kunoichi. Their main weapons were beauty, resourcefulness and fanaticism. They could serve as geishas, ​​maids, and perform peasant work. Deprived of the opportunity to carry a sword, yielding to men in physical strength, they used hair clips and fans, with which they struck the throat and face of the enemy. If the samurai recognized the kunoichi, she was handed over to the guards for desecration and only then killed. Therefore, ninja women in a moment of danger followed the ancient ritual of suicide. Unlike men who cut their stomachs in an act of hara-kiri or seppuku, kunoichi performed jigai - a stab in the neck. As a rule, they did it in cold blood, showing complete contempt for death in front of the enemy.

The schools where the ninja were trained were in secluded, inaccessible, strictly guarded places. Everything that was done in these schools was shrouded in a thick veil of secrecy.

In secret schools, ninjas were taught a huge variety of things. The main attention was paid to training strength, endurance and the ability to perfectly control your body, because the life of a ninja could subsequently depend on this. In addition, future agents mastered various ways to survive in extreme situations- in ice water or under water, during prolonged starvation, after receiving severe injuries. They also had to be able to quickly and imperceptibly, in fully equipped overcome any obstacles - castle walls, fences, turbulent water streams, swamps, penetrate into the most impregnable enemy camp. Of no small importance for the successful activity of the ninja was the mastery of the art of disguise, because they often had to hide unexpectedly under a variety of disguises, in a variety of attire, covering their tracks. And then, the future secret agent, of course, was supposed to impeccably own all types of weapons that existed in Japan, and above all those that killed silently. The main "weapon" of the ninja was patience. There is a known case when a ninja made his way into the castle of a samurai and, having attached himself to the ceiling with special claws, waited for the samurai to enter the hall. However, the samurai did not come alone, there were guests with him who sat down to play Japanese checkers - go.

The game dragged on until late at night. The ninja hung from the ceiling for almost five hours, but he knew how to wait. When the guests finally left, the ninja completed his task.

Young people who underwent such many years of training became members of organizations scattered throughout the country. secret societies where no one knew each other. Deftly disguised, the ninja lived alone in cities and villages. They did not know the names of their leaders, or where they lived, and had never even seen them. Such precautions ensured that no traitor or spy could infiltrate the organization.

How did the ninja receive and complete tasks? When a high-ranking samurai wanted to use the services of a ninja, he sent his servant to an appointed place, where, as he knew, there was an intermediary of a secret organization.

Such places, in particular, were entertainment quarters. major cities. As soon as the intermediary recognized the probable customer in the stranger loitering along the street, he approached and struck up a conversation. If these two made a deal, then the mediator reported this to the other mediator. He, in turn, passed the order - again in a roundabout way - to the head of the ninja of the district in which the customer's task was to be completed. First, the head of the ninja learned about all the details of the planned operation, and then gave the order to carry it out.

The ninja who received the order was completely left to his own devices. He carefully, taking into account every little thing, prepared for the upcoming business. He collected detailed information about everything that was related to his task: about the place of the future operation, the person he was supposed to kill, the layout of the castle, the protection of the military camp, the arrangement of protective structures and much more. Then he picked up suitable clothes, the necessary equipment and weapons, and under the guise of a monk, a wandering actor, a merchant, a peasant, or disguised as a woman, set off. On the way, he listened to all the conversations and tried to make the necessary acquaintances. Having reached the destination, the ninja began to observe the people or objects of interest to him. To do this, he chose a suitable shelter, where he spent, without moving, for many hours.

Having thus learned everything that was necessary, he proceeded to develop a plan of action. Should have weighed everything possible options and choose only one of them. For example, if a ninja was given the task of killing a high-ranking samurai, then with the help of various tricks or acrobatic tricks, he had to get into his house. He usually attacked from an ambush - quietly, suddenly and treacherously, here all means were good. A ninja could kill a person sentenced to death by hitting him with the edge of his palm, strangling him or stabbing him with a dagger. Sometimes the unfortunate were sent to the next world, for example, by pouring poison into their mouths while they were sleeping.

Thinking through their actions step by step, the ninja always provided for retreat routes. Hiding from the crime scene, the “shadow warrior” could jump into a deep fortress moat (then he had to hide under water and breathe through a bamboo tube) or, armed with hooks and rope, jump from roof to roof or from one treetop to another - because and the rumor went that ninjas could fly.

To clear his way back, the ninja used various distractions: for example, having prepared everything in advance, he set fire to the house of his victim. There was a commotion. While the household and servants ran for water, called for help, tried to put out the fire, the killer left without being noticed by anyone.

The ninja was also ready for the unsuccessful outcome of the case. If he fell into the hands of opponents, he killed himself by thrusting a dagger into his throat, or, if he did not have time to stab himself, he bit into a capsule with poison - he always prudently kept it behind his cheek during a dangerous operation.

The ninja had to wield not only special weapons and techniques for carrying out covert operations, but also act with their weapons no worse than the samurai. The fact is that ninjas were often introduced into the service of the enemy and were among the samurai of this clan. And if their weapons were any different from the weapons of the rest of the samurai, then these spies would have had a bad time. In addition, ninjas usually had enough money to buy a good sword, and good weapon they loved no less than the samurai.

Video about Ninja.

Ninja weapons (photo above, description below).

A stabbing weapon with a round or multi-faceted blade. The hook at the handle is designed to intercept enemy weapons

Throwing Knife

The sword is about half a meter long. The pommel is equipped with a needle, often poisoned. The needle could retract inside the hollow handle. The sword was worn on the back

Double-edged dagger with an additional blade, equipped with a long rope with a ring. Used as a percussion weapon, as well as a cat

Transformed from an agricultural sickle. Often used as a dual weapon

Additionally equipped with a chain 2.5 meters long with a load at the end

A Japanese concealed-carry throwing weapon (although sometimes used for strikes). It is a small blade made according to the type of everyday things: stars, needles, nails, knives, coins, and so on.

A metal ball with spikes, which the ninja threw at the feet of the enemy

A miniature blowgun about half a meter long, shot with poisoned arrows - hari (above)

Bamboo blowgun that fired paper cone arrows with a serrated poisoned tip

A battle fan that, when opened, exposed the poisoned spokes. Sometimes the fan hid a miniature crossbow

- a shortened arrow with a heavier tip, reminiscent of a dart for darts, but larger. The ninja wore several pieces of throwing arrows 10-15 centimeters long in a case fastened to his leg or forearm

Combat staff, inside of which was hidden a chain with weights

Hollow staff, inside of which a chain with a hook at the end is disguised

A hollow pole with a hooked rope passed through it. Loops released through special holes allow you to use the shino-bitsu as a ladder.

Ninja. Many people know about them, and many people like them. Educated and trained from childhood complex art ninjutsu, they fought with their main rivals - the samurai. Moving like a shadow in the night, these brave warriors were hired for the most high price to do their dirty work, which samurai are not capable of.

But what if it's all completely false? What if modern look of the ancient ninja was entirely based on comics and fantasy literature of the 20th century?

Today we will reveal to you 25 fascinating facts about real ninjas that existed in the past, and you will learn the whole truth about them. Read on and enjoy a more accurate and engaging portrayal of these Japanese warriors.

25. Ninjas weren't called "ninjas"

According to the documents, the ideograms for this word in the medieval period were correctly read as “shinobi no mono”. The very word “ninja”, which means the same ideograms pronounced in Chinese reading, became popular already in the 20th century.

24. The first mention of a ninja


The first historical record of the ninja appeared in the Taiheiki military chronicle, written around 1375. It says that one night, ninjas were sent behind enemy lines to set fire to enemy structures.

23. The golden age of the ninja


The heyday of the ninja came in the 15th-16th centuries, when Japan was engulfed in internecine wars. After 1600, when peace came to the country, the decline of the ninja began.

22. Historical records


There is a negligible record of ninja made during the wars, and it wasn't until after the coming of peace in the 1600s that some ninja began to write manuals about their skills and abilities.

The most famous of them is the ninjutsu martial art manual, which was a kind of ninja bible and was called the Bansenshukai. It was written in 1676.

There are between 400 and 500 ninja manuals throughout Japan, many of which are still kept secret.

21. The enemies of the samurai were not ninjas.


In popular media, ninjas and samurai are often portrayed as enemies. In fact, the term "ninja" often refers to warriors of any class in the samurai army, and the ninja themselves were something of a special forces when compared with modern army. Many samurai were trained in ninjutsu, the complex art that ninja mastered, and were kept close by their masters.

20. Ninjas weren't peasants


In popular media, ninjas are also portrayed as peasants. In fact, ninja could become representatives of any class - both lower and upper class.

Only after 1600, when peace reigned in Japan, official position the ninja within the clan was demoted from the samurai to a new social class called "doshin" (doshin) - a low-ranking samurai, "half-samurai". As time passed, the ninja became lower and lower in status, however, they still occupied a higher social status compared to most peasants.

19. Ninjutsu is not a type of hand-to-hand combat


It is widely believed that ninjutsu is a type of hand-to-hand combat, a set of martial arts that is still taught around the world.

However, the idea of ​​a specialized form of hand-to-hand combat practiced by the ninja was conceived by a Japanese during the 1950s-60s. This new combat system became popular in America during the 1980s ninja boom, becoming one of the most popular ninja misconceptions.

To date, not a single mention of such a form of martial art has been found in ancient manuscripts.

18. Ninja Stars


Throwing "ninja stars" have little to no historical connection to the ninja. Shurikens (this is the name of this concealed throwing weapon, made in the form of various objects: stars, coins, etc.) were secret weapons in many samurai schools, and only in the 20th century they became associated with ninja thanks to comics, films and anime.

17. Ninja mask


"You will never see a ninja without a mask." In fact, there is not a single mention of ninja wearing masks. Surprisingly, according to ancient ninja manuals, they didn't wear masks. When the enemy was close, they had to cover their faces with their long sleeves, and when the ninja worked in groups, they put white headbands on their heads so that they could see each other in the moonlight.

16. Ninja suit

The popular image of the ninja is impossible to imagine without the iconic costume. This is a misnomer, as the ninja "suit" seems uniform only residents Western countries. It's actually just traditional Japanese clothing along with a mask.

Black Japanese clothes can be compared to a black suit in modern London. Residents of medieval Japan could wear masks on the street in order to remain unrecognized. So such an image looks inappropriate and eye-catching only in the modern world.

15. Black or blue?


A popular argument today is that ninjas didn't wear black, because then they wouldn't be able to see each other at all in the dark, so they actually wore blue clothes. This is a misconception that comes from a ninja manual called Shoninki (True Path of the Ninja) written in 1861.

It states that ninjas can wear blue to blend in with the crowd, as the color was popular, implying that ninjas would not stand out among the people in the city. They were also ordered to wear black on a moonless night and white on a full moon.

14. Ninja-to, or ninja sword


The famous "ninja-to" or traditional ninja sword is a straight-bladed sword with a square tsuba (guard). Modern ninja-to most often have a straight blade, but the original swords were slightly curved.

Swords that were almost straight (they were only a few millimeters curved) existed in medieval Japan and had a square tsuba, but they began to be associated with ninja only in the 20th century. Ninja manuals prescribed the use of conventional swords.

13. Secret ninja gestures

Ninjas are known for their secret hand gestures. This particular hand positioning technique called "kuji-kiri" has no real connection with ninja.

The kuji-kiri technique, as it was called in Japan, has its roots in Taoism and Hinduism. From India, it was brought to Japan by Buddhist monks, so many mistakenly perceive it as a method of inducing damage.

In fact, this is a series of gestures used in meditation, during rituals and in Japanese martial arts. Associating kuji-kiri with ninja, again, began only in the 20th century.

12 Ninjas Didn't Use Smoke Bombs


The image of a ninja using a smoke bomb is very common. However, being completely erroneous, it is misleading.

Ninja manuals don't actually mention smoke bombs, but they do have hundreds of instructions for building "fire" weapons: land mines, hand grenades, waterproof torches, Greek fire, fire arrows, explosive projectiles, and poison gas.

11 Nobody Knew Who The Ninja Really Were


This is half true. Ninja were divided into yang ninja, who could be seen, and yin ninja, invisible ninja, whose identity was always kept secret.

Since no one had ever seen the Yin-ninja, they could take part in missions without fear of being recognized by anyone. On the other hand, a group of ninjas could be hired in the open: they moved with the army, they had their own barracks, they were relieved of duties during a halt, and they were well known among their peers.

10. Ninjas are black sorcerers

Before the image of the ninja assassin, the image of the ninja sorcerer, the spellcasting warrior, was popular. In old Japanese movies, ninjas use magic to trick their enemies.

Interestingly, among the skills and abilities of the ninja, there really was a certain amount of ritual magic: from magic hairpins that make them invisible, to sacrificing a dog to receive God's help. However, ordinary samurai skills also contained elements of magic. At the time, this was commonplace.

9 Ninjas Were Not Assassins


It's more of a semantic argument. Simply put, ninjas weren't taught the art of killing from a very early age so they could be hired by other clans.

Most ninja were trained in covert operations, espionage skills, the ability to obtain information, penetrate behind enemy lines, handle explosives, and much more. Ninjas were hired as assassins only as a last resort. Ninja manuals rarely talk about this topic. Murder was not their main profile.

8. Hattori Hanzo (Hattori Hanzo) - a real person

Hattori Hanzo became famous in the Kill Bill movies (a master gunsmith who created the best Japanese swords in the world), but in reality he was a samurai and the head of a ninja family. He became famous commander, earning the nickname "Devil Hanzo" for his ferocity in battle.

He is believed to have written or inherited one of the oldest ninja manuscripts in existence.

7 Most Ninja False Claims Came In The 20th Century


The era of the ninja ended in late XIX century, when Japan embarked on the path of modernization. Although speculation and fantasy about the ninja existed even during the time of the ninja, the first big boom in the popularity of the ninja in Japan began in the very early 1900s, when not much was known about historical spies and intelligence officers.

Books about the ninja were popular between 1910 and 1970, and since many of them were written by amateurs and enthusiasts, they were full of erroneous statements and falsifications, which were later, in the 1980s, during the ninja boom, were translated into English language.

6. Scientific study of ninja

The subject of the ninja has been a laughing matter in Japanese academic circles, and for decades, the study of their techniques and teachings has been frowned upon as a bizarre fantasy.

Dr. Stephen Turnbull of the University of Leeds (England) published several books about ninja in the 1990s, however, in a recent article, he admitted that the research was erroneous, and now he studies this topic thoroughly with the sole purpose of publishing the truth about ninja.

Only in the last 2-3 years have serious research begun in Japan. Associate Professor Yuji Yamada leads a research team at Mie Universit dedicated to the ninja.

5. Ninja manuscripts are coded


As has been said, the ninja manuscripts were coded in order to remain secret. Actually, this is a misconception about the Japanese way of listing skills. Many scrolls in Japan, on various topics, are simply lists of skills.

For example, “Fox skill” or “Skill invisible cloak” without appropriate training were passed down from generation to generation, so over time they true values were lost, but they were never encrypted.

4. If a ninja fails a mission, he will commit suicide.


In fact, it's just a Hollywood myth. There is no evidence that mission error leads to suicide.

In fact, some manuals teach that it's better to fail a mission than to rush through it and create problems. It is better to wait for another, more suitable opportunity.

There is historical evidence that ninjas could kill themselves and burn themselves alive if they were captured by the enemy - to hide their identity.

3. Superhuman strength


It is believed that ninjas have much more physical force than ordinary warriors, however, in reality there were only a certain number of ninja who were trained and trained in special forces.
Many ninja led a double life, pretending to be ordinary residents in the provinces of the enemy: they were engaged in daily routine activities, trading or traveling, which contributed to the spread of "necessary" rumors about them.

Ninja were supposed to be disease resistant, possess high intelligence, be able to talk quickly and look stupid (because people ignore those who look stupid).

Fun fact: one ninja retired due to back pain.

2. Ninja no longer exists


In Japan, there are people who call themselves masters of the ninja schools, whose origins date back to the days of the samurai. This issue is very controversial and delicate. To date, all those who call themselves real ninjas have not provided any evidence to convince them that they are right.

This means that there is not a single real ninja left. While the world is still waiting for proof...

1. Real ninjas are much cooler than fictional ones.


While fictional ninjas have been stirring people's hearts for nearly 100 years, a pop-up historical truth turns out to be much more impressive and interesting.

With the advent of historical ninja manuals now being published on English language, their more realistic and unexpected image emerges. Ninja can now be seen as part of the samurai war machine, each with a specific set of skills and abilities, trained in areas such as espionage, covert operations, solo activities behind enemy lines, surveillance, explosives and demolition specialists, psychologists.

This new and improved take on the Japanese ninja is more respected for the depth and complexity of samurai warfare.

They appeared out of nowhere. And they disappeared into nowhere. They were worshiped and hated. It was believed that a mortal could not defeat them. Because they are demons. Demons of the night.

Fear settled in the fortress. The servants hid in their closets, afraid to once again show themselves to the eyes of their masters. Everyone was talking quietly, as if afraid to frighten off that unknown force that had made its way into the fortress. The governor of the province was lying in bed, soaked with blood. No one dared to approach the dead man; afraid to even look at him.

The guards were perplexed - the fortress was impregnable: the walls are high, the corridors are full of soldiers, and the whole courtyard is occupied by soldiers. Not a single living soul could enter here. But someone did it anyway. Who?

The servants whispered softly among themselves: there was a flash of blinding light, and two guards on the North Tower were found dead; there were no wounds, only the lips turned blue and the eyes bulged as if at the last moment they saw all the horrors of the world. The samurai suspected treason, but could not figure out where to look for it. Who was at the Viceroy's for a late supper? Warlord. Yes, there were two more geishas from the nearest teahouse, but they were at the governor's almost every night. The geishas left before midnight - the owner was still alive. Unexplained death. And none of them could know that there were not two geishas that night, but three. And meanwhile, the old woman, the mistress of the tea-shop, counted the huge amount received at night, and was silent. Silence was costly. His price is life. Time likes to reveal the past, but so far it tells very little about the most unusual warriors of the Land of the Rising Sun - about the mysterious clans of professional spies and assassins, about the legendary ninjas. Written sources, shedding light on their lives, almost none. According to legend, they passed down their secrets in scrolls, and if the master did not find a worthy successor, the scroll was destroyed. Shadow warriors have always remained a mystery, the embodiment of a different, dark world. Mikke temples and secret teachings, the cult of the mountains and the worship of darkness. The amazing abilities of the ninja to walk on fire, swim in icy water, control the weather, read the mind of the enemy and stop time were usually attributed to dark forces. In the eyes of the samurai, the ninja were worthy of hatred and contempt. But all these feelings were generated by one thing - fear, which " dark people"were inspired by everyone in Japan - both superstitious commoners, and brave samurai, and sovereign princes.

Shinobi mono - a person who penetrates secretly

Surprisingly, in Japanese medieval chronicles there is no such thing as a ninja! The word "ninja" appeared only in the last century. It consists of two hieroglyphs: Nin (shinobi) means to endure, hide and do something in secret; Jia (mono) is a person. Those whom we now call ninja were called shinobi no mono in Japan - a secretly penetrating person. It was a very accurate name, because the main occupation (and the meaning of life) of the ninja was high-class professional espionage and masterly execution of contract killings.

Trap for Sarutobi

The official mention of the first professional spy in the history of the Land of the Rising Sun comes at the end of the 6th century. His name was Otomo no Saijin, and he served Prince Shotoku Taishi, one of the greatest figures Japan. Saijin was a kind of link between the people and the aristocracy. Changing clothes, he went outside the walls of the palace in the form of a commoner, looked and listened, listened and looked. He knew everything: who stole what, who killed whom, and, most importantly, who was dissatisfied public policy. Saijin was the ears and eyes of the prince, for which he was awarded the honorary title of Shinobi (spy). This is where Shinobi-jutsu came from. True, some historians are inclined to think that Saijin was not a spy, but an ordinary policeman. However, this is not confirmed by the sources.

The second famous spy was a certain Takoya, who served Emperor Temmu in the 7th century. This servant was closer to modern concept"ninja" than Saijin. His task was sabotage. Making his way behind enemy lines at night, Takoya set fires. While the enemy ran around the camp in a panic, the emperor's troops delivered an unexpected blow. Both Saijin and Takoya may have been the forerunners of a powerful society of assassins and spies; the clan itself appeared in the 9th-10th centuries. In Iga, in the Ninjutsu Museum, a fragment of the chronicle of the 9th century is kept. ancient family Togakura. In one of the battles, a representative of this family, a certain Daisuke, was defeated, and his possessions were captured. What was left for him to do? Only run to the mountains to save your life. And so he did. Hiding in the mountains, Daisuke not only survived, but also began to gather strength for revenge. Militant monks Ken Dosi became his teachers. On the bare slopes of the province of Iga, Daitsuke stubbornly mastered the ancient art of completely subordinating the body to the dictates of the will and mind. According to the chronicle, he created a new type of warrior, moving easily, like the wind, inconspicuous for enemies; a warrior who knows how to win without a fight! Since then, many legends have been told about shadow warriors. Some of them were recorded in historical sources. Moreover, careful comparative analysis, conducted by researchers, showed that much in these legends may well correspond real facts. History mentions the legendary Sarutobi, who was one of the best ninja. Sarutobi lived in trees; all day long he swayed and hung on them, developing his dexterity. Nobody wanted to engage in hand-to-hand combat with him. Yet one day he was defeated. Spying on a powerful shogun, Sarutobi tried to sneak into his palace, but was spotted by sentries. This did not upset him at all, for he more than once easily escaped his pursuers. But this time, luck turned against him. Jumping down from the wall that surrounded the palace, he fell right into a bear trap. One leg was firmly stuck in the trap. This could confuse anyone, but not an experienced shinobi. Sarutobi cut off his own leg, stopped the bleeding, and tried to run by jumping on one leg! And yet he did not manage to go far - the loss of blood was huge and he began to lose consciousness. Realizing that he could not escape and soon the samurai would overtake him, Sarutobi managed to complete last duty ninja cut off his face...

But more often than not, ninjas emerged victorious even from the most hopeless situations. According to one of the legends, an experienced shinobi was ordered to kill his "colleague" Juzo. This was quite possible, because ninjas from rival clans did not spare each other (these guys had no corporate solidarity at all). Shinobi did not kill the "colleague"; live Juzo cost more. The captive was delivered alive to the shogun-customer, and he, as a sign of respect, graciously allowed the poor fellow to commit suicide. For hara-kiri, Juzo chose a short, blunt knife. Having plunged the knife into the stomach up to the hilt, the dying man sprawled on the floor. His breathing stopped and all his clothes were soaked with blood. The corpse was thrown into a moat near the castle. And this is exactly what you shouldn't have done. The shogun paid for his mistake immediately - that very night his castle was on fire! The arsonist was none other than a dead man who had cut his stomach open a couple of hours ago. The answer was simple - the cunning Juzo simply tucked a rat into his belt in advance, and then skillfully ripped open the belly not of himself, but of the unfortunate animal.

By the way, hundreds of such ninja tricks were known. And they not only knew, but also knew how to masterfully perform.

Yamabushi. Eagles are born only in the mountains

Historical documents clearly point to the first school of scouts - it was the so-called Iga school. It was founded by wandering monks who preached Buddhism. The authorities, and especially the official Shinto priests, persecuted these ascetic hermits. They moved far into the mountains and there they received everyone who was ready to share their faith and hard journey with them. Over time, these white monks became known as yamabushi (mountain warriors), and it was they who became the first teachers at the Iga school. Yamabushi were engaged in quackery and enjoyed great respect among the population; they successfully treated many diseases, saved crops, could predict the weather and, as ordinary peasants believed, protect from evil spirits. main goal yamabushi were searching for the drink of immortality. The chronicles are silent about whether they succeeded or not, but for three centuries of persecution, mountain warriors have developed their own special art of murder and espionage. Yamabushi taught future ninja many military tricks, among which the most famous is the defense of nine syllables. It was she who turned the ninja into demons and invulnerable warriors. Here sits one of the "mountain warriors". Rhythmically swaying, he makes monotonous sounds, then louder, then quieter. The fingers are folded into strange shapes. At all times, the art of Shugendo saved him from his persecutors. For 30 years he studied the language of nature, slept in the snow and talked with demons. The warrior stood up and leaned his whole body against the rock. His hands and feet, like the roots of trees, entered the rock. The head looked like a mossy boulder. Now this is not a person, but only stones destroyed by wind and time. Past, a stone's throw from the cliff, the pursuers run. A lot, about two dozen. Their eyes carefully look around - nothing, no one ... Yamabushi owned a special technique that revealed the amazing abilities of the human body. They knew that if you bite the tip of your tongue rhythmically in a special way, you can completely get rid of thirst. They knew that if you simultaneously rhythmically press index fingers both hands on special points located on outside calves (closer to the knee), you can overcome the most terrible fear. They knew that if the tip thumb right hand press in the rhythm of the pulse on a point located on the pad between the first and second phalanx of the little finger of the left hand, then in a few minutes you can remove the fatigue that has accumulated over two sleepless nights or a day of hard hiking along mountain trails. They knew that when a person pronounces certain combinations of sounds, they cause a resonance in the larynx, which has a powerful effect on the subconscious. Some sounds give a person courage, others make him restless, others help him enter a trance. They knew a lot. The mysterious technique of nine syllables helped the yamabushi and their ninja students to use the hidden reserves of the human body, so much so that everyone around was amazed. According to many sources, shinobi did amazing things. They could reach speeds of over 70 km / h, jump over 3-meter walls, and even stop their own hearts for a while.

The most mysterious Japanese monastic order- yamabushi - brought to the world of ninja rituals and rituals that allow you to master almost supernatural power. The shadow warriors have remained faithful disciples of the yamabushi for centuries. Yamabushi taught the ninja such secrets that now, after many centuries, science is unable to explain many of them (although some of them still managed to unravel). The monks transmitted their secrets only orally. One of the most amazing secrets of yamabushi was the method of protection with nine syllables, kuji no ho (Kuji Gosin Ho) - nine steps of power. Every ninja owned it. The defense included 9 spells (jumon), 9 finger configurations corresponding to them, and 9 stages of concentration of consciousness. When pronouncing jumon, it was necessary to fold the fingers and concentrate the mind. For a ninja it was the right way get energy for their supernatural actions (for example, jump over a three-meter fence or become elusive).

jumon

Modern science already knows: various combinations of sounds create a resonance in the larynx that affects the brain. Moreover, scientists have confirmed that the appearance in humans depends on the frequency of vibration. different feelings: joys, worries, etc. This was one of the first explanations amazing opportunities ninja. Before that, their ability to instantly change mood and suppress feelings of fear remained a mystery. Everything was attributed to dark magic. Usually the spell (jumon) was pronounced 108 times. It had to come from the heart, respond in it like an echo, and fill the body and fingers with vibration. Yamabushi taught the ninja that the configuration of the fingers (mudra) affects the entire energy of the body. Each finger, like each hand, has its own energy. Some figures could calm the mind. Others - gave strength and helped in critical situations. When folding hands and fingers in certain figures it is possible to control the flow of energy, both entering and leaving the body. This helps to concentrate the mind and use the hidden reserves of the body. One of the soothing mudras of Jumon should sound like “rin-hei-to-sha-kai-retsu-zai-zen”.

The concentration of consciousness through meditation helped the ninja get used to various images e.g. lion, demon, giant. It was the trance that changed the consciousness of the warriors and allowed miracles to be performed. There is nothing supernatural in this. Psychiatrists and physiologists confirm: a person in a state of altered consciousness changes even physically - the so-called hidden reserves of the body wake up in him. Sometimes it can even be seen household level For example, strong fear makes a person develop such a speed that he would never have achieved in a calm state. Rage also gives a person additional physical forces.

Another thing is that it is very difficult for an ordinary person to drive himself into a trance “on command”. Try lying peacefully on the couch, arouse such rage in yourself to crush the glass with your hands and not feel pain. Ninjas, on the other hand, were able to artificially introduce themselves into different states and awaken unprecedented physical powers in themselves. Today, experts are sure that ninjas used self-hypnosis. Moreover, self-hypnosis is based on the so-called "anchor" technique, in which three anchors are simultaneously involved: kinesthetic (finger plexus), auditory (sound resonance) and visual (visual image). All this served as a trigger for entering a combat trance.

The practical results of the "protection of nine syllables" were colossal - in combination with grueling training, it allowed the ninja to develop tremendous speed, see in the dark and break through stone walls with a blow of the hand.

Death Touch. The Art of Slow Death

This terrible art of the ninja masterfully mastered. A light touch on the enemy's body - and after a while he suddenly died. Could die immediately. He could have died even a year later. But death was inevitable. The effect of a deadly touch was not caused by a blow at all - there was a release of energy to a certain point of the body, the energy of the body was disturbed. The art of slow death is the most mysterious part of the teachings of yamabushi. Any ninja who would have revealed this secret to mere mortals had to be killed, and his soul was doomed to eternal damnation.

The technique of hitting the most vulnerable points of the body was the foundation of the training of the warriors of the night. Most of all, the ninja Ikeoosaki succeeded in it. Each of their blows, hitting vital points, led to death. Science is not yet able to explain the mysterious "art of slow death". However, even orthodox medicine today recognizes that through individual points on the body it is possible to influence the internal organs of a person. And Chinese medicine has been successfully using "spot treatment" for centuries. Most likely, the ninja used a similar technique. In the art of slow death, the most amazing thing is how the ninja managed to "postpone" death.

Here we can assume the following. Perhaps the touch of a ninja did not so much "kill" a person as violated well-coordinated work organism; something like this you can turn off a powerful and complex motor by throwing an ordinary nut into it. And after a physiological failure, a person died from his own diseases, depending on the predispositions of the body.

Childhood

All kids of the clan immediately after birth were awarded honorary title ninja. Child's career, i.e. promotion from genin to chuunin depended solely on his personal qualities. From the first days of birth began long way learning. The cradle with the baby, when rocking, hit the walls. The push forced him to instinctively shrink - this was the first grouping. A one-year-old child already knew how to deftly walk on a log (later he was taught to move on a rope). Until the age of two, reaction training was the main thing. The kids were given a special massage using strong painful blows and pinches - so the future warriors got used to the pain. Later, the body was “treated” with a faceted stick for getting used to.

Serious training began after eight years. Until this age, children learned to read, write, imitate the sounds made by animals and birds, throw stones, climb trees. The children of the clan had no choice. From childhood, they played with real weapons, moreover, they were taught to turn everything that came into their hands into weapons. They were taught to endure the cold, walking in bad weather without clothes and sitting for hours in cold water. Trees and thorny bushes served as jumping trainers. Hanging little ninjas by their hands to a great height for more than an hour (!) They were instilled with endurance. Night vision was developed by many weeks of training in dark caves and a special diet of foods with a high content of vitamin A. By the way, the sensitivity of the ninja's eyes was fantastic. In pitch darkness, they could even read.

Some of the exercises were particularly cruel. So, for example, to develop dexterity, it was necessary to jump over a strong vine covered with sharp spines. Each touch to the vine immediately tore the skin and caused severe bleeding. From infancy, children were taught to swim. In the water, they were like fish: they could silently travel long distances, fight in and under water, with and without weapons. Every year the exercises became more and more difficult, cruel and painful. The little ninja could turn his foot or hand in any direction - exercises for free dismemberment and supernatural mobility of the joints began as early as the age of four. These were very painful exercises, but it was they who saved the lives of warriors more than once - by freely twisting the foot and hand, the ninja easily freed themselves from the strongest fetters. Push-ups, pull-ups, weight lifting - everything was so mundane that any child brought up in a ninja clan could easily bypass the modern athlete. At 10 years old, a ninja child could easily run over 20 km a day. His speed has been tested in original ways, for example, a straw hat, pressed against the runner's chest while running by the oncoming air flow, should not have fallen. Or around the neck of the ninja they tied a strip of cloth about 10 meters long, freely falling to the ground. The speed was considered normal when a ten-meter strip of fabric fluttered in the wind on the run and did not touch the ground!

What the children were taught modern man seems incredible: by the sound of a stone thrown from the wall, they should have been able to calculate the depth of the ditch and the water level with an accuracy of up to a meter! The breath of the sleepers should suggest their number, gender, and even age; the sound of a weapon is its appearance; arrow whistle - the distance to the enemy. They learned to feel the enemy with the back of their head - it is impossible to explain how "telepathic contact" was established with the enemy sitting in ambush. But adult warriors could indeed deliver and deflect blows without turning around. Their intuition always preceded reason. “The body itself knows how to move if we leave it alone,” the great mentors taught.

In various regions and prefectures of Japan, ninja were known under different names. The most typical expressions for spies in those days were " kancho no mono (mawashi-mono)" and " saguri no mono", formed from verbs " mawasu" - "spin around" and " saguru" - "sniff out, follow". The very same words " ninja" and " shinobi", which are just different ways of reading the same concept, were used only in a couple of provinces.

Naming ninja in different regions of feudal Japan:

• Nara/Kyoto: seppa or suppa, ukami, dakko, shinobi or shinobu
• Aorimi: hayamchimono, shinobi or shinobu
• Myagi: Kurohabaki
• Kanagawa: kusa, kamari, monomi, rappa, toppa
• Tokyo/Edo: ommitsu, oniwaban
• Yamanashi: mitsumono, seppa or suppa, bitches, denuki
• Aichi: kyodan
• Fukui: shinobi or shinobu
• Nigata: nokizura, kyodo, kyodan, kikimono-yaku, kanshi or kansha
• Shiga/Koga Key words: senkunin, senku-no-mono, Koga-no-mono, Koga-shu, ongyo-no-mono
• Mie/Iga: Iga no mono, Iga Shu, shinobi no mono
• Okayama: Fuma Kainin
• Yamashiro and Yamato: suppa, dakko, ukami or ukagami
• Kai: suppa, mitsu-no-mono
• Echigo and Ecchu: nokizaru, kanshi, kikimono-yaku
• Mutsu/Miyagi: kuro-habaki
• Mutsu/Aomori: nayamichi-no-mono, shinobi
• Sagami: kusa, monomi, rappa
• Echizen and Wakasa: shinobi

Word " ninja"in the form to which we are accustomed, it became popular relatively recently - at the beginning of the twentieth century. Until that moment, reading was mainly used" shinobi" or " shinobi-no-mono" - "one who steals". And if with concepts or syllabic elements " jutsu" - "technique, method of application" and " -ja" - "one who uses (something)"there are almost no problems in translation, then with the element " nin"It's more difficult.

The easiest way to kanji (hieroglyph)" nin" can be understood in the meaning " tolerate", "endure", "test". The next layer of semantic meaning is already much closer to the activities of shinobi: " crouching", "secret" or " invisible".

But if you break the kanji " nin" into two parts, then we get another combination of two ideograms: hieroglyph " syn" or " kokoro"meaning" spirit" or " a heart" (in its spiritual, not physiological sense), located under the hieroglyph " yaiba"meaning" blade"(like the blade of a sword or saber). The film involuntarily comes to mind" Heart under the blade", dedicated to the Romeo-Juliet conflict among shinobi.

Nin = Kokoro + Yaiba

Some prefer to go even further, and smash the hieroglyph " yaiba"two more parts -" Ha" ("sting") and " then" ("sword"), together forming the expression " sword sting", weakly docking with just " blade". As a result, we have an unprecedented abundance of translations and variations in which everyone tries to most accurately guess the full meaning of kanji " nin".

Within the meaning of, " ninja" and " ninjutsu", of course, it is most adequate to translate all the same as" one who steals" and " art of invisibility". But this does not prevent us from defining adepts, as written in " shoninki", as " those who put their heart under the edge of the sword", implying both a completely non-illusory risk of a shinobi's life on assignments, and also symbolically - eternal life under the hanging sword of Damocles.

But " nin" also " the will that holds back the sting of the sword", which turns ninjutsu into " endurance path", where endurance by its nature manifests itself on the physical, mental and moral planes. This means the ability to endure pain and humiliation (taking the form of a crippled beggar, for example); knowing how to spend hours in stillness and invisibility; the ability to endure suffering, hiding the pain of wounds in the depths of his heart and hiding it from others, for the sole purpose of fulfilling his mission.

More " ninjutsu"can also be understood as" the art of uniting the mind with the blade". The mind, controlling the body, which is an instrument for performing the task, acts with amazing clarity and infallibility, using any methods. This brings ninjutsu closer to many well-known Japanese martial arts that study the path (" Before") an absolute search for the unity of spirit and body.

Finally, in a nod to the esoteric aspects of the phenomenon, ninjutsu can eventually be translated as " the art of the hidden mind", "secrets of the heart" or " secret, secret knowledge".