How to Read “七乞食”
Shichi kojiki
Meaning of “七乞食”
“Seven beggars” is a proverb meaning that even if one thing doesn’t go well, there are many other methods and possibilities available.
This proverb is used when facing difficult situations or when failing with one approach. “Seven” represents “many” or “various,” and “beggars” referred to the act of “asking for alms” at that time. In other words, it’s an expression born from the idea that even if you’re turned away at one house, there are many other houses you can ask at.
In modern times, it’s understood in situations like job hunting where if you’re rejected by one company, there are many other companies out there, or if you fail with one method, there are other approaches available. The reason for using this proverb is to give courage to keep looking for the next possibility without giving up. It’s used to encourage people who have experienced failure or setbacks by telling them that there are still many options available and not to lose hope.
Origin and Etymology
The origin of “Seven beggars” is generally believed to have emerged from the merchant world of the Edo period. During this era, commerce came with various difficulties, but especially traveling merchants and those who had just started their businesses often faced harsh realities.
The number “seven” has long been used in Japan to mean “many” or “various.” Similar to “seven falls, eight rises” and “seven tools,” it expresses completeness and diversity here as well. On the other hand, “beggars,” unlike in modern times, was used to mean “people who ask for alms.”
The background to the birth of this proverb lies in the development of commercial society during the Edo period. Merchants constantly traveled to various places seeking new business opportunities, sometimes accumulating failures. Within this context, the wisdom of merchants was embedded – that even if one business didn’t go well, there was potential for success through different methods or in different places.
Particularly among traveling merchants, it was important to maintain hope that even if they were turned away in one place, they might be accepted in the next. It’s believed that the expression “Seven beggars” came to be used as this kind of spiritual support.
Usage Examples
- I was rejected in the first interview, but as they say “Seven beggars,” there are still plenty of chances
- Even if this proposal doesn’t get approved, it’s “Seven beggars,” so let’s think of another suggestion
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, the concept of “Seven beggars” may be more important than ever before. In the information age, choices have expanded infinitely, and a single failure rarely becomes fatal.
Looking at the job market, in modern times where the lifetime employment system has collapsed, having multiple career paths has become normal. Freelancing and side jobs have become commonplace, and the concept of “multiple jobs” – diversifying income sources – has emerged. This can truly be called the modern version of “Seven beggars.”
With the spread of the internet, it has become possible for individuals to earn income through various methods. Video distribution on YouTube, affiliate marketing through blogs, selling skills online – countless methods of “begging” that were unimaginable in the past now exist.
On the other hand, having too many choices has created a new problem called “choice fatigue.” With so many possibilities available, more people are becoming confused about which to choose.
Also, with the spread of social media making others’ successes more visible, anxiety about a single failure has also intensified. However, this is precisely why the spirit of “Seven beggars” – the optimistic thinking that if one thing doesn’t work, there are others – serves as important support for modern people’s mental health.
When AI Hears This
The survival strategy demonstrated by “shichi-kojiki” (seven beggars) from the Edo period shares striking similarities with today’s gig economy. The way craftsmen and merchants of that era diversified their income by mastering multiple skills mirrors exactly how modern freelancers take on work across various platforms.
What’s fascinating is that both represent “stabilization strategies that turn instability to their advantage.” Edo period craftsmen faced the risk of income disruption from weather changes and demand fluctuations if they relied on just one skill. So they mastered multiple trades—carpentry, plastering, tatami-making—and flexibly switched between jobs according to seasonal and market changes. Today’s gig workers operate similarly, maintaining multiple income streams through Uber delivery, design work, online tutoring, and more, creating a system where other sources can compensate when one type of work decreases.
Even more noteworthy is the value system that prioritizes “adaptability over specialization.” The “shichi-kojiki” of the Edo period chose to be reasonably competent across seven fields rather than becoming a master in one area. Today, too, the mainstream approach is shifting away from pursuing lifetime employment at a single company toward combining multiple skills to enhance market value.
The fact that common people’s wisdom from 400 years ago was essentially identical to cutting-edge digital-age work styles reveals the universal nature of human survival instincts.
Lessons for Today
What “Seven beggars” teaches modern people is the importance of having the courage to continue challenging without fearing failure. By maintaining hope that even if one path is closed, there are always other paths, life becomes richer.
In modern society, we tend to see only others’ successes on social media and take our own failures too heavily. However, if you acquire the mindset of “Seven beggars,” you can look toward new possibilities without stopping at a single setback.
What’s important is not being too attached to pride. Rather than suffering by clinging to one method, try a different approach flexibly. That will ultimately bring more chances to your life.
Employment, romance, hobbies, human relationships… the spirit of “Seven beggars” can be applied in any field. Don’t fear being turned away, but don’t get too depressed when you are turned away either – just try knocking on the next door. Such a light-hearted way of living might be the wisdom for surviving in modern times.
Comments