History: Samurai Portrait

• Tsuwamono (兵)
An old term for a soldier popularized by Matsuo Bashō in his famous haiku. Literally means "vessel, tool, weapon" (cf. Japanese utsuwa 器 and utsuwamono 器物). Possibly from a calque of Chinese 兵 bīng, which likewise can mean either "soldier, pawn" or "weapon, arms (of attack, as opposed to 甲 jiǎ "armor, defensive arms")."