The Tale of The Tale of GenjiGenji
Romantic HeroRomantic Hero
How is Genji described?How is Genji described? Feelings, not actions Feelings, not actions
Tears (p. 117)Tears (p. 117) The Imperial CourtThe Imperial Court
Power politicsPower politics Rituals of LoveRituals of Love Lover, artist, poetLover, artist, poet
Heian Court SocietyHeian Court Society
Heian Period (794-1185) Heian Period (794-1185) Establishment of capital in HeiankyEstablishment of capital in Heiankyōō
Court RanksCourt Ranks 10 in all, 3 top ones can become princes10 in all, 3 top ones can become princes
Decline of Emperor’s powerDecline of Emperor’s power Growth of Private Estates (Growth of Private Estates (shshōōenen)) Rise of Fujiwara ClanRise of Fujiwara Clan
Huge landholderHuge landholder
Fujiwara Regent System (959-1068)Fujiwara Regent System (959-1068)
Emperor
Prime MinisterMinister of the Left
Minister of the Right Major Counselor
Cabinet
8 Ministries
Advisor
Imperial Consort
Crown Prince=Future Emperor
Marriage politics
RegentKanpaku
The The MonogatariMonogatari
Vernacular taleVernacular tale Tale of the Bamboo CutterTale of the Bamboo Cutter (909) (909) Tales of IseTales of Ise (947) (947)
Invention of Invention of KanaKana A way to write spoken JapaneseA way to write spoken Japanese
Main writers are women, lower aristocracy Main writers are women, lower aristocracy Sei Shonagon, The Pillow BookSei Shonagon, The Pillow Book Murasaki Shikibu, The Tale of GenjiMurasaki Shikibu, The Tale of Genji
HiraganaHiragana 平仮名 平仮名
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Murasaki ShikibuMurasaki Shikibu((970?-1014?) 970?-1014?)
•The name
• Wrote Tale of Genji (Genji monogatari) And Murasaki Shikibu Diary (1010)
• Fujiwara Branch, daughter of Provincial Governor
•Married 999, husband died in two years,one daughter
• Served as lady-in-waiting in Empress Shôshi’s literary salon 1005
• Genji circulating by1022 (54 books)
Key Fujiwara Figures and Literary Salons
Empress Shôshi(Akiko)
Emperor IchijôEmpress Sadako
*Michinaga
Korechika
Michitaka
*Fujiwara noKaneie
AkikoEmperor
Enyû
Sei ShônagonMurasaki Shikibu
Izumi Shikibu
Rival Literary Salons
* = RegentsPink=femaleBlue=malePurple=salons
* = RegentsPink=FemaleBlue=MalePurple=Salons
2 Emperors
Beaten by Michinaga
Why is Why is Tale of GenjiTale of Genji so famous? so famous?
First novelFirst novel Buddhist theme of Buddhist theme of
Impermanence (Impermanence (mono no mono no awareaware))
First Psychological novelFirst Psychological novel Model classic for 1000 Model classic for 1000
yearsyears StructureStructure
1-33: Glory and Youth1-33: Glory and Youth 34-41: Conflict and Death34-41: Conflict and Death 42-44: (authorship questioned)42-44: (authorship questioned) 45-54: Uji chapters 45-54: Uji chapters
Chapter 1: Paulownia Court Chapter 1: Paulownia Court
Probably written laterProbably written later stories circulated hand to handstories circulated hand to hand serializedserialized later ones insertedlater ones inserted
Set in vague time, but Fujiwara periodSet in vague time, but Fujiwara period Genji’s parentsGenji’s parents
EmperorEmperor Lowly concubine, without backingLowly concubine, without backing
Birth of Genji, “shining prince”Birth of Genji, “shining prince” Korean physiognomistKorean physiognomist Becomes a “commoner” p. 15Becomes a “commoner” p. 15
The Lowly ConcubineThe Lowly Concubine
Ranking of multiple wives (emperor’s Ranking of multiple wives (emperor’s consorts)consorts)
Women named by residenceWomen named by residence Kokiden CourtKokiden Court Paulownia CourtPaulownia Court
Analogy to Yang Gui FeiAnalogy to Yang Gui Fei Bo Juyi “Song of Everlasting Sorrow” 12Bo Juyi “Song of Everlasting Sorrow” 12 ““In the sky, as birds that share a wing.In the sky, as birds that share a wing. On earth, as trees that share a branch.”On earth, as trees that share a branch.”
Inside theInside the
Royal Palace Royal Palace
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PaulowniaCourt
Youth of Shining PrinceYouth of Shining Prince
Beauty, but not of highest statusBeauty, but not of highest status ““Jewel,” “private treasure” p. 4Jewel,” “private treasure” p. 4
Blessed by the heavens, p. 120 Blessed by the heavens, p. 120 PrecociousPrecocious
Musical talentMusical talent Capping ceremonyCapping ceremony Marries daughter of Minister of Left at 12Marries daughter of Minister of Left at 12
Pop QuizPop Quiz
Please be quiet and put your notes awayPlease be quiet and put your notes away Write your name and section timeWrite your name and section time
Genji and PsychoanalysisGenji and Psychoanalysis
Freud and the Oedipus ComplexFreud and the Oedipus Complex Every boy falls in love with mother and wants to supplant Every boy falls in love with mother and wants to supplant
his fatherhis father Stage of psychological developmentStage of psychological development
Genji, the Emperor, and FujitsuboGenji, the Emperor, and Fujitsubo Fujitsubo: surrogate motherFujitsubo: surrogate mother Longs for mother at 12Longs for mother at 12
Eventually Son/Stepmother become lovers, Fujitsubo Eventually Son/Stepmother become lovers, Fujitsubo pregnant, baby resembles Genji and later becomes pregnant, baby resembles Genji and later becomes emperoremperor
Love in ancient JapanLove in ancient Japan
Love never about happiness, fulfillmentLove never about happiness, fulfillment Unsatisfied longing Unsatisfied longing Sadness of partingSadness of parting Fear of abandonmentFear of abandonment Raging jealousyRaging jealousy MortalityMortality
Mono no awareMono no aware Aesthetic reaction to ephemeralityAesthetic reaction to ephemerality Symbolized by seasonsSymbolized by seasons
Chapter 4: Genji’s youthChapter 4: Genji’s youth
Experience with women (125)Experience with women (125) FlirtsFlirts Rokujo (lady of the 6th ward)Rokujo (lady of the 6th ward)
OlderOlder Extremely cultivatedExtremely cultivated
Sanjo (lady of the 3rd Ward) also AoiSanjo (lady of the 3rd Ward) also Aoi Political marriagePolitical marriage ColdCold
Map of Kyoto (HeiankyMap of Kyoto (Heiankyōō))
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Evening FacesEvening Faces
Genji’s NurseGenji’s Nurse Members of aristocracy raised by nursesMembers of aristocracy raised by nurses Koremitsu Koremitsu ““Pure Land Buddhism”Pure Land Buddhism”
Neighborhoods in the city 128Neighborhoods in the city 128 Similarity with Genji’s mother storySimilarity with Genji’s mother story
Love and inferior social statusLove and inferior social status Woman diesWoman dies
YugaoYugao
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Evening FacesEvening Faces
First contact: sent a fan with poemFirst contact: sent a fan with poem Common poetic “vehicle”Common poetic “vehicle” Calligraphy “suggested cultivation and taste”Calligraphy “suggested cultivation and taste”
Concealment of identities Concealment of identities Yugao taken away and dies in strange place Yugao taken away and dies in strange place Spirit Possession, p. 130Spirit Possession, p. 130 Pollution of hero, p. 132 Pollution of hero, p. 132 Funeral and 49 daysFuneral and 49 days
PoetryPoetry
Allusion to poetry (Kokinshuu)Allusion to poetry (Kokinshuu) Poetry as conversational exchangePoetry as conversational exchange Poetry in courting, p. 129Poetry in courting, p. 129 Form of poetryForm of poetry
Short, 31 syllablesShort, 31 syllables TankaTanka Translated as coupletsTranslated as couplets
Physical BeautyPhysical Beauty
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Kaimami “peeping through space”
Murasaki Shikibu nikki ekotobaMurasaki Shikibu nikki ekotoba(early 13(early 13thth C) C)
ShintoShinto
Pre-scientific explanation of phenomena of Pre-scientific explanation of phenomena of nature, nature as filled with spiritsnature, nature as filled with spirits
Three-fold divisionThree-fold division Heaven, world of spiritsHeaven, world of spirits Earth, human realmEarth, human realm Underworld, burial of deadUnderworld, burial of dead
Purity in Shinto: washing of bodyPurity in Shinto: washing of body
SuperstitionsSuperstitions
HoroscopesHoroscopes Unlucky directions, connected with season, Unlucky directions, connected with season,
time of day, etc.time of day, etc. Spiritual possession 130Spiritual possession 130 Pollution or defilementPollution or defilement