Kakyo - Zeami's Fundamental Principles of Acting. Part Three

Kakyo: Zeami's Fundamental Principles of Acting. Part ThreeAuthor(s): Mark J. NearmanSource: Monumenta Nipponica, Vol. 38, No. 1 (Spring, 1983), pp. 49-71Published by: Sophia UniversityStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2384011 .Accessed: 11/02/2014 20:38

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Kaky&

Zeami's Fundamental Principles of Acting

Part Three

by MARK J NEARMAN

In the first part of this article, published in the autumn issue of Monumenta Nip- ponica, pp. 333-74, the author provided an introduction to the theatre treatise Kakyo tJ, 1424, by the Noh master Zeami Motokiyo IfJ:5it. The treatise outlines those aspects in the process of artistic development that have a universal significance because they are based on a profound awareness and understanding of the nature of human creativity and are not simply the product of a personal or subjective view of art. Hence, the work goes beyond the level of a technical training manualfor Noh acting to make a major contribution to the study of the phenomena of the theatre and their relation to aesthetics and the psycho-spiritual processes that underlie any creative art. A translation, together with a detailed commentary, of Zeami's six basic principles of acting was then provided. The second part of the article appeared in the winter issue, pp. 459-96, and contained a translation of and a commentary on the first nine of the twelve practical topics making up the latter part of the treatise; the final three topics are dealt with in this third and last install- ment of the article.


NEARMAN: Kakyo 51

[Section 10] Concerning Criticism [from the Actor's Perspective]

When it comes to talking about 'critiquing acting', the preferences of people are highly diverse. Hence, what will accord with the hearts of everyone does not readily or easily occur. Even so, [the actor] should take as his [critical] base [the acting done] by an established master who has been singularly acclaimed234 by the public.

To start with, [the actor] can recognize this [more effective acting which audiences prefer] by carefully differentiating in both sight and sound the moments in a given performance235 when the acting works and when it does not work.236 With given performances where the acting works, there are three [types of effects]: visual, auditory, and mental.2 3 7

What I call 'acting that works from the visual [standpoint]' is [that which occurs in] a given performance where no sooner [has the show] begun than the audience gets caught up [in it], the spectators high and low give voice to their feelings because the appearance of the way that the dancing [i.e., the moving] and reciting are done is interesting [to them], and [the overall effect] looks brilliant. This is acting that works from the visual [standpoint]. Such an occasion is a performance at which everyone-those with a discerning eye, it goes without saying, but even those who do not know that much about acting-unanimously feel, 'How interesting!'

Yet there is something about this kind of acting that the actor must be aware of. At a place where the acting works too well and the viewer's spirits are exhilarated to the extent that [everything] is interesting no matter what is done, the gap between what the audience sees and how it

234 A free translation of oshiidasaru IT 1? s ;, literally, 'to be squeezed or pushed out', as a fighter from a ring. Zeami's use implies that the audience has pushed the actor from the circle of ordinary actors into a position of singular prominence or, in Zeami's words, of being considered 'an exception among exceptions' (Kyakuraika, p. 163). The verb derives from oshiidasu, which in medieval times had an additional meaning of 'to be well known'.

235 Toza ' rm customarily refers either to 'a given instance, the immediate moment' or

to 'the acting company in question', but context implies a more literal meaning as 'a given [moment of] performance' as an instance of an actual performance in contrast with acting in general.

236 Idekitaru ,?XtK , 'to succeed, to be competent', or, in Western theatre par- lance, 'to work', that is, to succeed by being effective in holding the audience's interest.

237 For a correlation of these terms with Zeami's upper three levels of performing and Buddhist psychology, see Kyui, pp. 304 & 322-25.


52 Monumenta Nipponica, xxxvIII: 1

emotionally responds238 disappears, and there is a tendency239 for the acting to go a bit astray.

[Also,] at a point where the actor gets caught up in the enthusiasm [of his audience] and pushes the stage effect [he is trying to create] to the limit, the gap between the viewer's spirit and the actor's spirit disappears. The boundaries that delimit effective moments get confused and there are signs that the acting is shifting toward the flashy240 and is going bad. I consider these [situations] defects of [momentary] over- acting.24'

[To remedy the condition] at such times, [the actor] creates a respite by restraining his acting, by holding in a little on his expression of emotions and on his demeanor, and by letting the spectator's eye and mind rest; [then] if the [next] interest[-arousing] place is done calmly while he slows down his breathing,242 an increased feeling of interest will [thereby] be produced [in the audience], and as the program pro- gresses, his emotional impact will not be spent. [Theatrical] achieve- ments like this in sarugaku I call 'acting that works from the visual [standpoint]'.

As the contents of this section reveal, the term 'criticism' does not refer to the manner in which a theatre critic might analyze or evaluate a performance for the benefit of spectators. Rather, it is concerned with the techniques by which an actor or his teacher can make use of audience response as well as the performances of other actors for developing his own skills. The section is therefore to a great degree an expansion and practical analysis of the import behind Zeami's earlier remark that to further his development an actor should pay attention to both com- plimentary remarks and negative critiques.

More significantly, Zeami shows how audience responses can be utilized pro- fitably even though spectator preferences are naturally diverse. As later parts of this section of the text will indicate, Zeami makes two basic differentiations among audience types. First, he distinguishes between 'connoisseurs', that is, those with a discerning eye, and 'audiences in general', that is, those whose response is basically less critical. Second, he observes differences in the responses of urban and provincial audiences. However, his remarks are not depreciatory of any of these

238 Shonin no mekokoro (or mokushin) M,J N W1L', literally, '[between] everyone's eye and mind (heart)'.

239 t Tn, 'tendency, sign', refers to an effect that can serve as a 'mark' or 'symptom' for identifying a cause. Here, it refers to situations in a performance symptomatic of troubles that the actor can and should correct.

240 Kecho 8X :C 5 appears in Muromachi-

period texts in reference to something pro- minent in a gaudy or spectacular way (zz, p. 102).

241 In contrast with a Level Eight actor's unrestrained or deliberate 'hamming' (Kyii, pp. 309-10).

242 Iki o tsukaseru ,thSl: might be translated more precisely as 'to lengthen [the expulsion of] the breath'.


NEARMAN: Kakyo 53

types of viewers but attempt to aid the actor in evaluating the nature of a given response from diverse audiences so that he may gauge his performing accordingly.

Further, Zeami distinguishes three kinds of successful acting. By implication, the professional actor in Zeami's school would be expected to fully master all three. As these are not completely self-explanatory, Zeami's analysis of each will be immediately followed by a commentary.

The first kind, given above, Zeami designates as 'acting that works from the visual standpoint'. Despite the epithet 'visual', this kind of performing is not li- mited to those aspects which the spectator can actually see, such as dancing, mime, mask, and costume, but includes reciting and music as well. Hence, the term 'visual' refers to the more concrete aspects of presentation that a spectator can 'point to' and identify as the source of his response. Acting of this kind, Zeami finds, has a direct and universal appeal even though there would undoubtedly be personal differences in the quality of the experience for spectators. For viewers, such acting would probably be consonant with the idea of theatre as entertainment.

Some problems arise from this first type of acting, and Zeami duly cautions against them. Because of its emphasis on brilliance, such performing may oversti- mulate the audience, and if the actor does not pace his performance properly, his audience gets caught up in its own excitement and loses sight of the specific points that the actor is creating. As a result, the larger pattern of the acting will be missed by the audience, and even though the performing in general may be well received, its greater impact will be lost. The spectators, caught up in their own enthusiasm, ultimately exhaust and enervate themselves instead of being refreshed and revitalized by the actor's mastery of performing.

Furthermore, an actor may himself get caught up in the enthusiasm of the audience. Although he may feel he is succeeding marvelously well, he would actually only be indulging in feelings of personal satisfaction. As a result, his performance will substitute flashiness for genuine brilliance, as he attempts to 'top himself' by producing higher and higher keyed climaxes. However, by applying the techniques that Zeami recommends for keeping a rein on the audience's enthusiasm, the trained actor will be able to draw the spectators away from excessive emotionality without losing their attention or altogether extinguishing their enthusiasm.

What I call 'acting that works from the auditory [standpoint]' is done in a quiet [but heartfelt] manner243 from the outset; the reciting is all but set to a modal key244 and [the effect] is interesting in its gracefulness.

243 The meaning of shimijimi in context is uncertain. As Nose, i, p. 394, implies, the acting from the beginning would be done with composure, which suggests that the actor's performing is to be more subdued from the outset with emphasis on the 'musical' aspects (rhythm, gracefulness) rather than on the pictorial aspects associated with a visually predominant mode of acting.

244 Yagate ongyoku choshi ni au

MP+{ - refers to the actor's conscious stressing of the tonal aspect of speech. Tanaka, p. 149, among others has suggested that this phrase means that the reciting should be brought into accord with the tone or pitch of the flute. But such a technique would occur on all levels of trained acting by application of Zeami's First Principle, and would therefore not be a unique characteristic of this type of acting, as the text implies.


54 Monumenta Nipponica, xxxviii: 1

These, in general, are [the kinds of] feelings engendered [in a spectator] by recitation.245 They are the feelings [that arise] when a supremely skilled [actor] goes into the strong points [in his performance]. [But] the more discerning in provincial [audiences],246 for instance, do not think all that much of the savor [of the experience] achieved by this manner.247

Since the supremely skilled [actor] is proficient in a variety of stylistic effects [produced] naturally by his own mind,248 this sort of acting becomes ever more interesting. If a second-string actor249 were to perform at a time when his concentration was not all that developed yet he [still] wanted to act in that [more advanced] manner [of creative acting], there would in the end be a lessening [in the imnpact of his acting].

When [an actor] does his performing while cooling down [the superficial expression of intensity] and producing [his effects] with serenity and [an aesthetically] pleasing [grace], a situation may occur where the look of the acting becomes low key2 50 as the pieces in the program pile up. Aware of this [problem], the actor should concentrate a little more intensely on his performing and should entice the minds of the spectators by selectively displaying interesting highlights and should adjust the look [achieved through his acting] by [alternately] holding back and opening up.

With a supremely skilled [actor], [his performance] turns out all the more interesting at the points where the [spectator's] objectified view2 51

245 Hence, the source of the epithet 'auditory'.

246 Tanaka, p. 149, n. 13, suggests that inaka mekiki ^EIJJ may mean not only 'a rural connoisseur' but also 'a self-centered [opinionated ?] connoisseur'. However, the relevance of the latter interpretation to the context is difficult to grasp.

247 That is, they are apt to prefer brilliance over subtlety.

248 That is, a personal creation as distinct from a learned model.

249 As the text implies, nakatsuashi r-P 1 does not necessarily refer to a 'second-rate actor', but rather to one who has not yet attained a fuller technical mastery although trained sufficiently that he could perform with a professional company.

250 Although shizumu &5W lexically means 'to be submerged, to become depressed or gloomy', it appears in Zeami as a technical

term for a generally positive effect that may become negative when in an excessive state. It appears close to the Western term 'low key', that is, markedly subdued.

Like its Western counterpart, shizumu refers to acting intended to pull the audience into a deeper state of concentration in contrast to a brilliance that derives from energy projected out to the audience by the actor and which excites and stimulates the enthusiasm of the viewer.

251 Enken I&, literally, 'a view at a distance', refers to the spectator's spontaneous experience of a type of aesthetic distance that would replace the more superficial empathy and enthusiasm aroused by the brilliance that Zeami associates with 'visually' appealing acting. The viewer having this experience becomes aware of deeper meanings and significance in the performance than the surface content alone could convey.


NEARMAN: Kaky5 55

of the apparent significance of his movements and reciting spontaneously arises from [the interaction of] the given repertory piece [with the actor's] body [as his expressive medium] and his mind. A second-string actor, thinking out [his performance] completely [in advance] and following the repertory [as he has learned it], will regard [his acting] as though it were not low key.252

This [acting with 'auditory' appeal] in addition should not appear in the eyes of the spectator as [if] 'He's doing it [that way] so that it won't be [negatively] low key!' The spectator should just respond as if he felt only 'How interesting it's become !'2 5 3

Treat these [techniques] as an actor's secrets and as 'tricks of the trade'.2 5 Instances of acting like this I call 'acting that works from the auditory [standpoint]'.

The second kind of appeal Zeami associates with the experience of hearing. That is, it correlates with those performance aspects that transcend the surface content, which can be readily 'seen' by spectators. To that degree, it refers to a deeper level of impact from a performance and not just to recitation per se.

As Zeami cautions, this more subtle kind of acting requires a more sophisticated spectator for conscious appreciation. Therefore, he seems to recommend that the actor stress brilliance when performing before less sophisticated audiences and leave subtlety for more select occasions. Nevertheless, his examples of the use of this kind of acting imply that it could be employed effectively in combination with the previous type of performing.

To achieve this more subtle effect requires that the actor tone down emphasis on the outer expression of his performance so that the deeper 'resonances' may be 'heard' by the viewer. However, like 'visually' appealing acting, this 'auditory' type also has its pitfalls. The acting may simply become too low key to be effective, as it requires for success that the actor has developed skills in maintaining inner intensity and concentration while modifying its outer expression, and then playing with his audience by holding back and revealing this inner intensity at carefully chosen points.

Beyond this, the main problems would arise with actors on less developed levels attempting to emulate the restraint of their more advanced models. Those less skilled would end up with a flat performance if they had not yet mastered the techniques for maintaining inner intensity. On the other hand, if they were still working on a level where they were tied to their teacher's models, they would not feel free to deviate from what has been established in training sessions.

252 That is, keeping to what he has been taught, he cannot play creatively with levels of intensity in performance to stimulate the spectator to discover deeper levels of significance.

253 That is, the spectator is so drawn into the performance that he does not openly say

but only thinks, 'How interesting!', in contrast with the visually stimulated viewer who is more prone to audible expression of his feelings.

254 Koshitsu (or kojitsu) . literally, 'ancient truths', that is, tried and true methods.



Also of significance is Zeami's idea that this type of acting has an impact on the viewer which produces a spontaneous feeling of depth. The actor who has attained this high level of development has learned how to bring his individual creativity into play. This creativity would now be used to stimulate the viewer's creativity needed for him to discover the deeper significances in an artistic expression.

With 'acting that works from the [standpoint of] mind', there are indefinably wonderful places in the sarugaku [performance] of the supremely skilled [actor] where the acting is done with a tranquil simplicity [while] the two modes of performing [i.e., reciting and movement], the characterization, as well as the plot [interest] are nothing in particular beyond [what is in] the repertory piece [itself].255 I also call this 'a cooled-down mode of performing'. This level is unfamiliar even to a discerning connoisseur. Even more, provincial connoisseurs and the like do not as much as approach the thought [of such a level existing]. This [type of acting] may simply be experienced [by a viewer] as, say, an auspicious effect achieved by a supremely skilled [actor]. I call this [type] 'acting that works from the [standpoint of] mind'; I also call it 'acting beyond mind' as well as 'acting beyond pattern'. [The actor] should be aware of, differentiate, and recognize the many [types] of such highly detailed effects.

The third kind of appeal, which Zeami associates with the mind, is generally not recognized consciously even by the most sophisticated viewers because it transcends both the 'visible' forms of expression associated with performance patterns and the 'audible' resonances of meaning associated with the mind's dis- criminative functions. Hence, Zeami refers to this kind of acting effect as 'beyond pattern' and 'beyond mind'. Nevertheless, this kind of acting creates an impact on the spectator even though he is not conscious of it.

Because Zeami throughout his treatises places great value on the actor who can attain this level of performing that 'works from the mind', it may be useful to make some observations on the type of acting implied. Basically, it derives from the abi- lity of an advanced actor to transform even the most simple and seemingly infertile material into an effective piece of acting. At the same time, he should not appear to achieve this effectiveness by highly coloring his material, for that would call undue attention to subject matter that in itself does not warrent emphasis. The effect is to be achieved solely by the power of the actor's mind and requires consum- mate skill and a profound understanding of the nature of acting.

The impact of this type of acting will transcend anything that the spectator would select as particularly effective, since it would outwardly appear as if the actor were doing nothing in particular. Yet it would be mandatory for the teacher

255 That is, there is nothing in the actor's performing that appears on the surface as notably inventive or singularly moving, and

yet the viewer is held and becomes totally absorbed in the performance beyond any judgmental thought or feeling.


NEARMAN: Kakyo 57

and the actor to be able to recognize this effect when it occurs on stage and to realize that this advanced state of the art is one that all actors theoretically are capable of attaining.

Generally speaking, there are some people who have just a discerning eye but do not know [what] acting [is about]. There are also those who know [what] acting [is about] yet do not have a discerning eye. When the eye and the understanding are in accord, [such a person] will be a good spectator.

Do not judge [an actor] on the basis of the times when the sarugaku [performance] of a skilled [actor] does not work or on the times when the sarugaku of an unskilled [actor] does work. To succeed in acting major roles2 5 6 on large stages2 5 7 is the custom of the skilled. Acting that suc- ceeds [only] on small stages or in minor roles is the custom of the unskilled. The actor who performs with an understanding of the way to interest his viewers will have the power to command respect258 for his acting.

Further, the viewer who discerns the spirit of the actor while watching the acting will be a viewer who knows [what] acting [is all about].

For critiquing [fellow actors], it is said, 'Forget259 about the [theatrical effects] achieved and look at [the deeper meaning implied by] the acting. Disregarding the acting, look at the actor. Disregarding the actor, look at his spirit. Disregarding the spirit, comprehend [what] acting [is all about]!'

Zeami's analyses of audience types and general principles of criticism seem sufficiently clear that they need no further comment. The procedure for developing skill into seeing into the nature of acting with which Zeami ends this section has extended meanings that he will explore in the final section of the text.

256 Daiji &4, 'major roles', is in contrast with katawaki )t- 'minor or supporting [roles]' in the next sentence. The two terms may also mean respectively 'major events', such as at festivals and court-supported functions, and 'the byways', that is, in the provinces.

257 Oniwa AS, literally, 'large gardens', refers to performances before large audiences, in contrast to koniwa uJJ,, 'small gardens', probably meaning the smaller and more intimate performing areas associated with private performances.

258 Omote, zz, p. 104, interprets toku aru PPM 6 as 'to gain profit', implying that for Zeami the goal of acting was primarily economic. However, the view that economic benefits should be derived from a reputation for fine acting would be more in keeping with Zeami's previously stated views.

259 Zeami's use of the word wasuru = as the first verb in each of the sentences in this final paragraph covers a wide range of meanings that no single equivalent consistently conveys: 'to forget, to disregard, to put out of one's mind, to ignore'.



[Section 11] Concerning the Way to Practice the Auditory [Aspect of Acting]260

The methods of practice [related to what is recited] are [of] two kinds. [With] one, the person who composes the text for reciting26' will fashion with [prior] knowledge of performance modes a sequence of words in a pleasing manner. And [with] the other, the person who recites will differentiate the syllables [into words] while adding the intonational line.262

In the first part of his more detailed analysis of the vocalized aspect of acting, Zeami makes a distinction between the actor and what today would be called the playwright, although in Zeami's time the concept of a 'playwright' as a completely independent professional artist did not yet exist, as playscripts were composed for the most part by actors. Nevertheless, Zeami's statement that the one who fashions the text should have a practical knowledge of the various modes of performing suggests that persons other than actors may have begun to write scripts for possible performance. However, they would presumably have been amateurs cour- tiers, priests, and other members of the educated gentry. Although scripts by such authors have occasionally been given courtesy performances, none of the plays that have survived in the standard Noh repertory seems to have been composed by someone other than a trained actor.

Not all professional actors were expected to be playwrights for their family companies, but their acting tasks were considered the same by Zeami. The actor was the person responsible for interpreting the meaning of the words what Zeami calls 'differentiating the syllables' into words and the manner in which these words would be made vocally expressive through the adding of an intonational line.

In Noh practice today, this responsibility appears at least superficially to have been modified through the establishment of traditions of performing. The intonational lines are now 'scored' as part of the script used by the student, and their method of performance passed on to him by his teacher. But Zeami evidently expected the actor himself to handle the major responsibility for oral interpretation. However, even today, in the performances of Noh masters differences between the recitational model set down in the script and the actual manner of performance can often be detected.

260 Onshado5 no Koto (or On [o] Narau Michi no Koto) E Some later manuscript copies have the title as Ongyoku no Koto M A;LA, 'Concerning Recitation'.

261 Utai no hon AQV*, literally, 'the basis of what is recited', Zeami's term for a play- script from the composer's viewpoint, was later contracted to utaibon, the name given

to collections of scripts prepared for training the amateur actors of the court.

262 Fushi o tsukete tXW, 'to add or affix an intonational line', implies that it is the actor himself who is to be responsible for determining the intonational pattern to be applied to the text.


NEARMAN: Kakyo 59

[The actor, as part of his preparation for performance,] adds intonational lines [with two purposes,] so that they will create an aesthetic effect [that is dependent on and] in accordance with the words,263 and so that the linkage of words in the sequence of verses, when ac- companied with the proper use of the five [principal] pitches, will be easy to listen to with its [conversationally] flowing quality264 and will [also] have a [pleasing] lilt.

Then, whenever [the actor] recites [in public], he will recite with a thorough understanding of this mode of [vocal] performing. As a [direct] result, there will be a feeling of interest [generated in the audience] in [any] place where the methods for [prior] adding [of intonational lines with an understanding of their] mode of performance and the methods [used] in [the actual] reciting are in accord [with the text as well as with the nature of the audience, time of day, etc.]265 Hence, he will make [himself] into one highly knowledgeable266 [in the art of] recitation just by his method of adding intonational lines.

When the sequence of words has been pleasing[ly fashioned by the playwright] and the [actor's selection of] high and low [tones]267 is in keeping with the performing mode, an aesthetic effect results. The intonational line is the pattern [produced by the sequence of tones], the dependent aesthetic effect is [a product of] the sequence of words, and the mode of performing [the intonational line to those words] is the spirit [of the recitation].

The distinctions between the breath and the ch'i268 [i.e., the vitality felt as the flow of energy associated with the breath] and between the

263 Kakari 9> D in Zeami's texts has customarily been interpreted by scholars as 'aesthetic effect'. However, it still seems to maintain its sense of an effect created by some element of performing having been treated as dependent on some other element, hence, a 'dependent effect'.

In the present instance, the intonational line is to be treated as a performance element dependent on the words of the text, rather than as an independent 'melody line' super- imposed on the words regardless of their semantic content.

264 Subeyaka ni , rendered here as 'flowing' in a conversational manner, derives from the verb suberu Mb, 'to glide' as on ice, which has an extended meaning of 'to slip' out of the mouth without thought.

The image created by the word is that of an easy flowing delivery (as in conversational

speech) rather than one of speech that flows by smoothly gliding from one sustained tone to the next (as in singing).

265 The specific techniques for adding intonational lines expressively to a text are given in Zeami's later treatises Fushizuke Shidai and Fugyoku Shu, cited in n. 17, above.

266 Hakase (or hakushi) t4?, the modern- day term for 'doctor of philosophy', referred in Zeami's time to one so well versed, knowledgeable, and expert in a subject that his work could serve as a model for others to learn by.

267 Context suggests that the words sumi 4 and nigori N 9 in the present instance

derive from Chinese acoustical terms meaning higher, 'clear' tones and lower, 'turbid' tones (Needhamn, p. 203), rather than refer to their more familiar present-day meaning of 'unvoiced' and 'voiced' consonants.

268 Discussed on p. 349, above.


60 Monumenta Nipponica, xxxviII: 1

intonational line and the shaping [of that line] must be thoroughly comprehended.

While Zeami's general instructions for oral interpretation of a script may seem clear enough to those trained in acting, a summary of his major points may be useful to readers with a more general interest.

The actor as interpreter is to develop his presentation on the basis of the meaning of the text rather than by superimposing an arbitrary vocal line on the words, as in singing. Effectiveness in delivery will derive in part from the use of conversationally derived patterns of intonation, as they will make the lines easy to listen to and give them a lilt. When the actor makes such intonational patterns the base for vocalization, the aesthetic effect from the audience's viewpoint will appear to arise directly from the content of the text, while the mode of shaping the line in delivery will appear as 'the spirit' of the recitation. That is, the tonality of speech as an expression of the emotional content of the text will seem to arise out of and be integrated with the semantic content of the text.

Finally, just as the actor is expected to distinguish between the physical breath and the experience of the inner flow of creative energy (ch'i) associated with breathing, so he is to differentiate between the physical intonational line and the shaping of that line expressively. That is, he is to recognize both the outer and inner ele- ments that come into play in performance and not confuse the two or ignore one in favor of the other.

In [vocal] study, it is said, 'Putting aside the [matter of production of] voice, be aware of the shaping [of the intonational line]. Putting aside the shaping, be aware of the modes [whose employment creates moods]. Putting aside the modes, be aware of rhythm.'

Also, [as] the sequence for studying recitation, first [comes] the memorizing of the lines, then the mastering of the intonational line, then the coloring [i.e., interpreting] of the intonational line, then the distinguishing of word [stress through] pronunciation [i.e., phrasing for emphasis and content], then the holding [to] the inner spirit [or intent of the passage]. The [study of] rhythm should extend over the beginning, middle, and end [of the sequence].

Zeami's procedure for vocal study needs little comment. His term wasurete .k , 'put aside, forget about', refers to the practice of mastering one element of vocal technique before shifting attention to another.

In his procedure for rehearsing, two points are of significance. First, the-actor is expected to build his performance in a systematic manner rather than strive to perform the role on 'first reading' with the fullness and intensity reserved for actual performance. Second, the actor is expected to memorize his lines before he masters how he will express them vocally.

While this latter procedure was dictated to some degree by the practice in Zeami's time of the teacher-playwright presenting the lines of the text to the actor


NEARMAN: Kakyo 61

orally rather than giving him a copy of the script, it had other merits as well. Requiring the actor to memorize the words before fixing the intonational line would tend to keep the actor from freezing onto an intonational pattern in so rigid a manner that he would be reluctant to alter or color the line delivery as his understanding of the role deepened and as the demands of the actual performing situation changed over time and place.

Concerning the treatment of the voice: [the actor] should use his voice [while keeping in mind] not to lose the time for which it is [best] suited.269

Further, as to the use of a provincial accent in recitation, a dialect pronunciation associated with intonation is not grating, but a dialect pronunciation of words [in itself] will be bad. This distinction, again, is important. Study it thoroughly.

What I call 'a dialect pronunciation of words' [is] to speak with a provincial accent by altering the pronunciation270 of words in general. What I call 'a dialect pronunciation associated with intonation' is the voice [quality] used with the [grammatical] particles written with [phonetic] kana. The pronunciation used with the particle characters depends on the stream of recited words which flows in speaking. Even though the pronunciation is a little off, it will not grate when the intonational line is good. It is said that [tonal] stress and pitch differentia- tion27' depend on what precedes. [This] is also called 'euphony'.272

269 Zeami's treatise Ongyoku Kuden, which contains an earlier version of this section on voice, follows this sentence with a description of the qualities of the voice early in the morning and then later in the day, along with suggestions for the methods of practice suitable for these different times.

Zeami's omission in Kakyo of this more specialized elaboration suggests that suita- bility of voice to time is to be taken in broader contexts. That is, physical voice quality is not absolute but relative to the state of the voice at a given time, not only from day to day but also over the various periods in the actor's life.

270 In Ongyoku Kuden an almost identical sentence occurs, except that in the earlier text Zeami has used P sho (or koe), 'voice, voicing', where in Kakyo he uses liE sh, literally, '[theatrically] apt', as an ateji for v*.

However, as Zeami in Kakyo appears to use P to refer to the physical phenomenon of voice, liE would be the quality of the vocal sound associated with 'voicing' as discussed in his First Principle, that is, the 'pronunciation'.

This relationship between P and SE therefore parallels that between fushi as 'intonational line', and kyoku as its 'mode of performance'.

271 Seidaku A in the present context is ambiguous. As a technical term in Zeami it refers to 'high and low' in terms of pitch (see n. 267, above), hence, 'pitch differentia- tion'. But it may also here refer to the practice in Japanese of voicing unvoiced consonants in certain linguistic environments.

For example, the initial unvoiced consonant [k] in the word kawa, 'river', often changes to the voiced consonant [g] when the word becomes part of a proper name, as in sumi- dagawa, 'Sumida River'.

While today such a euphonic change is indicated in printed texts by a diacritical mark, in Zeami's time such marks were usually omitted in manuscripts. If Zeami intended seidaku to refer to such phonetic changes, this would suggest that the use of manuscript copies of plays may have played a larger part in the training of professional actors than has hitherto been recognized.



It must be thoroughly [covered as part of] the oral transmission [of training techniques].

Concerning the particle words: such ending words [and syllables] written with kana as wa, ni, no, 0, ka, te, mo, and shi,273 are not hard to listen to when the aesthetic effect of the intonational line is good, even though the pronunciation is a little off. What I call 'the intonational line' and 'its mode of performance' are, in sum, reverberations of the particle syllables [which can be pronounced on contrastive tones].

As a rule, [an actor] does not perform a recitation with syllabic purity. He should recite by singling out [for emphasis the most important] among the words written with Chinese characters and by contracting or extending [the line] by means of the particle syllables.274

Furthermore, [the actor] must coordinate the four pitch patterns of 'level', 'rising', 'departing [upward]', and 'entering [downward]'.275

While Zeami's remarks on the specifics of recitation are made in reference to the properties of the Japanese language, his underlying principles have wider application. To summarize these points, the actor's voice should not show tell-tale signs of a provincial accent, specifically as far as the phonetic element of speech is concerned, as this calls attention to the speech pattern in'and of itself. The intonation associated with a provincial accent, however, would be acceptable as it does not jar the ear of the listener.

Such a use of intonation based on conversational patterns also helps give flow to the speech and bypasses the stilted quality that results from an attempt to maintain syllabic purity. 'Syllabic purity' occurs when each syllable is treated as an

272 Bin'on . has been generally interpreted by scholars as Zeami's equivalent of the modern-day onbin 'E , 'euphonic changes', such as those mentioned in the previous note.

273 These particles represent those endings and suffix-like words that occur in Japanese but not in Chinese. In other words, passages in Buddhist scriptures, written in Chinese, would have had their pronunciation stan- dardized throughout Japan by the priests and would not have been so subject to distortions due to provincial accent; whereas the 'lilt' of the Japanese intonation would come through when the polysyllabics of Japanese occurred in a script.

274 That is, the actor is to pronounce words in relation to t-heir everyday spoken context and not by a uniformly consistent pronunciation of each syllable as in reciting Buddhist texts.

275 'The four pitch patterns' (shisho V'WP)

originally referred to the tonal patterns called hyo5 T, 'level'; jo I, 'rising'; kyo X, 'departing'; and nyu k, 'entering', used by the Chinese in pronouncing and differentiating their monosyllabic, often homonomous words. But this method of inflecting each syllable does not occur in Japanese speech.

Zeami apparently adapted this terminology for his own purposes. On the basis of a passage in Komparu Zenchiku's treatise Go'on Sangyoku Sha X --P A, 'Collected Comments on the Five [Feeling] Tones and the Three Performing Modes [Used to Create Them]', zz, p. 371, the following definitions can be surmised. Hyo5 refers to maintaining level pitch on a given syllable. Kyo is an upward and nyu a downward shift of pitch at the end of a syllable. Jo is undefined, but probably refers to the rising at the beginning of a syllable from the base tone to the intended pitch level.


NEARMAN: Kakyo 63

absolute entity having a fixed pronunciation that is to be maintained regardless of context or stress. Use of syllabic purity results in what is called in Western acting approaches 'overrefined speech'. When, as in everyday speech, pronunciation is altered or modified by context, it aids in phrasing and determining emphasis.

Such recitation techniques as Zeami advocates here moves the actor toward a reinforcement of the representational and mimetic uses of speech rather than toward the more formal, 'musical' approaches associated with singing or chanting.

It says in [the Chinese classic] The History of the Han [Dynasty] [concerning] the origin of the twelve tones [used in constructing modal keys, as discussed] in [the chapter titled] 'A Monograph on Pitch Pipes and Calendars', that [the Yellow Emperor], having gone to [the legendary] Mt Konron, heard the voice of the male phoenix and the voice of the female phoenix, and derived from them the ritsu-ryo [system of tonality], etc.276 Ritsu [is] the voice of the male phoenix [and is therefore] Yang [in nature]. Ryo [is] the voice of the female phoenix [and is therefore] Yin [in nature]. Ritsu [is] the voice that descends from above [and is] the inspired breath. Ryo is the voice that ascends from below and is the expressed breath. Ritsu is the 'voice' that comes forth from the ch'i, ryo is the voice that comes forth from the breath. Ritsu is mu 1f [beyond phenomenal concreteness, i.e., the ideational or relational], ryo is u 1 [the presence of the phenomenal, that is, the manifest]. Hence, ritsu would probably be shu I [the high pitch tones], ryo would be o tA [the basic pitch].

While at first glance Zeami appears only to be reiterating his discussion of the ritsu-ryo theory of tonality which he presented in relation to his First and Sixth Principles, the Chinese quotation he uses plus his introduction of new terminology in the last two sentences of the above passage suggest that his purpose is somewhat different. In the earlier parts of the text, he employed this Chinese theory to describe the application of the voice to the art of recitation. Here, he seems to use it to describe the nature of voice itself.

He begins with a metaphorical description of the origin of produced sounds taken from the Chinese classic history of the Han dynasty. As the significance of the images in this quotation may be unfamiliar to some Western readers, the following analysis may be helpful. Mt Konron (in Chinese, K'unlun) V;, pur- ported to be in Tibet, is mentioned in the earliest Chinese texts as a magical mountain or range. To say that someone goes to this mountain is a metaphorical expression for an individual who has entered into a state of deep meditation which has led him into that inner realm whence mystical visions and powers arise.

276 Zeami's Chinese quotation is actually a paraphrase of the passage on this subject

in Chapter 21 of Han Shu (J. Kansho) ig.



While in such a meditative state, the person in the text has had a direct experience of the nature of the Yin-Yang forces. This experience has taken the form of hearing the 'voices of the male and the female phoenixes'. Unique among all animals in Chinese mythology, the phoenix is traditionally considered the direct embodiment of both Yin and Yang, whereas other creatures regardless of biolog- ical gender are viewed as being either Yin or Yang by nature. By being the direct expression of the two cosmic forces, the phoenix is considered to enjoy eternal life. Furthermore, the male as the embodiment of the Yang force has the additional property of being able to transform himself at will into a female phoenix, the embodiment of the Yin force.

To translate these metaphors into more concrete terms relating to the human voice, the person in the text while in meditation directly experienced the eternal 'voices' of the Yin as phenomenal vibratory sound and the Yang as the relationships or intervals whereby these sounds are differentiated. While manifestations of Yin are considered to have concrete phenomenal existence or pitch, which Zeami describes as u, 'having existence', Yang manifestations, strictly speaking, do not have such concreteness in that they represent relationships (tonal intervals). This lack of concreteness Zeami describes as mu, 'not existing' in a physical sense.

The ryo or Yin-like voice of the female phoenix is said t( correspond to the basic pitch of any given human voice. This pitch is the natural fundamental tone of a given voice and is equivalent in Western voice theory to the base tone produced when the voice is properly placed. In an adult's voice, this low, open tone is absolute for that particular voice, as it is determined by the length of the vocal chords and is the tone produced when air is expelled through the chords in a state of natural relaxation; or in Zeami's words, it is 'the voice that ascends from below' and is associated with 'the expressed breath'.

The tone thus produced is referred to by Zeami as J, 'the horizontal [tone]', which serves the speaker as the natural base from which all other tones will be derived by degrees of contraction of the vocal chords. As these derived tones will sound above this natural voice pitch, Zeami refers to them as shui, 'the vertical [tones]'. As the production of these tones involves a degree of mental activity and intent, they are considered to derive from an inspiration or idea (a Yang expression) that descends from above.277 This transformation of the idea of interval into actual levels of pitch corresponds to the metaphor of the transformation of the Yang-like male phoenix into the Yin-like female.

By implication from Zeami's analysis, then, the human voice is a natural instrument for expression used to create the myriad vocal effects of the actor by employment of its innherent Yin-Yang properties. That is, 'the actor's voice' is not

277 Zeami's technical terms o and shu have been subjects for considerable specula- tion among Zeami scholars. The above interpretation is based on their use in Zeami's other treatises on voice, as well as on the ideas presented in his First and Sixth Principles.

As these terms appear in Kakyo only in the above passage and once in the following section and are not comprehensively examined

in Zeami's immediate discussion, a more thorough analysis of their various other meanings is postponed until translations and commentaries for Zeami's more technical treatises on voice are completed. Meanwhile, a preliminary essay into their functional meanings can be found in zz, pp. 443-44, n. 32.


NEARMAN: Kakyo 65

a unique instrument possessed only by some selected or 'chosen' individual but is the development of a common human property.

In the Analects [there is a singular passage that] runs, 'Bear, tiger, and leopard are the pelts [that serve] as targets for the bow.'278 The tiger [is for] the child of heaven [i.e., the emperor], the leopard [is for] the gentleman [or government official], the bear [is for] the high steward. Hence, even though [in everyday situations] one would surely say, 'Tiger, leopard, bear' [following the social convention of citing things from the highest rank to the lowest], it is said [in the text] just like this [order of 'bear, tiger, and leopard'] so that the reciting of the words [aloud] will fall more euphoniously [upon the ear], and so forth.

Zeami's final point is primarily related to the use of euphony in composing a script. By citing a Confucianist text as an illustration of his point, Zeami is apparently trying to borrow authority for the view that strict adherence to social usage or established literary forms does not make the best or most effective approach to script writing. That is, sensitivity to euphony, not blind adherence to historical custom or artistic tradition, is the better guide for determining what will be artistically effective. Hence, just as the author of the quotation deviated from the conventional listing of the animals in order to produce a more felicitous spoken line, so by implication the playwright and, by extension, the actor should not feel compelled to conform strictly to established social or artistic models.

Zeami's implied criticism is of those who insist on a rigid 'purity of form' rather than trust to the impact of the artistic expression of one sensitive to the 'unseen' and unseeable Yang element that is the source of vitality, harmony, and artistic 'rightness' in creative expressions. Zeami's point also has relevance in the West, where later editors and hacks 'corrected' Shakespeare's texts to complete his lines so that they would scan properly or altered his wording so that lines would rhyme.

[Section 12] [Concerning] the Inner Grades [of an Actor's Development]

In general, this single volume has already set down the various items [relevant to the training of the actor]. There are no subjects for practice outside these [topics].279 There is nothing further [to the practice of

278 The source of this quotation is uncertain. The passage does not appear in the Analects but, as Tanaka, p. 154, n. 8, suggests, may be a composite of material drawn from two Chinese classics: The Rites of the Chou [Dynasty] (Chou Li, J. Shurai )NItL), and The [Han Dynasty] Etymological Dictionary (Shou

Wen, J. Setsumon StZ). 279 However, as his later treatises offer

ample evidence, many aspects of the subjects that Zeami presents in Kakyo became the basis for greater analysis, development, and refinement. No single Zeami treatise is ultimately 'all encompassing'. Only the total



the art] but simply 'to know acting'.280 If [the actor] does not discern the reasons for knowing acting, these various items [which have been presented here] will be for naught. [But] if indeed [an actor] should desire to know acting, he should first put aside the various [other professional] paths and concerns, absorb himself only in this art,28' and thoroughly practice [each aspect] in succession; and [then] when [the effects of this training] arise spontaneously in his heart as he piles up success[ful experiences], he will have [true] knowledge of this [art of acting].

First of all, he must have deep confidence in the sayings of the Teacher [Zeami] and hold them within his heart. 'The sayings of the Teacher' means that [the actor] make [the following] the major business in understanding acting: that he learn thoroughly every item in this volume and always bear [each of] them in mind; then when he reaches the actual stage of performing, he attempt to apply each of these items. And if there is that gain[ing of a true flowering], he will be esteemed as truly [being a professional], and through his ever-increasing respect for his profession, he will pile up successes year after year.

In artistic professions as a whole, [the practitioner] continually studies, continually learns, for [that] indeed should be the way to practice [his profession]. With sarugaku, too, [the actor] should learn [his trade], and then put these various items into practice.

In private instructions282 [given by master to student], it is said that from his young years until old age, [an actor] must completely penetrate into the study of [every aspect of] acting. What is called 'studying until old age' means to study what is appropriate for each age period, extending from the novice [stage] to his prime, and then after age forty to create an appearance on stage of his being gradually more sparing in

body of his works offers a complete presentation of his ideas, and except for Kashu, the earlier version of Kakyo, none can be dis- carded as merely repetitive, as each makes some unique and significant contribution to his analysis of the nature and art of theatre.

280 No o shiru, discussed on pp. 335-36, above.

281 This injunction probably stems from Zeami's observation of certain noblemen whose dilettante pursuit of various arts diffused their energies. Zeami in his other treatises indicates, for instance, that the professional study of the art of poetic com-

position is advisable for actors interested in play writing.

282 According to Omote (zz, p. 438, n. 22), the Zenchiku manuscript has shigi fJi&, 'private or personal instructions', whereas later copies have higi V, 'secret instructions'. Some scholars have speculated that this may be the name of a treatise now lost, but the subsequent statement is more in the nature of a precept than a quotation.

Limiting such a precept to private discus- sions between master and student would help preserve it from becoming a sententious or platitudinous catchphrase.


NEARMAN: Kakyo 67

his acting. This will become the study of the stage appearance of [an actor] of forty [years] and over.

Beyond age fifty, [the actor] in general makes 'doing nothing' his method.283 [This] is a critical period. What is called 'study at this period' means, first of all, [that the actor] should reduce his repertory. He should make recitation his base and lighten [up emphasis on] the [physical] appearance [of his performance]. Even in his dancing, for instance, he should reduce the number of his gestures and should show [but] the vestiges of his former style.

Generally speaking, recitation is the mode of performing that takes [only] 'one hand' for an older person.284 Since a mature voice has [already] rid itself of any rawness, and the mode of performing with the resultant voice is good whether it be on the high tones, the base pitch, or in [any] combination, the feeling of interest [aroused in the audience] has [that more subtle quality associated with] hearing. This is one clue [to successful performing by the older actor]. Understanding all such [similar] aspects [of performing] and being prudent by doing what comes easily to hand in [creating] this stage appearance is what I call 'the appearance that [the actor] studies in old age'.

As to the characterizations that an older person should play, characters associated with the two role types of 'old people' and 'women' are suitable. [The acting], however, should be based on the strong points of that [actor's] physique. For an actor who would acquire a look of tranquil [ease and control on stage], these [points] must be in keeping with his elderly appearance.28" If his strong point is [in] acting [parts] where he expresses madness, it would not be in keeping [with his elderly appearance]. However, among those [factors that he must consider], he should regard all physical movement that originally would be considered ten-tenths as six- or seven-tenths, and he should regard them [so] especially when he is using his body in [conformity with the Second Principle of] 'working the body seven-tenths' [to begin with].286 He should recognize this [factor] as [part of] what [an actor] studies in old age.

283 The method of 'doing nothing' derives from Zeami's description in Fushikaden of his father's mode of performing after age fifty. The particulars of this method are described subsequently in the text.

284 That is, it is easily handled and does not tax the physical abilities of the older performer.

285 The limitation would only be upon the playing of roles demanding a display of more physical vigor than the older actor might still have. It does not mean that the older actor should perform only the roles of elderly characters.

286 That is, his performing will need to be even more restrained.



Consequently, in our school [of acting], there is one overriding maxim: Do not forget the beginner's spirit ! 287

This maxim has an oral transmission that takes three forms: By all means, do not forget the beginner's spirit! Do not forget the beginner's spirit of any [given] moment! In old age, do not forget the beginner's spirit!

These three [forms of the maxim] should be communicated orally [to the students] thoroughly [yet with great care].288

Item, as to what is [meant by] the maxim, 'By all means, do not forget the beginner's spirit!' When [an actor] maintains within himself [both physically and mentally] the beginner's spirit of his youth, without forgetting it, there are various benefits [that he will realize] in old age. It is said, 'Make [from] a knowledge of what was not [achieved] in what preceded, [the basis of] what will be in what follows!"289 [Also] 'When the cart that precedes overturns, it is a warning to the cart behind,'290 and so forth. Is not 'being oblivious to the beginner's spirit' [the same as] being oblivious to the [state of] mind [that develops] later? The point at which [an actor] achieves success and attains a name [for himself] is the fruit of an improvement in [the level of] his acting. Those who are oblivious to what raises [the level of acting] likewise do not recognize

287 Shoshin jJJL, in the present context has four overlapping meanings, all of which come into play and any one of which may be used to translate the Japanese term: 'the beginner's spirit, mind, heart, or intent'. All refer to the state of openness that a complete beginner would have to an entirely new subject or situation. Because it is new, he is totally ignorant of what it is and must therefore respond to it as it is. As he acquires knowledge about a subject, he is apt to use that knowledge to make assumptions about a situation prior to responding to it.

Zeami's maxim therefore admonishes the actor to maintain that openness associated with the beginner's view even after he has gained knowledge and experience.

288 That is, the maxim is to be openly applied to the work of students and not be kept part of the secret tradition.

Yokuyoku k4 implies that the maxim be not only 'thoroughly' but also 'carefully' applied. This suggests that the teacher too must exercise his own 'beginner's spirit' by not reducing the maxim to the level of a

mechanically applied catchphrase, but by finding ways in which it would apply to each student at the various levels of his particular development.

289 This quotation is probably based on a passage from Mucha Mondo ,Th ('A Discussion of Rapture'): Zenzen no hi o shiru o gogo no i to su IJf4 CDI4 ?- O{jC ? t, 'Make the knowledge of your former mistakes the basis of your future level [of achievement]'. Zeami's version substitutes ze X, 'what exists, what is right', for the original i , 'level [of achievement]'. This permits Zeami to link the quotation more closely to his own maxim which begins with the phrase zehi PE, 'by all means, right or wrong'.

Hence, his maxim may be paraphrased as, 'Do not forget the beginner's spirit which encourages the actor to learn from his short- comings and mistakes (hi) and to apply that knowledge in future performing so that his acting will be able to be effective (ze).'

290 This admonition to learn from what has preceded appears in several Chinese and Japanese classic texts.


NEARMAN: Kakyo 69

the [state of] mind that reverts to a beginner's spirit.29' To revert to a beginner's spirit will be a descent in [the level of] acting. Therefore, keep in mind that to avoid losing sight of the level [attained at] the present [moment], [an actor] should not forget the beginner's spirit.

To reiterate, [the actor] should ponder thoroughly the principle that when he loses sight of the beginner's spirit, he reverts to a beginner's spirit. When he does not forget the beginner's spirit, the later [state of] mind [he attains] will be correct. When his later [state of] mind is correct, the particular [kind ofl acting that improves [the level of his performing] will not lower [that le el]. This, then, is the principle by which [an actor] discriminates between what is [theatrically and artistically] right [and appropriate] and what is not.

Further, when a young person completely understands his level of performance at a given time, he will freely seek [ways] to apply [this maxim],292 such as, 'This is part of the beginner's spirit. In order that I recognize the significant mode of performing that raises [the level of my acting] all the more, I must not lose sight of the beginner's spirit at the present [moment].' When [an actor] loses sight of the beginner's spirit at the present [moment], his acting does not improve because he does not even recognize the moment of improvement. To that extent, a young person must not lose sight of the beginner's spirit at the present [moment].

Item, as to what is [meant by the maxim], 'Do not forget the beginner's spirit of any [given] moment!' To take care that the general stage appearance [he creates] is in keeping with his performing at any given period [in his life]-from his novice [days] through his rise over the years until old age-this is the beginner's spirit of any [given] time.

That is, when [an actor] abandons and forgets the particular way he has performed at various times [in the past], he does not make use of [these previous experiences], except [as they specifically relate to] the

291 Shoshin e kaeru VJJJL- 6, 'to revert to a beginner's spirit', carries a negative connotation in this passage. Zeami's idea may thus be paraphrased: If the actor does not keep an openmindedness and an eagerness to learn from the immediate experience, which derive from the attitude of 'the beginner's spirit', he will automatically revert to a state of undiscriminating ignorance and functional naivete that are the negative aspects of a beginner's spirit.

Hence, Zeami advocates a middle way between an actor's presuming upon his past experience that 'he already knows all that he need know' and his ignoring his past experience altogether, which would make it impos- sible for him to learn from a new experience.

292 While several interpretations have been offered by scholars for the meaning of nenro a k;5, the most probable in context would be

that it refers to the Buddhist term IM 'to comment freely on the words of a sage'.



particular way he is performing a given role at the moment.293 [How- ever,] when he makes use of each of the types [of roles] from previous ways of performing in his present [practice of his] art and in a wholly integrated way, [then] in his mode of performing, [the range of] his performances, extending over the ten types294 [of roles], is inexhaustible. The stage appearance that [his acting] had in those various periods is 'the beginner's spirit of any given time'. To maintain that [spirit] in his art at [any] one [specific] time, is that not [equivalent to] 'not forgetting the beginner's spirit of any given time'? [An actor who can achieve this] will be a versatile actor, indeed. Therefore, do not forget the beginner's spirit of any given time.

Item, as to what is [meant by], 'Do not forget the beginner's spirit in old age!' Although there is an end to [an actor's] life, there should not be a [fixed] limit to [what he can achieve through] his acting. To study each and every role for all these various time periods and also to study what goes well with the look of old age is 'the beginner's spirit in old age'. When [the acting] is [done with] 'the beginner's spirit in old age', [the actor] treats his previous acting as [part of] the later [state of] mind.

It is said about those age fifty and over that there is no means [needed for performing] except to 'do nothing'.295 Is not the intent to esteem in old age whatever has no [possible] means except 'doing nothing', the beginner's spirit? To that extent, when [an actor] passes his whole life without losing sight of the beginner's spirit, he makes his final stage exit on an ascending [artistic] level, and [the quality of] his acting does not decline in the end.

Hence, I treat 'the passing of one's life without showing the innermost heart of acting' as the most profound secret of our school and a secret

293 That is, the actor is admonished to take into consideration the whole of what he has learned and not to become stereotypic in his performing by using only that past experience most like the role he is now playing.

294 The reference to ]utai +{*, 'ten types or styles', is ambiguous. It may mean 'all the various types [of roles]', on the basis that 'ten' can indicate completeness, as in Zeami's Second Principle.

Or it may be a reference to the nine types of sarugaku roles that Zeami inherited from his father's tradition, discussed in Fshikaden (Shidehara, pp. 219-26): women, old persons, [male roles performed] without masks, de- ranged characters, priests, vengeful warriors, deities, demons, and Chinese [i.e., foreigners]. Upon his father's urging, Zeami added the

tenth: the heavenly maiden. On the other hand, some scholars have

suggested it may refer to the 'ten moods or styles' by which Japanese poetry was classified by Fujiwara Teika , 1162-1241, although this seems less likely as Zeami's own analysis of such overall 'moods' in his later treatises was developed on a system of five types.

295 As explained in Section 8, pp. 488-90, above, 'doing nothing' does not mean the absence of doing anything whatsoever, but refers to an advanced acting technique in which the actor holds his audience through the power of his concentration while appearing to do nothing external that the audience can identify as the source of that interest.


NEARMAN: Kakyo 71

transmission of familial instructions to my descendants. I treat the transmission of this real intent as the [fundamental] artistic idea of the in- heritance of the beginner's spirit by successive generations. When [an actor] forgets the beginner's spirit [in his own acting], [the idea of] the beginner's spirit cannot be transmitted to his descendants. Without losing sight of the beginner's spirit, [the actor] should [pass on] the beginner's spirit to successive generations.

Besides [what I have given above], there will also be additional points worthy of note [produced] as the result of the sagacity of perceptive [students of later generations].296

[Colophon] [The treatise] Fuishikaden from the [section on] the practices associated

with the various ages [in an actor's career] up through the [final] ap- pended section297 is a secret transmission of the knowledge of [creative] flowering which makes manifest this [our] way [of practicing acting]. That [treatise] consists of the various items that I gained through study [with my father], [a document] in which I have put all together in writing over some twenty years the sundry [observations] on the art of acting by my late father. This [present] volume, 'A Mirror of the Flower', is what I Ze[ami] bequeath as [my] artistic legacy [and] in which I have written down in sequence what I have learned from performing -six [basic] principles and twelve [practical] topics-as they have occurred to me from the age of forty until old age.

The first day of the sixth month of Oei 31 [1424] Zea[mi]

Zeshi [z-Zeami] transmitted this volume to the family of his grandson. Although it was not to be exposed to outsiders, my deep respect for the profession has providentially gained me [access to] this manuscript. Hence, because it[s teaching] forms the [very] marrow of our school, I myself have made a copy [of the treatise] for the sake of our profession and my family [company]. Earnestly, I beseech you-Never show it to an outsider!

A day in the eighth month of Eiky6 9 [1437] Kanshi [-Komparu Zenchiku]

296 This statement may appear to con- tradict Zeami's earlier remark on p. 65, above, that there are no subjects for practice outside the topics discussed in the present treatise. But 'additional points' is probably intended to refer to insights that later students

may gain in the subjects covered by the treatise, and not to the possibility that Zeami may have completely overlooked some topic relevant to the phenomenon of acting.

297 That is, the whole of Fashikaden except for a short introduction.


Article Contentsp. [49]p. 51p. 52p. 53p. 54p. 55p. 56p. 57p. 58p. 59p. 60p. 61p. 62p. 63p. 64p. 65p. 66p. 67p. 68p. 69p. 70p. 71

Issue Table of ContentsMonumenta Nipponica, Vol. 38, No. 1 (Spring, 1983), pp. 1-113Volume Information [pp. ]Front Matter [pp. ]Portrait of a Daimyo: Comical Fiction by Matsudaira Sadanobu [pp. 1-19]Daimy Katagi[pp. 20-48]Kaky: Zeami's Fundamental Principles of Acting. Part Three[pp. 49-71]Shinran's Faith and the Sacred Name of Amida [pp. 73-84]Correspondence [pp. 85-89]Book ReviewsReview: untitled [pp. 91-93]Review: untitled [pp. 93-94]Review: untitled [pp. 95-97]Review: untitled [pp. 97-99]Review: untitled [pp. 99-101]Review: untitled [pp. 102-104]Review: untitled [pp. 104-106]Review: untitled [pp. 107-108]Review: untitled [pp. 109-113]

Back Matter [pp. ]

Documents

Kakyo - Zeami's Fundamental Principles of Acting. Part Three