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