Ruixuan
Tu
ruixuan.tu@wisc.edu
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Updated 2023-04-18
“这空蝉只当是她刚才叫的那个侍女中将回来了，却听见源氏公子说：“刚才你叫中将，我正是近卫中将，想来你了解我私下爱慕你的一片心吧。……”空蝉吓了一跳，不知如何是好，疑心自己着了梦魔，惊慌地“呀”的叫了一声。” (Feng Zikai, Chapter 2 “Hahakigi 帚木” Paragraph 92)
In Edward Kamen’s review of Royall Tyler’s translation of the Tale of Genji, he mentions the translation of names is by the meaning, instead of the romaji as is (p.335, p. 337). For example, “Rokujyou Miyasudokoro 六条御息所” → “The Haven”, “Yuugao 夕顔” → “The Twilight Beauty” / “Evening Faces” (Waley), and “Asagao 朝顔” → “The Bluebell”. He also comments that to be good as a translation that “give the characters not names but shifting designations”.
In an English version, Utsusemi 空蝉, one of the main characters of Chapter 2, is translated as “(the lady of) the cicada shell”, which I also agree with the review as appropriate, giving readers an understanding of the inferred meaning in Kanji meaning instead of an easy symbol for reference. I think this is also a dilemma in English translation: it might be burdensome for scholars not similar to all these translations to understand or search English scholarships or compare the three English versions, as the English translations have different names for the same person.
This style of name translation is relatively new to me. In the Chinese translation, the common approach is to use the same Kanji as in Japanese: as referenced above, “近衛中将”, the responsibility of Genji in Chapter 2, is “近卫中将” rewritten in simplified Chinse characters; and “空蝉” is the same in simplified Chinese characters. From the shared writing system, I did not see much translation like that in Chinese, so I am curious about how English speakers think about the two styles (as-is and by meaning) of naming.
Reference: http://www.meijigakuin.ac.jp/~pmjs/resources/genji/characters.html
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I know that we talked briefly about this after class last week, Ruixuan, but we will be coming back to it in class this week, too. In addition to the points that you raise, it’s worth noting how rarely the original author uses names at all. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on that in class. :)
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命妇便将太君所赐礼物呈请御览。皇上看了，想道：“这倘若是临邛道士探得了亡人居处而带回来的证物钿合金钗……” 但作此空想，也是枉然。便吟诗道：
“愿君化作鸿都客，
探得香魂住处来。”
皇上看了《长恨歌》画册，觉得画中杨贵妃的容貌，虽然出于名画家之手，但笔力有限，到底缺乏生趣。诗中说贵妃的面庞和眉毛似“太液芙蓉未央柳”，固然比得确当，唐朝的装束也固然端丽优雅，但是，一回想桐壶更衣的妩媚温柔之姿，便觉得任何花鸟的颜色与声音都比不上了。
” (Feng Zikai 豊子愷, Chapter 1 “Kiritsubo 桐壺” Paragraph 42-45)
”
命婦は贈られた物を御お前まえへ並べた。これが唐からの幻術師が他界の楊貴妃に逢あって得て来た玉の簪であったらと、帝はかいないこともお思いになった。
尋ね行くまぼろしもがなつてにても魂たまのありかをそこと知るべく
絵で見る楊貴妃はどんなに名手の描いたものでも、絵における表現は限りがあって、それほどのすぐれた顔も持っていない。太たい液えきの池の蓮れん花げにも、未び央おう宮きゆうの柳の趣にもその人は似ていたであろうが、また唐の服装は華美ではあったであろうが、更衣の持った柔らかい美、艶えんな姿態をそれに思い比べて御覧になると、これは花の色にも鳥の声にもたとえられぬ最上のものであった。
” (Yosano Akiko 与謝野晶子, Chapter 1 “Kiritsubo 桐壺”, Paragraph 75-79)
This paper by Morley mainly introduces the critical role Wang Hyoryom 王孝廉 plays in the bilateral diplomatic relationship between Parhae and Japan. The paper also noted that Wang Hyoryom had a verse on Bai Juyi 白居易’s work which is modern in 814 (p. 344), and he can write in the recent hanshi 漢詩 style jinti-shi 近體詩 including jueju / zekku 絶句 and lvshi / risshi 律詩.
Similarly, in the selected excerpt of the Tale of Genji, there are direct references to Chang Hen Ge 長恨歌 by Bai Juyi 白居易, and the Chinese translation (based on a variety of available texts 1961-1965, including the translation in modern Japanese by Yosano) just restores the Japanese referenced text to the original text as “太たい液えきの池の蓮れん花げにも、未び央おう宮きゆうの柳の趣” → “太液芙蓉未央柳”, and directly uses the allusion of “金釵/玉の簪” as “唐からの幻術師が他界の楊貴妃に逢あって得て来た玉の簪” (Yosano) → “唯将旧物表深情 鈿合金釵寄将去” (Chang Hen Ge) → “临邛道士探得了亡人居处而带回来的证物钿合金钗” (Feng). The story compares Kiritsubo Koi 桐壺更衣, the mother of Genji, with You Kihi / Yang Guifei 楊貴妃 (714-756) who is a beauty in the Tang dynasty, to depict the astonishing beauty and the high rank of Kiritsubo Koi 桐壺更衣 from the perspective of Emperor Kiritsubo 桐壺帝, the father of Genji.
It gives rise to my thoughts about the cultural inference by the Tang dynasty. As dangerous sailing was the only way to travel from Tang to Japan, the dispatch of missions 遣唐使 should be not frequent, and Parhae, a far subsidiary of Tang, should have taken part in the indirect cultural exchange between Tang and Japan, like the introduction of Arabic numerals. It brings me to think which countries had a similar role in exchange with Japan during the Heian period, and how other pieces of Genji were influenced by the Tang culture.
Nice connection, Ruixuan. Remember to keep those quotations from the tale short (we’re practicing focusing on local details in this course). There is a lot of research on Chinese allusions in the tale (even an entire book in English, and of course more in Asian languages). We will talk much more about this in a few weeks.
We summarize the review of 高橋麻織著 『源氏物語の政治学 史実・准拠・歴史物語』 by 辻和良. The book author summarizes the book to be “understand the political world of Genji by the history and the story itself”, and she uses two key terms 准拠論 (history) and 作品論 (story). The book commented that to give readers consensus and generality, the fictional Genji is also based on history. As a method to understand the true meaning of Genji, we have the 読者の方法 (reader’s method) to comprehend the text by history which is adopted by the 作者の方法 (author’s method), especially for those logics omitted by the author which are assumed familiar for readers at that time.
One useful sentence: “歴史的事実の解釈を作品理解に結びつけ、作品の表現に沿ってその論理を明らかにしていくことが、物語と歴史との接点を考究するには大切であると、改めて認識するところである。” This is the final sentence of the body of this paper as a summary and a conclusion, to reinforce the importance of the intersection between the story and the history, the main point supported with examples in this paper, in understanding the logic underneath the text.
One difficult-to-understand sentence: “ただ、本文解釈で示される理解が、作品本文の表現に必ずしも添っていないのでないかと思えるところがないわけでもない。” (p. 2) This sentence is too agglutinative in logic with four “ない”s, so it needs some effort to read the meaning “However, it brings me to think that, the understanding from the variations of Genji might exceed what is truly expressed by the original copy.”
Very nice, Ruixuan. Complex/mutually-cancelling negatives are a typical feature of Japanese scholarly writing, at least in the humanities. In terms of content, we will be returning to the distinction between “tales” and “history” (and “precedent” 准拠) later this spring in class!
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宮も、あさましかりしを思し出づるだに、世とともの御もの思ひなるを、さてだにやみなむと深う思したるに、いと憂くて、いみじき御気色なるものから、なつかしうらうたげに、さりとてうちとけず、心深う恥づかしげなる御もてなしなどの、なほ人に似させたまはぬを、「などか、なのめなることだにうち交じりたまはざりけむ」と、つらうさへぞ思さるる。 ” (Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部, Chapter 5 “Wakamurasaki 若紫”,, Paragraph 2.1.3, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/)
Throughout the paper Graphically Speaking: Manga Versions of “The Tale of Genji” by Lynne K. Miyake, it is very interesting to see that there are different approaches to depicting the Tale of Genji, targeting different audiences including a range from junior high school students to adults (p. 361). And there is original text across dialogs between Genji and Fujitsubo in Egawa Tatusya’s adoption (p. 380), as the original text in classical Japanese in the book referenced above, showing the artist’s loyalty to the original plot. In contrast, during the winter break, I watched 源氏物語千年紀Genji, which is an animation motivated by あさきゆめみし mentioned in the paper, which noted me that, as the picture is another kind of expression, the details are not always the same in the book (likely with omissions) and there are slight modifications to the plot, which is also mentioned in the paper by the example from Tsuboi Koh つぼいこう (p. 364). I wonder if there are some common scenes that are usually preferable to depict or express better in a picture series than others.
Great question, Ruixuan–and indeed there are. If you’re interested in reading about the scenes with medieval painters generally chose, you can check out Mieko Murase’s book Iconography of the Tale of Genji. Looks like it’s available at the Art Library on campus.
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手本帳に綴じさせるつもりの字や絵をいろいろに書いて見せたりしていた。皆美しかった。「知らねどもむさし野と云へばかこたれぬよしやさこそは紫の故」という歌の紫の紙に書かれたことによくできた一枚を手に持って姫君はながめていた。
” (Yosano Akiko 与謝野晶子, Chapter 5 Wakamurasaki 若紫, Paragraph 3.3.48, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined05.3.html#paragraph3.3)
Different from the paper on Monday which focuses on how modern artists illustrate the plot of the Tale of Genji, this paper, “Picturing” in The Tale of Genji by Joshua S. Mostow, mainly analyzes how characters in the plot itself use pictures to express and communicate, which reflects multiple purposes of pictures in the Heian Period. One of the purposes is education, which is linked to Chapter 5 we have read this week, as referenced above. In this sentence, Genji was at home accompanying Murasaki, and now the picture sent to Murasaki does not only for enjoyment and education on learning handwriting script but also includes the implication of his special care on Murasaki as her similar look as Fujitsubo (p. 7-12). Like what I learned last semester, there is usually one poetry attached to one picture, which I think should be more convenient for expression.
Nice connection to our bungo course. :)
We summarize the review by 武藤那賀子 on 越野優子著『国冬本源氏物語論』. This paper focuses on the prelude 序章 and the first seven chapters of the book and briefly summarizes the last two chapters. The chapter names precisely summarize the contents – the positioning the research of Kunifuyubon 国冬本, the perspective from the literary work 作品論, the perspective from the persons 人物論, the perspective from the waka poetries 和歌論, the perspective from the symbols and names 象徴論, the perspective from enjoyment 享受論, the perspective from translation 翻訳論, the perspective from comments 註釈論, and the perspective from statistics 統計論. The paper gives spotlights to several interesting aspects, including the discrepancies in naming of Hikaru Genji 光源氏 in different versions, the different plots around people compared with other versions, and the translation of the bestseller manga Asakiyumemishi あさきゆめみし to Korean.
One useful sentence, ” 第二章「作品論的視座から――国冬本少女巻を中心に」では、戯画化されない大学博士、伊勢物語にかかわる部分からのみ読み解くべきではない夕霧像、六条院のない少女巻、「北の方」と表記される紫の上といった、国冬本独自の本文からの読みが展開されている。“. This sentence gives concrete examples of how the literary content of plots in Kunifuyubon differ from that in the mainstream versions, including the non-cartoon doctor (which not covered in the reading yet), the character of Yugiri 夕霧 which is more closely tied to the Tale of Ise 伊勢物語, the chapter of girls which does not contain Rokujyo 六条, and Murasaki no Ue 紫の上 referred by the person from the north 北の方.
One sentence difficult to understand, “もともと、兵衛府の異名であった「柏木」だが、「あはれかり右衛門督」が強い印象を残したために、その言葉の歴史が変わった。”. The sentence mainly points out one reason for the use of Kashiwagi 柏木 as an alias to depict the deep sorrow of Hyoefu 兵衛府, but I cannot see how it changes the history of the word Kashiwagi 柏木, which seems to be omitted for description in the last clause. However, for this issue on the irrelevance of the name Kashiwagi 柏木 on the heritance graph 古系図, I have seen a view that the chapter names 巻名 might not be there at first by Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部, and there are discrepancies of the chapter names in different versions, which should also be related to the discussion.
To your point about the confusing sentence, perhaps the writer is distinguishing the character in Genji from the nickname for the post that this character holds. Let me know if you’d like to discuss this in office hours and I can re-read the review. :)
“唐人の/袖振ることは/遠けれど/立ち居につけて/あはれとは見き” (Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部, Chapter 7 Paragraph 1.2.6, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined07.1.html#line1.2.6)
“やうやう入り日になるほど、 春の鴬囀るといふ舞、いとおもしろく見ゆるに、源氏の御紅葉の賀の折、思し出でられて、春宮、かざし賜はせて、せちに責めのたまはするに、逃がれがたくて、立ちてのどかに袖返すところを一折れ、けしきばかり舞ひたまへるに、似るべきものなく見ゆ。” (Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部, Chapter 8 Paragraph 1.1.3, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined08.1.html#line1.1.3)
In this paper Japanese Music and Its Relations to Other Musical Traditions by William P. Malm, the author (p. 8) have referenced the dance “The Spring Warbler’s Call” Shunnoden 春鴬囀 by Genji 源氏 at the beginning of Chapter 8 which is originally composed for a Chinese emperor. Earlier in the book, there is “The Blue Ocean Waves” Seigaiha 青海波, which is the first dance of Genji 源氏 even mentioned in the book, and it is also a dance from the Tang dynasty. I have referenced a waka in response to Genji 源氏 by Fujitsubo 藤壺, commenting on his dance performance at the trial in which Genji danced Seigaiha 青海波 only for Fujitsubo 藤壺 as she cannot participate the official show. By the waka, we can see the same origin of Tang for this dance, and her deep appreciation on the dance, even she usually refuses to communicate with Genji 源氏 as the stepmother.
Good point. Side note: In the humanities, we tend to put article titles between quotation marks, no italics.
“ただ公事に、そしうなる物の師どもを、ここかしこに尋ねはべりしなり。よろづのことよりは、「柳花苑」、まことに後代の例ともなりぬべく見たまへしに、まして「さかゆく春」に立ち出でさせたまへらましかば、世の面目にやはべらまし” (Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部, Chapter 8 第八帖 Paragraph 4 第四段 1.4.8, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined08.1.html#line1.4.8)
In this paper, the author has reviewed the definition of gagaku 雅楽 and how it links with other music forms and cultures in spatial and temporal distances, for instance, contrast and juxtaposition among Japanese traditional local music hōgaku 邦楽, Japanese traditional court music gagaku 雅楽, and modern music 現代音楽, and it introduces how Gagaku 雅楽 plays an important role in the musical culture of ancient Japanese empire. In the referenced paragraph, Genji 源氏 responded to Tō No Chujo 頭中将’s appreciation on his dance on the en 宴. Genji has mentioned “そしうなる物の師ども”, implying that there are many people in the court who play outstanding gagaku 雅楽. Furthermore, the references to Ryukaen 柳花苑 and Sakayuku Haru さかゆく春 are examples of musics in the court: Ryukaen 柳花苑 is gagaku from Tang dynasty Tōgaku 唐楽, and Sakayuku Haruni さかゆく春 is rather a mix: dancing the Chōjuraku 長寿楽, i.e., our familiar dance Shunnoden 春鶯囀 while singing a waka 和歌, so that it is a modified, or more precisely, localized form of the original music from Tōgaku 唐楽.
Remember to cite page(s) from the article, too, Ruixuan.
In the review paper by 末澤明子 on the book “河添房江著『源氏物語越境論 唐物表象と物語享受の諸相』”. The key point is Ekkyō 越境, to cross the border, which is a term used by the author to describe the shared characteristics between “the Tale of Genji 源氏物語” and the history of enjoyment.
The first part of the book “The Heian tales in the east asian world 東アジア世界の中の平安物語” discusses the relationship between Heian tales and the flow of things, people, and information, from the perspectives of the foreign awareness 異国意識 and the mix of Japanese and Chinese cultures 和漢融合.
A sentence interesting to me here is “国風文化の時代が和漢を内包し、それらが並立しつつ成熟する時代である、とする美術史研究の動向とも連動している。” (p. 179). This sentence reveals the kernel of the foreign awareness 異国意識 that Japan is not a subsidiary of, but a different country than Tang with its own cultural style 和風/国風. I know that there are two periods, one Cultural Dark Age 国風暗黒時代 in which Tang culture prevails (which is also mentioned in the Wang Hyoryōm 王孝廉 paper by Morley in week 2); and one opposite Age of Traditional Culture 国風文化の時代 which is described in this sentence, a period in which Japanese culture grows and mixes with Tang culture, leading a number of masterpieces in the Heian period 平安時代, including the Tale of Genji 源氏物語, Kokin Wakashū 古今和歌集, the Tale of Bamboo Cutter 竹取物語, and the Pillow Book 枕草子. I would like to know why the foreign awareness 異国意識 arises and how it became popular in the Heian period 平安時代.
The second part of the book “Media ariations of ‘the Tale of Genji’ 『源氏物語』のメディア変奏” discusses the photography of Genji-e 源氏絵の図像学, transformation to Genji-nō 源氏能への転位, and the recipience and creativity in pre-modern 近現代における受容と創造.
Another sentence difficult for me to understand here is “源氏の歌「寄りてこそそれかとも見め……」の初句を、中世梗概書や連歌寄合の主流であり、夕顔が愛されることを示す「折りてこそ」と変え、シテ夕顔は最後に三度謡い、舞う。” (p. 180). This sentence requires background in Genji-nō 源氏能, which is a kind of Nōgaku 能楽, which I have less knowledge about. Through this post, I understand that Shite シテ is the main character of the drama, but I still do not understand the effect of changing “折りてこそ” as well as the references to “中世梗概書” and “連歌寄合”.
Really nice work, Ruixuan. To start answering your question, the phrase 折りてこそ is a reference to a branches/flowers, which creates a very different impression than 寄りてこそ, which describes drawing near. I think that the first phrase also alludes to other famous poems. I’d be happy to talk through the other two terms (basically, different kinds of summaries of the tale) in office hours if you’d like.
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「神垣は/しるしの杉も/なきものを/いかにまがへて/折れる榊ぞ」と聞こえたまへば、
「少女子が/あたりと思へば/榊葉の/香をなつかしみ/とめてこそ折れ」おほかたのけはひわづらはしけれど、御簾ばかりはひき着て、長押におしかかりてゐたまへり。
” (Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部, Chapter 10 Paragraph 1.2.17, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined10.1.html#line1.2.17)
McCormick’s paper “Genji Goes West” mainly introduces the Harvard Genji album and its history. There is a picture The Green Branch in the collection (p. 74, fig. 23) depicts the above two waka poetries. The calligrapher writes the chapter name Sakaki in both the kanji form 榊 (as emphasizing as the first character of the response poetry by Rokujo 六条) and the mixed form さか木 (as in the middle of the poetry as “Sakakiha 榊葉” in the response poetry by Rokujo 六条) which is also mentioned by the paper, but I have a hard time finding the “折れる榊ぞ” part in the caligraphy. As the paper also mentions there is “an error in the text of chapter 10, which Sue promptly had corrected.” (p. 62) for the calligrapher of fig. 23, I wonder how if this omission or indistinguishable script is intended, or this is the error, and how it gets fixed.
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御簾のうちのけはひ、そこら集ひさぶらふ人の衣の音なひ、しめやかに振る舞ひなして、うち身じろきつつ、悲しげさの慰めがたげに漏り聞こゆるけしき、ことわりに、いみじと聞きたまふ。 風、はげしう吹きふぶきて、御簾のうちの匂ひ、いともの深き黒方にしみて、名香の煙もほのかなり。大将の御匂ひさへ薫りあひ、めでたく、極楽思ひやらるる夜のさまなり。 ” (Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部, Chapter 10 Paragraph 5.2.12, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined10.5.html#line5.2.12)
This is the second time I watch the Tale of Genji (1987) movie, and I am always impressed by its power of representation of the literature in beautiful, meaningful scenes. The first time I watched this movie is during winter break, before I read the full text of the Tale of Genji, so that time gives me a rough pictorial introduction to the leading 12 chapters. However, in the movie, there is a line of visual sakura scenes which does not exist in the text. I think that should be similar to those modifications adapted by mangas in the paper Graphically Speaking: Manga Versions of “The Tale of Genji” by Lynne K. Miyake discussed on February 5. Here is a brief list of timestamps when there is a sakura scene (there might still some occurrences missing):
The referenced text is the responses of Genji and court people after Fujitsubo decided to become Num. I think sakura here refers to sudden death/leave and love. Sakura’s pink-in-white flower connects to the snow, so the sorrow scenes in large snow, strong wind, and people’s movement are indistinguishable with the white blossoms scatter in sky. Sakura has a short period of flower, so it also represents to a short period of time, which could be the time in sex and the life of a person who dies suddenly. I think the introduction of the sakura scene to the movie is creative and smart which precisely reflected the text.
” 唐国に/名を残しける/人よりも からくにに/なをのこしける/ひとよりも 行方知られぬ/家居をやせむ ゆくへしられぬ/いへゐをやせむ ” (Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部, Chapter 12 Suma 須磨 Paragraph 1.9.10, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined12.1.html#line1.9.10)
“屈原名字留千古，逐客去向叹渺茫。” (Feng Zikai 丰子恺, same excerpt in translation)
The paper have discussed “Japanese spirit, Chinese technique” 和魂漢才 and analogized it with the current “Japanese spirit, Western technique” 和魂洋才 (p. 362). This aspects means that Japan is always picking what it wants from the Chinese culture for use or express the “Japanese spirit”, instead of let Chinese culture to influence and rewrite the Japanese culture. This poem has “唐国に名を残しける人”, i.e., “the famous person in Tang”, which refers to Qu Yuan 屈原, a Tang poet who was also be sent exile and suicide in River Miluo or Bekira 汨羅. The implication of his suicide could help Genji 源氏 to express his sorrow of leaving Kyoto 京都. This allusion of Tang story for expression is in the form of waka 和歌, Japanese short poetry, so the main structure is still Japanese-style, and only a portion of the poetries is about the Tang, so it is acceptable that the Tale of Genji 源氏物語 is emphasizing Kokufu culture 国風文化 of Japan. This is quite like kana 仮名: Japan borrowed the kanji 漢字 of certain tones from China for expression, but not quite the meaning for many works like manyōshū 万葉集 in some period. I think other East asian countries are also similar to Japan in this culture-borrowing practice. In late Qing 清 dynasty of China, there is Western Affairs Movement 洋务运动, where the similar slogan “Chinese Learning as Substance, Western Learning for Application” 中体西用 is employed when China started to learn science and technologies from the west, while trying to keep the monarchy and traditional Confucius-like practice. Similarly, Vietnam has borrowed a portion of Chinese characters with the plus of its own symbol of pronunciation called Chữ Nôm 𡨸喃.
Very thoughtful post.
“「世のもどき、軽々しきやうなるべし。罪に懼ぢて都を去りし人を、三年をだに過ぐさず許されむことは、世の人もいかが言ひ伝へはべらむ」” (Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部, Chapter 13 Akashi 明石 Paragraph 2.8.9, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined13.2.html#line2.8.9)
In the paper, on page 68, there is “Historical exiles, if they didn’t die in their far-off province as Michizane did, were usually pardoned and returned to the capital after a few years, although they were never able to regain their former political status. Genji’s case is highly unusual if measured by historical examples since his political fortunes rise after his return.”
The referenced text is Kokiden no Ōkisaki 弘徽殿大后’s response to the Emperor Suzaku 朱雀院’s request to pardon Genji 源氏 from Suma 須磨. I think this is connected with the paper sentence, that it is a common practice to pardon a noble in exile, as Kokiden cannot refuse Genji to back after three years of exile: her reason to refuse Genji to back to Kyoto 京都 is just “to pardon a noble not be exiled for three years should be discussed and criticized by people”. On the other hand, this shows how lucky Genji is to back to Kyoto in a short time after several catastrophes in Kyoto after Genji left. This can also show that Kokiden have much power to control the emperor as the mother, and the fierce competition of power between the family of Sadaijin 左大臣 and the family of Udaijin 右大臣 (where Kokiden is in).
The review paper for 浅尾広良著 『源氏物語の皇統と論理』 by 高橋麻織 summarizes the main point of the book – the blood and rules of Genji. From the historical perspective of Genji, the paper gives another rule to give the child born by Kōi 更衣 the priority of Shinnou 親王 instead of Shinseki 臣籍, as long as other topics about classes in court, including women and Reizeitei 冷泉帝.
A useful sentence is “具体的には、源姓を経た宇多天皇の即位という異例の事態を受け、醍醐朝において更衣所生の第一子のみ親王宣下する新たなルールが確立され たという。”, which gives a new reason why Genji, as a descendent of Kiritsubo Kōi, can become the Tennō 天皇, which is clear and is reasonable for this new rank, compared with Shinseki 臣籍 so that Genji cannot be the Tennō 天皇.
A confusing sentence is “例えば、桐壺帝と大宮の母后は、所生皇子である桐壺帝の即位後に皇太后となった（あるいは追贈された）とすると、大宮が左大臣に降嫁した経緯も納得がいくし、『源氏物語』成立以前に后腹内親王の降嫁の事例がないこととも重なる。” I think we have not yet read to the topic of the spotlight 后腹内親王 and the occurrence of the example 大宮が左大臣に降嫁した around Chapter 30. I do not know either, what should be the common practice for 后腹内親王 before Genji.
” 「桂の院といふ所、にはかに造らせたまふと聞くは、そこに据ゑたまへるにや」と思すに、心づきなければ、「斧の柄さへ改めたまはむほどや、待ち遠に」と、心ゆかぬ御けしきなり。 ” (Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部, Chapter 18 Line 2.2.4, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined18.2.html#line2.2.4) The referenced text is a short dialog between Genji 源氏 and Murasaki 紫. The response from Murasaki is “斧の柄さへ改めたまはむほどや” (meaning her unwillingness to see Genji’s leave for Akashi 明石の君 in an indirect way by using allusion). This reflects a traditional figure of a woman – with high literacy, and respect every decision of the husband, no matter if the decision is harmful for the woman – along with an unequal and man-centered relationship. In p. 175 (and a few leading lines of p. 176) of the paper, with reference to the scholar Timothy Clark, there mentions courtesans with high level of literacy, and the literacy as a part of the work routine of a courtesan, which may lead to the concept of a fake respectability of a women, with analogy to the famous women in Heian period 平安時代, including the author of the Tale of Genji, Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部 and Sei Shonagon 清少納言. This is not helpful for women under the widespread of the publication, as women does not truly earn any respect from this kind of knowledge practice to please men (e.g., Genji leaves Murasaki no matter if Murasaki attempts to persuade him to remain aside), which does not fit to the modern or pre-modern transformations of morality, and women’s rebuttal of this order could cause the defending from men as it is superficially beneficial for men.
Nice quote in classical!
“東の対は、明石の御方と思しおきてたり。“ (Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部, Chapter 18 松風 Paragraph 1.1.2, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined18.1.html#line1.1.2)
The referenced text is about the construction of the east palace of Nijō Tōin 二条東院 for Akashi 明石. On page 70 of the paper, there also mentions that “The need to bring his daughter and her mother to the city becomes paramount, because a little girl destined to become an empress must be raised in the city.” connected to this referenced text.
Akashi has a great amount of resistance to refuse the request to migrate into Kyoto by Genji, as Genji even grabbed the daughter away from her to please Murasaki 紫, his another wife, leaving her far from Kyoto. This reflected the low status of women, and the political meaning of children in the court. But this also shows the rebellion, to the exile of a woman needed to be stayed in the hierarchy of a court, which recalls me to Fujitsubo 藤壺 and Utsusemi 空蝉, as written in the discussion index card at the end of the last class.
That’s a very interesting connection, Ruixuan. I will be very curious to hear your thoughts in class about where Akashi actually ends up, in next week’s chapters.
In the review of 木村朗子著『女子大で『源氏物語』を読む』 by 土方洋一, the author introduces the challenges in teaching Genji at women’s college 女子大学, in mentioning the topics of the difference in marriage system 婚姻制度, the difference in view on love 恋愛観, the lack of classical social norms 以前の社会常識, and the addition of feminism フェミニズム, pointing out the limitations for students to understand Genji. Then, the author mentions the perspective 視野 of internationalization 国際化 along with the English translation of Genji by Waley and the French-Japanese literature Le Dernier Amour du prince Genghi 「源氏の君の最後の恋」. Finally, the author questions the 文学的教養 literary education, i.e., the basics, of current graduate students researching Genji.
One useful sentence: 「二次的な創作であることを超えて、その国の文学にしっかりと根付いた作品になっているという意味で、これは『源氏物語』が「世界文学」となっていることの証左なのである。」 (p. 174) This sentence gives me a new, wider perspective of seeing Genji from the world, as there are classical anecdotes written by non-Japanese authors. However, this work is in Nouvelles orientales 「東方綺譚」, which means that this was still considered Japanese literature in France.
One difficult to accept sentence: 「本書の特色として、各回の講義のあとに「みんなのコメント」 という、学生のレスポンスの事例が添えられていることが挙げられるが、そこに見られる「女子大生」の反応は、「一夫多妻制は絶対に嫌」とか「男は昔から釣った魚にエサはやらないスタンス」とか、その手の現代的なステレオタイプの恋愛観に基づく感想の乱れ打ちである。」(p. 173) This sentence states that the free discussion section is useless, as students are always responding useless thoughts for understanding Genji. I think this is because the discussion among Japanese friends are more “safe” in “reading the air 空気読み”, so there might not be a breaking discussion one step out of the social norm of the current society. However, this is not popular in a U.S. classroom, as from my experience in taking this Genji course, and students are free to break the barriers of understanding.
Interesting point about the different classroom norms, Ruixuan. Of course, we benefit from the international mix in our classroom. Even if we want to stick with “our own” social norms, we may experience conflict in such a diverse group. That said, the U.S. classroom in general (and mine in particular) probably also tends to some group-think in other areas. Good to think about. :)
「大堰の御方は、「かう方々の御移ろひ定まりて、数ならぬ人は、いつとなく紛らはさむ」と思して、神無月になむ渡りたまひける。御しつらひ、ことのありさま劣らずして、 渡したてまつりたまふ。」(Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部, Chapter 21 乙女, Line 7.6.10, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined21.7.html#line7.6.10)
The paper states “Murasaki Shikibu, however, focuses on the difficulties that the woman subsequently encounters either in dealing with the man or in making, or failing to make, the social transition between her own class and that of the highborn hero.” (p. 213)
As in the comment of the post on March 7, I found “where Akashi actually ends up” in this week’s primary reading – the northwestern block 西の町/北西の町. During Akashi’s migration to this newly-built Rokujo in 六条院, she considers herself and her family as “the ignored people 数ならぬ人” to move without noticing others in early winter 神無月/初冬十月 (which also matches the winter sight in the northwestern block arranged by Genji). This plot is an example of social transition on where Murasaki Shikibu focuses. Others living in this Rokujo in are at least from Kyoto and has a long history of connection with Genji, while Genji visited Akashi in the temple in suburb sometimes, and Akashi has never lived in Kyoto before. This should be a challenge for Akashi to be used to the new lifestyle in Kyoto. Though Akashi has the fearness, Genji’s arrangement of this migration is “no inferior than others 劣らず”, meaning Genji has paid sufficient attention on Akashi, no less than other women. This also fits the Genji figure in my mind – always willing to help once connection established (for another example, Suetsumuhana).
Several good points here, Ruixuan. I’m especially interested in your observation that Genji himself works to bridge these gaps in status. Do you think that this makes him an ideal character or a destructive one (perhaps both) within the world of the text?
「好き好きしきやうなれば、ゐたまひも明かさで、軒の雫も苦しさに、濡れ濡れ夜深く出でたまひぬ。 時鳥などかならずうち鳴きけむかし。うるさければこそ聞きも止めね。」（Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部, Chapter 25 Hotaru 蛍, Line 1.5.8, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined25.1.html#line1.5.8）
The reading mainly discusses the effects of the English (by Arthur Waley) and the Japanese (by Yosano Akiko 与謝野晶子) translations of Genji monogatari on the Japanese society and the world literature (i.e., the triangle). For example, at p. 337, the reading praises the masterpiece by Akiko: “This vast enterprise was made possible only by dint of this woman writer’s PROFOUND KNOWLEDGE of the literature and history of the Heian court and her sharp INTUITIVE GRASP of the emotions and mood and of the age.” I sympathize with this viewpoint on the praise and that Genji monogatari is a very cumbersome material which needed a lot of translation to understand, even for Japanese native speakers (a third-rate work, commented by Hakuchō). The translation brings a lower cost to the tradition. For example, the referenced text in Genji monogatari has two references to an ancient Japanese poetry collection Kokinshū 古今集: “軒の雫も苦しさに” refers to “眺めつつ/我が思ふことは/日暮らしに/軒の雫の/絶ゆる世もなし” (新古今集雑下-一八〇一 具平親王), and “時鳥などかならずうち鳴き” refers to “五月雨に/物思ひ居れば/ほととぎす/夜深く鳴きて/いづち行くらむ” (古今集夏-一五三 紀友則). By the dictionary, the first reference means the long interval of the bitter raindrop, reflecting the complex, bitter, and fast-beating heart feeling of Hyobukyo no Miya 蛍兵部卿宮 after viewing Takamazura 玉鬘 by the light of fireflies by Genji. By this post, 時鳥 (ほととぎす) が鳴く means that the person is in a deep love 無我夢中の恋 from Hyobukyo no Miya 蛍兵部卿宮 to Tamakazura 玉鬘. A normal person who are not extremely familiar with the material should have no sense when reading the original text without annotations (i.e., high cost to tradition).
In the review of 土田久美子著『ロシア語訳『源氏物語』の研究 ――〈語り〉・和歌・もののあはれの観点から』 by 高柳聡子, the reviewer splitted discussion of the book into three parts: (1) translation of names (of people and of positions) and time (past tense in translation versus present tense in the Tale of Genji); (2) translation of poetry (homophone and rhetoric methods in Japanese versus meter and word play in Russian); (3) translation of the word or concept Mononoaware ものの哀れ, which is translated to the meaning “the charm that honors the pathos of things モノの哀感をたたえた魅力.”
A sentence I find interesting is: “本書でも強調されているように、デリューシナの和歌の翻訳の方針は、「散文としてではなく、ロシア語でも詩として読めるように」（一七〇頁）訳すことにある。 (p. 152)” The translator has the poetry to be read fluently in Russian, which I agree with the reviewer to be a extremely difficult with two languages far away. In the Chinese translation by Feng Zikai 豐子愷, the poetries are also translated into Chinese meters and formats. I think this is another difficult task, but easier than the Russian one, as the most of Kanjis can be left as is, left the work to be transliterate a few Kanbun 漢文 and translate the most of waka 和歌. The translation of poetry which have a lot of rhetoric methods in Japanese, in whatever foreign language, should be the most cumbersome part, as it is almost the same as rewriting a poem conveying similar emotions under the original text.
A sentence I find hard to accept is: “その結果、「もののあはれ」を、他の訳者にはない、情緒的なものに留まらぬ「知性の鋭さ」（三三〇頁）として捉えることができたのだという主張には説得力がある。(p. 153)” The reviewer references the concept “cannot be expressed by language 言い表せないもの” and “cannot be understood 理解不能なるもの” to support the point that the Russian language translated Mononoaware ものの哀れ well and in a logical (not merely emotional) way. I am not unsatisfied with the Russian translation, but I do not think the proof makes sense, as one cannot say paraphrasing to Russian is logical, and the concept could also be felt from the stream of the book without explicitly defining it.
“女君の大輔乳母、「六位宿世」と、つぶやきし宵のこと、ものの折々に思し出でければ、菊のいとおもしろくて、移ろひたるを賜はせて、「浅緑若葉の菊を露にても/濃き紫の色とかけきや/からかりし折の一言葉こそ忘られね」と、いと匂ひやかにほほ笑みて賜へり。 (Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部, Chapter 33, 3.1.8 - 3.1.11, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined33.3.html#line3.1.8)” This is during the depiction of reactions of 夕霧 Yūgiri, 大輔乳母 Taifu (雲居雁 Kumoi no Kari’s nurse), and 宰相君 Saishō (夕霧 Yūgiri’s nurse) after 夕霧 Yūgiri becomes 中納言 Chūnagon, a significant status enough to marry 雲居雁 Kumoi no Kari, who has been forbidden to meet 夕霧 Yūgiri by his previous status of level six official in green clothes indicated by “浅緑”.
In this paper, the author mentions the milk kinship and the sex relations among the connected groups by milk. It comes up with a triangular model and a square model to explain relationships shared by kinship under one nurse. For example, “In all cases, the erotically charged milk siblinghood powerfully subverts the prevalent motif of the “love triangle” that bonds two equal-status men through their mutual pursuit of a woman. (p. 665)” From the Tale of Genji, the paper mainly uses the example of 薫 Kaoru, 匂 Niou, and 浮舟 Ukifune, characters mainly covered in the second part (after Genji’s death), so it is not very clear for their relationship in reading this paper.
I think my example from the Tale of Genji, though related with nurses, is not well explained by the paper’s models. The nurses are different for 夕霧 Yūgiri and 雲居雁 Kumoi no Kari, but they have the power to decide if the two children can meet for a young love, and could persuade their children to accept their or the fathers’ arguments, by that the closest person beside a child is the nurse. Until 夕霧 Yūgiri becomes the great official with the power, the nurses do not allow the meeting by the command of 内大臣 Naidaijin. After the relaxation of restriction, the nurse, but not the 内大臣 Naidaijin takes the responsibility of the restriction, and be criticized by 夕霧 Yūgiri implicitly over poetry, reflecting the effect of the difference in power in this event.
”命を産めぬ女は哀れかもしれません。しかし、命を育てるのは産むことより負けない女の仕事、いえ、命を産むより、命育てることが勝るのでしょう。” (千年の恋 ひかる源氏物語, 紫式部, 1:44:12)
“理想的な教養が与えられてあって、足りない点などは何もないと見える姫君は、絶大な勢力のある源氏を父としているほかに、すぐれた麗質も備えていることで、若くいらせられる東宮ではあるがこの人を最も御愛寵あそばされた。” (与謝野晶子, 源氏物語, 第33帖 2.4.6, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined33.2.html#line2.4.6)
The movie 千年の恋 ひかる源氏物語 gives a summary of the most story around the Tale of Genji (the longest coverage I have seen in a video adaption), both of the fictional world (between the born and the death of Hikaru Genji 光源氏) and the real world in the Heian court (around the relationships of Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部, Fujiwara Michinaga 藤原道長, and Shoshi 彰子). However, the movie does not emphasize the chapters we have read this week. In the movie, as referenced, Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部 tells Shoshi 彰子 that Murasaki no ue 紫の上 might be barren, but it is better in a woman’s responsibility to raise instead of give birth to a child. As the role of foster mother of Akashi no hime 明石中宮の養母, the referenced sentence in the Tale of Genji reflects the best education Murasaki no ue 紫の上 given to Akashi no hime 明石の姫, showing the excellent work done by Murasaki no ue 紫の上 in “命を育てる”. This also gives reason to Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部’s value – to give better social status and credit of the child on the raised person instead of the real mother.
“院のお顔は若々しくおきれいで、四十の賀などは数え違いでないかと思われるほど艶えんで、賀を奉る夫人の養父でおありになるとも思われないのを見て、何年かを中に置いてお目にかかる玉鬘たまかずらの尚侍ないしのかみは恥ずかしく思いながらも以前どおりに親しいお話をした。” (Yosano Akiko 与謝野晶子, Chapter 34, Line 5.2.2, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined34.5.html#line5.2.2)
In the paper, there is “And yet this admission was embedded in passages that perpetuated the notion that the physical health and beauty of the sovereign was intimately related to his or her moral authority and legitimacy. Thus, the virtue and benevolence of Princess Hidaka were mentioned in the same breath as her “grace and loveliness,” and the health and vitality of the populace was indicated by means of a Chinese expression referring to the uncovered heads of the peasantry (“black-haired subjects”), which also served as an index of their youthful vigor.” (p. 280)
In the referenced piece from the Tale of Genji, the Tamakazura view of Genji’s appearance at 40 does not include any sign of aging, which is same in the referenced piece in the paper – the physical health and beauty of Genji (which could be seen as a sovereign by the position of Emperor Reizei’s father) is connected with the moral but not the real age. Although the depiction of nobles are usually without aging, the author gives Genji even better appearance by the word En 艶, showing Genji has better morality as his age grows. Compared to another emperor, Suzaku, he becomes very ill in two years by sending Genji to exile, and the illness is alleviated when Genji be allowed back to Kyoto. This is also a proof of such rule in classical tale in Japan.
沈じんの木の四つの折敷おしきに若菜を形式的にだけ少し盛って出した。院は杯をお取りになって、
小松原末のよはひに引かれてや 野辺の若菜も年をつむべき
などとお歌いになった。高官たちは南の外座敷の席に着いた。
(Yosano Akiko 与謝野晶子, Chapter 34 若菜上, Line 5.3.3 - 5.3.5, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined34.5.html#line5.3.3)
“But not all longevity medicines were as rare as kinekitan, and the consumption of herbal drugs appears to have been even more widespread.” (p. 300)
In the referenced plot, Genji tastes the new herbs, and accepts Tamakazura’s wish for his longevity. At that time, eating seven new herbs in birthday could cure hundreds of diseases, which is good for Genji’s health as an old person of age 40. Kinekitan has no appearance in the Tale of Genji, but this plot in the tale proves the popularity of herbal food for health at that time. Also, there is also mention of new herbs in giving it to Suzaku emperor to celebrate his age of 50. Even if Genji just takes a taste on the herbs, there uses four special wooden dishes and then made a platform for everyone to taste the dishes. This also shows the importance of the herbs in such celebration.
The topic of the book is the effect of sound and scent for separating couple at the time Akatsuki 暁. The book is in three parts. The first part includes the exact time of Akatsuki 暁 which is difficult to distinct from Yofukashi 夜深し midnight; and the goodbye greeting to women when leaving for Suma 須磨 with time phrases that are difficult to translate to modern without loss of precision and psychological depiction. The second part discusses the sound: the night of Utsusemi 空蝉 with Keimei 鶏鳴 cockcrow and urge dialogue by attendant; living noises by ordinary people; sound of koto music and dialogue with visual of cloud and moon between Kaoru 薫 and Hashihime 橋姫; the separation of Kaoru 薫 and Ōkimi 大君; as well as Kaoru 薫 and Ukifune 浮舟. The third part discusses other stories including waka 和歌 and focuses on smell: the smell of person and moving “人香” and “移り香” including 夕顔 Yūgao, 女三宮 Onna san no miya, 頭中将 Tō no chūjō, and Genji; as well as the smell of loving people.
A sentence useful: “九「男性から女性への「移り香」は、他に女性の「移り香」の言葉の使用例が『源氏物語』にないことから、夕顔が源氏に渡した「移り香」の染みた扇の持ち主を、夕顔ではなく頭中将とする私案を提起している。” (p. 73) This is an interesting perspective that the fan passed to Genji by 夕顔 Yūgao is actually of 頭中将 Tō no chūjō, with a smell, as there is no more such fan appeared in the story. I am interested to know more about 移り香, its translation, and what does the smell conveying, which is not explicitly stated in the paper.
A sentence difficult to accept: “しかし、小林氏が基準とする動詞「明く」は、一語だけでも「日付変更時点」か「夜明け」かの判別が比較的容易なのに対し、「夜深し」の方は、「明 く」「鶏鳴」「鐘の音」「暁」「寅」等の他の語と一緒に使用されなければ、その時刻が深夜ではなく暁と確定することは難しい。” (p. 72) I think “夜深し” does not have a very strong relation with “暁”, as one means midnight, and one means early morning. For example, we would usually not differentiate noon and afternoon. Also, I think the difference with midnight and early morning is linked with psychology: if the love is in progress, then people would not wish others to notice, so the time is midnight; after that, it becomes early morning as the man leaves and the door reopens.
Great point about the psychological valence of time, Ruixuan, and of its narrower romantic significance in the courtly Heian context. :)
“中宮は、参りたまひなむとするを、今しばしは御覧ぜよとも、聞こえまほしう思せども、さかしきやうにもあり、内裏の御使の隙なきもわづらはしければ、さも聞こえたまはぬに、あなたにもえ渡りたまはねば、宮ぞ渡りたまひける。” (Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部, Chapter 40 御法, Line 2.1.2, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined40.2.html#line2.1.2)
“In the upper right of the painting Genji’s wife, leaning feebly against an armrest, anticipates her death. She sees the tangled hagi (autumn grass) in the garden and composes her last poem, in which she equates her life with the dew on the grass that is soon to vanish. In the corner of the garden to the left, the hagi leaves in disarray in the autumn wind are suggested, although as form they are as immobile as the frozen face of Murasaki.” (Shimuzu, p. 56)
The referenced text in the tale is the leading sentence before Murasaki 紫の上’s final poem, which is also mentioned in the paper’s referenced sentences, as depicted in the scroll analyzed by the paper. I think the plot of choosing autumn (or fall) for the death is very natural, as the autumn season is a season for trees to fall leaves and flowers to wither. The depiction of dew does also emphasizes the short length of Murasaki dying while still being young. The readers can read this information with a strong feeling of Mono no aware 物の哀れ without explicitly mentioning this concept, as discussed in-Extra Post due March 24, by comparing a person with an object. Murasaki 紫の上 is the perfect masterpiece by Genji, and Genji spent the most time with Murasaki 紫の上, with the major issue that Genji had a bunch of outside relations for Murasaki 紫の上 to bear as under a multi-wife tradition for nobles in the 平安 Heian period, which also reflect the rebellion of Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部 and Shōshi 彰子 as discussed in class and in movie.
“自分自身でわからないのが命にもせよ、まさかこんなに早く終わろうとは思わなかったというのもはかないわけですね。このことは絶対にだれへもお話しにならないでください。” (Yosano Akiko 与謝野晶子, Chapter 36 柏木, Line 3.3.15, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined36.3.html#line3.3.15)
“In the climax of the chapter, a frail and suffering Kashiwagi tries desperately to write a letter to his love, the Third Princess, with whom he has fathered an illegitimate child, Kaoru. Genji passes the child off as his own son, concealing the truth of the matter and causing Kashiwagi, his rival, even further grief. Sensing his final days drawing near, Kashiwagi tries to write to the Third Princess, but with his hand trembling and his will unsteadied by the visceral—and, it should be noted, textual—fact of his own mortality, his writing collapses. Seeing his own writing fractured there on the page before him only demoralizes Kashiwagi further, as he realizes that he cannot convey all that he wishes to his estranged lover; he dies soon after his failed writing attempt.” (Jackson, p. 162)
There are Murasaki and Kashiwagi sections of this scroll as we have also seen in color in the class yesterday. I have discussed the Murasaki scroll on the index card, so I would like to talk about the Kashiwagi scroll. Kashiwagi became depressed after having the prohibited sex relation with one of Genji’s official wives; even they have a child, Kashiwagi and Ona san no miya could never meet again. Once Kashiwagi became hopeless, he died. Genji’s stare at him was a notice for Kashiwagi, and it also means that Kashiwagi rebels the highest person (as Genji is regarded as the true emperor and the sun in the tale), so he loses the vitality in a very short time. Similarly, in the referenced text, a deeper reason why Kashiwagi does not tell explicitly “the thing” to Yugiri might be that he could not afford to rebel the sun again from this weakness. From the scroll, we could see that they are very close (meaning a very low voice) without other people, so Kashiwagi afraids even these few words will be noticed by people. The Genji’s forgiveness after Kashiwagi’s death also coincides with Genji’s life, and Kashiwagi was more like a unfortunate version of current Genji, which will be overlapped in the chapters about Murasaki’s death.
Interesting point about the overlap!
In the review paper of 神田龍身著『平安朝物語文学とは何か―『竹取』『源氏』『狭衣』とエクリチュール』by 蕗谷雄輝, the author summarizes the discussion around three pieces of Heian monogatari literature – Taketori monogatari, Genji monogatari, and Sagoromo monogatari, while putting , and the opposing concepts écriture (writing) and parole (speaking) in philosophy. The author discusses several forms of écriture, including characters, letters, waka poetries, and even mononoke, genealogy, education, and Tang cats; provided some examples in the three works about expressions like the metaphor of women as dry flower. The three parts of the book are the general discussion of Heian monogatari literature, the late years of Hikaru Genji, and Sagoromo monogatari’s écriture. The first part goes through the écriture nature of Taketori monogatari and Tosa nikki in the form of parole; and turns to the focus of Genji monogatari and Sagoromo monogatari, mentioning their oppositions, the book’s efforts for wide audience, and the introduction to the philosophy of deconstruction, instead of the traditional narratology. The second part analyzed the written expressions in two Wakana chapters, and introduces three interesting viewpoints involving questions: for all the letters in Genji’s last years, even the recipient is not Genji, they are written with the assumption that Genji should have read them, but there is a question on the motivation of Akashi Nyudo assuming this; and the viewpoint regarding the choice of Tang cat as the parable of both Ona san no miya and the mystery child between Ona san no miya and Kashiwagi for metaphors; this part lastly discusses the archivist characteristic of Yugiri in terms of opposing the word violence on Ochiba no miya, while he could distort this position when driven by desire. In part three, there is a mention for analyses inside and outside of Sagoromo monogatari.
One interesting sentence for me is “物語世界で消失しようとしていたエクリチュールをすんでのところで繋ぎ止めたという意味では、夕霧はアーキビストとして優秀な働きをしたといえよう。” (p. 100) I agree that Yugiri has done a decent work in archiving the disappearing écriture from the world of the tale, even if the most important letters have already been burnt by Genji, as he might has this work by preserving houses, plants, and taking care of womens of Genji, which could connect this paper with the chapters we have read these weeks.
One confusing sentence for me is . “それとも柏木の「魂」の刷り込みというのが、他のあらゆるエクリチュールを凌駕するものだったのか。” (p. 99) Around this is the question parts for the reviewer, so I might not get the meaning in a short question. I do not understand how Kashiwagi’s soul could be written into the cat and override other écritures, as well as the effect of this.
“かく、いとあやしきまで人のとがむる香にしみたまへるを、兵部卿宮なむ、異事よりも挑ましく思して、それは、わざとよろづのすぐれたる移しをしめたまひ、朝夕のことわざに合はせいとなみ、御前の前栽にも、春は梅の花園を眺めたまひ、秋は世の人のめづる女郎花、小牡鹿の妻にすめる萩の露にも、をさをさ御心移したまはず、老を忘るる菊に、衰へゆく藤袴、ものげなきわれもかうなどは、いとすさまじき霜枯れのころほひまで思し捨てずなど、わざとめきて、香にめづる思ひをなむ、立てて好ましうおはしける。” (Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部, Chapter 42, Line 2.4.1, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined42.2.html#line2.4.1) “Aristocrats in the Heian period gradually called renkō 練香 (the kneaded incense blends) takimono 薫物 (‘to perform fragrance’), and used it to perfume rooms or the air (a practice called soradakimono 空薫物) or else wafted it over their clothes (called oikaze 追風, literally ‘tailwind’).” (p. 73)
I think the referenced paper sentence could be better explained by the example referenced in the tale. Niou envies the heavy, natural cloth scent of his close friend Kaoru, so that he has to use different methods to put scent also on his clothes, including applying renko on his clothes by a variety of human-made perfumes, as well as flower scents. This also shows the inheritance of relationship between the two families of Sadaijin (the minister of the left) and Udaijin (the minister of the right): we could see this close and competitive relationship between Genji and To no chujo; between Yugiri (by Genji) and Kashiwagi (by To no chujo); and between Niou (by Akashi no chugu) and Kaoru (by Kashiwagi).
“子という絆きずなに引かれて出家のできぬことすら不幸な運命であると残念がられる宮でおありになったから、まして普通の人がするような再婚などを今さらしようとは思わぬ、とこういう気持ちは年月と共に加わり、それだけ世の中から遠のいておゆきになる宮であって、お心だけは僧と同じになっておいでになり、夫人の歿後ぼつごは異性をお求めになるようなお心は戯れにもお持ちになることはなかった。” (Yosano Akiko 与謝野晶子, Chapter 45 Line 1.3.3, http://www.genji-monogatari.net/html/Genji/combined45.1.html#line1.3.3)
“As Bowring explains, achieving salvation through such strict meditation is, however, not common in The Tale of Genji: “the kind of Buddhism (Mahāyāna) that lies at the heart of the Genji was more compassionate and was based on a shift from enlightenment for the few to salvation for all; a shift from meditation to devotion”” (Aronsson, Section “The Concept of Sin and Salvation”, p. 261)
There is a connection between the referenced paper and the referenced sentence from the Tale of Genji on the theme of salvation in Buddhism. The referenced sentence describes Hachi no miya, who had developed a spiritual connection with Buddhism, leading to a shift from focus on marriage to a more devout life to Buddhas. Meanwhile, the referenced paper by Aronsson discusses the concept of sin and salvation in Mahāyāna Buddhism, which is the kind of Buddhism that is central to the Tale of Genji. Specifically, the paper highlights the shift from meditation to devotion as a means of achieving salvation in Mahāyāna Buddhism, which aligns with the spiritual transformation in the Tale of Genji. But this is not the same as Genji’s situation discussed in the paper. The paper mentions that Genji’s morality is out of Buddhism’s boundary and uses Buddhism as a way to wipe the sin. However, Hachi no miya does not has a sin to wipe, as he has sorrow life experience, and nothing happens along his mind, so he could only use Buddhism to accumulate blessings for future generations and happiness in after-death world, a much weaker reason than Genji.