by VIKING ADULT
The performers’ guild collapsed soon after the Meiji Restoration (1868). With new ideas and practices flooding into Japan from abroad and intense competition from other arts, most members had to turn to other kinds of music, or even to such traditional occupations for the blind as massage or acupuncture. Nonetheless a thread of traditional Heike performance survived.
In Kyushu, in the south, Yamashika Yoshiyuki, the last blind biwa singer, died in 1996. He had received no formal Heike transmission, but his diverse repertoire, like that of his fellows, included Heike-derived material. Like the biwa hshi long before him, he performed these narratives for patrons under secular circumstances and also sang sacred texts in festival and ritual settings.
In Nagoya, central Japan, Imai Tsutomu (born 1958) is the last recognized successor to the blind Edo-period Heike performers. His formally acquired repertoire includes eight selections: “The Sea Bass” (1:3) and a portion of “One Man’s Glory” (1:5), “Stupas Cast into the Sea” (2:16), “Autumn Leaves” (6:2), “The Pilgrimage to Chikubushima” (7:3), “Ikezuki” (9:1), “First Across the Uji River” (9.2), “Yokobue” (10:8), and “Nasu no Yoichi” (11:4). He has recorded these on CD.
In the north the Tsugaru lineage arose in the late eighteenth century and remains active today. These performers, who are sighted, descend artistically from sighted amateurs rather than blind professionals. Their ultimate authority is a book rather than a teacher: the complete, performable Heike mabushi. It is therefore possible for them, at least in principle, to perform the whole tale. In 1998 the Tsugaru performer Hashimoto Toshie (a woman) undertook to do so over the course of ten years.
Performance of famous Heike passages, or of Heike-derived material, continues, especially in the modern (late-nineteenth-century and after) biwa schools known as Satsuma-biwa and Chikuzen-biwa. Examples of these new interpretations, often moving and dramatic, are available on CD. In addition, YouTube offers glimpses of biwa performance in a variety of styles. Most consist of the tale’s exceedingly famous opening lines (the beginning of 1.1, known in Japanese as “Gion Shja”). Imai Tsutomu, who did not receive this passage through orthodox transmission because his lineage considered it too weighty for any but the most advanced disciple, has recorded a reconstruction done by a specialized musicologist (Komoda Haruko). However, anyone is now free to perform it on the Internet, in any style, before the whole world.
TIME IN THE TALE
Years. Japan counts years not from a point of origin like the birth of Christ but within an “era” or “year period” (neng) that belongs in a succession of similar eras. In modern times these eras coincide with an imperial reign (Meiji, Taish, Shwa, Heisei), but earlier they did not. A new era could be proclaimed at any time. Thus Kiyomori moved the capital to Fukuhara in Jish 4 (1180) and died in Ywa 1 (1181). These Japanese years correspond only approximately to 1180 and 1181, because the Japanese calendar was then lunar, not solar. A lunar month (like a lunar year) began roughly six weeks later than its numbered solar counterpart. For this reason the burning of Nara (5:14), conventionally dated to the end of 1180, properly occurred in the first days of 1181.
The counterpart Common Era date for each year or imperial reign mentioned in the text appears in small type to the right of a “song” or “recitative” line and where appropriate within a passage of “speech.” In this way the reader has ready access to the historical framework shared by the tale’s characters and original audience.
Hours. The day was divided into twelve “hours,” six for the daytime and six for the night, each named for one of the twelve beasts of the zodiac. These “hours” shortened or lengthened as the relative length of day and night changed from season to season. At the equinox an “hour” therefore corresponded to two clock hours. Approximate counterpart clock times are indicated in the same way as dates. Each corresponds to the midpoint of the named “hour.”
NAMES AND CAPITALIZATION
The names of the ranking Taira, Minamoto, and Fujiwara figures in the tale are relatively simple. Examples are Taira no Kiyomori, Minamoto no Yoritomo, and Fujiwara no Motomichi. In these the last element is the “given name,” which the no (“of”) links to the surname. In other cases, however, what looks like a surname may refer instead to the man’s home locality. For example, Imai no Shir Kanehira and Higuchi no Jir Kanemitsu are brothers. The Shir (“fourth son”) and Jir (“second son”) indicate order of birth and serve also as personal names under informal circumstances. Other such possibilities are Tar (“first son”), Sabur (third), Gor (fifth), and so on. The hero Minamoto no Yoshitsune appears often in the original text simply as Kur (“ninth son”). For the sake of simplicity and consistency, the translation usually includes (or substitutes) the more formal given name.
Women’s names are more elusive. Formal genealogies record a personal name only for a woman of very high birth; otherwise they simply mention a “daughter.” In any case, a woman’s personal name was rarely used in public. A lady mentioned in 12:5 is an example. Her personal name was probably read “Noriko,” but her name in actual use was Ky-no-tsubone, an appellation that alluded to where she lived or had once lived. Other women in the tale are referred to by appellations that associate them with male, office-bearing relatives. An example is Dainagon-no-suke, Taira no Shigehira’s wife and a nurse of Emperor Antoku. A woman of the loftiest rank—the mother of an emperor, an empress, or a senior princess—would acquire an exalted “in title” (ing), which would then be her name. Kiyomori’s daughter, the mother of Emperor Antoku, became Kenreimon-in; other examples are Bifukumon-in and Jtmon-in. Dancers like Gi (1:6) used their professional names.
Buddhist monks and priests took two-character religious names, read in Chinese style. These alluded to Buddhist scriptures, virtues, or ideals.
Buddhist writings and practices originated in India but reached Japan via China. Japan received the names of deities and so on in Chinese translation or transliteration, then absorbed them according to its own conventions of pronunciation. In theory such names should be restored in English to their Sanskrit original, if it exists. In practice, however, the confusion is so great that consistency is all but impossible. This translation does not attempt it. Some names appear in their Sanskrit form, others—the more common ones—as they were pronounced in Japan.
The readings given in the translation for most of the names in the tale follow those indicated in the source editions cited. However, a few are unfamiliar to a modern reader acquainted with Japanese history. In these cases, the better-known reading has been adopted:
Reading adopted Original reading
Betsugi Hetsugi
Daigensui Taigensui
Dakini Dagini
Doi Toi
Genj Kenj
Kazan (Emperor) Kasan
Kinpusen Kinbuzen
Kizu, Kizu River Kotsu, Kotsu River
Kumagai Kumagae
Shinzei Shinsei (Fujiwara no Michinori)
Susano-o Sosano-o
Takeda Taketa
Teshigahara Tesshigahara
In names romanized with a double o, the two o’s have been separated by a hyphen in order to avoid confusion over how to pronounce them: Susano-o, Seno-o.
Finally, an effort has been made in this translation to reduce capitalization to a minimum, in order to lighten the text as much as possible.
THE NOTES
Not every reader needs notes. Richard Henry Dana wrote in the introduction to Two Years Before the Mast:
There may be in some parts a good deal that is unintelligible to the general reader; but I have found from my own experience, and what I have heard from others, that plain matters of fact in relation to customs and habits of life new to us, and descriptions of life under new aspects, act upon the inexperienced through the imagination, so that we are hardly aware of our want of technical knowledge. Thousands read the escape of the American frigate through the British channel…with breathless interest, who do not know the name of a rope in the ship; and
perhaps with none the less admiration and enthusiasm for their want of acquaintance with the professional detail.
Some will wish to read The Tale of the Heike in that spirit, unaided. Others will welcome the notes or even require them. Perhaps the latter will find them helpful and the former tolerable after all.
THE ILLUSTRATIONS
The illustrations are from Heike monogatari zue, a popular retelling of the tale (text by Takai Ranzan, 1762–1838) published in Edo in two parts, in 1829 and 1849. They are by Teisai Hokuba (1770–1844), a star pupil of the great print artist Hokusai (1771–1844), and they are reproduced here from a copy in the translator’s collection. Heike monogatari zue provided both text and three illustrations (redrawn) for the first Heike passages published in any European language. François Turrettini’s French translation of a few early chapters appeared in Geneva in 1871.
PRINCIPAL FIGURES IN THE TALE
Antoku, Emperor (1178–85, r. 1180–85). Eldest son of Emperor Takakura by Kiyomori’s daughter, Kenreimon-in. Drowned at the battle of Dan-no-ura. A rumor current at the time had it that Antoku was really a transformation of the Dragon King’s daughter (the Itsukushima deity) and that he had merely returned home to the sea. A later one held that he had been a girl all along and had survived the battle as a fisherman’s daughter. The ambiguous signs described at the beginning of 3:4 presumably encouraged this story. (7:13, 20; 8:1, 3–4; 9:1, 18; 11:2, 9)
Atsumori, Taira no (1169–84). Son of Taira no Tsunemori and nephew of Kiyomori. Beheaded by Kumagai Naozane at Ichi-no-tani. (7:19; 9:16, 18)
Awa-no-naishi. According to different texts, daughter or granddaughter of Shinzei (Fujiwara no Michinori). Accompanied Kenreimon-in to hara. (13:1–5)
Benkei, Musashib (?–1189). A warrior-monk under Yoshitsune. Not especially prominent in the tale, but looms very large in the later legend of Yoshitsune. (9:7, 9; 11:3, 7; 12:4)
Dainagon-no-suke. Wife of Shigehira and a nurse of Emperor Antoku. Captured at Dan-no-ura, she accompanied Kenreimon-in to hara. (10:2, 4, 6; 11:10–11, 19; 13:2–3, 5)
Doi. See Sanehira.
Go-Shirakawa, Emperor (1127–92, r. 1155–58). Father of Emperor Takakura and Prince Mochihito, grandfather of Emperors Antoku and Go-Toba. A major factor in the Hgen Conflict and, after his abdication, a powerful and active retired emperor. (1:5–7, 9, 11–14; 2:1, 3, 6–7, 10, 12, 16; 3:1, 3, 15, 19; 4:1–4, 6, 8; 5:1, 10–11; 6:1, 4–5, 7, 10, 12; 7:13, 16, 20; 8:1–2, 5, 10–11; 9:1, 5, 17; 10:1, 5, 13; 11:13; 12:1; 13:3–4)
Go-Toba, Emperor (1180–1239, r. 1183–98). Chosen by Go-Shirakawa to replace Antoku after the Heike flight from the capital. In his maturity Go-Toba became a major poet. In 1221 he raised rebellion against the Kamakura shogunate and ended his days in exile on the island of Oki. (8:1, 10; 10:14; 11:13–14; 12:9)
Higuchi. See Kanemitsu.
Ichij. See Tadayori.
Ike, Lady (Ike no Zenni [Fujiwara no Muneko], ?–?). Taira no Kiyomori’s step-mother and the mother of Yorimori. After the Heiji Conflict, she persuaded Kiyomori, through Shigemori, to exile rather than execute the young Yoritomo. (5:10; 7:19; 10:3; 11:18)
Imai. See Kanehira.
Inomata. See Noritsuna.
Kagekiyo, Akushichibye (Fujiwara no Kagekiyo, ?–1195?). This fierce Heike warrior from the east survived Dan-no-ura. Some eastern warriors favored the prefix aku- (“bad”), which turns Kagekiyo’s name into something like “Badass Shichibye.” (4:11; 7:2; 8:9; 9:10; 10:14; 11:5, 7, 11; 12:9)
Kagesue, Kajiwara Genda (1162–1200). Eldest son of Kajiwara Kagetoki. (9:1–3, 7, 11, 15; 11:7)
Kagetoki, Kajiwara (d. 1200). A major Genji commander. His bitter dislike of Yoshitsune led to Yoshitsune’s downfall. (7:1; 9:7, 11, 16; 10:6, 7; 11:1, 6, 7, 17; 12:9)
Kajiwara. See Kagesue and Kagetoki.
Kakumei (?–1241?). Kiso no Yoshinaka’s learned warrior-scribe. Once a monk on Mount Hiei, Kakumei had studied also in Nara. He served Yoshinaka after falling out with Taira no Kiyomori. (7:5, 10; 8:11)
Kanehira, Imai no Shir (?–1184). Foster brother of Kiso no Yoshinaka and one of his chief men, younger brother of Kanemitsu. Defended Yoshinaka to the last and died a dramatic death. (7:1, 4, 6–7; 8:6, 8, 10; 9:1, 4)
Kanemitsu, Higuchi no Jir (?–1184). Elder brother of Kanehira and one of Kiso no Yoshinaka’s chief men. (7:4, 7–8; 8:8–9; 9:5)
Kaneyasu, Seno-o (?–1183). A warrior in Kiyomori’s service, he fought in Hgen and Heiji. (1:11; 2:4; 3:12; 5:14; 7:6; 8:8)
Kanezane, Kuj (Fujiwara, 1149–1207). Minister, regent, and a dominant court figure of his time. Author of Gyokuy, a voluminous diary that is a major source of historical information on the period. (1:5; 3:4; 4:2; 5:1)
Kawano. See Michinobu.
Kenreimon-in (Taira no Noriko, 1155–?). Daughter of Taira no Kiyomori. Adopted by Go-Shirakawa, she became a consort of Emperor Takakura in 1171, then his empress. Gave birth to the future Emperor Antoku in 1178 and to the future Emperor Go-Toba in 1180. Received the title Kenreimon-in in 1181. After the Heike collapse, retired as a nun to hara. (1:5; 3:1–3; 4:2; 5:1, 14; 6:2, 12; 7:13, 19; 11:1–2, 9–11; 12:3; 13:1–5)
Kiso. See Yoshinaka.
Kiyomori, Taira no (1118–81). Eldest son of Taira no Tadamori—unless it is true that (as a rumor reported in 6:10 has it) he was really a son of Emperor Shirakawa, adopted by Tadamori. He became head of the Heike in 1153. (1:1–6; 2:1, 3–7, 9–12, 16; 3:1–5, 11, 15–19; 4:1–9, 13, 16; 5:1, 3–4, 12–14; 6:4–10; 7:5, 20; 8:4, 11; 9:7; 10:2, 5, 12, 14; 12:19; 13:1–5)
Kiyomune, Taira no (1171–85). Eldest son of Taira no Munemori, hence a grandson of Kiyomori. Captured with his father at Dan-no-ura and later executed with him. (7:19; 11:2, 10–11, 13, 16–18)
Kiyotsune, Taira no (d. 1183). Third son of Shigemori. Drowned himself in despair after the Heike had fled the capital. (6:10; 7:14, 19; 8:4; 13:4)
Kog. Granddaughter of Shinzei, lover of Takafusa, and beloved also of Emperor Takakura. (6:4)
Koremori, Taira no (1158–84). Eldest son of Taira no Shigemori, hence Kiyomori’s grandson. A failure as the commander of the Heike northern campaign, he fled the capital with the rest of his house, leaving his immediate family behind, then left the Heike camp at Yashima to renounce the world on Mount Kya and drown himself off Nachi. (1:5, 16; 2:4, 11; 3:3, 11–12; 5:11–12; 7:2–4, 6, 12, 14, 19–20; 9:7; 10:1, 8–10, 12–14; 12:7–9)
Kozaish (d. 1184). Wife of Taira no Michimori. She drowned herself after Michimori’s death at Ichi-no-tani. (9:9, 19)
Kumagai. See Naozane.
Meiun (1115–83). Son of Koga no Akimichi. Abbot of Mount Hiei. Dismissed from his post and banished, then reinstated; then killed by Kiso no Yoshinaka’s men. (2:1, 2; 3:19; 8:10)
Michichika, Minamoto no (1149–1202). A ranking court noble who accompanied Emperor Takakura to Itsukushima (his record of the pilgrimage survives) and Go-Shirakawa to hara. (3:4; 5:1; 13:3)
Michimori, Taira no (d. 1184). A Heike commander, nephew of Kiyomori, and husband of Kozaish. Killed at Ichi-no-tani. (5:14; 7:2–3, 6, 12–13, 19; 9:6, 9, 18–19; 10:4; 11:3)
Michinobu, Kawano (also Kno, also Ochi) no Shir (1156–1223). A Genji sympathizer from the province of Iyo, Kawano struggled against the Heike in the period preceding the battle of Dan-no-ura. (9:6; 11:2, 6, 7)
Mochihito, Prince (1151–80). Second son of Go-Shirakawa. Killed after a failed anti-Heike revolt incited by Yorimasa. (4:3, 5–8, 11–14; 5:1, 14; 6:4)
Mongaku (1139–1203). A monk, formerly a warrior named End Morit. Played a critical role in inciting Yoritomo to rebel against the Heike and later saved Rokudai from execution. (5:8–10; 12:2, 7–9)
Morikuni, Taira no (1113?–86). An adviser to Kiyomori and Shigemori, and the father of Moritoshi. (2:3, 6–7; 5:12; 6:10)
Moritoshi, Taira no (d. 1184). A Heike warrior killed at Ichi-no-tani. (7:2, 4; 9:9, 12–13)
Motofusa, Fujiwara no (1145–1230). A senior Fujiwara noble, dismissed as regent by Kiyomori, 1179. (8:1,
11)
Motomichi, Fujiwara no (1160–1233). A senior Fujiwara noble, regent most of the time between 1179 and 1186, and then again in 1196. A son-in-law of Kiyomori and close to Go-Shirakawa. (1:5; 3:15–17, 19; 5:1, 11, 13–14; 7:13; 8:1–2, 11; 9:5)
Munemori, Taira no (1147–85). Kiyomori’s third son (called “second” in the tale because Motomori, Kiyomori’s original second son, was dead by this time) and the lackluster head of the Heike after his father’s death. (1:5, 12, 15; 2:3, 6, 11; 3:4, 11, 18–19; 4:1, 4–6, 13–14; 5:12; 6:7–8, 10, 12; 7:4, 7–8, 12–13, 15, 19–20; 8:1, 3–4, 6, 11; 9:6–7, 9, 17; 10:2–4, 6–7, 9, 11, 13, 15; 11:2, 6–8, 10–11, 13, 16–18)
Nakatsuna, Minamoto no (1126–80). Eldest son of Yorimasa. (4:6, 10–11; 5:9)
Naoie, Kumagai Kojir (1169–1221). Genji warrior, the son of Naozane. Wounded at Ichi-no-tani. (9:7, 10, 16)
Naozane, Kumagai (1141–1208). The Genji warrior who with regret took the head of Atsumori, in one of the most famous episodes of the tale. (9:2, 7, 10, 16)
Narichika, Fujiwara no (1137–77). A ranking Fujiwara noble, brother-in-law of Shigemori, father-in-law of Koremori, close associate of Go-Shirakawa, and chief member of the Shishi-no-tani plot against the Heike, for which he was executed. (1:12–13; 2:3–6, 8–11; 3:1, 7, 15, 18; 4:3; 7:14)
Naritsune, Fujiwara no (d. 1202). Son of Narichika, exiled in connection with the Shishi-no-tani plot but eventually pardoned to appease the angry spirit of his late father. (2:4–5, 9–10, 15; 3:1–3, 7–9)
Nii, Lady (d. 1185). Tokiko, known as Nii-dono (“lady of the second rank”), then Nii-no-ama (“nun of the second rank”). Kiyomori’s wife; mother of Munemori, Tomomori, Shigehira, and Kenreimon-in; sister of Tokitada; and sister-in-law of Emperor Takakura. Became a nun when Kiyomori became a “novice” monk. Drowned at Dan-no-ura with Emperor Antoku in her arms. (3:3; 4:3; 6:7; 7:19; 8:1; 10:4, 6, 9, 13; 11:1–2, 9)
