in full bloom. In terms of bloodlines and rank, Tō no
Chūjō is Genji’s near equal: the two men are cous-
ins, sons respectively of the Kiritsubo Emperor and
his sister Ōmiya, sharing a common imperial grand-
father. They are also brothers-in-law, after Genji’s
betrothal to Tō no Chūjō’s sister Aoi in Chapter One,
a marriage that is the root cause of resentments for
both parties. By marrying Genji, a commoner, Aoi
cannot become a Consort to the Crown Prince,
which prevents this Fujiwara Ministerial family from
50 | The Tale of Genji
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The lighthearted interlude allays the somber
undertones of Chapter Seven in the representation
of the relationship between Genji and Fujitsubo,
and their sexual transgression against the Emperor.
The performance of Waves of the Blue Sea depicted
in the album painting is the second rendition of the
dance, the fi rst being a private rehearsal of the piece
arranged by the Kiritsubo Emperor for Fujitsubo,
who would be unable to see it otherwise. What
the Emperor stages, seemingly unwittingly, is an
encounter between Genji and Fujitsubo, who is at
that moment pregnant with Genji’s child. As Genji
makes clear in a poem he sends to Fujitsubo the
next day, he twirled his sleeves for her:
Mono omou ni
Deep in this longing,
Tachimaubeku mo
How I was to rise and dance
wielding control over the imperial matriline, at least
Aranu mi no
I could not think;
for this generation. Beacuse she is his only sister, this
Sode uchifurishi
Did you guess the heart that beckoned
has ramifi cations for Tō no Chūjō’s own aspirations.
Kokoro shiriki ya
In the shaking sleeve I waved?
The tale’s depiction of the rivalry between the two
“In fear and trembling.”
young men never dwells too long on its political basis,
cranston, p. 722
however, representing it instead through a veneer of
a jocular gamesmanship with homosocial overtones.
By the end of this chapter Fujitsubo has given birth
Such defl ection fi nds perfect expression in another
to Genji’s son, the future Emperor Reizei, and has
episode in this chapter, when both men engage in
been promoted to Empress, rising above the sta-
a fl irtation with one of the Emperor’s older hand-
tion occupied by the Kokiden Consort. Descriptive
maidens named Naishi. Tō no Chūjō pranks Genji
terms for radiance in the tale are used exclusively
by donning a disguise and catching him in the act
for Genji, Fujitsubo, and now their newborn son,
with the old woman, brandishing a sword and feign-
who is described as the moon to Genji’s sun, and
ing to be a jealous lover. Genji catches on to the ruse
who resembles his real father to an unsettling
and horseplay ensues as the men pull at each other’s
degree. Genji is at a remove f rom the imperial line
robes, both departing the woman’s quarters in disar-
as he dances Waves of the Blue Sea for the lineage of
ray. Naishi, although an interesting character in her
emperors inside the building, but by the end of the
own right, becomes the butt of a joke over which the
chapter, he has fathered a son whom he will watch
two men continue to bond.
ascend the throne.
Chapter 7 | An Imperial Celebration of Autumn Foliage | 51
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He reached through the curtain and
took her hand,
Flown like an arrow
Shot f rom a catalpa bow,
Lost on Irusa
Longing for Moonset Mountain
To betray the light I glimpsed.
cranston, p. 731
52
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8
A Banquet
Celebrating
Cherry
Blossoms
Hana no en
Kichōgoshi ni te o toraete,
Azusayumi
Irusa no yama ni
Madou kana
Honomishi tsuki no
Kage ya miyuru to
53
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Chapter Eight is one of the most sensual in the
the Left’s faction. And, most important, he intends
tale, full of evocative sensory experiences f rom the
for his sixth daughter to become the consort of the
lavish performances that take place amid f ragrant
current Crown Prince, in eff ect marrying his daugh-
spring blossoms, to a dreamlike sexual encounter
ter to her own nephew, but providing him with yet
for a libidinous young Genji. Driving much of the
another means to infl uence the throne.
behavior in this chapter, however, is an underlying
Enter Genji who consistently manages to thwart
political rivalry between the Minister of the Left
well-wrought plans for imperial control by Fujiwara
and the Minister of the Right, both members of the
Ministers. After everyone has retired following the
Fujiwara house with diff erent plans for the imperial
blossom banquet at the palace, Genji attempts to
succession. The Minister of the Right, father to six
access Fujitsubo’s quarters but fi nds the entrance
daughters, including the senior Kokiden Consort,
securely locked, leaving him to try his luck among
aims to control the government by manipulat-
the women in the Kokiden Consort’s quarters.
ing the imperial matriline and the grandsons who
There he discovers the alluring sixth daughter
inherit the throne. The Minister of the Left, with
of the Minister of the Right, alone and singing a
his only daughter Aoi having married a “genji,” famous line of poetry about the peerless beauty can no longer hope for such a form of power and
of a misty moon on a spring night. Genji is capti-
is thus more favorably disposed toward direct impe-
vated and acts immediately on his desire, startling
rial rule. During the cherry blossom celebration the woman, who tries to resist, but gives in when at the palace that opens this chapter, the Kokiden
she realizes that he is someone of high rank. In the
Consort understandably seethes (personally, and on
context of the politics of the chapter, the fl owery
behalf of her family) when s
he is forced to watch
language of romantic seduction thinly veils an act
f rom afar as Fujitsubo, newly appointed above her
of sexual aggression against the Minister’s family,
as Empress, sits alongside the sovereign, with the
beginning with the pretense of Genji’s ignorance
Crown Prince, her own son. Kokiden’s position will
of which sister he has encountered. He leaves the
improve as soon as her son ascends the throne, but
woman without learning her identity, but takes her
in the meantime the Minister of the Right arranges
fan, which bears an image of a moon refl ected on
marriages for his other daughters to expand his the water. This, combined with her earlier poetic political reach. His fourth daughter is married to Tō
invocation, resulted in her nickname, Oborozukiyo,
no Chūjō, for example, infi ltrating the Minister of
“Lady of the Misty Moon.”
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be of bright red fabric pattered with multicolored
fl owers fl oating on a stream of rippling water in
gold. The brash ensemble and his late arrival after
sunset make for quite an entrance, prompting those
in attendance to say he outshone even the Minister’s
wisteria ( fuji), symbol of the Fujiwara house, and
the very pretense for the gathering.
To add insult to injury, Genji excuses himself
early and steals into the women’s quarters at the
Minister’s home to fi nd his Misty Moon. This is
where we fi nd him in the album painting entering
beneath the blinds, with Oborozukiyo represented
by nothing more than a strand of her hair and the
edge of her robe. The painting’s concealment of
the woman’s fi gure is an ideal pictorial counter-
part to Genji’s presumed ignorance of her identity.
Outside, the fl owering branches of a luminescent
cherry tree parallel the movement of the lover as
he advances into the woman’s room. The cherry
tree’s anthropomorphized form even recalls ancient
stories of otherworldly fl ower spirits, who, in the
guise of dashing courtiers, approach unsuspecting
young ladies. And the thick application of shell
white for the fl ower petals makes this tree seem
exceptionally tactile. The pendulant purple clusters
of wisteria appear on the other side of the building,
visible through the translucent bamboo blinds and
between golden clouds. As the pride of the Minister
Although the Minister of the Right considers and the symbol of the Fujiwara, the wisteria’s inclu-Genji something of a nemesis, he goes out of his
sion affi
rms Genji’s audacity, reminding the viewer
way to ensure the young man’s presence at his own
that the transgression occurs right under the nose
blossom banquet the following month, unaware that
of the girl’s father. The single poem by Genji cho-
Genji has slept with his treasured daughter intended
sen to accompany this painting in the calligraphy
for court service. The painting in the album depicts
text enhances the romantic innuendo of the image.
Genji at the Minister’s residence dressed in what can
Playing on the event of the archery contest, another
only be described as an audacious choice of attire.
reason for the gathering at the Minister’s residence,
Every other man in attendance wears formal robes
Genji likens himself to an arrow shot f rom a bow.
( hō), but Genji takes great care in donning an informal
The meandering arrow in the dark is lost, just like
white cloak ( nōshi) of an elegant Chinese-style weave
Genji, who longs to glimpse that misty moon he
with a cherry blossom pattern. His costume is a less-
once saw. The chapter ends on one of the most
than-subtle display of independence, as he exercises
puzzling lines in the tale, the nuances of which have
the prerogative of a prince to dress in an abbreviated
been endlessly debated: as Genji recognizes the
style. Genji takes the display even further by pairing
woman’s voice, the narrator says, “he was delighted,
his informal robe with a brightly patterned train of
and yet . . . ” Something about the situation or the
extraordinary length. Here the train is depicted to
woman seems less than perfect.
Chapter 8 | A Banquet Celebrating Cherry Blossoms | 55
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Only a shining
Shadow on the cleansing stream —
Hands dipped in vain
From these cold depths I learn
What foul mud clings to me.
cranston, p. 732
56
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9
Leaves of
Wild Ginger
Aoi
Kage o nomi
Mitarashigawa no
Tsurenaki ni
Mi no uki hodo zo
Itodo shiraruru
57
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Genji’s wife, whom he offi
cially married after com-
Emperor, was appointed Shrine priestess at the start
ing of age, takes her name f rom the title of this
of a new reign to perform various rites f rom her
chapter, Aoi, the Japanese name for wild ginger, also
offi
cial residence, the Sai’in. The reign has changed
translated as “heartvine.” The plant, which grows
since Genji’s father has abdicated, and the Kokiden
two heart-shaped leaves to a single stalk, was used
Consort’s son, Emperor Suzaku, now occupies the
to decorate the carriages and courtier caps of those
throne. The Kokiden Consort herself holds the lofty
who attended the annual Aoi Festival of the two
title of Imperial Mother, and one of her daughters
Kamo shrines in the capital, an event depicted at
is the new Kamo Priestess. To ensure an impressive
the start of Chapter Nine. Lady Aoi bears no poetic
retinue to escort the Priestess to her Purifi cation
relationship to the plant as Yūgao did to the evening
Rites, the Emperor has selected an elite group of
fl ower or Oborozukiyo did to the misty moon, but
the most admired and attractive courtiers, including
her fate is sealed during incidents that transpire Genji, who is said to outshine them all. People f rom leading up to the Aoi Festival. Of the eight carriages
all walks of
life crowd the procession route to claim
depicted in the album painting for Chapter Nine, the
a spot that will aff ord a view of the radiant Genji.
one that marks the very center of the image belongs
Among these onlookers is the Rokujō Lady, Genji’s
to her. As with other high-ranking ladies who trav-
long-standing and neglected lover and a woman of
eled by carriage, she remains out of sight, but her
exalted rank. It pains her to have to view him f rom a
identity may be surmised by the details of her vehi-
distance like a mere onlooker, but she cannot resist
cle and the distinct edges of colorful robes poking
the chance to see him in his fi nery. She travels incog-
out f rom beneath its drawn bamboo blinds. This
nito in a subdued carriage and successfully secures
painting lacks the multicolored sleeves described in
a prime spot along the procession route. That is,
the tale as emerging f rom the other carriages, and
until the offi
cial wife of Genji shows up and the ine-
only a small portion of fabric appears f rom beneath
briated men in her retinue shove Rokujō’s carriage
the blinds of Aoi’s carriage, making for a more sub-
out of the way to make room for Aoi. An unruly
dued display. The nine men in Aoi’s entourage grasp
brawl ensues among the men, insults are traded,
the shafts of the cart, backing it into an empty spot
and someone yells out a comment about Rokujō’s
among a line of other carriages along First Avenue
aff air with Genji that reveals her identity.
to form a diagonal line across the picture plane.
Hemmed in by other vehicles, and with her view
What seems to be a rather orderly maneuver by
blocked by Aoi’s carriage, Lady Rokujō can only
the Minister of the Left’s men in fact represents
sit and wait, humiliated and seething with resent-
the aftermath of one of the most famous and only
ment. To add to the indignity, the pedestal on which
scenes of an altercation in the tale, known as the
her carriage shafts would normally rest after being
“conf rontation of carriages” ( kuruma no arasoi).
unhitched f rom the oxen has been destroyed in
It is a few days before the Festival proper and Aoi,
The Tale of Genji- A Visual Companion Page 10
