The Tale of Genji- A Visual Companion

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The Tale of Genji- A Visual Companion Page 19

by Melissa McCormick


  Tamakazura residing in his summer quarter. The

  dance. The narrative describes the girls dressed in

  chapter ends with an episode of sexual aggression by

  their feathered capes, headdresses, and multicolored

  Genji toward Tamakazura, heightened in its inten-

  wings disembarking and moving through a spring

  sity and perversity by their pretend father-daughter

  haze toward the main hall of the residence before

  relationship. Tamakazura’s precarious existence at

  the priests and the noble spectators who line the

  the Rokujō Estate will continue as the story pro-

  verandas and walkways. The tableau is again other-

  gresses into the summer months.

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  That well-known pony

  Will not forage on such grass —

  So poor its fame —

  But today it draws your favor,

  The sweet fl ag by the waterside.

  cranston, p. 824

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  25

  Firefl ies

  Hotaru

  Sono koma mo

  Susamenu kusa to

  Na ni tateru

  Migiwa no ayame

  Kyō ya hikitsuru

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  It is easy to imagine the patron of the Genji Album,

  wings on their caps seen in the painting for Chapter

  a warrior f rom Suo province who had just followed

  Eighteen, Matsukaze, but the rest of their costumes

  the powerful military leader Ōuchi Yoshioki into

  are unique to this painting. Most striking are the

  Kyoto, appreciating the particular scene selected chaps made of white-spotted deer pelts, which to represent Chapter Twenty-Five. The painting anachronistically cover their entire legs, a detail that focuses on the skills of court military offi

  cials in a

  may suggest the patron’s interest in depictions of a

  mounted archery competition that takes place on

  more contemporary warrior culture. A dark stripe

  the grounds of the Rokujōin. At the center of the

  runs down the center of the garment, which orig-

  composition a single archer is depicted with his inally marked the spine of the deer, while a tuft of horse in mid-stride, galloping between the guard-white and black fur marks its tail, which now cov-

  rails of a causeway while drawing his whistling bulb

  ers the riders’ feet. One can see that each man is

  arrow ( kaburaya) across his chest and aiming for

  wearing the equivalent of two slain animals. The

  a target that is not shown, though a typical one is

  rider on the black steed moves at such a clip that the

  included in the painting, just above this fi gure and

  right leg of his fur chaps is blown upward, fl ipping

  to the right. A marksman was required to hit three

  over slightly to reveal its tanned leather underside

  such targets in rapid succession. The disc of the tar-

  as well as a zigzag patterned pant leg. The archers’

  get with its three concentric circles hangs f rom a

  upper garments consist of short, sleeveless tunics

  black bar supported by two posts and is held still by

  with a red interlocking pattern bordered in white

  a white cord at three points. A blue-gray, fi ve-panel

  with green and red stripes and cinched with a cord

  fabric curtain hangs behind the target, attached to

  at the waist. Blue-gray garments underneath with

  a sturdy wooden wall, which is intended to defl ect

  billowed sleeves allow for a range of arm motion.

  any stray arrows. The archers wear the fan-shaped

  Three other archers depicted in the painting illus-

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  withered for the horse’s liking ( susamenu kusa). It is

  a humble poem spoken by Hanachirusato to Genji

  in which she likens herself to the withered plant. It

  explicitly alludes to a verse f rom the Kokinshū (Book

  XVII, no. 892) that laments the absence of foraging

  horses f rom a fi eld of aging grass. Hanachirusato’s

  poem then goes on to suggest that on this day of

  the Sweet Flag, the plant by the waterside might be

  plucked after all. Genji replies by comparing himself

  to the faithful grebe, who mates for life and who

  would never desert the water plant. Unexpectedly,

  Genji spends the night in her quarters. She off ers

  her bed to him, and he takes it, but cordons himself

  off with a curtain without inviting her inside.

  trate the various stages of the competition: two

  Hanachirusato and her attendants are suggested

  riders in the lower right corner focus on the action

  in the painting by the multicolored robes that peek

  in the center, while a third waits on the causeway

  out f rom beneath the bamboo blinds of the resi-

  readying his bow and arrow as his white horse rears

  dence, a formal mode of decoration called uchide.

  slightly, as if ready to charge forth.

  The tale’s elaborate description of the robes of

  The Rokujōin was built to host such displays of

  Hanachirusato’s page girls is striking and suggests

  martial skill, as is clear f rom the inclusion of rid-

  her prowess in creating and arranging textiles, but

  ing grounds along the eastern side of the property,

  their appearance is also meant to attract the men

  technically in the summer quarter overseen by in the Left Guard. Genji’s own amatory interests Hanachirusato. The occasion for the archery event is

  lie elsewhere in the summer residence, in the wing

  the Sweet Flag Festival ( tango no sechie), which takes

  occupied by Tamakazura, and this chapter continues

  place on the fi fth day of the fi fth month, the second

  to depict his desire as well as his eff orts to arrange

  month of summer in the lunar calendar. On this day,

  liaisons between her and other men. In particular he

  tall green water plants ( ayamegusa), which because

  lures in his half brother Sochinomiya, better known

  of their length, deep roots, and medicinal properties

  as Prince Hotaru (literally “fi refl y”), nicknamed

  symbolized longevity, were off ered to the emperor

  after the scene in this chapter in which he espies

  along with prayers for longevity and the avoidance

  Tamakazura illuminated suddenly by a fl ash of

  of calamity. The festivities included an imperial fi refl y light. The encounter is entire
ly orchestrated appearance at the martial facilities within the palace

  by Genji, who waits until his brother is nearby and

  compound, along with horse racing, archery, music,

  then pulls away Tamakazura’s curtain while releas-

  and dance. The event at the Rokujōin occurs after

  ing the fi refl ies. The scene is one of many in which

  the one at the palace concludes, but as usual, Genji’s

  Genji torments Tamakazura, but the young woman

  event is hailed as superior and innovative, especially

  maintains her composure and holds out hope for

  in its spontaneity and lack of excessive formality.

  escaping f rom her predicament. By the end of the

  The sweet fl ag plants that fi gure prominently in

  chapter the long summer rains have begun, during

  the chapter’s poetry appear in the painting, grow-

  which Tamakazura immerses herself in illustrated

  ing in the shallow waters around Hanachirusato’s

  tales ( monogatari), leading to a discussion between

  residence. In an instance of complete cohesion Genji and Tamakazura concerning the merits of between picture and poem, the calligraphic excerpt

  fi ction. It is a metafi ctional set piece within the nar-

  in the album begins with the word for “horse” ( sono

  rative, that among other things, defends the value

  koma), then describes the grass, disdained as too

  of tales.

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  A ref reshing breeze was blowing

  Excuse me if I’m being discourteous,

  through the pavilion, and as the

  but . . .” Genji apologized as he

  sun slowly followed its westerly

  stretched out on his side.

  course through a cloudless sky, the

  washburn p. 524

  raucous cries of cicadas screeched

  unpleasantly.

  “It’s so hot today, it doesn’t do

  much good even to be on the water.

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  26

  Wild Pinks

  Tokonatsu

  Kaze wa ito yoku fukedo, hi nodoka

  ni kumori naki sora no nishibi

  ni naru hodo, semi no koe nado

  mo ito kurushige ni kikoyureba,

  “Mizu no ue mutoku naru kyō no

  atsukawashisa kana. Murai no

  tsumi wa yurusarenan ya,” tote,

  yorifushitamaeri.

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  The album painting for Chapter Twenty-Six depicts

  that the pavilion is located at a slight remove f rom

  Genji and several young men in the fi shing pavil-

  the residence, while enabling the viewer to imagine

  ion ( tsuridono) at the Rokujō Estate attempting to

  how the fi gures arrived at the site.

  escape the oppressive summer heat. The residences

  Genji is once again the center of attention, on

  at Rokujō equipped with large ponds all include

  a raised tatami mat, in the middle of the build-

  fi shing pavilions, which extend out over the water

  ing — his placement and his relaxed pose and dress

  f rom the southern walkways of one or both of the

  clearly convey his elevated status. He is depicted in

  fl anking wings of the main buildings. In Chapter

  a semireclined pose, with his outer robe untied and

  Twenty-Four, the pavilion in the spring quarter of

  worn loosely on his shoulders, opening slightly to

  Rokujō was used as a boat launch as well as the

  reveal an inner garment, and the white of his neck

  point of arrival for the ladies sent by boat f rom the

  and chest. The text in the album’s calligraphy has

  Umetsubo Consort’s quarters. With a roof sup-

  him stretching out his legs in f ront of his guests,

  ported only by columns and removable walls, the

  feeling too listless f rom the heat to maintain a for-

  southeastern residence’s fi shing pavilion is com-

  mal posture. Only someone in a superior position

  pletely open to the exterior, as in the illustration.

  would take such a liberty, and indeed he is not only

  Cool waters fl owing directly below the structure

  of such a status and older than the men encircling

  make for an ideal place to seek a respite f rom the

  him on the veranda, but he is also quite familiar

  heat. The degree to which actual fi shing took place

  with them. The group of young men consists of

  in these buildings is unclear, but the design enabled

  Tō no Chūjō’s many sons, including his second son

  access to the water below through removable cen-

  known as Kōbai, although the eldest, Kashiwagi,

  tral fl oorboards, creating a hole into which lures

  who will play a prominent role later in the narra-

  could be dropped or vessels of ref reshments could

  tive, is notably absent. The young courtiers have

  be chilled on strategically placed rocks. In the album

  come to call on Genji’s son, Yūgiri, who is diff er-

  painting, Genji’s green tatami mat covers the spot

  entiated in the painting by his light-colored robe,

  where such an opening would be, but the distinctive

  conspicuous amid the blue garments the others

  concentric squares of the fl oorboards are clearly vis-

  have donned. Like his father, Yūgiri assumes a more

  ible. The bridge that arches over the water signals

  relaxed pose, with one arm draped over the railing

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  as he leans back into the corner of the veranda.

  that the Ōmi daughter is embarrassingly uncouth,

  Among the ref reshments that Genji off ers his guests

  f rom looks to intellect and manners. Although

  are bullhead fi sh ( ishibushi or kawa kajika) caught

  both she and Tamakazura were raised in the prov-

  f rom the Kamo River, and sweetfi sh ( ayu), best in

  inces, only one of them was raised well, with the

  the summer, and which is specifi cally described in

  dignity befi tting their father’s noble pedigree.

  the tale as having been caught f rom the “western

  The second half of Chapter Twenty-Six becomes

  river,” meaning the Katsura River. Because only a study in contrasts between the two women and fi shing intended for imperial off erings was allowed

  their situations, redolent of behavioral primers for

  in this river, the reference seems to be another nod

  young ladies that often tempered their didacticism

&nbs
p; to Genji’s prestige and position and the ongoing

  with comedy.

  theme of kingship within his symbolic realm. The

  At the same time, the story of the daughter

  men also partake of sake, ice water, and dried rice in

  f rom Ōmi is woven into the plotline and the devel-

  chilled water, which represent the height of luxury

  opment of Tamakazura’s relationship with Genji,

  given that access to ice in midsummer was only for

  whose infatuation with Tamakazura has only inten-

  the most privileged in society and was often only

  sifi ed. Summer is Tamakazura’s season, stationed

  represented in literature in scenes taking place at

  as she is in the summer quarters, and the sultry

  the imperial palace.

  days exacerbate Genji’s longing, as he is drawn f re-

  The gathering of young courtiers off ers a pleas-

  quently to her residence. Although still disturbed

  ant distraction f rom the heat, and Genji asks to be

  by the sexual tone of his overtures and the physical

  regaled with news of the court, since he has largely

  contact between them that he insists on, she begins

  turned over his offi

  cial duties to Tō no Chūjō, who

  to warm to Genji, believing that he has saved her

  has become Palace Minister. The scene recalls one

  f rom becoming a laughingstock like her half sis-

  f rom Genji’s youth, the famous “rainy night debate”

  ter f rom Ōmi. Tamakazura and Genji exchange

  f rom Chapter Two, when men sequestered at court

  poems that reference Tamakazura’s mother the

  because of an imperial taboo told tales of amorous

  “wild pink” ( tokonatsu), Tō no Chūjō’s nickname for

  adventures and off ered defi nitive statements on the

  Yūgao, and the title of the chapter. The word is a

  merits and demerits of various types of women. Tō

  homophone for “endless summer” as well as for the

  no Chūjō recounted one of the most consequen-

  phrase “remembered bed” ( toko natsukashiki), as it

  tial stories that night long ago, when he spoke of

  is used in Genji’s poem. The allusions are to Genji’s

  his lost love, the woman Yūgao whom he called his

  past aff air with Yūgao and suggest how mother and

  “wild pink” ( tokonatsu), after the summer fl ower.

  daughter mingle in his mind, as he is reminded of

 

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