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Women of Japan the Tale of Genji

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Women of Japan the Tale of Genji SAA Fall 2015 "Women of Japan The Tale of Genji John R Wallace ([email protected]) Website: http://sonic.net/~tabine/SAAFa15/saafa15-homepage.html Ranks Titles bestowed by Emperor taikōdaigō (太皇太后) ̶ August Grand Empress kōtaigō (皇太后) ̶ Grand Empress kōgō (皇后) ̶ Empress chūgū (中宮) ̶ First Consort (but by the late tenth century there was little distinction between this title and Empress) nyōgo (御女) ̶ imperial consort or consort kōi (更衣) ̶ Wardrobe Mistress menoto (乳母) ̶ wet nurse or nurse (a very important role, maintained over the years as the woman becomes a trusted, protective and authoritative voice of wisdom) miya (宮) ̶ Princess (a terms used for members̶men or women̶of the royal family or women marrying into the royal family. The ladies-in-waiting often refer to the woman they serve as “Miya”̶this is most common in Lady Murasaki’s Journal and Pillow Leaves as these two writers seem to have served their mistresses intimately.) Generic descriptions miyasundokoro (御息所) ̶ Venerable Consort. (Originally referring respectfully to empresses and first consorts, later indicates imperial consorts and wardrobe mistresses) nyōbō (女房) ̶ ladies-in-waiting. (a broad term for women who served at court, residing at the anterior palace, or women who serve important members of the aristocracy, residing at those estates) O-moto (御許) ̶ Personal Aide, or Lady. A woman of high stature who thus is permitted to serve close at hand. myōbu (命婦) ̶ servitress. (historically women who gained fourth or fifth ranks either by imperial appointment, “inner servitresses,” or by marriage, “outer servitresses”̶a distinction not made explicit in the memoirs which, like other Heian kana literature uses it to mean mid-ranking ladies-in-waiting. Tsunoda believes Sei Shōnagon was a myōbu.) naishi (内侍) ̶ handmaiden. (“Naishi” used by itself is often a shorthand for lower ranking̶but still elite̶group of officers in the Handmaidens’ Office, Naishi no Tsukasa. In this office there were two Head Imperial Handmaidens, Naishi no Kami, two Assistant Head Imperial Handmaidens, Naishi no Suke, four Handmaidens, Naishi no Jō, and one hundred Serving Girls, Nyōju.) Indications of respect kimi (君) ̶ Gentlewoman. When suffixed to women’s names, it is a strong indicator of respect. himegimi (姫君) ̶ Mistress. When suffixed to a woman’s name, it usually indicates a daughter, often unmarried, of an important family. It can also indicate an imperial offspring, but this is not the case in the memoirs. EMPRESS AKASHI Akashi no Chūgū (明石中宮) "First Consort Akashi" Her name derives from her mother's name which is derived from the location of Genji's discovery of her, that is, she used to like in Akashi, removed from the Capital. She is called often referred to as Gentlewoman Akashi (Akashi no himegimi 明石の姫君), then Consort Akashi (Akashi no Nyōgo 明石女御), then First Consort (or Empress) Akashi as her rank increased. Brief description Her mother is Lady Akashi, the woman Genji discovers during exile at Suma. Her father is Genji. She is given to Murasaki to rear, since this will create the best possible future for her. (Lady Akashi is of lower rank.) She becomes First Consort ("Empress" 中宮 chūgū) to Emp. Kinjō (今上). She will give birth to Niou (and a crown prince, and others), who is one of the two primary male characters of the last third of the work. Names used in the translations: Seidensticker seems to mostly use "the little Akashi girl" or "the Akashi girl" than as her status increases "Akashi princess" and Washburn seems to use mostly "the Akashi Princess" In Chapters 18, 19, 22, 23, 25, 28, 32, Tyler uses: the young lady In Chapter 33, Tyler uses: the Consort (of the Heir Apparent) In Chapter 34, Tyler uses: the Heir Apparent's Kiritsubo Consort, then Haven In Chapters 35, Tyler uses: the Kiritsubo Consort, the Consort In Chapters 36, 37, Tyler uses: the Consort In Chapters 40, 42, 47, 49, 52, 53, Tyler uses: Her Majesty, the Empress Mentions in the work … Mentioned in about 46 sections, a generous amount, across about 19 chapters, beginning with Chapter 9 and ending very late in the narrative, in Chapter 45. LADY AKASHI Akashi no kimi (明石の君) "Gentlewoman Akashi" The only daughter of the Monk Akashi and Nun Akashi. The father is very interested in giving her to Genji, when he arrives in their region as a result of his exile. She gives birth to a daughter with him, and this daughter will become a First Consort (chūgū 中宮), a remarkable outcome (and this daughter will give birth to Prince Niou who is one of the two main male characters of the last third of the narrative)—although in order to achieve this Akashi has to give up her young daughter to be adopted and reared by Murasaki. Akashi is named after the shoreside location where she resides when Genji discovers her. There are three female "Akashi"s in this narrative: Nun Akashi (the mother), Lady Akashi (the woman who is partnered to Genji) and Consort Akashi (her daughter who becomes the imperial consort). *The illustration is of Lady Akashi giving away her baby girl, to be taken to Genji's residence under the care of Murasaki. Names used in the translations: Seidensticker and Washburn use "the lady at Akashi" or variations of that In Chapters 5, 12, Tyler apparently uses: his daughter In Chapter 13, Tyler apparently uses: the daughter of the Akashi Novice In Chapters 14, 18, 25, 28, 35, 41, Tyler uses: the lady from Akashi In Chapters 19, Tyler uses: the lady at Ōi (this is where she lives once she moved near to Genji after departing Akashi) In Chapters 23, 33, 34,40, Tyler uses: Akashi Mentions in the work … Mentioned in about 28 sections across 20 chapters, also a large number, beginning with Chapter 5 but beginning in earnest with Chapter 13, which is named after her. AKIKONOMU Akikonomu chūgū (秋好中宮) "Autumn-Loving First Consort" This name is given to her late in the work. I think it is better to think of it less as a metaphor for a sad personality as it is an indication of her discerning excellent aesthetic sensibilities. … Maybe. Brief description: She is the daughter of Rokujō whom Genji cares for once Rokujō dies (and towards which he also has romantic interests). She was the priestess of the Ise Shrine while her mother lived, is later installed in Genji's grand Rokujō Estate and eventually becomes an imperial consort to (Retired) Emperor Reizei (Genji's secret son). Names used in translations • Seidensticker uses "Akikonomu" Washburn uses "former High Priestess at Ise" "Umetsubo Consort" (he explains in a footnote at the end of this chapter why he does not use "Akikonomu") • In Chapters 9, 10, 14, Tyler uses: High Priestess of Ise • In Chapter 16, Tyler uses: Her Highness, the former Ise Priestess, the Ise Consort • In Chapter 19, Tyler uses: the Ise Consort • In Chapter 21, Tyler uses: the Ise Consort, Her Majesty • In Chapters 24, 28, 32, 34, 35, 36, 38, 40, 42, Tyler uses: Her Majesty Mentions in the work … Mentioned in about 46 sections across 19 chapters beginning with Chapter 9. She is most frequently mentioned in chapters 9, 14 and 17 but sporadically elsewhere. She appears a few chapters into the "Uji chapters" (final third of the work), but disappears early in that section, unlike some other women. AOI Updated Sep 20, 2015 Aoi no ue (葵の上) "Grand Lady Aoi" "Aoi" is a type of plant, a "heartvine" and is treated in poetry as a symbol of bondedness because the word "aoi" is a close in pronunciation to "au" ("to meet"). Brief description: Genji's first wife, the eldest daughter of a princess (sister to Emperor Kiritsubo) and the Minister of the Left. She is a commoner, but probably the single most eligible unmarried woman at the time when the Court is deciding a spouse for Genji. She is full sister to Genji's best friend Tō no Chūjō. She is married to Genji when he is 12. She gives birth to one child, a boy named Yūgiri. The father is Genji. Names used in the translations: In all three translations she is "the wife" or "Genji's wife" of "the first wife" and so forth. Mentions in the work … Mentioned in about 28 sections of the work, across 12 chapters beginning with Chapter 1, but far more frequently in the first nine chapters of the work. The 9th chapter is named after her. After The Tale of Genji There is a famous Noh play titles "Aoi no Ue" (in which she appears only metaphorically as a robe on the floor of the stage — the active character is Rokujō) and a modern interpretation of the play by Yukio Mishima with the same title. On the web Web search "Aoi no ue" will lead to considerable information related to both the original play and Mishima's modern play, including synopsis, scripts, and YouTube uploads of the full play (but not necessarily with English subtitles). Web image search terms "Aoi" is not useful. "Aoi no ue" will lead to many images of the Noh play, usually with an angry Rokujō depicted. ASAGAO Asagao no himegimi (朝顔の姫君) "Mistress Asagao" or "The Asagao Princess" Her name comes from a poem exchange with Genji. However, most of the time she is treated as someone of high status and royalty. Only the highest ranked women could be considered for either priestess positions of Ise and Kamo, for example. Brief description: A very high-ranking woman, daughter of a prince (one of Emperor Kiritsubo's brothers).
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