Arts, Faculty of
Asian Studies, Department of
DSpace
UBCV
Mindlin Xavier, Helena
Master of Arts - MA
University of British Columbia
Genji monogatari is one of the most important works of Japanese premodern literature, written in the eleventh century by the court lady known as Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973â1014). This thesis will focus on the musical aspects of the narrative, namely performance scenes and the accompanying dialogues and poetic exchanges. While the abundance of musical scenes in the Genji is widely recognized in scholarship, there are still many aspects to be further researched. My primary goal is to show how music is a constitutive element of the text that deeply impacts narrative development and the relationship between characters. I will focus on the scenes concerning the Akashi Lady, a prominent female character in the tale who stands out for her close connection with music. In Chapter 1, I introduce gagaku, the musical tradition found in The Tale of Genji, giving a brief overview of its history, main genres, and a description of the instruments used. In Chapter 2, the core of this thesis, I analyze selected excerpts from Chapter 13 âAkashi,â and discuss scenes from later chapters that relate to the Akashi narrative, showing how music is an inseparable part of the Akashi Ladyâs character which plays a crucial role in establishing her relationship with the protagonist Genji, while contributing to her path of social ascension. Through a close reading of the text and consideration of scholarship on the Genji, gagaku, and on music in the Genji, I demonstrate how music is conceived by the author as a narrative device. By arguing that music in the Genji should be treated as a form of narrative and not as a separate aspect that adds certain characteristics to the text, I hope to expand the interpretive possibilities not only of music, but other artistic manifestations present in the work.
SOUNDS OF PARTING AND LONGING: MUSIC AND NARRATIVE IN GENJI MONOGATARI by Helena Mindlin Xavier B.A., São Paulo State University, 2013 M.A., University of São Paulo, 2022 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES (Asian Studies) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) December 2024 © Helena Mindlin Xavier, 2024 ii The following individuals certify that they have read, and recommend to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for acceptance, the thesis entitled: Sounds of Parting and Longing: Music and Narrative in Genji monogatari submitted by Helena Mindlin Xavier in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Asian Studies Examining Committee: Christina Laffin, Associate Professor, Asian Studies, UBC Co-supervisor Joshua S. Mostow, Professor, Asian Studies, UBC Co-supervisor Sonja Arntzen, Professor Emerita, Department of East Asian Studies, University of Toronto Supervisory Committee Member iii Abstract Genji monogatari is one of the most important works of Japanese premodern literature, written in the eleventh century by the court lady known as Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973â1014). This thesis will focus on the musical aspects of the narrative, namely performance scenes and the accompanying dialogues and poetic exchanges. While the abundance of musical scenes in the Genji is widely recognized in scholarship, there are still many aspects to be further researched. My primary goal is to show how music is a constitutive element of the text that deeply impacts narrative development and the relationship between characters. I will focus on the scenes concerning the Akashi Lady, a prominent female character in the tale who stands out for her close connection with music. In Chapter 1, I introduce gagaku, the musical tradition found in The Tale of Genji, giving a brief overview of its history, main genres, and a description of the instruments used. In Chapter 2, the core of this thesis, I analyze selected excerpts from Chapter 13 âAkashi,â and discuss scenes from later chapters that relate to the Akashi narrative, showing how music is an inseparable part of the Akashi Ladyâs character which plays a crucial role in establishing her relationship with the protagonist Genji, while contributing to her path of social ascension. Through a close reading of the text and consideration of scholarship on the Genji, gagaku, and on music in the Genji, I demonstrate how music is conceived by the author as a narrative device. By arguing that music in the Genji should be treated as a form of narrative and not as a separate aspect that adds certain characteristics to the text, I hope to expand the interpretive possibilities not only of music, but other artistic manifestations present in the work. iv Lay Summary In this thesis, I explore the relationship between music and narrative in the literary work The Tale of Genji, written in eleventh-century Japan. Amongst the numerous scenes of music performance found throughout the narrative, I analyze selected passages from the Akashi narrative. I believe these parts of the text represent the significant role music plays in characterization and plot development based on the Akashi Ladyâs unique connection to music. My analysis relies on a close reading of the annotated Shinpen Nihon Koten Bungaku Zenshū text, alongside commentaries from other editions. Despite the peculiarities of the roles music play in the Akashi narrative, the mechanisms I analyze also appear in scenes concerning other characters throughout the narrative. My intention is to provide a glimpse into how music operates as a narrative device. v Preface This thesis is original, unpublished, independent work by the author, Helena Mindlin Xavier. vi Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................... iii Lay Summary ......................................................................................................... iv Preface ....................................................................................................................... v Table of Contents ................................................................................................... vi List of Abbreviations ............................................................................................ vii Acknowledgements............................................................................................... viii Dedication ................................................................................................................. x Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................... 1 1.1 A brief history of gagaku and its main genres ............................................................ 3 1.2 Gagaku instruments .................................................................................................... 6 Chapter 2: Music in the Akashi narrative .......................................................14 2.1 Female characters and their relationship with music ................................................ 14 2.2 The Akashi musical lineage: analysis of passages from Chapter 13 âAkashiâ ........ 22 2.3 The aftermath of the Akashi sequence: separation and waiting ............................... 39 Chapter 3: Conclusion .......................................................................................52 Bibliography ...........................................................................................................56 vii List of Abbreviations SNKBZ Shinpen Nihon Koten Bungaku Zenshū viii Acknowledgements I was very fortunate to have met many incredibly generous people during my years at University of British Columbia (UBC) and in Japan who supported me during this process. I apologize in advance for not including all the names due to space limitations. I would like to thank my supervisors Dr. Christina Laffin and Dr. Joshua Mostow for giving me the opportunity to join the MA in Asian Studies, for their generosity and their guidance. I would also like to thank Dr. Sonja Arntzen, whom I greatly admire, for participating in my committee, and Dr. Kay Duffy for being the chair of my defense committee. Many thanks to Tina Wong from the Asian Studies Department and Lilian Bandeira from the ISA office for their critical operational support, and to the Asian Studies Department for the TA and RA appointments I received. Not only did they help me fund my studies but they also provided invaluable learning opportunities. I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the opportunity to attend the ten-month intensive Japanese Language program at the Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies (IUC), Yokohama, which I could not possibly have done without the generous sponsorship from the following organizations: IUC University Consortium, Shoyu Club, ITO FOUNDATION U.S.A., and Hiroko Araki Fowler Scholarship. To the IUC director Dr. Batten, Kubo-san and Kenmochi-san from the office, and all the IUC senseis, my heartfelt thanks. A special thanks to Tanaka-san, KatÅ-sensei, Kushida-sensei, and Tsukasa-sensei, for making my time there memorable both from a learning and a human perspective. To my friend Rebecca, for sticking together after IUC and supporting each other in this new phase of our lives in Japan. To my friend Osasha, thank you for making my time at IUC so much lighter and fun, I will always cherish our memories together. To my previous Japanese instructors: Azumi-sensei, Fujita- ix sensei, and Suzuki-sensei, thank you for your patience guidance, and for helping me be when needed before coming to IUC. To the people I had the chance to meet in Japan, thank you all for your friendship and making my time here so meaningful: Okuma-san, Junko, Chisato, Harada-san, Kawazoe-san, Aki-san, Saki-san, YÅko-san, Tono-san, Rafael, Aya, Julián, Joshua, Megan, and many others. To the mizuhiki community, thank you for making me feel so welcomed while learning this fascinating craft! To my coworkers from the International Affairs Bureaus of Yokohama for their support during these very busy months of starting a new job, writing my thesis, and getting settled in Japan. To my UBC senpais Yuewei, José, and Elsa, thank you for your friendship and always encouraging advice. To Colleen, for her friendship and advice on all matters at all times. To my dear friends in Vancouver, back home, and around the world: Farimah, Huizhi, Will, Sarah, Monice, Ãsis, Bruno, Patricia, Julia, Kali, Fitz, Murilo, and Adriane, thank you all. A special thanks to my friend-sister Fred, for always staying close no matter how far I move. To my Japanese mothers, Junko and Yoshie, I cannot thank you enough for your support at all times and for making my feel at home in Japan. To Yudith Rosenbaum, the first person to ever give me advice on literary analysis, thank you for giving me confidence and inspiring me to pursue this research. To my grandparents Guita, José, and Violeta (in memorian), and Luiz, and my aunts Betty and Diana, thank you for your love, stories, books, and wisdom. To my parents Sonia and Luiz, for all the love, unconditional acceptance, and for supporting me in my eccentric journey around the world. To my sister Ana, for all the love, trust, laughs, puns, and travelling envelopes filled with wonders. x Dedication To Frances, for changing my life. 1 Chapter 1: Introduction My first encounter with The Tale of Genji was accidental and almost surreal. It happened in 2019 when I asked my aunt for a recommendation of a Japanese literary work. At the time I knew nothing about its importance as part of the Japanese literary canon, I just wanted something to quench my obsession with Japanese culture. As a passionate reader, I read it as I would read any work of fiction, that is, eagerly following the plot and the charactersâ vicissitudes, as well as the authorâs style. However, as much as I was enjoying these fundamental aspects of literary fiction, I realized that the work had certain peculiarities I had never encountered before, which made me acutely interested in knowing more about the time and place where it was written. I was enticed by the miyabi-filled elegance of Heian1 court life: poetic exchanges, incense competitions, and court festivities and, most of all, scenes involving musical performance. My interest was driven by the numerous descriptions of music in the tale and their wealth of detail. Based on observing how music appears throughout the narrative I thought one could infer that musical scenes function as more than mere portrayals of the performance activities of Heian aristocrats. It seemed clear that music and the unfolding of the narrative were closely connected and that music often enabled relationships between characters to evolve as an intentional and ingenious approach employed by the author. As a musician, music has played a major role in my education and the way I perceive the world, and this fascination with music in the Genji and the strong conviction that music functions as a narrative device is what underpinned my research. This 1 The Heian period spanned from 794 to 1185 and its beginning was marked by the transfer of the capital from HeijÅ-kyÅ, present day Nara, to Heian-kyÅ, present day Kyoto. 2 thesis thus offers a glimpse into the musical elements of Genji and shows how they are closely related to narrative and character development. The abundance of musical material in the Genji is widely recognized by scholars in the field,2 but as noted by Hinata Kazumasa, this topic has not yet been fully researched.3 I agree that there are still many aspects to be investigated, especially concerning the relationship between music and narrative. Amongst the fifty-four chapters of The Tale of Genji, there are only five in which no music reference can be found: Chapter 3 âThe Cicada Shellâ (Utsusemi), Chapter 16 âAt the Passâ (Sekiya), Chapter 20 âThe Bluebellâ (Asagao), Chapter 30 âThoroughwort Flowersâ (Fuji bakama), and Chapter 54 âThe Floating Bridge of Dreamsâ (Yume no ukihashi).4 Both Hinata and Nakagawa Masami have compiled indexes of musical scenes in the Genji, with Hinata dividing scenes into musical genres5 and indicating the name of the piece and the chapter title, and Nakagawa categorizing by type of performance6 and specifying the scene within each chapter where music appears. Nakagawaâs index is particularly interesting since she indicates the scene in each chapter while also organizing them chronologically based on Genjiâs age and, from Chapter 42 âThe Perfumed Princeâ (NiÅ no 2 Yamada Yoshio carried out early scholarship on music in his Genji monogatari no ongaku (HÅbunkan, 1934). More recent studies include Nakagawa Masami, Genji monogatari to ongaku (Izumi shoin, 1991); Nakagawa Masami, Genji monogatari no kabuongyoku, Genji monogatari kenkyū shūsei 12 (Kazama shobÅ, 2000); Ueta Yasuyo, âGenji monogatari ni miru bugaku saibara,â Hikaku Nihongaku kyÅiku kenkyū bumon kenkyū 14 (2018): 66â71, Ueta Yasuyo, Genji monogatari no kyūtei bunka: kÅkyÅ« gagaku monogatari sekai (Kasama shoin, 2009); Kazumasa Hinata, Genji monogatari to ongaku: bungaku, rekishi, ongaku no setten (Seikansha, 2011); Steven Nelson, âCourt and religious music (1): history of gagaku and shÅmyÅâ and âCourt and religious music (2): music of gagaku and shÅmyÅ,â in The Ashgate Research Companion to Japanese Music, ed. Alison McQueen Tokita and David W Hughes (Ashgate, 2008). 3 Hinata, Genji monogatari to ongaku, 216. 4 Hinata, Genji monogatari to ongaku, 215. 5 These musical genres consist of bugaku èæ¥½, a form of dance and instrumental performance; tÅka è¸æ­, a type of dance in which the ground is stamped; kaguraç¥æ¥½, another form of dance that is part of Shinto rituals; ballad-like saibara å¬é¦¬æ¥½ songs, sang in court with instrumental accompaniment; shÅga å±æ­, a type of mnemonic technique used to memorize music; and folk songs. 6 Nakagawa establishes types of performance for categorization purposes, a topic I will return to later in this chapter. 3 Miya), based on Kaoruâs age. Drawing primarily from Nakagawaâs perspectives to support my assertions, my main methodology will consist of a close reading of the text in order to show how music operates in the narrative. Chapter 1 will present a brief overview of gagaku é 楽, including its main instruments and genres, the types of performances seen in the Genji, as well as gendered notions of instruments. This chapter aims to provide some background information to readers in order to have a clearer sense of the Heian court musical milieu. Chapter 2 forms the core of this thesis and contains an in-depth analysis of musical scenes from Chapter 13 âAkashi,â as well as comments of subsequent scenes connected to the main scenes. The Akashi narrative offers a useful opportunity to consider the Akashi Ladyâs close relationship with music and the remarkable significance of music in her journey from the provinces to the Capital. 1.1 A brief history of gagaku and its main genres Gagaku, the music depicted in the Genji, is a cosmopolitan tradition that encompasses a variety of genres of music and dance performance and was widely present in the daily life of the Heian aristocracy. Its influences date back to the first known cultural exchange with the Asian continent, in the mid fifth century, when musicians from the Korean kingdom of Silla arrived in Japan for the funeral of Emperor IngyÅ (373?â453, r. 412â453).7 7 Koizumi and Okada, Gagaku, the Noble Music of Japan (Institut Für Den Wissenschaftlichen Film, 1974), 2; TÅgi MasatarÅ, Gagaku: Court Music and Dance (Weatherhill, 1971), 122. 4 In the year 701, Emperor Monmu (687â707, r. 697â707) founded the Gagaku-ryÅ é 楽寮 (or Utamai no Tsukasa), the government music department with over four hundred members including musicians and dancers, thus music became a matter governed by the state. As was the case in the Chinese continent, music in Japan became an inseparable part of imperial ceremonies, following Confucian principles that represented music as one of the indispensable pillars for a harmonious government and society. The Gagaku-ryÅ was created âto regulate and control both the number of musicians and the repertoire.â8 There are also records from the mid eighth century indicating that Buddhist monks from India and the region that today corresponds to Vietnam journeyed to Japan to teach music. In the year 752, the ceremony of the great Buddha statue at the TÅdai-ji temple in Nara was conducted by a Buddhist priest from India and there were a large number of priestsâaccording to historical records it may have been as many as ten thousand peopleâchanting sutras and performing songs and dances from various parts of the Asian continent,9 presenting a program that may be seen as a âmicrocosm of the performing arts in eighth-century Asia.â10 From the tenth century onward, gagaku gained popularity within aristocratic circles and private performances were held frequently, as we can see in the numerous musical scenes in the Genji.11 Gagaku can be divided into two main categories: vocal music and instrumental music. The latter, in turn, can be divided into two more groups: the purely instrumental kangen 管弦music and the music that accompanies the dances, bugaku èæ¥½.12 Both kangen and bugaku are 8 Koizumi and Okada, Gagaku, 3 9 Koizumi and Okada, Gagaku, 3; TÅgi, Gagaku, 127 10 Nelson, âCourt and religious music (1),â 39. 11 Koizumi and Okada, Gagaku, 4. 12 Bugaku refers to both the dances and the accompanying music. 5 divided into tÅgakuåæ¥½, which refers to repertoire from Tang-era China, and komagakué«éºæ¥½, which refers to repertoire from the Korean peninsula. When referring to bugaku dances, those belonging to the tÅgaku repertoire are referred to as dances of the Left, sahÅ å·¦æ¹, and the komagaku ones, are called dances of the Right, uhÅ å³æ¹. In the vocal music category, the main genre is saibara å¬é¦¬æ¥½, songs which often appear in the Genji and add a unique sense of humor or irony to the scenes. The melodies of the saibara songs are believed to originate from the native folk song repertoire and were later arranged in the continental style and incorporated into the tÅgaku and komagaku repertoire.13 Other forms of music include kagura ç¥æ¥½, Shinto ceremonial songs and dances, and azuma-asobi æ±éã³, a repertoire based on folk music originating in regions east of what is now Kyoto that consisted of a suite of five movements. Both kagura and azuma-asobi appear only infrequently in the narrative. The music depicted in the Genji is mostly tÅgaku, but there are some komagaku pieces as well. In the festivities narrated in chapters 7 âBeneath the Autumn Leavesâ (Momiji no ga), 8 âUnder the Cherry Blossomsâ (Hana no en), 24 âButterfliesâ (KochÅ), and 34 âSpring Shoots Iâ (Wakana: JÅ), for example, there are tÅgaku and komagaku dances and large groups of professional musicians. The aristocrats usually participated in the dancing and singing, as we see in the aforementioned chapters, where the eponymous protagonist Genji and his friend and rival TÅ no ChÅ«jÅ dance together, and in later chapters their sons. With the exception of major court festivities such as the autumn and spring festivals depicted in chapters 7 âBeneath the Autumn Leavesâ (Momiji no ga) and 8 âUnder the Cherry Blossomsâ (Hana no en), just to mention some of the most remarkable occasions, what we see in 13 Nelson, âCourt and religious music (1),â 41. 6 the Genji are not so much the official performances of the bureau musicians, but those by high-rank aristocrats before the emperor, as well as smaller gatherings where courtiers made music together, taught music to their wives and daughters, and so on. The gagaku genre I will be focusing on this thesis is instrumental kangen music played on private occasions, as opposed to the court festivals. Nakagawa characterizes the function of music in the Genji in the following ways: scenes that showcase the charactersâ musical talent, scenes of banquet music, scenes of transmission of tradition, scenes of love courtship, and contemplative scenes of solo koto.14 In this thesis I will focus on the last three, which relate to the Akashi narrative. Due to the limited scope of this thesis, it will not be possible to discuss the specificities of all categories and the different meanings they produce in the narrative. Instead, I hope to offer a glimpse of a much wider potential field rich with possibilities yet to be explored. 1.2 Gagaku instruments Let us now turn to the instruments used in gagaku. I will focus on string instruments, which are the ones that appear most often in the narrative: sÅ-no-koto ç­ã®ç´, wagonåç´ or yamatogoto å¤§åç´, kin-no-kotoç´ã®ç´, and biwa-no-koto çµç¶ã®ç´. In Murasaki Shikibuâs15 14 Nakagawa, Genji monogatari to ongaku, see index from p. 239 to 247. 15 The author of Genji belonged to a lesser branch of the Fujiwara family and served as a lady-in-waiting of Empress ShÅshi (988â1074), daughter of the powerful regent Fujiwara no Michinaga (966â1027). Her birth and death dates are uncertain, but it is estimated that she lived between 973 and 1014. Her real name is unknown but she is referred to as Murasaki Shikibu. Other extant works consist of her diary, the Murasaki Shikibu nikki (The Diary of Lady Murasaki, ca. 1008â1010), and her poetry collection, the Murasaki Shikibu shū (The Poetic Memoirs of Murasaki Shikibu, ca. 901â1093). 7 time they were all referred to by the generic term koto ç´. When we see the term koto by itself in the Genji, it probably refers to strings in general or the kin (an alternate reading of the character ç´), which can lead to some confusion. Only the context can clarify which instrument is being referenced.16 The sÅ-no-koto, or sÅ, is a thirteen-string, fretless zither whose ancestor is the Chinese zhengç­. Thirteen movable bridges allow the tuning to be changed according to the mode of the piece being played (whichever of the six gagaku modes) and three plectrums are fitted to the thumb, index, and middle finger of the right hand and used to strike the strings. Made of paulownia wood, today it measures around 180 centimeters in length, but in the past it could reach two meters long. It was played as an accompaniment to saibara å¬é¦¬æ¥½ songs and was part of the kangen instrumental music orchestra, which is still the case today. Unlike the kin and the wagon, which are respectively associated with Genji and his friend and rival TÅ no ChÅ«jÅ, the sÅ is played by different characters throughout the narrative, so it is not possible to associate it exclusively with a single character. Despite it being considered an instrument more suitable to women, there are occasions of men playing sÅ in the narrative (for example, the scene which I will analyze later on, when Genji and the Akashi Novice play the sÅ and biwa together). Iwatsubo Takeshi discusses the gender associations of various string instruments in the Genji.17 Regarding the sÅ, he notes Genjiâs utterance, âStrangely, from long 16 I would like to thank Steven G. Nelson of HÅsei University for his comments regarding this issue. 17 Iwatsubo Takeshi, âGenji monogatari ni okeru gengakki no jendÄ: dansei-sei no gakki to josei-sei no gakki,â DÅshisha daigaku jinbun kagaku kenkyū jo shakai kagaku 43, no. 4 (2014). 8 ago, it is on this instrument that a charming woman's casual music is most pleasing.â in Chapter 13 âAkashiâ, which I will discuss further in my analysis.18 Iwatsubo remarks that even though there are instances of middle-ranking women playing the sÅ in the narrative, it was mostly played by men and women from higher ranks. In the Genji, only the following male characters appear playing the sÅ (besides Genji himself): Retired Suzaku Emperor, Hotaru no Miya, Prince Hachinomiya, Genjiâs son Yūgiri, Genjiâs grandson Prince Niou, the Akashi Novice, and Kaoru.19 The wagon or yamato-goto, is a six-stringed zither, measuring between 188 and 197 centimeters in length, with movable bridges, tuned not in ascending order but in a pentatonic zigzag. Because of this tuning, the wagon is usually played in arpeggio patterns rather than melodies. It can be played using a small plectrum in the right hand, the fingers of the left hand or a combination of the two techniques. The wagon is said to be the only string instrument native to Japan, and although it has been found in excavations of ruins from the Yayoi (300 BCâ300 AD) and Kofun (300â538) periods, there is insufficient evidence to prove its Japanese origin.20 In the Genji, the character most often associated with the wagon is TÅ no ChÅ«jÅ. Iwatsubo, in referencing the art historian Chino Kaoriâs21 work about the association of kara-mono (used to refer to Sinitic culture) with men and yamato (used to refer to the modifications and adaptations of kara-mono when introduced in the Japanese archipelago) with women, quotes Genjiâs remarks 18 Adapted from Tyler, Akashi, 263. ããããæãã ç®ã¯å¥³ãªãå¼¾ãã¨ããã®ãªããã, SNKBZ 21, Akashi, 241. 19 Iwatsubo, Genji monogatari ni okeru gengakki no jendÄ, 5. 20 Koizumi and Okada, Gagaku, 19; Nishimoto KyÅko, Kodai Nihon no Åken to ongaku: kodai saishi no koto kara Genji monogatari no koto e (KÅshi shoin, 2018), vâvi. 21 Chino Kaori, âGender in Japanese Artâ in Gender and Power in the Japanese Visual Field, ed. Joshua S. Mostow, Norman Bryson and Maribeth Graybill (University of Hawaiâi Press, 2003), 17â34. 9 to Tamakazura about how the wagon was meant for women who did not know much about foreign lands that âThey think it is just for women who know nothing of China.â22 Iwatsubo notes that the assumed Japanese roots of the wagon meant it was perceived to be of lesser prestige, as exemplified in the passage above, yet it was in fact an instrument held in high esteem as indicated by the extensive praise lavished on the wagon performance by TÅ no ChÅ«jÅ, head of the Fujiwara clan.23 Next we have the kin, a seven-stringed zither with no frets or movable bridges, approximately 117 centimeters long. Brought from the Chinese continent in the Nara period (701â784), it was considered the instrument of the wise and literate. Due to its technical difficulty, it began to fall into disuse from the middle of the Heian period, but it regained popularity in the beginning of the Edo period (1603â1868).24 The kin, as we will see in my analysis of scenes from Chapter 13 âAkashi,â is the instrument most frequently associated with Genji throughout the narrative, dialoguing with the references to Chinese literature and historiography present in the work. The biwa is a four-stringed lute with four frets, played with a large plectrum and measuring around 106 centimeters in length. The Chinese ancestor of the biwa is the pipa lute, which in turn descends from the Persian barbat lute. The biwa was introduced to Japan in the Nara period and became part of the kangen orchestra, of which it is still a part today. Like the sÅ, it can be tuned to any of the six gagaku modes. 22 ãåºãç° ãã¨ãã« å½ã®ãã¨ãç¥ãã¬å¥³ã®ããã (SNKBZ 22, Tokonatsu, 230). âThey think it is just for women who know nothing of China.â (Tyler, Tokonatsu, 470). âThey think it is just for women who know nothing of China.â (Tyler, Tokonatsu, 470) 23 Iwatsubo, âGenji monogatari ni okeru gengakki no jendÄ,â 3-4. 24 Toyonaga. âHeian jidai ni okeru ten'nÅ to ongaku,â 2. 10 It is curious that Genji appears playing the other string instruments and the transverse flutes, but never the biwa. Another interesting point is that there is a comment in Chapter 21 âThe Maidensâ (Otome) about how unpleasant it is to watch a lady playing the biwa, due to the posture required to play the instrument.25 However, there are scenes of female characters such as Gen no Naishi [Chapter 7 âBeneath the Autumn Leavesâ (Momiji no ga)], the Akashi Lady [Chapter 35 âSpring Shoots IIâ (Wakana: Ge)] and Naka no Kimi [Chapter 49 âThe Ivyâ (Yadogiri)] playing biwa and producing memorable impressions. Iwatsubo comments in depth on the gendering of the biwa and remarks that amongst the string instruments it is the one that is the most âforeign,â since it is originated in West Asia and was introduced into the Chinese continent via the Silk Road. Therefore, it often represents life outside the Capital and aristocratic society, as seen in scenes from the Akashi and Uji chapters featuring the biwa.26 This notion of the biwa as peripheral or external is one of the reasons why the Akashi Lady, who was raised in the provinces, is closely associated with the instrument. When performing the biwa in the womenâs concert in Chapter 35 âSpring Shoots II (Wakana: Ge),â she embodies the âforeignnessâ of her provincial origins, which differentiates her from the other women, while also serving as a character who cannot compete with Murasaki or the Third Princess, therefore being assigned an instrument âunsuitable for women.27â Nakagawa compares the appearance of these different string instruments in the Genji, Utsuho monogatari (The Tale of the Hollow Tree, late tenth century), and other Heian monogatari.28 Nakagawa finds that in the Genji all string instruments appear relatively 25 ãçµç¶ãããå¥³ã®ãããã«æããããªãã©ãSNKBZ 22, Otome, 34. âOne would prefer not to watch a woman play the biwaâ (Tyler, Otome, 385). 26 Iwatsubo, âGenji monogatari ni okeru gengakki no jendÄ,â 6â12. 27 Iwatsubo, âGenji monogatari ni okeru gengakki no jendÄ,â 11â12. 28 Nakagawa, Genji monogatari to ongaku, 64. 11 consistently, whereas Utsuho monogatari focuses almost exclusively on the kin. This relates to the sharply contrasting roles music plays in each narrative. In Utsuho, music is closely connected to the supernatural and the kin received by the protagonist is a precious heirloom capable of invoking celestial entities. In contrast, instruments in the Genji are not related to the supernatural, but to characters and their emotions. Even though the kin has a special place in the narrative since it is Genjiâs instrument, the sÅ-no-koto, biwa, and wagon also appear frequently. In the narrative, the kin is almost exclusively associated with Genji, the main exception being the Akashi Lady, who plays the kin Genji offers as a parting gift at the end of Chapter 13 âAkashi,â and the Third Princess, who plays the kin in the women's concert narrated in Chapter 35 âSpring Shoots IIâ (Wakana: Ge). Next, I will briefly introduce the wind instruments. The one appearing most frequently is the transverse flute ryūteki ç«ç¬, and more rarely the komabue é«éºç¬ flute, the shÅ ç¬ mouth organ, and the hichiriki 篳篥. The ryūteki (lit. âdragon fluteâ) is a flute of forty centimeters in length with seven holes. It came from the Chinese continent and was part of the tÅgaku orchestra, as well as an accompaniment to saibara songs. The other transverse flutes, the komabue and kagurabue ç¥æ¥½ç¬, were used respectively in komagaku and kagura performances. The komabue is very seldom mentioned and no direct references to the kagurabue are found in the narrative. The hichiriki is a double reed instrument (like the oboe) made of bamboo, with seven holes at the top of the tube and two at the back, measuring around eighteen centimeters in length. It was introduced to Japan in the Nara period and was used in both tÅgaku and komagaku, as well as in the kagura and azuma-asobi dances. Despite being present in a variety of musical genres, it was not widely appreciated by Heian aristocrats, possibly due to its technical difficulty and shrill 12 sound,29 compared by Sei ShÅnagon in Makura no sÅshi to an annoying insect noise.30 Finally, there is the shÅ, a mouth organ of about forty-seven centimeters in length, with seventeen bamboo pipes and a free reed. The shÅ descends from the Chinese sheng and is used in tÅgaku. The sound is produced when inhaling or exhaling through the mouthpiece attached to the sound chamber, and each tube is activated by closing the finger hole.31 Each tube has a small copper reed, which vibrates with the passage of air. The shÅ is used primarily as a drone in gagaku and in tÅgaku performances it usually plays cluster chords called aitake, which are made up of up to six notes. Mentions of shÅ are relatively rare in the narrative, with a few found in chapters 5 âYoung Murasakiâ (Wakamurasaki), 10 âThe Green Branchâ (Sakaki) and 35 âSpring Shoots IIâ (Wakana: Ge). Wind instruments were exclusively played by men. Using the mouth and inflating the cheeks resulted in inelegant facial expressions which were deemed unsuitable for women. Percussion instruments were similarly seen as inappropriate for women, perhaps due to the level of physical strength required to play particularly the larger drums. The free movement needed for striking percussion instruments who also have been challenging for women wearing the many layers of clothing which constituted the formal court attire. Percussion instruments appear only occasionally in the Genji, in dance performances held at festivals. They are referred to by the generic term for drum, ko é¼, or taiko å¤ªé¼, which can indicate drums in general or mean a large drum usually played in dance performances in the 29 Koizumi and Okada, Gagaku, 14-15;Vladimir Sissaouri, Cosmos, magie et politique: La musique ancienne de la Chine et du Japon (Ãditions de la Maison des sciences de lâhomme 1992), 79. 30 âThe little hichiriki is very hard on the ear. The autumn insect its sound most resembles is the shrill giant cricket, and you certainly donât want to hear it from close by.â Meredith McKinney, trans., The Pillow Book (Penguin Books, 2006), 186. 31 Koizumi and Okada, Gagaku, 15. 13 gardens of aristocratic residences. The reason there are no detailed descriptions of percussion instruments in the narrative is probably due to the fact that nobles did not usually play them in their private performances, with the exception of shakubyÅshi å°ºæå­, two long pieces of wood used to mark time. Instead, it was usually the servants who played the drums.32 32 SNKBZ 20, Suetsumuhana, 288, footnote n. 3 14 Chapter 2: Music in the Akashi narrative 2.1 Female characters and their relationship with music After providing some context for the musical practices found in the Genji and how they appear as part of a particular sensorial cosmos, I will now proceed to explain the role of music in the Akashi Ladyâs narrative. Through in-depth analysis of passages from Chapter 13 âAkashiâ and comments on subsequent scenes from chapters 18 âWind in the Pinesâ (Matsukaze), 19 âWisps of Cloudâ (Usugumo), and 35 âSpring Shoots IIâ (Wakana: Ge), I aim to demonstrate how music is inseparable from the Akashi Ladyâs character and plays a vital role in establishing her relationship with Genji, as well as its further narrative developments. The scenes from chapters 18, 19, and 35 are important to fully understand the arc of the Akashi narrative. This analysis thus intends to shed light on the multiplicity of roles that music can embody in the narrative and the richness that musical nuances bring to the scenes. Before embarking on my analysis, it is important to explain why the narrative of the Akashi Lady is the focus of this thesis. Why examine this character, amongst the numerous musical scenes in the Genji? Why not choose one of the famous court ceremony performances such as those described in chapters 7 âBeneath the Autumn Leavesâ (Momiji no ga) and 8 âUnder the Cherry Blossomsâ (Hana no en), 24 âButterfliesâ (KochÅ), or 34 âSpring Shoots Iâ (Wakana: JÅ)? While it was tempting to consider those famous scenes and others depicting the splendor of Heian court ceremonies, they have lesser impact in narrative development and are not as deeply connected with a characterâs personal trajectory as it is the case in the Akashi narrative. In no other narrative line do musical scenes appear as frequently or with such 15 prominence as the ones concerning the Akashi Lady. Her story is founded on her musical skills and music appears consistently as a driving force that enables her relationship with Genji, her relocation to the capital, and, despite the permanent damage that her eccentric father caused to the familyâs reputation, her rise in status, ascending to become one of Genjiâs wives. At the time Genji arrives in Akashi he is already married to Murasaki, who remains in the Capital when he is forced to leave for the Suma coast. The Akashi Lady is inferior in rank to Murasaki, who is Fujitsuboâs niece and therefore belongs to the imperial lineage, and to the Third Princess, who Genji marries later on in the narrative. The Third Princess is the daughter of Genjiâs half-brother the Retired Emperor Suzaku, thus also belonging to the imperial lineage. When the Akashi Lady moves to Genjiâs estate in the Capital she is forcefully made aware of her inferiority in rank, even more so when she is separated from her daughter with Genji, the future Akashi Empress, so that the child can be raised and educated by Murasaki to ensure a smooth debut in court society when the time comes. As Haruo Shirane has pointed out, even in later chapters when the daughter of the Akashi Lady marries the crown prince, bringing her family to the height of glory, unlike Murasaki the Akashi Lady is never referenced with the honorable title ue.33 Interestingly, the Akashi Lady and Murasaki both first appear in Chapter 5 âYoung Murasakiâ (Wakamurasaki). It is no coincidence that these two major female characters are introduced in the same chapter, almost simultaneously,34 and their fates remain intertwined as Genjiâs favorite wives.35 We can see how much his affection is divided between them during his stay in Akashi, when he becomes fascinated by the Akashi Lady while missing Murasaki 33 Haruo Shirane, The Bridge of Dreams: A Poetics of âThe Tale of Genjiâ (Stanford University Press, 1987), 82. 34 Takehara Hiroshi, âAkashi no kimi monogatari ni tsuite no ichi kÅsatsu: dai ichi-bu o chūshin ni,â Nihon bungaku kenkyū 19 (1983): 27. 35 Arai Ryū, âGenji monogatari no akashi no kimi to murasaki no kimi: hyÅgen no taiÅ to taishÅ-sei ga shimesu tanpen-sei to chÅhen-sei,â Waseda daigaku daigakuin bungaku kenkyū-ka kiyÅ 69 (2024), 125â39. 16 terribly. Later, in Chapter 19 âWisps of Cloudâ (Usugumo), Genji determines that Murasaki will raise the daughter of Genji and the Akashi Lady, again bringing together the shared fate of Murasaki and the Akashi Lady. Music appears briefly as part of the jealousy Murasaki feels towards the Akashi Lady. Music in the Akashi narrative is both personal and political and builds an arc from Chapter 13 âAkashiâ to Chapter 35 âSpring Shoots IIâ (Wakana: Ge), marking the ascending path of the Akashi Lady from the provinces to the Capital; from the daughter of an eccentric Novice secluded in the coastal area of Akashi, to the wife of Hikaru Genji and mother of an imperial consort. In discussing the frequent appearance of the Sumiyoshi god in the Akashi narrative, Shirane remarks that âthe Akashi lady is not simply a woman of a distant province but someone who, echoing the shaman-priestesses of the mythic past, brings power to a young noble from the capital.36â Her successful journey from the periphery to the center is unique not only due to the role music plays in it, but also because, as mentioned above, she is constantly reminded of her inferiority in status even when her daughter becomes the Empress. No other female character undergoes the same struggle as the Akashi Lady, who is praised many times by the narrator for keeping her dignity in all circumstances, however inferior she might feel or be looked upon. Another aspect that sharply differentiates her relationship with music is her independence from Genji as a music teacher, in contrast with his other wives and ladies. When we think of the Akashi princess, Murasaki, the Third Princess, and Tamakazura, for instance, they all receive musical instruction from Genji, who is in charge of choosing which instrument they will practice and who takes credit for their successful performances. In the case of the Akashi Lady, the bond 36 Shirane, The Bridge of Dreams, 79â80. 17 she forms with Genji over music has unique characteristics that cannot be seen with the other women. She descends from a distinct musical lineage and her remarkable musical skills are already in place at the time Genji comes to the Akashi coast, therefore having no relation with his guidance. Let us examine some short passages in which we can see the difference in treatment given to women in respect to music before talking about the Akashi Ladyâs distinct lineage. This first passage from Chapter 7 âBeneath the Autumn Leavesâ (Momiji no ga), shows Genji's musical practice with the young Murasaki, who is about ten years old at the time. He plays the flute and she plays the sÅ, and Genji is amazed by her musical ability. In this occasion Murasaki is still a child, but Genji intends to marry her in the near future and therefore must educate her so that she acquires all the attributes necessary for the wife of a nobleman. [...] äººå¬ãã¦ãå¾¡ç´ã¨ãå¯ãã¦å¼¾ãããã¦ã¾ã¤ããã¾ãµã[...]ãã¤ãããå¼¾ããã¾ãµãå°ããå¾¡ã»ã©ã«ãããããã¦ãããã¾ãµå¾¡æã¤ããã¨ãã¤ããããã°ãããããã¨æãã¦ãç¬å¹ãé³´ããã¤ã¤æã¸ãã¾ãµããã¨è¡ãã¦ãããã èª¿å­ã©ããããã ä¸ãããã«ç¿ã²ã¨ããã¾ãµããã»ãããããããããããããå¾¡å¿ã°ã¸ããæã²ããã¨ããªãµã¨æãã[...] ãããããå¹ãããã¾ããã¾ã¸ãã«ãæ»ãåã¯ãã¾ã è¥ããã©ãæå­éã¯ãä¸æããããã(SNKBZ 20, Japan Knowledge, Momiji no ga, 331â32). He had a koto brought in for her to play. [â¦] she played very nicely indeed. She was still quite small, and the way she had to lean over to put in a vibrato was extremely engaging. Entranced, he taught her more music by playing his flute. She was very quick and knew the most difficult pieces after a single hearing. He was satisfied that the liveliness of her 18 intelligence met all his hopes. [â¦] she accompanied him in a manner still youthful but very pretty and true to the rhythm. (Tyler, Momiji no ga, 143â44) In the next passage from Chapter 26 âThe Pinkâ (Tokonatsu), Genji tries to approach Tamakazura and attract her attention by talking about the wagon and its master, TÅ no ChÅ«jÅ, who is Tamakazuraâs father. Genji is disappointed by her lack of interest in music, but as she listens to his performance, her desire to learn music and meet her father grows. ãããããªãåç´ã®ãããå¼ãå¯ããã¾ã²ã¦ãæ»ãé³´ãããã¾ã¸ã°ãå¾ã«ãã¨ããèª¿ã¹ãããããé³ããã¨ããé³´ãã°ããããå¼¾ããã¾ã²ã¦ãããããã®ãã¨ã¯å¾¡å¿å ¥ãã¬ç­ã«ãã¨ãæããæã²ãã¨ããããããããªã...åããã¯ãå¿ã¨ã©ãã¦ç©ãªã©ã«æ»ãåã¯ãã¦ãªãã²ãã¾ã¸ãæ·±ãå¿ã¨ã¦ãä½ã°ãããããããªãããã¾ãã¾ãã¨ã«å¼¾ããããã¨ã¯é£ãã«ããããã...ã ã»ã®ã¼ã®å¿å¾ã¦ãããã§ã¨æããã¨ãªãã°ããã¨ã©ãã¶ãããã¦... ãè¦ªã¨ãã¤ã¹ãå¾¡æããå¼¾ãã¨ããã¾ã¸ããã¯ãå¿ãã¨ãªããªããããã (SNKBZ 22, Japan Knowledge, Tokonatsu, 229â31) There was a pretty wagon nearby. He drew it to him, touched the strings, and found it beautifully tuned in the richi mode. Its tone was lovely, too, and he played a little. âAll this time I had been thinking less well of you [Tamakazura] because I assumed you had no interest in this sort of thing! [â¦] You should really apply yourself to practicing it in company with other instruments. It [the wagon] has no deep secrets, but I doubt that it is easy to play genuinely well.â [â¦] She understood him well enough, and she wanted so 19 much to play nicely that she longed to hear more music. [â¦] âI am sure you will do extremely well if you learn how to play it properly from your father. [â¦].â (Tyler, Tokonatsu, 469â470) Next, we have two passages from Chapter 35 âSpring Shoots IIâ (Wakana: Ge), mentioning that Genji had never taught the kin to his daughter, the Akashi Princess, or to Murasaki, but dedicated special attention to the Third Princessâ musical education, which caused jealousy in the other women. å¥³å¾¡ã®åã«ããå¯¾ã®ä¸ã«ããç´ã¯ç¿ã¯ããã¦ã¾ã¤ããã¾ã¯ããããã°ããã®ãããããããè³é¦´ãã¬æã©ãå¼¾ããã¾ãµããããããã¨æãã¦ãå¥³å¾¡ããããã¨ãããããå¾¡æãããã ãã°ãã¨èãããã¾ã²ã¦ã¾ãã§ãã¾ã¸ããâ¦ãããã¤ãã§ã«ãããããããå¤ã ã®å¾¡éã³ããããã¾ããããªã©ã¦æã«ä¼ã¸ãã¾ã¯ããããã¨ã¤ããæã²ããããã¾ãµã (SNKBZ 23, Japan Knowledge, Wakana: Ge, 182) He had never taught the kin either to the Consort [the Akashi Princess] or to the mistress of his east wing [Murasaki], and the Consort, who longed to hear the rare pieces she gathered he had been playing lately, therefore managed to beg rare leave to withdraw to her home. [â¦] she envied the delightful music that went on every evening and wondered resentfully why Genji had never taught all this to her. (Tyler, Wakana: Ge, 637) èª¿ã¹ãã¨ãªãæäºã¤ä¸ã¤ããããããå¤§æ²ã©ãã®ãåå­£ã«ã¤ãã¦å¤ãã¹ãé¿ããç©ºã®å¯ãæ¸©ããèª¿ã¸åºã§ã¦ããããã¨ãªããã¹ãæã®ãããããã¨ããã¦ã¦æã¸ããããã¾ãµã«ãå¿ãã¨ãªããã¯ãããããªãã©ãããããå¿å¾ãã¾ãµã¾ã¾ã«ã 20 ãã¨ãããªããã¾ãµãã... å¤ã ãªãéãã«äºã®å¿ãæ·±ããã¦ã¾ã¤ãã¹ããã¨ã¦ãå¯¾ã«ãããã®ããã¯å¾¡æèãããã¾ã²ã¦ãæãæ®ãæã¸ããããã¾ãµã(SNKBZ 23, Japan Knowledge, Wakana: Ge, 181â82) He saw to it that she should learn two or three striking melodies and the most beautiful major pieces, including all the noble devices to convey in music the changes of the four seasons or of warm or cold weather, and although she lacked confidence at first, she gradually gained it and did very well indeed. [â¦]. âI shall teach you what you need to know in the evening.â He excused himself from the east wing and gave her lessons day and night. (Tyler, Wakana: Ge, 637) From the passages above we can see that Genji taught music to his ladies, who were eager to receive his guidance and approval. In the case of the Third Princess, the other women were jealous when he prioritized her musical practice due to the approaching concert that her father, the Retired Emperor Suzaku, would attend. In contrast, Genjiâs remarks after the performance in Chapter 35 âSpring Shoots IIâ (Wakana: Ge) show the musical independence of the Akashi Lady: ããã«ããããã¯ããã¬å¼å­ã©ããªããããçµç¶ã¯ãããããã«å£å ¥ãã¹ããã¨ã¾ããã¬ãããè¨ã¸ã©ãç©ã®ãã¯ã²ãã¨ãªãã¹ãããã¼ãã¬æã«ã¦èãã¯ãããããã«ããã¥ãããç©ã®å£°ããªã¨ãªããã¼ãããã©ããã®ããããã¯ã¾ããããªãã¾ããã«ãããããã¨ãããã¦ããè³¢ã«ããã¡ãªããã¾ã¸ã°ãå¥³æ¿ãªã©ã¯ãããã¤ããããµã(SNKBZ 23, Japan Knowledge, Wakana: Ge, 197) 21 âThey are not bad students, though, I agree. I cannot comment very well on the biwa, of course, but even there I am sure that I made a difference. Her [Akashi Lady] playing surprised me a good deal when I first heard it in that unlikely spot, but she has improved enormously since then.â The way he would take the credit had the gentlewomen exchanging secret glances and tugging at each other's sleeves. (Tyler, Wakana: Ge, 642) Genji still tries to assume a role in the Akashi Ladyâs performance, even though he has not given her lessons and it is not responsible for her success in the concert. In contrast to the other ladies, she does not seem to resent the fact that Genji has not taught her music, or at least the narrative makes no mention of this. She distinguishes herself not only for her musical skills and lack of complaint, but also for her humility and nobility of character. As Shirane points out, âDespite her provincial origins, the Akashi Lady is one of the most cultivated and artistically talented women in the Genji and excels in calligraphy, music, and poetry, the three most important accomplishments required of a court lady. [â¦] But though her cultivation is recognized by Genji and the court, she is never, even as the mother of the future empress, permitted to act with the freedom and dignity commensurate with her achievements. Only by employing her talents and humbling herself can she, as a âmiddle rankâ lady, continue to continue to participate in upper-rank society.â37 Thus, there is a gap between her skills and her social standing that cannot be overcome and forces her to assume a humble demeanor in order to navigate in the upper society. In other words, even though she possesses the outstanding musical skills required to be recognized as a member of the higher court ranks, she cannot be fully 37 Shirane, The Bridge of Dreams, 82â83. Suzuki Hideo, âAkashi no kimi,â in Akiyama Ken, ed., Genji monogatari hikkei, Bessatsu kokubungaku 13 (Tokyo: GakutÅsha, 1982), 15. 22 admitted to these echelons because of her humble origins. If we observe her behavior throughout the narrative and how she is described in the womenâs concert scene in Chapter 35 âSpring Shoots IIâ (Wakana: Ge), we see a mismatch in her presence at court, a fracture in her existence that cannot be mended. This also creates a duality in her relationship with Genji, which is strongly rooted in the memories of playing music together during his last night in Akashi yet pervaded by the anxiety provoked by her awareness of her difference in social standing. Nevertheless, she maintains her poise, and this attitude, together with her âmusical independenceâ from Genji, are critical elements in defining the role music plays in her story. 2.2 The Akashi musical lineage: analysis of passages from Chapter 13 âAkashiâ Let us now turn to the Akashi narrative and examine the Akashi familyâs musical lineage to understand how it represents a key element that sparks Genjiâs interest in the Akashi Lady. In the following scene from Chapter 13 âAkashi,â Genji plays the kin to give expression to the melancholy that accompanies him during his exile and bonds with his host, the Akashi Novice, over music making and the longing for court life. ä¹ ããæãµããã¾ã¯ã¬ç´ãè¢ããåãåºã§ãã¾ã²ã¦ãã¯ããªãæ»ãé³´ãããã¾ã¸ãå¾¡ãã¾ããè¦ãã¦ã¾ã¤ãäººãããããããã¯ãã«æ²ããæã²ãã¸ããåºéµã¨ããµæããããããå¼¾ãæ¾ã¾ããã¾ã¸ãã«ããã®å²¡è¾ºã®å®¶ããæ¾ã®é¿ãæ³¢ã®é³ã«ãã²ã¦ãå¿ã°ãããè¥äººã¯èº«ã«ãã¿ã¦æãµã¹ããããä½ã¨ãèãããã¾ãããã®ããã®ãã®ãã¯ãµãäººã©ããããããã¯ããã¦æµé¢¨ãã²ãæ­©ããå ¥é ãã 23 ãã¸ã§ãä¾é¤æ³ããã¿ã¦æ¥ãåããã(SNKBZ 21, Japan Knowledge, Akashi, 240; emphasis added) He took from its bag the kin he had not touched for so long and drew a little music from its strings, while emotion surged through those sadly watching him. His full, masterly rendering of âKÅryÅâ reached that house below the hill through the murmuring of the pines and the sound of waves, no doubt thrilling the bright young women there. Here and there mumbling old people who could not tell one note from another found themselves wandering the beach in defiance of the wind. The Novice helplessly gave up his prayers and hastened to Genjiâs side. (Tyler, Akashi, 263; emphasis added) The sound of Genjiâs kin merges with the natural surrounding elements, such as the whisper of the wind and waves, thus becoming part of the Akashi soundscape and attracting his host, the Akashi Novice. The bolded portion above describes the reception of Genjiâs performance by those in his vicinity, âwhile emotion surged through those sadly watching him.â This reveals an important aspect of music in the Genji: the reader is usually informed of the performanceâs reception by a member of the audience rather than references from the performers themselves. Just as the narrative tells a tale for the audience, music in the Genji also unspools a story for the characters listening to the music and for the textâs readers, who imagine the sounds as described by the narrator. Nakagawa notes that in musical scenes the subjective perception of listeners prevails over objective characteristics of sounds.38 I will return to Nakagawaâs ideas later, but let us keep in mind that music in the Genji is closely connected to human emotions, in 38 Nakagawa, Genji monogatari to ongaku, 192. 24 contrast to Utsuho monogatari, a preceding fictional tale in which music plays a major role but is primarily related to supernatural powers.39 Returning to the Akashi scene: Genjiâs performance is so alluring that the Akashi Novice interrupts his prayers and hastens to Genjiâs side. They reminisce together about life in the Capital, sharing the melancholic nostalgia of the exile. This sense of nostalgiaâthat remains throughout the Akashi narrative until its closure in Chapter 35 âSpring Shoots IIâ (Wakana: Ge), after the womenâs concertâcan be divided in two layers: âdiegetic nostalgiaâ and âhistorical nostalgia.â When Genji is forced to leave the Capital to travel to the coastal area of Suma (Chapter 12 âSumaâ), and later to Akashi, he longs for the life and the people in the Capital, especially Murasaki, while his host, the Akashi Novice, who previously left the Capital due to the loss of social status, also laments the secluded life he leads in Akashi. We could call this âdiegetic nostalgia,â since it happens within the narrative and concerns the charactersâ feelings. âHistorical nostalgiaâ will appear when the Akashi Novice recounts his familyâs musical lineage. Moreover, the fact that Genji plays the kin and a piece known as âKÅryÅâ åºéµ also relates to the sense of âhistorical nostalgia.â As mentioned earlier, the kin was brought from the Chinese continent in the Nara period and was considered the instrument of sages and literati and due to its technical difficulty it began to fall into disuse around the mid-Heian period.40 According to Hinata, from Chapter 12 âSumaâ onwards, when Genji is forced to leave the Capital, the kin becomes an important tool for emotional support.41 Regarding the powers of the 39 Nakagawa, Genji monogatari to ongaku, 188, 191. 40 Toyonaga Satomi, âHeian jidai ni okeru ten'nÅ to ongaku,â TÅkyÅ ondai kenkyū kiyÅ 20 (2001): 1â20. 41 Kazumasa, Genji monogatari to ongaku, 240â41: é ç£¨æç³ã¸ã®æµè¬«ã¯å æºæ°ã«ãã£ã¦çæ¶¯ã§æå¤§ã®è±é£ã§ãã£ãããããããå¢éã«ãªã£ãæãé³æ¥½ã¯å¿ãçãææ®µã«ãªããé³æ¥½ã¨ãããããç´ãå¿ã®æ¯ãã«ãªã£ããå æºæ°ã«ã¨ã£ã¦ç´ã¯æ ¼å¥ãªæå³ãæã¤æ¥½å¨ã§ãã£ãã®ã§ããã 25 kin, Hinata highlights commentary from the Chinese philosopher and kin player Ji Kang åµåº· (223â262), who states the instrumentâs true essence is to calm the heart through graceful virtue, bringing to the surface the hidden wishes of the heart.42 According to the Genji commentaries KachÅ yosei (Lingering Sentiments for Flowers and Birds, 1472) and KakaishÅ (Rivers and Seas Commentary, ca. 1362â1367), âKÅryÅâ is a secret piece that Ji Kang learned from divine entities.43 By choosing to associate Genji with things from the past and, more specifically, with a piece whose origin is surrounded by a mysterious legend, the author places Genji in a position of someone who has inherited divine knowledge from times long gone and who possesses talent beyond even the most skillful aristocrats of his time. Moreover, Genjiâs kin, which he gives to the Akashi Lady at the end of Chapter 13 âAkashi,â is more than a mere memento (katami). Because it symbolizes the key to the heart or soul it acts as a connection that keeps Genji and the Akashi Lady together, a theme woven through subsequent chapters, as I will discuss later. All this background information is relevant because Genjiâs interlocutor, the Akashi Novice, who is also a very talented performer, can fully grasp the references from Genjiâs performance. In other words, the Akashi Novice must have recognized the piece Genji was playing, âKÅryÅ,â as well as the legend surrounding its transmission, and quickly understood that he was in the presence of someone with immense musical talent, descended from a distinguished tradition and possessing profound knowledge about its transmission. The familiarity with Sinitic culture and musical tradition is a key element in establishing the relationship between Genji and the Akashi Novice, as well as the fact that both come from distinct musical lineages and share 42 Kazumasa, Genji monogatari to ongaku, 242: å¤§æã¯ãç´ã®æ¬æ§ã¯æ¸ æ½ã§ç«¯æ­£ã§é«å¾³ã®å¿ã®ç©ããããåãã¦ãããå¿å¿ãåããã¦é ããæããçºæ£ãããæ¥½å¨ã§ããã 43 Kuryū KÅji, âGenji monogatari Suma taikyo no rinen: sateha koto hitotsu zo,â DÅshisha daigaku kokubungaku 38 (1993): 94â104. 26 the longing for the Capital, thus engaging together with these two levels of nostalgia. This longing for the past is a recurring theme throughout the Genji, manifesting with particular emphasis in the Akashi narrative through musical memories shared by the characters as we shall see further in the narrative. This implicit understanding is critical for strengthening the relationship between Genji and the Akashi Novice and for the fate of Genji and the Akashi family. The fact that Genji was playing an old Kara-style piece on the kin, an instrument which possesses a distinct status, would not go unnoticed by the Akashi Novice, who was aware of the historical implications of his guestâs musical choices. As previously mentioned, brought from the Chinese continent, the kin was the instrument of the sages and literati and this association with high status and intellectual standing remained in the background of its transmission in Japan, which is one of the reasons why it is closely associated with the protagonist Genji. Moreover, Genjiâs exile has associations with the exile of the Sinitic poet Bai Juyi (772â846), who was unjustly banished from Changâan in 815, the capital at the time. The scenes in Chapter 12 âSuma,â when Genji leaves the Capital, have several Sinitic references, include those to Bai Juyi, thus establishing the connection between both episodes of exile and placing Genji in an even higher position.44 What could pass as a merely skilled performance and exchange of musical knowledge, in this context takes the role of an agreement which gives Genji permission to court the Akashi Lady. Viewed from Genjiâs perspective, he is not simply showing off his musical expertise to the Akashi Novice, who in turn is not simply allowing Genji to court his daughter. Through their musical dialogue 44 David Pollack, The Fracture of Meaning: Japan's Synthesis of China from the Eighth Through the Eighteenth Centuries (Princeton University Press, 1986), 68. 27 and exchange, they connect over mutual feelings of displacement and nostalgia and set the stage for achieving a glorious future. ããå¾¡å¿ã«ããããããã®å¾¡éã³ããã®äººãã®äººã®ç´ç¬ãããã¯å£°ã®åºã§ããã¾ãæã ã«ã¤ãã¦ä¸ã«ãã§ãããã¾ã²ããããã¾ãå¸ããã¯ãããã¦ã¾ã¤ãã¦ããã¦ããã¥ãããããã¦ã¾ã¤ããã¾ã²ãããäººã®ä¸ãããå¾¡èº«ã®ãããã¾ãæãåºã§ããã¦ãå¤¢ã®å¿å°ããã¾ãµã¾ã¾ã«ãæ»ãé³´ãããã¾ã¸ãå£°ã å¿ãããèããã(SNKBZ 21, Japan Knowledge, Akashi, 240â41; emphasis added) Genji found his mind going back to the music on this or that occasionâthe koto of one, the flute of another, a voice raised in song; to the praise he had received so often and to the way he had been preferred and feted by one and all, not least His Majesty himself; and to people he remembered and his own fortunes then. The present seemed so dreamlike that the strings as he touched them rang strangely loud. (Tyler, Akashi, 263; emphasis added) While making music in the present, Genjiâs memories of past performances are revived. It is worth noticing the prominence of music in this process of reminiscing about life in the Capital. Other aspects of court life are not mentioned; he is specifically remembering occasions of playing music in court and being praised by the Emperor for his skills. The dreamlike quality of the present has to do with the sharp contrast between Genjiâs gleaming past and the current circumstances of exile.45 The Akashi Novice then sends for a biwa and a sÅ-no-koto and what 45 SNKBZ 21, Akashi, 240, footnote n. 15. æã®ã¯ãªãããªèªåã¨ããã¹ã¦ãä»ã®ç¶æ ãã 28 follows is a musical dialogue in which the Novice plays âone or two rare and lovely piecesâ on the biwa and Genji plays the sÅ-no-koto, âleaving his host in awe of his accomplishments.â Genjiâs performance is described as surpassing the beauty of spring blossoms and autumn leaves, and, most importantly, there is an allusion to a poem with the water rail, a bird whose cry symbolizes a man visiting his lover.46 This allusion strongly hints to the direction where the chain of events will move. é³ããã¨äºãªãåºã¥ãç´ã©ããããã¨ãªã¤ãããå¼¾ãé³´ããããããå¾¡å¿ã¨ã¾ãã¦ããããã¯ãå¥³ã®ãªã¤ããããã¾ã«ã¦ãã©ããªãå¼¾ãããããããããããã¨ãã»ããã«ã®ãã¾ãµããå ¥éã¯ãããªããã¡ç¬ã¿ã¦ããéã°ããããªã¤ããããã¾ãªãã¯ããã¥ãã®ãã¯ã¹ããããªã«ãããå»¶åã®å¾¡æããå¼¾ãä¼ã¸ãããã¨ä¸ä»£ã«ãªããªãã¯ã¹ãã¬ãããããã¤ããªãèº«ã«ã¦ããã®ä¸ã®ãã¨ã¯æ£ã¦å¿ãã¯ã¹ãã¬ããããã®ã®åã«ãã¶ããããããã¯æ»ãé³´ããã¯ã¹ããããããããã¾ã­ã¶è ã®ã¯ã¹ããããèªç¶ã«ãã®åå¤§çã®å¾¡æã«éã²ã¦ã¯ã¹ããå±±ä¼ã®ã²ãè³ã«æ¾é¢¨ãèããããã¯ã¹ãã«ãããããããã§ã ãããå¿ã³ã¦èãããããã¦ãããªãã¨èãããã¾ã¾ã« [...]ã(SNKBZ 21, Japan Knowledge, Akashi, 241â42) The Noviceâs sweet music on instruments so superb in tone delighted Genji. âIt is on this instrument that a charming woman's casual music is most pleasing,â he remarked conversationally, to which his host replied with a curious smile, âWhere would one find playing more charming than your own? For myself, I have my skill in the third generation from His Engi Majesty, and being so hopeless, you see, and unable ever really to forget 46 Tyler, Akashi, 263, footnote n. 13; SNKBZ 21, 241, footnotes n. 15 and 16 29 the world, I turn to it often when I am deeply troubledâ so much so that to my surprise someone else here has picked up what I play. Her style recalls His Highness who taught me, unless my poor ears have simply misheard the windâs sighing among the pines. I wish I could discreetly arrange for you to hear her!â (Tyler, Akashi, 263â64) This passage is crucial as the conversation shifts to the Akashi musical lineage and then to the Akashi Ladyâs skills. When Genji mentions that âIt is on this instrument [the sÅ-no-koto] that a charming woman's casual music is most pleasing,â he is hinting that he is already aware of the existence of the Akashi Lady, whose story he had heard from one of his attendants in Chapter 5 âYoung Murasakiâ (Wakamurasaki). His utterance immediately produces a change in his relationship with the Akashi Novice, who takes the cue to talk about his daughterâs musical talents. The mention of âHis Engi Majesty,â Emperor Daigo (885â930, r. 897â930), who was regarded as the ideal ruler in the late Heian period and whose reign was nostalgically recalled as an era of artistic and cultural flourishing, relates to the âhistorical nostalgiaâ mentioned above.47 âThe fact that the priest can play the koto in the style of Emperor Daigo unmistakably proves the nobility of his lineage and the superiority of his cultivation. The musical lessons the priest gives his daughter are, therefore, a process whereby his family pride and hope for glory in a future generation are instilled in his daughter. Music as such not only symbolizes a hope for a renewal of family fortune, it is in itself the very key to it.â48 I will not discuss in depth the historical implications regarding Emperor Daigo.49 What matters here is that the Akashi Novice, realizing 47 Kobayashi Yoshiko, âThe Function of Music in the Tale of Genji,â Hikaku bungaku 33 (1990): 210â196. 48 Kobayashi, âThe Function of Music in the Tale of Genji,â 205. 49 See Morino Masahiro, Genji monogatari no ongaku to jikan (Shintensha 2014). 30 that Genji is also an outstanding performer and extremely knowledgeable about the musical tradition, takes the opportunity to advertise his daughterâs musical accomplishments, which immediately piques Genjiâs interest in the Akashi Lady. Later in the dialogue, Genji mentions Emperor Saga as another example of transmission of exceptional musical techniques. ãããããæãã ç®ã¯å¥³ãªãå¼¾ãã¨ããã®ãªããããåµ¯å³¨ã®å¾¡ä¼ã¸ã«ã¦ãå¥³äºã®å®®ããä¸ã®ä¸­ã®ä¸æã«ãã®ããã¾ã²ãããããã®å¾¡ç­ã«ã¦ãã¨ããã¦ã¦ä¼ãµãäººãªãããã¹ã¦ããã ä»ä¸ã«åãåããäººã ããããªã§ã®å¿ããã°ããã«ã®ã¿ããããããã«ããå¼¾ããããã¾ã¸ãããããã¨èãããããã¨ããªãããã§ãã¯èãã¹ããã¨ã®ãã¾ãµã(SNKBZ 21, Japan Knowledge, Akashi, 242â43) âSomehow the sÅ-no-koto seems always to have been a woman's instrument. In Emperor Sagaâs tradition it was his own Fifth Princess who stood out in her time, although no one has really continued her line. People who enjoy some renown nowadays play only desultorily, for their own amusement, and I am delighted that someone hidden away here should have kept it alive. But how could I possibly hear her?â (Tyler, Akashi, 264) At this point, he is completely sold by the Noviceâs promotion of his daughter and has made his mind about meeting the Akashi Lady. The main point here is bringing up again a historical figure, Emperor Saga (786â842, r. 809â823), who was a generous patron of the arts, including music, known for the large number of banquets and kanshi (Sinitic poetry) competitions that happened during his reign. By mentioning Saga, Genji is reassuring his host 31 not only about his accomplishments as a performer, but also his deep knowledge of the history of the musical tradition. Moreover, he suggests that like the Fifth Princess, the Akashi Lady is also one of the last bearers of a precious musical tradition that is in danger of being lost. By stating this, Genji shows the Novice that he deeply values the tradition and may also be implying that he would do anything in his power to keep that tradition alive, should he develop closer ties with the Akashi Lady. Two days before his return to the capital, Genji finally is given the opportunity to listen to the Akashi Lady playing the sÅ-no-koto. Although his interest in her was initially aroused when he heard the Novice talking about his daughterâs musical abilities, even after spending almost a year in Akashi, Genji never gets the chance to listen to her and resents her for it. The scene opens with Genji asking the Akashi Lady to play a song for him to keep as a memento. Genji plays the kin and the Novice, deeply moved, pushes the sÅ-no-koto towards his daughter. ãã®å¸¸ã«ããããããã¾ãµç©ã®é³ãªã©ããã«èãããã¦ã¾ã¤ãããã¤ããããã¿ããæ¨ã¿ãã¾ãµããããã°ãå½¢è¦ã«ãå¿ã¶ã°ããã®ä¸ãã¨ãã ã«ãã¨ã®ãã¾ã²ã¦ãäº¬ããæã¦ãã¯ããããç´ã®å¾¡ç´åãã«é£ã¯ãã¦ãå¿ãã¨ãªãèª¿ã¹ãã»ã®ãã«ããé³´ãããã¾ã¸ããæ·±ãå¤ã®æ¾ããã¯ãã¨ã¸ãæ¹ãªããå ¥éãããã¸ã§ç®ã®ç´åãã¦ããå ¥ããããã¿ã¥ããããã¨ã©æ¶ãã¸ããã®ãããã¦ãã¨ã©ãã¹ãæ¹ãªãã«ããã¯ãããªãã¹ããå¿ã³ããã«èª¿ã¹ããã»ã©ãã¨ä¸è¡ãããããå ¥éã®å®®ã®å¾¡ç´ã®é³ããã ä»ã®ã¾ããªããã®ã«æã²ãããããã¯ããã¾ãããããããªãã§ãã¨èãäººã®å¿ããã¦ãå®¹è²ãã¸æã²ãããããã¨ã¯ããã«ãã¨éããªãå¾¡ç´ã®é³ãªããããã¯ããã¾ã§å¼¾ãæ¾ã¾ããå¿ã«ããã­ããé³ãã¾ãã 32 ãããã®å¾¡å¿ã«ã ã«ãã¯ããã¦ãã¯ãã«ãªã¤ããããã¾ã è³é¦´ããã¾ã¯ã¬æãªã©å¿ãã¾ããã»ã©ã«å¼¾ãããã¤ã¤ãé£½ããæãããã«ããæããããªã©å¼·ã²ã¦ããèããªããããã¤ããã¨æããæãããå¿ã®éãè¡ãå ã®å¥ããã®ã¿ããã¾ãµã (SNKBZ 21, Japan Knowledge, Akashi, 265â66; bold and underline added) Genji, who had always longed to hear her play for him, was very disappointed that she had not done so. âJust a little, then,â he said, âto remember you by.â He sent for the kin he had brought from the City and softly plucked its strings in a lovely tune that ineffably filled the clear depths of the night. This was too much for the Novice, who took the sÅ-no-koto and slid it through the curtains to his daughter. His invitation must have elicited as well tears that flowed freely while her quiet playing revealed what she could do. Her Cloistered Eminence's touch struck him as peerless in his time, for her brilliance, which often gave the listener a thrill of pleasure, also conveyed an image of herself, and that made her music truly supreme. In contrast, this lady excelled thanks to unfailing mastery and an enviably absorbing tone. Her music, too, called up deep, fond feelings, and while she played pieces he had never heard before, pausing so often that he could hardly bear it, he longed for more and wondered bitterly why for months he had failed to insist on her giving him this pleasure. He poured forth promises about the future. âYou must have this kin until we can play together again,â he said. (Tyler, Akashi, 272â73; bold and underline added) 33 When Genji asks her to play he says: âjust a little, then.â Hito koto is a pivot-word50 in which the meanings âa few words,â and âone koto (the instrument)â overlap. In this case, it means more specifically âa few musical words.â Genji is determined to listen to her and then says âto remember you by,â (katami), a crucial expression that seals their love vows and sets the stage for the scenes in chapters 18 âWind in the Pinesâ (Matsukaze) and 19 âWisps of Cloudâ (Usugumo) where they reminisce together about their farewell in Akashi. This passage underscores the issue of how particular adjectives are used to convey the listenerâs emotional response to music. Drawing from Nakagawaâs analyses,51 I will add my own interpretation. The words bolded and underlined below refer to Genjiâs performance as perceived by the narrator: kokoro kotonaru and fukakiyo no sumeru wa tatohenkatanashi, which Tyler translates respectively as âlovely [tune]â and âineffably filled the clear depths of the night.â We can surmise that this is the narratorâs point of view based on the use of the honorific verbs tamau, owasu and tsukawasu. The underlined words refer to Genjiâs memory of the performance by Fujitsuboâs (âHer Cloistered Eminenceâ in Tylerâs translation): matanashi, imamekashi, and geni ito kagirinaki, which Tyler translated respectively as âpeerless,â âbrilliance,â and âtruly supreme.â Finally, the words in bold qualify the Akashi Ladyâs performance as perceived by Genji. I have listed these below, together with Tylerâs translation: jÅzumeku kokoronikuku netaki ne zomasareru aware ni natsukashū 50 The rhetorical device kakekotoba, or pivot-word, often used in Japanese poetry, consists of word play in which a syllable or word pivots between different meanings. 51 Nakagawa, Genji monogatari to ongaku, 189â90. kokoro yamashiki akazu 34 âwhat she could doâ âenviably absorbing toneâ âdeep, fond feelingsâ âhe could hardly bearâ âhe longed for moreâ The sound of Fujitsuboâs sÅ-no-koto, which until then Genji thought it was matchless, was surpassed by the Akashi Lady. The adjectives used to describe the Akashi Ladyâs performance reveal Genjiâs amazement and frustration for only being able to listen to her playing in the end of his stay in Akashi. According to Nakagawa, these adjectives indicate the shift of Genjiâs heart towards the Akashi Lady. JÅzumeku, translated by Tyler as âwhat she could do,â refers to Genjiâs shock in finding someone so refined in those distant corners.52 The idea that women who lived in the countryside were not educated enough nor excelled in artistic endeavors is clearly not applicable to the Akashi Lady, whose outstanding musical skills leave a deep impression in Genji. Kokoronikuku netaki ne zo masareru, translated as âenviably absorbing tone,â is an interesting expression formed by the adjectives kokoronikushi and netashi, followed by ne (sound), the emphatic particle zo and the verb masaru, which means to excel or to be superior. The original meaning of kokoronikushi is being envious due to someoneâs superiority and has a nuance of envy brought by not understanding someone elseâs emotions. It can also mean being drawn to someone or something and refined or graceful, or something to be feared, thus needful of caution or alertness.53 Netashi, which means jealous or envious, has both a nuance of annoyance and frustration and that of being envious due to someoneâs talent or superiority. This overlap of meanings confirms Genjiâs mixed feelings of amazement, bewilderment, and frustration. While being drawn to her superior performance in a positive way, 52 Nakagawa, Genji monogatari to ongaku, 189. 53 Kitahara Yasuo, Zenbun zenâyaku kogo jiten (ShÅgakukan, 2004), online version in JapanKnowledge. 35 the fact that he only witnessed it on his final night in Akashi is upsetting. In other words, her playing was so skillful that he regretted not having listened to her music earlier. This cluster of words related to the Akashi Ladyâs excelling performance reiterates Genjiâs reaction it: he feels intense wonder to the point of being envious. This semantic unit connects with the other adjectives describing her performance, creating a cloud of allure that envelops Genji. Nakagawa describes this motion of Genjiâs feelings in the following manner: kokoronikuku netaki refers to Genjiâs heart being drawn by the Akashi Ladyâs elegance and generosity of spirit, aware ni natsukashū âdeep and fond feelings,â are related to Genjiâs desire to get closer to her heart, kokoro yamashiki âhe could hardly bearâ refers to Genjiâs frustration and impatience in trying to seize her heart, and finally akazu âhe longed for moreâ refers to his desire to get to know her thoroughly and express the intense discontent for having to part from her soon.54 The subsequent sentence, âHe poured forth promises about the futureâ impel toward the Akashi Lady all the feelings mentioned earlier. Nakagawa observes that this scene is not about the playerâs feelings, but the listenerâs, Genji. âThe impression one has when listening to music is nothing more than the inner expression of the listener himself, who is triggered by music. The listener then takes in the music according to their own emotions.â55 Nakagawa later suggests that subtle changes in Genjiâs heart are expressed through the use of adjectives related to the sound of music and calls that process a reverse-illumination of Genjiâs heart.56 While the connection between music and narrative might seem evident, there are multiple angles from which it can be explored. 54 Nakagawa, Genji monogatari to ongaku, 189. 55 Nakagawa, Genji monogatari to ongaku, 190. é³æ¥½ãè´ãã¦æ±ãå°è±¡ã¯ãå®ã¯é³æ¥½ã«è§¦çºãããè´ãæèªèº«ã®å å¥¥ã®è¡¨åºã«ã»ããªããªããè´ãæãã¾ãèªå·±ã®ææ ã«ãããã£ã¦æ¥½ã®é³ãåãã¨ããã 56 Nakagawa, Genji monogatari to ongaku, 191. 36 To conclude the analysis of this passage, let us examine the poetic exchange with which Genji and the Akashi Lady seal their love vows. ãç´ã¯ãã¾ãæ»ãåã¯ããã¾ã§ã®å½¢è¦ã«ãã¨ã®ãã¾ãµã å¥³ããªã»ããã«é ¼ãããããä¸ãã¨ãã¤ããã¬é³ã«ãããã¦ãã®ã°ã è¨ãµã¨ããªãå£ããã³ãæ¨ã¿ãã¾ã²ã¦ã ãé¢ãµã¾ã§ã®ããã¿ã«å¥ãä¸­ã®ç·ã®ããã¹ã¯ãã¨ã«å¤ã¯ããããªã ãã®é³éã¯ã¬ããã«ããªãããã²è¦ããã¨é ¼ããã¾ãµãããããã©ããã å¥ããã»ã©ã®ãããªããæã² ããããããã¨ãã¨ãããªãã(SNKBZ 21, Japan Knowledge, Akashi, 266â67) âThat casual gift you give to make me believe you will remain true I shall honor in my thoughts with a long music of tears,â she replied, so low that he could hardly hear her; and he, nettled, âThis koto is yours, that you may remember me till we meet again, and I hope you will not change the pitch of the middle string. We will see each other before it loses its tuning,â he went on, to encourage her trust; but she was understandably lost in tears of anguish at the prospect of his going. (Tyler, Akashi, 273) As mentioned in the beginning of the analysis, Genji asks the Akashi Lady to play for him so that he can remember her, that is, her playing will serve as a keepsake. She does so, and Genji cannot conceal his regrets for not having listened to her earlier. He gives her his kin, saying âYou must have this kin until we can play together again.â The instrument is not only a 37 memento that symbolizes their love but also Genjiâs stance as the bearer of a distinguished and secret musical tradition.57 Moreover, it places music as the pillar of their relationship, both concretely and abstractly. The kin is a physical object that materializes and represents their love and desire to reunite soon, while acting as a medium through which she can remember him and his promise. By playing this specific instrument, the Akashi Lady can bring to mind this moment when they exchanged vows and therefore keep her connection with Genji while they are apart. The Akashi Lady replies with a poem which plays again with âone wordâ (hitokoto), which serves as a pivot-word for koto (the instrument) mentioned in Genjiâs poem, and âsound of musicâ (ne), which serves as a pivot-word for âsound of weeping.â Moreover, ne and koto are correlative words.58 Even though he makes promises about the future, she implies that his intentions might be half-hearted, pointing to the uncertainty that breaks her heart. According to the SNKBZ footnote referring back to Chapter 4 âThe Twilight Beautyâ (Yūgao), the word tanome means âremaining trueâ or âkeeping a promiseâ, and in Tylerâs translation appears as âmake me believe you will remain true,â thus reiterating the wish of the Akashi Lady for Genji to keep his promise.59 Genji then replies using imagery related to the strings of the kin including a series of pivot-words: katami (keepsake) to katami (mutual), naka no o (middle string) to naka (relationship), and koto ni (especially) to koto (referring to the kin).60 There are various theories regarding the âmiddle stringâ imagery since the source of the allusion is unclear,61 but it is 57 See Uehara Sakukazu, âHikarugenji no hi koto denju: wakana maki no onna gaku o megutte,â Nihon bungaku 40, no. 4 (1991). 58 SNKBZ 21, Akashi, 266, footnote n. 12; Tyler, Akashi, 273, footnote n. 42 59 SNKBZ 20, Yūgao, 157, footnote n. 19 60 SNKBZ 21, Akashi, 267, footnote n. 14 61 SNKBZ 21, Akashi, 266â67, footnote n. 14 38 significant that Genji seal their vows with this exchange in which the âkeeping the tuning of the middle stringâ symbolizes staying true to their promise. This scene makes clear how music is important in their relationship and foreshadows how it will remain a key element in the Akashi narrative arc. 39 2.3 The aftermath of the Akashi sequence: separation and waiting After concluding the analysis of musical passages from the Akashi chapter, I will now briefly consider scenes from chapters 18 âWind in the Pinesâ (Matsukaze) and 19 âWisps of Cloudâ (Usugumo), concluding with the four-woman concert in Chapter 35 âSpring Shoots IIâ (Wakana: Ge). These subsequent scenes are important to show how music continues to play a vital role in the Akashi Ladyâs ascending path and in her relationship with Genji until the end of the Akashi narrative line in Chapter 35 âSpring Shoots IIâ (Wakana: Ge). My intention here is not to provide an in-depth analysis of the passages, but to show how the scenes from the Akashi chapter reverberate in the Akashi narrative until its closure in Chapter 35 âWakana: Ge.â In Chapter 18 âWind in the Pinesâ (Matsukaze), the Akashi Lady and her mother move to the estate of the late Prince Nakatsukasa (the Akashi Ladyâs great-grandfather) in Åi, despite Genji insisting that she moved to the Capital. She worried about being ridiculed by the other ladies due to her inferior social standing and therefore did not want to move to Genjiâs estate right away. ãããå¤ã®ãã¨æãåºã§ããããããéãããããã®ç´ã®å¾¡ç´ããåºã§ãããããã¯ãã¨ãªãã¨ãã®ãã¯ããªãã«ããå¿ã³ãã¾ã¯ã§æãé³´ãããã¾ãµãã¾ã èª¿ã¹ãå¤ãããã²ãè¿ããã®ããä»ã®å¿å°ããã¾ãµã å¥ããã«å¤ãã¬ãã¨ã®ããã¹ã«ã¦çµ¶ãã¬å¿ã®ã»ã©ã¯ç¥ããã å¥³ãå¤ããã¨å¥ãããã¨ããã®ã¿ã«ã¦æ¾ã®ã²ã³ãã«é³ããã¸ãããª 40 ã¨èãããã¯ããããä¼¼ããªããã¬ããã¯ãèº«ã«ä½ããããããã¾ãªããããããªãã­ã³ã¾ããã«ããå®¹è²ãã¯ã²ãæã»ãæ£ã¤ã¾ãããè¥åã¯ããå°½ããããã¾ããããã¾ãµã(SNKBZ 21, Japan Knowledge, Matsukaze, 414) That night then came back to her from the past, and she did not fail to mark it, for she offered him his kin. He could not help playing it a little, caught up as he was in warm emotions. The tuning had not changed, and he felt now as he had then. âYou who faithfully left the tuning of this kin just as it was then, did you hear in its music all that you still mean to me?â She replied, âResting in my trust that as you had promised me your heart would not change, I joined my weeping music to the sounding of the pines.â It showed how far she surpassed all one could have expected of her that her side of the exchange was not unworthy. Genji was captivated by her looks and manner, which had matured magnificently, and he could hardly keep his eyes off his daughter. (Tyler, Matsukaze, 339â40) In this scene, Genji and the Akashi Lady exchange poems motivated by the strong emotions and memories that revolve around the kin that Genji gave her as a token of his love in the farewell narrated in Chapter 13 âAkashi.â Tyler adds italics for âThat night,â referring to Genjiâs last night in Akashi when he heard the Akashi Lady playing music for the first time. In the Japanese text we have the words arishi (that from long ago) modifying ânightâ and kano (that) modifying âkin.â Both words emphasize their shared memories of that night and the act of bringing something from the past into the present. The tuning of the instrument, which remained 41 the same throughout Genjiâs absence, reiterates the constancy of his love, which he intends to honor by bringing the Akashi Lady to the capital. In his poem, Genji asks her to acknowledge his loyalty, because just like the tuning of the kin, his feelings also remain the same as before. In her reply, the Akashi Lady reveals that her trust in his promise is what made her endure the wait in Akashi. She alludes to her suffering by speaking of the weeping sound of her music that joins the sound of the wind in the pines, which, is the âwind of waiting.â62 Separation and waiting are elements present in the Akashi narrative, starting with the trajectory of the Akashi Novice. He broke away from the mundane life of the Capital and became a monk, but as we have seen, had high hopes for his daughterâs future. The Akashi Lady, in turn, separates from her family when she leaves Akashi (although her mother accompanies her to Åi), faces an anguished wait for Genji and, later, in Chapter 19 âWisps of Cloudâ (Usugumo), is also separated from her daughter, who is handed over to Murasaki to be raised in the Capital. If we think about separation and waiting as elements that are also part of the musical language, we can gain new insights about how music operates in the Akashi narrative. Due to the acoustic properties of sound, music is something that takes place solely in the present and can only be recalled through memory. This strong mnemonic component enables memories of motifs played and heard to be recalled in a particularly vivid way. Furthermore, memories of music are stored together with the accompanying emotions, which will also return when the music is performed or heard again. Thus, the original event and the recollection are separated in time, involving waiting for the performance and its remembrance. This is related to the acoustic 62 Matsukaze æ¾é¢¨, the title of Chapter 18 translated by Tyler as âWind in the Pines,â is a kakekotoba or pivot-word, as explained in footnote n. 50. Matsu æ¾ means âpine tree,â but it is also the verb âto waitâ å¾ ã¤. The sound of the kin that Akashi Lady plays in her anguished wait for Genji is accompanied by the sound of the wind in the pine trees. 42 properties of sound, but we find a similar process within the structural aspects of musical language. Most musical forms are made of motifs that repeat themselves and alternate with other motifs. If we think about this structure, musical motifs are separated from one another and require waiting before a motif reappears. This process depends on memory since music only makes sense because we have memories of what we just heard. Without the ability to remember the different motifs presented to us in a musical piece, it would not be possible to establish a connection between the parts and the whole. According to José Miguel Wisnik, 63 a literary scholar who has written extensively about the musical phenomenon â[â¦] through the perceptible vibrations of the air, music translates to our sensorial scale the subtle messages about the intimate soul of the matter. [â¦] Music is capable of relaxation and contraction, of expansion and suspension, of condensation and dislocation of those shifts that accompany all perceptions.â64 As explained by Wisnik, when discussing the nature of music in connection with Hegelâs ideas about music in Aesthetics: âSound is a subjective object, it is inside and outside, it cannot be touched directly but touches us with huge precision.â65 Furthermore, Wisnik elaborates on these ideas, asserting that: [â¦] sound is a distinct object among the concrete objects that populate our imaginary mind because even if it is very clear, it is at same time invisible and impalpable. Common sense identifies the materiality of the physical bodies through vision and touch. We are used to base our experience of reality through these senses. Music is a realm built of sounds in 63 José Miguel Wisnik, O som e o sentido - Uma outra história das músicas (Companhia das Letras, 1989). 64 My translation of Wisnik, O som e o sentido, 29â30. 65 My translation of Wisnik, O som e o sentido, 28. 43 continuous appearance and disappearance, it escapes the tangible sphere and fosters the identification with another order of the real.66 To the ideas proposed by Wisnik about the invisible and yet powerful nature of music, which is constructed in our inner selves through memory, we can add Esperanza Ramirez-Christensenâs approach to poetry in the Genji and establish a parallel with how music operates in the narrative. According to Ramirez-Christensen,67 the scenes of poetry exchange throughout the narrative create a particular time perception that she describes as the âlyrical mode,â which are âmoments of heightened emotion in which outer and inner worlds are fused together in a transfiguring metaphor or pattern of images.â 68 She proposes that these are the climactic moments in the Genji, rather than âthose in which the hero commits the fatal irretrievable act that unleashes the forces of destiny.â 69 Therefore, the architecture of the Genji is sustained by scenes such as those of music, poetry, and calligraphy, which promote this time-suspending mechanism through a diffuse narrative progression, âconstantly interrupted by the evocation of momentary impressions or frozen into static scenes which specify a particular mood, emotion, or thought.â70 Drawing from Ramirez-Christensenâs approach to narrative time, I believe it is possible to establish a connection with the mnemonic aspect of music. As we saw in the consideration of Wisnikâs ideas, music has the ability to bring the past into the present due to its close relationship with memory. When music heard in the present evokes memories from music heard in the past, 66 My translation of Wisnik, O som e o sentido, 28. 67 Esperanza Ramirez-Christensen, âThe Operation of the Lyrical Mode in the Genji Monogatari,â in Bloomâs Modern Critical Interpretations: The Tale of Genji, ed. Harold Bloom (Chelsea House Publishers, 2004). 68 Ramirez-Christensen, âThe Operation of the Lyrical Mode in the Genji Monogatari,â 207. 69 Ramirez-Christensen, âThe Operation of the Lyrical Mode in the Genji Monogatari,â 207. 70 Ramirez-Christensen, âThe Operation of the Lyrical Mode in the Genji Monogatari,â 207. 44 time is expanded as the scene of recollection brings about this interruption of the narrative progression described above. This motionless quality is particularly notable in scenes of musical performance and poetic exchange, imparting the type of time perception explained by Ramirez-Christensen. In her examination of Ramirez-Christensenâs ideas, the role of poetry in the Genji and how it gives a distinct character to Genjiâs narrative prose, Tomiko Yoda writes that âRamirez-Christensen's notion of the poetic function is based on Roman Jakobson's analysis of the poetic language and the assertation that in poetry, similarity is superinduced upon contiguity. By imposing the principle of semantic similarity on the syntactical contiguity of the language, therefore, the propulsive impulse of the narrative is further suppressed, creating a static field of representation that culminates in waka.â71 Furthermore, if we look at Jakobsonâs elaborations on the poetic function and its applicability to the musical language, it is possible to find similarities between the poetic and the musical languages. According to Jakobson, in the poetic function, which privileges the medium (over denotative meaning), there is a projection of the principle of equivalence from the axis of selection to that of combination. It is the selection of words and syllables that gives the poem a constellation of specific imagistic associations, determining its horizontal sequence, and also creates a particular sound cadence, which in turn determines the poemâs rhythm and meter. Thus, syllables and accents are converted into units of measurement equivalent to each other, pointing to a procedure for measuring sequences with no application outside the poetic function, for which meter is undoubtedly a fundamental element.72 71 Tomiko Yoda, âInscribing Divisions: Gender, Discourse, and Subject in Heian Vernacular Narrativeâ (PhD diss., Stanford University, 1996), 198. 72 Roman Jakobson, âLinguistics and Poetics,â in Style in Language, ed. Thomas A. Sebeok (MIT Press, 1960), 358. 45 Moreover, Jakobson states that âonly in poetry with its regular reiteration of equivalent units is the time of the speech flow experienced, as it isâto cite another semiotic patternâwith musical time.â73 In addition, as observed by Yoda in her examination of the role of poetry in the Genji, âwe find practically no new information overtly presented in waka that makes them indispensable to the storytelling. This very redundancy of poetry to narration itself suggests that poems perform a role distinct from that of prose.â74 I believe music operates in a similar way, enhancing a particular atmosphere by reiterating and amplifying pre-existing elements in the scene, both internal, belonging to the charactersâ emotional realm, and external, to the surrounding natural environment. This idea, in turn, is closely connected to the âlyrical modeâ proposed by Ramirez-Christensen. The significance of the aforementioned references is that they bring to light an essential aspect of music in the narrative, namely that its own internal time overlaps with the narrative time framework. This enables us to see this juxtaposition of discourses and time frameworks as something that can be stretched or compressed like an elastic thread. If there is separation, characters and readers have to wait in suspension while the thread is extended. If we look at the beginning of the scene of Genjiâs last night in Akashi, we can gain further insights about how the âlyrical modeâ works. This scene starts with a description of Genjiâs intentions and state of mind in the evening before his departure and then shifts to describing the noise of the waves, the autumn wind, and the smoke from the salt fires. Genji and the Akashi Lady exchange poems using imagery of the smoke and then he asks her to play for 73 Jakobson, âLinguistics and Poetics,â 358. 74 Tomiko Yoda, Gender and National Literature: Heian Texts in the Constructions of Japanese Modernity (Duke University Press, 2004), 123. 46 him so that he may remember her after he departs. As an invitation to music, he begins playing his kin and then the Akashi Novice pushes a sÅ-no-koto to his daughter, who finally plays some pieces. The descriptions of Genjiâs inner emotions and the surrounding environment, followed by poetic exchanges, unfurl within in a continuum that culminates with musical performance, which may be interpreted as a moment representing an epiphany. Such scenes where inner and outer worlds converge through music are not limited to the Akashi narrative, but are present throughout the narrative and show the mechanism and functions of the âlyrical mode.â Later on, in Chapter 19 âWisps of Cloudâ (Usugumo), âthat nightâ is mentioned again in one of Genjiâs visits to Åi. ã¯ã¤ãã«ãé£½ãã¬ã»ã©ã«ã®ã¿ããã°ã«ããå¿ã®ã©ããªãããã¡å¸°ããã¾ãµãè¦ããã¦ã[â¦] ç­ã®ç´ã®ãããå¼ãå¯ãã¦ããã®æç³ã«ã¦å°å¤æ´ããããé³ããä¾ã®æãåºã§ãããã°ãçµç¶ããããªããããã¾ã¸ã°ããããæ»ãåã¯ããããããã§ããã®ã¿ã²ãå ·ãããã¨æããã(SNKBZ 21, Japan Knowledge, Usugumo, 440â41; emphasis added) Genji did not at all want to rush home again, since this visit had no doubt been too short for him as well. [â¦] he then drew a nearby sÅ-no-koto to him and insisted until she took up her biwa and accompanied him a little; for he remembered as so often the sound of her music that night at Akashi. Her playing made him wonder how she could have mastered so many instruments. (Tyler, Usugumo, 352; emphasis added) Here again, the memory of that night in Akashi comes back as he listens to the sound of her biwa. The Akashi Ladyâs musical skills never cease to amaze Genji, as we can see when he 47 notes that she has exceptional talent not only on the sÅ-no-koto and the kin, but also on the biwa. As we saw in the introduction of this thesis, Genji is most often associated with the kin, while TÅ no ChÅ«jÅ is associated with the wagon. The other characters, both female and male, are generally not so often associated with a single instrument, perhaps with the exception of Genjiâs half-brother Prince Sochinomiya, who is associated with the biwa. However, the case of the Akashi Lady draws attention because not only does she appear playing these three instruments (sÅ-no-koto, kin, and biwa), but she is widely praised by Genji on all musical occasions. 2.3.1 The four-women concert: the Akashi family in the height of glory In this final section, I will comment on three excerpts from the womenâs concert narrated in Chapter 35 âSpring Shoots IIâ (Wakana: Ge). This is the closure of the Akashi narrative, when the Akashi Lady reaches the pinnacle of glory due to her daughter, the Akashi Princess, being appointed consort of the Crown Prince. å¾¡ç´ã©ãã®èª¿ã¹ã©ãã¨ã¨ã®ã²ã¯ã¦ã¦ãæ»ãåã¯ããã¾ã¸ãã»ã©ããã¥ãã¨ãªãä¸­ã«ãçµç¶ã¯ãããã¦ä¸æãããç¥ãã³ããæã¥ãã²ãæ¾ã¿ã¯ã¦ã¦ãããããèããã(SNKBZ 23, Japan Knowledge, Wakana: Ge, 190) Once the instruments were tuned and the ladies were playing in concert, the biwa rang out with a marvelous skill, superb in touch and limpid in tone, that lifted its music above the rest. (Tyler, Wakana: Ge, 640) 48 Once more, the Akashi Lady is praised for her performance on the biwa, whose sound stands out from the other instruments. Considering that she was used to playing in rustic environments accompanied by the wind in the pines and the fierce waves of the Akashi coast, we might wonder if she was prepared to play on such an occasion.75 The sound of her biwa takes us back to Genjiâs last night in Akashi, when he listened with surprise and bewilderment to her playing for the first time. Next, there is a description of the Akashi Ladyâs demeanor and attire during the womenâs concert: ãããå¾¡ãããã«ãæç³ã¯æ°ãããã¹ããããã¨ããããããããã¦ãªããªã©æ°è²ã°ã¿æ¥ã¥ããããå¿ã®ä½ãããããã¾ãã¦ãããã¯ãã¨ãªããã¦ã«ãªã¾ããããè¦ããæ³ã®ç¹ç©ã®ç´°é·ãèé»ã«ãããããå°è¢¿çã¦ãç¾ ã®è£³ã®ã¯ããªããªãã²ãããã¦ããã¨ããåä¸ãããã©ããã¯ã²ãæã²ãªããå¿ã«ããæãã¯ãããããé«éºã®éå°ã®é¦ã®ç«¯ããããè¤¥ã«ãã¾ã»ã«ããã§ãçµç¶ããã¡ç½®ãã¦ããã ãããã°ããå¼¾ãããã¦ãããããã«ã¤ãã²ãªãããæ¥ã®ãã¦ãªããé³ãèãããããã¾ãããããããªã¤ãããã¦ãäºæã¾ã¤è±æ©ãè±ãå®ãå ·ãã¦æ¼ãæããããããã¼ãã(SNKBZ 23, Japan Knowledge, Wakana: Ge, 193) Akashi could easily have suffered in such company, but not at all, for she had a daunting nobility of manner, and through her undefinable grace and distinction one divined 75 ãçµç¶ãªããã¾ãã¨ã®é³ãå¼¾ããã¥ããäººãã«ãã¸ãé£ãã¯ã¹ããããããããã¨ã©ãã»ãããªããªã¤ãããæãªã©ç­ãã¨ã«ãªããããã§ãã©ãã«ãã¯ã¹ãããèãæµªã®å£°ã«ã¾ããã¯ãæ²ãããæããã¾ã¸ãããªãããããéãããã®åããããç´ãããããããã¯ã¹ããSNKBZ 21, Akashi, 243. Tyler, Akashi, 264: âSpeaking of the biwa, few in the old days either managed to elicit its true sounds, but she plays it very beautifully and makes no mistakes. I wonder how she does it. I am sorry to hear her music through the crash of great waves, but what with all the sorrows one has to bear, it is often a great consolation.â 49 profound depth of heart. She wore her willow long dress over what may have been a grass green dress gown with a slight, intentionally modest silk gauze train, but nothing about her figure or demeanor encouraged one to look down on her. Seated partly off a cushion bordered in ash green Koma brocade, with her biwa before her, she had only to touch her plectrum gracefully to the strings to call forth a warm and tender sound evoking an orange branch plucked in the fifth month and fragrant with both flowers and fruit. (Tyler, Wakana: Ge, 641) This passage reiterates that not only her performance, but her appearance and manner were also impeccable. Wearing a dress with a train, usually donned by ladies in court service, and sitting so as to avoid touching the brocade, serves as indications of her modesty.76 The comment on the fragrance of the orange branch is an allusion to the anonymous poem no. 139 from the Kokin wakashū (Collection of Japanese Poems of Ancient and Modern Times, 905): Satsuki matsu when I breathe the fragrance hana tachibana no of the mandarin orange kao kageba blossoms that await mukashi no hito no the Fifth Month it brings back the sode no ka zo suru scented sleeves of one I loved77 76 Tyler, Wakana: Ge, 641, footnote n. 60 77 Laurel Rasplica Rodd with Mary Catherine Henkenius, Kokinshū: A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern (Cheng & Tsui, 1996), 88. 50 In the poetics of the Kokinshū, the scent of the orange is associated with memory,78 once again evoking the music played in Genjiâs last night in Akashi. By comparing the sound of the Akashi Ladyâs biwa to the scent of the orange branch, a strong synesthesia is created between the colors and textures of her garments, the sound of her instrument, and the scent of flowers and fruits. Next we shift to the final passage to be examined in this thesis, when Genji discusses the transmission of musical tradition following the concert. ããã®çå­ãã¡ã®å¾¡ä¸­ã«ãæãµããã«çã²åºã§ãã¾ãµãã®ããã¾ã¯ã°ããã®ä¸ã«ãªãããããã¾ã§ãªããã¸ã¨ã¾ãããããã°ãããã°ããªãã¬æã®éããã¨ã©ããã¦ã¾ã¤ãã¹ããäºã®å®®ãä»ããæ°è²ããã¦è¦ããã¾ãµãããªã©ã®ãã¾ã¸ã°ãæç³ã®åã¯ããã¨é¢ã ããããæ¶ãã¿ã¦èãããã¾ã¸ãã(SNKBZ 23, Japan Knowledge, Wakana: Ge, 200) âIf any of His Majesty's Princes grows up as I hope, I look forward to giving him whatever poor knowledge I have, once he is old enough and provided I myself manage to live that long. The Second Prince is already showing promise.â At this Akashi wept with pride. (Tyler, Wakana: Ge, 643) Here Genji is referencing his grandchildren, the children of the Akashi Princess, and his desire to pass on his musical knowledge to them in the future. This passage concludes the Akashi Lady's narrative with a statement on the continuity of the musical tradition. By expressing the 78 Haruo Shirane, Japan and The Culture of the Four Seasons: Nature, Literature, and the Arts (Stanford University Press, 2013), 39. 51 wish for his grandchildren to be dedicated to music and, when they grow up, bear the family tradition, Genji provides an end to the Akashi narrative arc. This statement signifies the culmination of his hopes, and, not surprisingly, they are related to music and its role in the story of the Akashi Lady. Her tears express her gratitude for having the value of her musical lineage acknowledged (and therefore her own value as a person) and for Genjiâs desire to keep it alive by teaching it to the next generations. Thanks to her musical skills, she was able to ascend from the peripheries to the center and, despite the indelible marks of her provincial origins, her daughter became Empress and her grandchildren imperial princes and princesses. 52 Chapter 3: Conclusion In this thesis, I demonstrated the connection between music and narrative in the fictional tale Genji monogatari, focusing on the character of the Akashi Lady. The analysis confirmed that music operates as a narrative device, deeply impacting narrative development and the relationships between characters. In this concluding section I will summarize the main ideas developed over the course of this thesis and point to scholarly possibilities departing from this research. As we have followed the journey of the Akashi Lady, we have seen how music has been present since her appearance in Chapter 13 âAkashiâ and is not only a defining element of her character, but also crucial for the course of events. The music in the Akashi narrative tells us of the Noviceâs honor in belonging to Emperor Daigo's tradition, as well as the glory of the performances in his secular past at court, the nostalgia for a historical past in which there were respectable masters, and the hope he places in his daughter, the recipient of the musical tradition, to restore the family's glory through her unique ability. I also emphasized the connection between music and memory and its significancy in the Akashi narrative. We have seen how Genjiâs last night in Akashi, when he listens to the Akashi Lady playing for the first time, is referred to in subsequent chapters and in the closure of the Akashi narrative line in Chapter 35 âSpring Shoots IIâ (Wakana: Ge). âThat nightâ is not only a point in time that holds a special meaning in the story, it echoes in later chapters not only in the charactersâ hearts, but also in the readersâ imagination, inviting both to the act of recollection. Particularly in the Akashi narrative, we can see how music creates a unique time progression that is part of the mechanism defined by Esperanza-Ramirez as the âlyrical mode.â 53 Musical elements are inseparable parts of the work precisely because in most cases plot progression is not determined by concrete actions performed by the characters, but by lyrical and evocative moments. Music fosters encounters and produces memories whose continuous evocation slow down the progression of narrative time, giving a sense of permanence of the past in the present. By examining the Akashi narrative, in which this mechanism of time suspension through music is particularly notable, we can expand our perception of the artistic elements employed by the author, understanding them as foundational to the work. Finally, by approaching music in the Genji as a layer of text with its own singularities, as described in my analysis, I hope to offer a framework applicable not only to music, but to other artistic manifestations found in the narrative such as poetry, calligraphy, and incense blending. Further investigation on this topic could bring new perspectives on how music and poetry operate and overlap in the Genji, creating this unique relationship with time. Finally, I hope that through the analysis of the Akashi Ladyâs narrative, which is both exceptional and exemplary, we can see that while her story is unique and her relationship with music stands out from the other characters, it brings to light structural aspects of music that can be found throughout the Genji. The scenes of recollection, a fundamental feature of the Akashi narrative, can be found in other instances of the work. Another remarkable example is the scene of Chapter 7 âBeneath the Autumn Leavesâ (Momiji no ga), when Genji and TÅ no ChÅ«jÅ dance seigaiha in the autumn festival. This scene is recalled in Chapter 8 âUnder the Cherry Blossomsâ (Hana no en), not long after it happened, but also later in the narrative in chapters 33 âNew Wisteria Leavesâ (Fuji no uraba) and 34 âSpring Shoots Iâ (Wakana: JÅ). As this thesis comes to a close, we might recall the following passage from Chapter 35 âSpring Shoots IIâ (Wakana: Ge), a fitting end to a narrative: 54 ãã­ã¶ãããªãã«ãããã«ãä»å®µã®éã³ã¯é·ãã¯ããã§ãã¯ã¤ããªãã»ã©ã«ã¨æã²ã¤ãããã¨ã©ããããç©ã®é³ã©ãã®ããã¥ãã¨ããªãããèãããã»ã©ã®è³ã¨ããã¬ãã©ãã©ããã«ããããæ´ãã«ãããå¿ãªããããªããã(SNKBZ 23, Japan Knowledge, Wakana: Ge, 202) âYou must be sleepy,â he [Genji] said. âI thought we would have just a little music this evening â I never meant it to go on so long, but it would have been a shame to stop it, and while I tried with my dull ears to tell which instrument I liked best, it has become very late. I am sorry.â (Tyler, Wakana: Ge, 644) I started researching music in the Genji in 2020 and even though the basic premise of my research has not changed, I became more equipped throughout the years to conduct a deeper and more thorough analysis. Not only I received valuable advice, but as I moved forward in my studies of the Japanese language, I was able to engage with the Genji text and the secondary sources I wanted to use in a much more informed way, gaining new insights on the work and my research topic. During these four years of research, I have never got tired or lost interest in the Genji or in its music. The more I work closely with the text ¸the more I discover aspects yet to be explored and the more fascinated I become about it. I believe that Genji allows for infinite possibilities, not only in terms of academic research but also as a work to be appreciated on a personal level. A literary work that has the amount of commentary and analysis such as Genji cannot possibly be exhausted: over a thousand years have passed since its completion and there are still many layers to be uncovered. This research is only a tiny drop in the ocean of Genji 55 scholarship, but I hope that it may serve as a departure point for future research about music and other artistic forms of practice which are central to The Tale of Genji. 56 Bibliography Abe Akio, Akiyama Ken, Hideo Suzuki, Imai Genâe. Genji monogatari. Shinpen Nihon Koten Bungaku Zenshū, vols. 20â25. ShÅgakukan, 1994â1998. Chino Kaori. âGender in Japanese Art.â In Gender and Power in the Japanese Visual Field, edited by Joshua S. Mostow, Norman Bryson, and Maribeth Graybill, 17â34. University of Hawaiâi Press, 2003. Ikuta Kyoko. âGagaku to Genji monogatari.â Gakushuin University Archives Bulletin 15 (2009): 5â27. Ishida JÅji and Shimizu Yoshiko. Genji monogatari. ShinchÅ nihon koten shūsei. ShinchÅsha, 1976â1985. Iwatsubo Takeshi. âGenji monogatari ni okeru gengakki no jendÄ: dansei-sei no gakki to josei-sei no gakki.â DÅshisha daigaku jinbun kagaku kenkyū jo shakai kagaku 43, no. 4 (2014): 1â17. Jakobson, Roman. âLinguistics and Poetics.â In Style in Language, edited by Thomas A. Sebeok, 350â77. MIT Press, 1960. Hinata Kazumasa. Genji monogatari to ongaku: bungaku rekishi ongaku no setten. Seikansha, 2011. Kobayashi Yoshiko. âThe Function of Music in the Tale of Genji.â Hikaku bungaku 33 (1990): 13â27. Koizumi Fumio and Kazuo Okada. Gagaku, the noble music of Japan. Institut Für Den Wissenschaftlichen Film, 1974. 57 Kuriu KÅji. âGenji monogatariâ Suma taikyo no rinen: Sateha koto hitotsu zo.â DÅshisha kokubungaku (1991): 94â104. McKinney, Meredith, trans. The Pillow Book. Penguin Books, 2006. Morino Masahiro. Genji monogatari no ongaku to jikan. Shintensha, 2014. Nakagawa Masami. Genji monogatari to ongaku. Izumi shoin, 1991. Nelson, Steven G. âCourt and religious music (1): history of gagaku and shÅmyÅ.â In The Ashgate Research Companion to Japanese Music, edited by Alison McQueen Tokita and David W. Hughes, 35â48. Ashgate, 2008. _____. âCourt and religious music (2): history of gagaku and shÅmyÅ.â In The Ashgate Research Companion to Japanese Music, edited by Alison McQueen Tokita and David W. Hughes, 49â76. Ashgate, 2008. Nishimoto KyÅko. Kodai Nihon no Åken to ongaku: Kodai saishi no koto kara Genji monogatari no koto e. KÅshi shoin, 2018. Pollack, David. The Fracture of Meaning: Japanâs Synthesis of China from the Eighth Through the Eighteenth Centuries. Princeton University Press, 1986. Ramirez-Christensen, Esperanza. âThe Operation of the Lyrical Mode in the Genji Monogatari.â In Bloomâs Modern Critical Interpretations: The Tale of Genji, edited by Harold Bloom, 207â41. Chelsea House Publishers, 2004. Rodd, Laurel Rasplica, with Mary Catherine Henkenius. Kokinshū: A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern. Cheng & Tsui, 1996. Satake Akihiro, Yanai Shigeshi, Murofushi Shinsuke, Åasa Yūji, Suzuki Hideo, Fujii Sadakazu, Imanishi YÅ«ichirÅ. Genji monogatari. Shin Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei, vols. 20â21. Iwanami shoten, 1993â1997. 58 Shirane, Haruo. Japan and The Culture of the Four Seasons: Nature, Literature, and the Arts. Stanford University Press, 2013. _____. The Bridge of Dreams: A Poetics of âThe Tale of Genji.â Stanford University Press, 1987. Sissaouri, Vladimir. Cosmos, magie et politique: La musique ancienne de la Chine et du Japon. Ãditions de la Maison des sciences de lâhomme, 1992. Takehara Hiroshi. âAkashi no kimi monogatari ni tsuite no ichi kÅsatsu: dai ichi-bu o chūshin ni.â Nihon bungaku kenkyū 19 (1983): 27â36. TÅgi MasatarÅ. Gagaku: court music and dance. Translated by Don Kenny. Weatherhill, 1971. Toyonaga Satomi. âHeian jidai ni okeru ten'nÅ to ongaku.â TÅkyÅ ondai kenkyū kiyÅ 20 (2001): 1â20. Tyler, Royall, trans. The Tale of Genji. Penguin Books, 2001. Uehara Sakukazu. âHikarugenji no hi koto denju: Wakana maki no onna gaku o megutte.â Ueta Yasuyo. Genji monogatari no kyūtei bunka: kÅkyÅ« gagaku monogatari sekai. Kasama shoin, 2009. _____. âGenji monogatari ni miru bugaku saibara.â Hikaku Nihongaku kyÅiku kenkyū bumon kenkyū nenpÅ 14 (2018): 66â71. Wisnik, José Miguel. O som e o sentido - Uma outra história das músicas. Companhia das Letras, 1989. Yoda, Tomiko. Gender and National Literature: Heian Texts in the Constructions of Japanese Modernity. Duke University Press, 2004. _____. âInscribing Divisions: Gender, Discourse, and Subject in Heian Vernacular Narrative.â PhD diss. Stanford University, 1996.
Thesis/Dissertation
eng
Asian Studies
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
Graduate
Laffin, Christina
Mostow, Joshua S., 1957-
Sounds of parting and longing : music and narrative in Genji monogatari
Text