The tale of Genji
clouds above!_
[24] A husband in mourning may not wear winter clothes. The mourning
lasts for three months.
[25] Fujitsubo.
[26] Murasaki quotes the line in the form in which it occurs in
Japanese MSS. of Po Chü-i’s poem. The Chinese editions have a slightly
different text. Cf. Giles’s translation, _History of Chinese
Literature_, p. 172.
[27] On the Day of the Boar in the tenth month it was the custom to
serve little cakes of seven different kinds, to wit: Large bean,
mungo, dolicho, sesamun, chestnut, persimmon, sugar-starch.
[28] On the third night after the first cohabitation it was the custom
to offer up small cakes (all of one kind and colour) to the god
Izanagi and his sister Izanami.
[29] First, because the Rat comes at the beginning of the series of
twelve animal signs; secondly, because ‘Rat’ is written with a
character that also means ‘baby.’
[30]The phrase which I have translated ‘Divide by three’ also means
‘One of three’ i.e. of the Three Mysteries (Birth, _Marriage_, Death).
That is why Koremitsu was ‘no longer in any doubt.’ But many other
explanations of the passage have been given. It is indeed one of the
three major difficulties enumerated by the old-fashioned Genji teachers.
[31] Oborozukiyo. See above, p. 242.
[32] I.e. become a concubine of the Emperor.
[33] In addition to the one hanging on the frame.
[34] _Kiteba_, ‘were he to come,’ also means ‘should he wear it.’
APPENDIX I
A.D. 978 (?) Murasaki born.
A.D. 994 (?) Marries Fujiwara no Nobutaka.
A.D. 1001 Nobutaka dies.
A.D. 1005 (?) She becomes lady-in-waiting to the Empress Akiko,
then a girl of sixteen.
A.D. 1007–1010 Keeps a diary, which survives.
A.D. 1008 Book I of the _Tale of Genji_ read to the Emperor.
A.D. 1025 Murasaki still at Court.
A.D. 1031 Murasaki no longer at Court and perhaps dead.
APPENDIX II
The Vestal Virgins of Ise and Kamo.
So important a part do these ladies play in the Tale of Genji that the
reader may perhaps wish to know exactly what they were. I may say at
the outset that I have used the term ‘vestal’ merely for convenience.
These Virgins were not guardians of a sacred fire.
_Ise_.—Upon the accession of a new Emperor, a princess of the Imperial
House (preferably a daughter of the Emperor) was sent to be priestess
of the great Shintō shrines at Ise. According to the _Nihongi_ (Bk. V;
Emperor Sūjin 6th year[1]) ‘The gods Amaterasu and Ōkunidama were
formerly both worshipped in the Emperor’s Palace Hall. But the Emperor
Sūjin was frightened of having so much divine power concentrated in
one place. Accordingly he entrusted the worship of Amaterasu to the
Princess Toyosuku-iri, bidding her carry it out in the village of
Kasanui in Yamato.’ Subsequently Amaterasu expressed a desire to be
moved to Ise.
The Virgin was usually about twelve years old at the time of her
appointment. Cases however are recorded in which she was an infant of
one year old; or again, a woman of twenty-eight. Her office lasted till
(1) The Emperor died or resigned
(2) She herself died or became disabled
(3) Either of her parents died
(4) She misconducted herself.
Thus in A.D. 541 the Vestal, a certain Princess Iwane, misconducted
herself with Prince Mubaragi and was replaced. The process of
preparing the Virgin for her office lasted three years. She was first
of all, after a preliminary purification in running water handed
over to the City guards. Meanwhile, just outside the Capital,
a special place of purification was built for her, called the
Palace-in-the-Fields. After a second River Purification she took up
her residence in this temporary Palace and stayed there till the time
came for her to settle at Ise. Before the journey to Ise she was again
purified in the River, and she appeared at the Imperial Palace to
receive at the Emperor’s hands the ‘Comb of Parting.’ No Virgin of Ise
was appointed after 1342.
_Kamo_.—The Virgin of Kamo, first instituted in A.D. 818 was a replica
of the Ise Virgin. She too had her Palace-in-the-Fields, three years
of purification, etc. The practice of sending a Virgin to Kamo was
discontinued in 1204.
Upon both Virgins curious speech-taboos were imposed. Thus they called
death, ‘recovery’
illness, ‘taking a rest’
weeping, ‘dropping salt water’
blood, ‘sweat’
to strike, ‘to fondle’
a tomb, ‘an earth heap’
meat, ‘vegetables’
All words connected with Buddhism were taboo. Thus Buddha himself was
called ‘The Centre’; Buddhist scriptures were called ‘stained paper’;
a pagoda, ‘araragi’ (meaning unknown); a temple, ‘a tile-covered
place’; a priest (ironically), ‘hair-long’; a nun, ‘female hair-long’;
fasting, ‘partial victuals.’
To both Virgins was attached an important retinue of male
officials. These were appointed by the Emperor and no doubt acted as
his agents and informers in the districts of Ise and Kamo.
Probably the Ise Virgin was a very ancient institution which later
proved useful for political ends. The Virgin of Kamo, who does not
appear on the scene till the ninth century, was presumably instituted
simply as a means of spreading Court influence.
[1] 92 B.C. according to the usual chronology, which is however purely
fictitious.
Transcriber’s Notes.
1. Italicized text is indicated with leading and trailing underscores.
2. Footnotes have been renumbered and placed at the end of each
chapter.
3. The bastard-title page prior to the main title page and the
half-title page preceding the main text have both been omitted.
They contained the words “THE TALE OF GENJI”.
4. The original landscape orientation of the genealogical tables
has changed to a portrait orientation by the transcriber in
order to provide a better view for eReaders. Each table has
has been separated by two blank lines for clarity.
5. In order to facilitate word wrapping, ellipses in the middle of
a sentence have been replaced with a group of three periods. This
group has a leading and, unless a comma is present, trailing blank
space added. Ellipses at the end of a sentence do not have a
leading blank space, but closing punctuation has been added if
needed.
6. Except as mentioned above and in the Change List that follows,
every effort has been made to replicate this first-edition text
as faithfully as possible, including non-standard punctuation,
inconsistently hyphenated words, and other inconsistencies.
Change List:
Page 7
of ‘governess changed to
of ‘governess’
Page 9
PREFACE 9 changed to
PREFACE 7
Page 69
lack of influence... changed to
lack of influence....’
Page 95
reason’ said Gengi. changed to
reason’ said Genji.
Page 102
joins Mount Katsuragi and Mount Kombu changed to
joins Mount Katsuragi and Mount Kombu.
Page 114
steward’s son, and tell changed to
steward’s son, ‘and tell
Page 130
There could be on harm in this interchange changed to
There could be no harm in this interchange
Page 137
and that blurr of shimmering changed to
and that blur of shimmering
Page 179
it was very diasppointing to lose changed to
it was very disappointing to lose
Page 228
off the scent. And this opinion changed to
off the scent.’ And this opinion
Page 232
modern Wu-ch’ang in Hupeh. changed to
modern Wu-ch‘ang in Hupeh.
Page 242
‘Oh, how you frightened me? she cried. changed to
‘Oh, how you frightened me,’ she cried.
Page 263
consent of the Emperor changed to
consent of the Emperor.
Page 275
deep-dyed robe, and he recited the poem: changed to
deep-dyed robe,’ and he recited the poem:
Page 293
sickening for some strange illness. changed to
sickening from some strange illness.
Page 294
her father Prince Hyōbukyo changed to
her father Prince Hyōbukyō