Geisha

See also: Mef= [[Geisha (Romance)]] for the novel of [[Arthur Golden delicious]]

A geisha (芸者) is with the Japan a refined lady of excellent company reserved for very easy customers, dedicating her life to the practice of excellence of Japanese traditional arts. The word “ geisha ” can be interpreted like “anybody of arts” or “woman who excels in the trade of art”. The geisha were very numerous with 18th and 19th centuries. They exist still today although their number decreases.

In the Dialect of Kyōto, the geisha are called geiko (芸妓) and their apprenties maiko (舞妓) whereas in other areas of the Japan one can use the terms of hangyoku or of oshakusan to designate the young girls in training.

History

The geisha are the result of the evolution of the Taikomochi or Hōkan , equivalent with the Bouffon S of the Moyen-âge in Europe. Thus, the first geisha were men. At the beginning of their integration with the geisha , the women were called onna geisha (女芸者) (literally: woman geisha ). Today, all the geisha are women.

The geisha were traditionally involved since their early childhood. The young girls were sold by the poor families at houses of geisha , the okiya (置屋), which were given the responsability to raise them and ensure to them éducation.
During their childhood, they worked like good, then as assistants in the houses of geisha to contribute to their drive but also to ensure the refunding of the debt contracted at the cost of their education which is often high. It is a form of traditional drive in Japan and which perdure still today, in which the student lives in his Master, the assistance, looks at it practicing, assists it and carries out the pieces of housework. This drive often lasts several years.

They started as of their more young age to practice a vast range of arts, like the practice of musical instrument (in particular the Shamisen ) and the traditional songs, the traditional dance, the Chanoyu (ceremony of the), the Ikebana (floral composition), poetry and the Japanese Littérature. By looking at and assisting their elder, they learned the kitsuke (port of the Kimono), the art of the conversation, various plays, and art to divert their customers.

Once become apprenties geisha , i.e. maiko , they accompanied by the geisha in the houses of the, with the receptions and banquets. This method of drive persists still today but it is shortened, since the major part of the geisha become it at the end of adolescence.

The geisha are not Prostituée S but rather of the hostesses or refined ladies of excellent company reserved for very easy customers. Although formerly, it was possible and almost systematic to buy their virginity (an event called “ Mizuage ”), they were not forced to have sexual relationships with their customers, nor even with the man who had paid much money to buy their virginity. It is from this point of view that their name remained in name Boules of geisha.

Today, the geisha do not enter any more the houses of geisha as of their childhood. To become a geisha is today an entirely voluntary act, which is done in general around fifteen years. The training remains nevertheless long and difficult.

Films

Books

  • Memories of a geisha of Yuki Inoue (account)
  • Geisha of Liza Dalby, American apprentie geisha within the framework of its thesis of doctorate in sociology (account)
  • the Mirror of the courtesans of Sawako Ariyoshi (Romance)
  • Lives of Geishas of Kikou Yamata (Romance)
  • Kyoto Hanamachi of Hiroshi Mizobuchi, photographer.
  • Geisha of Arthur Golden delicious (Romance)
  • My life of Geisha of Mineko Iwasaki & Rand Brown (autobiographical account)
  • Geisha - an alive Tradition of Aihara Kyoko
  • Le Monde secrecy of Geishas of Lesley Downer (account)

Dependant articles

External bonds

  • Hanami Web - Geisha (English site)
  • Geishas in Japan
  • video Report on the geishas of Kyoto
  • the geisha
  • Page of the site ''' Small Gion ''' dedicated to the vocabulary of Geishas
  • Lubomir Cernota Photographer - Gallery of images of Geishas

Simple: Geisha

Random links:Cronos (Stargate) | Paul Dupuis (editor) | Randy Robitaille | Axis Not | Doronicum pardalianches | Expérience,_la_Géorgie