The Known as one of Genji

the Known as one of Genji (源氏物語, genji monogatari ) is a work considered as major of the Littérature Japan ease of the 11th century, allotted to Murasaki Shikibu. The intrigue of the book proceeds during the time of Heian.

The Genji is a son of emperor which cannot claim with the throne. It is thus at the origin (源, gen ) of a new branch (氏, ji ) imperial.

The Known as one of Genji, which is presented in the form of a veracious account (物語, monogatari ), tells the life of one of these imperial princes, of an extraordinary beauty, accomplished poet and charmer of women. However, although the novel is presented like a true story, it is generally thought that Murasaki Shikibu took as a starting point Fujiwara No Michinaga (966 - 1028) a famous statesman.

More than one novel, this work is a criticism incisor and complete declining manners of the court of Heian.

One of the major difficulties of reading resides in the fact that the characters (more than two hundreds) sont almost all named only by their title in the imperial Court. The history during several tens of years, they evolve/move, and thus change title. The contemporary readers and translators use various nicknames to follow the many characters of the novel.

Historical context

We are far away from Known as of Genji by a thousand from year and by thousands of kilometers also the culture of this time is eminently different from what the French-speaking reader of today can know.

Religions

Japan knows two principal worships: the Shintoïsme and the Buddhism, this last being at the time of Genji established on the archipelago since approximately four centuries. These worships were often influenced and cohabit perfectly. They are so natural with a Japanese that the author does not even specify what it acts when religious practices are evoked.

One finds obviously this mixture in work with omnipresent cultural references which will be able to sometimes surprise the Western reader. For example, the two principal taboos of the worship shintoïste are the birth and death, which will explain why Genji is said soiled when one of its amantes dies at his place. Just as the spirits are current creatures in the popular beliefs of the time and nobody will be astonished since it makes proceed to rites of purification as soon as his wife falls ill. The author even will explain to him his death out of the ill will of a character.

The frequent voyages which Genji will make in the monasteries or them will sutras marked against the bad influences refer to Buddhism which was remarkably well established in Japan, in particular thanks to the prince Shōtoku.

Poems

The account is crossed of approximately 800 Japanese poems, Waka (和歌), whose direction for a reader not informed can be difficult to seize. These poems are so numerous because the manners of the Heian era prohibited that one expressed oneself in a direct way, because it had been too familiar and frank (Omote and will ura). The poems offered a manner (inter alia) of being expressed in indirect terms, while showing the culture of the interlocutor. Consequently, the characters often express themselves by quoting poems which were very known at the time.

Penmanship

Of course, the different Penmanship and its styles is also a fundamental cultural element and Genji seems even to use it to evaluate the quality of a female person. Raised in Japan in major art, penmanship was essential to the courtiers.

China

At the time of the novel, in fact the Songs are the Masters of the China. However, the cultural radiation their predecessors, the Tangs overflowed on the countries neighborhood, of which Japan where them literature is well-known and their language applied to the court. The Chinese are even named men of Kara (唐人 karabito, where 唐 is the character will kara which indicates Tangs) in the novel.

Characters

It will be noted that none the main characters of the Dit of Genji is never quoted by its proper name. Indeed, at the time Heian, one referred to the courtiers by their title, the use of the name being regarded as coarse. One will have fun to see which are the characters quoted by their name in the novel, often of being useful. The number of characters, their relationship complex make of this novel a delicate work follow where least promotion will change the name of a protagonist.

Genji (光源氏 hikaru Genji, the genji radiant ). The héro of the novel. Man of taste recognized unanimously by all the court, it uses of his charm to allure all the beautiful women of the court.
the emperor (桐壺帝, the Kiritsubo emperor, litt emperor of the pot to the paulownias). It is the father of Genji which reigns at the beginning of the novel.
the lady of closed with the Paulownia (桐壺更衣 litt the lady of court of the pot to the paulownias). It is the mother of Genji which the emperor liked passionately. Without supports at the court it will not be able to ensure her son a sure position to also to grant the title of Genji him will avoid to him many intrigues.
the lady of closed with the Glycine S (藤壺中宮 Fujitsubo, litt wife second of the pot to the glycines). It is a princess of high ranking of which the emperor éprend when the lady of closed with the paulownia dies out. She resembles in a way disconcerting the latter. Genji to make will nourish all its life a guilty passion for this lady and even him a child. Corroded by the remord, it will withdraw world after the death of the emperor.
Aoi Lady, (葵の上, litt Lady of the Mauve ). It is about the first wife of Genji. She is the girl of the Minister for the left and a little older than Genji. It is a niece of the emperor by his mother. She will die little of time after having put at the world the child of Genji, haunted by a spirit malefic.
the commander executive secretary, (頭中将/内大臣, Tō No Chūjo, litt chief lieutenant général/le lord guard of the seals). It is the brother of Aoi Lady, the wife of the genji and the friend of the latter. It will be notammant its rival at the time of his conquests in love.
the lady of the sixth avenue. (六条御息所, litt honourable place of the sixth avenue). It is the wife of the older brother of the emperor of closed with the paulownia which is deceased before the novel. The emperor particularly takes care on it of memory of his late brother. Amante of Genji, its jealousy towards the woman of this last, Dame Aoi will be responsible for its death by the eagerness of a bad spirit inspired by it.
Murasaki Lady, (紫の上, litt Lady of the Crimson S), often referred by Lady of the second avenue in the book. It is about the niece of the lady of closed with the glycines that Genji will meet by chance in a monastery where his/her father, Deputy secretary with the military businesses, hardly deals with it. It is still very young. When his/her large mother dies, it makes it remove and places it at his place, in its residence of the second avenue in order to undertake its education with an aim of making of it an ideal wife and better taste. The character has such a presence in the work which the author receives on behalf of the court of the time the name of the lady like nickname. One of very first the characters, if not most important.

Composition

The Known as one of Genji is composed of 54 pounds. Each book is called jou (帖), and they are as follows:

Part 1

1 Kiritsubo (桐壺, きりつぼ)
2 Hahakigi (帚木, ははきぎ)
3 Utsusemi (空蝉, うつせみ)
4 Yuugao (夕顔, ゆうがお)
5 Waka murasaki (若紫, わかむらさき)
6 Suetsumu hana (末摘花, すえつむはな)
7 Momiji No ga (紅葉賀, もみじのが)
8 Hana No in (花宴, はなのえん)
9 Aoi (葵, あおい)
10 Sakaki (賢木, さかき)
11 Hanachirusato (花散里, はなちるさと)
12 Suma (須磨, すま)
13 Akashi (明石, あかし)
14 Miotsukushi (澪標, みおつくし)
15 Yomogiu (蓬生, よもぎう)
16 Sekiya (関屋, せきや)
17 E-awase (絵合, えあわせ)
18 Matsukaze (松風, まつかぜ)
19 Usugumo (薄雲, うすぐも)
20 Asagao (朝顔 , あさがお)
21 Otome ) 少女, おとめ)
22 Tamakazura (玉鬘, たまかずら)
23 Hatsune (初音, はつね)
24 Kochou (胡蝶, こちょう)
25 Hotaru (螢, ほたる)
26 Tokonatsu (常夏, とこなつ)
27 Kagaribi (篝火, かがりび)
28 Nowaki (野分, のわき)
29 Miyuki (行幸, みゆき)
30 Fujibakama (藤袴, ふじばかま)
31 Maki will bashira (真木柱, まきばしら)
32 EMU ga E (梅枝, うめがえ)
33 Fuji No uraba (藤裏葉, ふじのうらば)

Part 2

34 Wakana (若菜, わかな)
35 Kashiwagi (柏木, かしわぎ)
36 Yokobue (横笛, よこぶえ)
37 Suzumushi (鈴虫, すずむし)
38 Yuugiri (夕霧, ゆうぎり)
39 Minori (御法, みのり)
40 Maboroshi (幻, まぼろし)
41 Kumo gakure (雲隠, くもがくれ)

Part 3 alias the part Uji

42 Niou No miya (匂宮, におうのみや)
43 Koubai (紅梅, こうばい)
44 Takekawa (竹河, たけかわ)
45 Hashi hime (橋姫, はしひめ)
46 Shii ga motor bike (椎本, しいがもと)
47 Agemaki (総角, あげまき)
48 Sawarabi (早蕨, さわらび)
49 Yadorigi (宿木, やどりぎ)
50 Azumaya (東屋, あずまや)
51 Ukifune (浮舟, うきふね)
52 Kagerou (蜻蛉, かげろう)
53 Tenarai (手習, てならい)
54 Yume No ukihashi (夢浮橋, ゆめのうきはし)

French translation

The only French translation available to date is that of Rene Sieffert available in two volumes, Magnificence and Impermanency. A new translation is in hand, but should take several years, considering the extent of work with accomplir.
the Known as one of Genji, Magnificence - Impermanency , Murasaki Shikibu, Rene Sieffert, Editions POF, Collection capital Works of the Japanese literature, 1311 p. (1999) ISBN 2716902623

A splendid edition of reference, in, of course, translation of Rene Sieffert: 500 illustrations of the Japanese painting of 12th at the 17th century, accompanied each one by an iconographic comment. 3 volumes + 1 booklet “With discovered the Known as one of Genji” under illustrated box, 1280 pages, valisette of transport, Diane de Selliers, editor, 2007.

See too

Japanese Literature
Minamoto
Monogatari
Under a moonbeam , Ako Shimaki.

External bonds

noveladegenji.com - Murasaki Shikibu

Zh-yue: 源氏物語

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