A Homage to The Tale of Genji

Written by Murasaki Shikibu

Illustration Version

Illustration / Sentence / Photography /Art flowers

By Sayoko Koori

Chapter 9

Aoi

5

Contents

T

enkoku Iroha Uta ( Seal Engraving Alphabet Poem ) Teruko Nakai

Contents 5

Prologue 6

Romantic events of Heian Period 7

Birth of Genji 8

Emperor Kiritsubo and Lady Kiritsubo 9

Prince Hikaru Genji 10

Hikaru Genji in his greatest glory 11

Empress Kiritsubo and Lady Fujitsubo 12

The Shining Empress Fujitsubo 13

Lady Aoi 14

Short life of Lady Aoi 15

Lady Rokujo 16

Lady Rokujo , a beautiful and intelligent 17

Dispute of carriages., Episode One 18

Kinds of Carriages 19

Episode Two 20

Episode Three 21

Women’s Mandala 22

Hikaru Genji’’s last years 23

Remarks 24

Post Script 25

6

Prologue

The reason why I wanted to study Information Communication at Sonoda Women’s University is

to study more about my favorite Genji Monogatari ( The Tale of Genji ) from different angles.

I met with Genji Monogatari twenty years ago for the first time.

An American and his wife who were my daughter’s professors kept some cats for they had no

children .They named two of them Fujitsubo and Aoi after Genji Monogatari’s heroines. They read

Genji Monogatari translated by Enji Fumiko in an English version .I hadn’t read it and I felt very

ashamed as a Japanese. The foreigners taught me a very important thing.

I worked for teaching Art flower arrangement for a long time and I was very impressed with the

lecture in a different field. I gave my idea into flower arrangement. I could exhibit the work Genji

Monogatari in flowers with the help of many people at Flower Exhibition,Osaka in 1985.

After that I had an opportunity for my work to be hung on a wall of Ichitani Memorial Hall in

Sonoda Women’s University. I could also exhibit my wood carving work Genji Moogatari in flowers

at Flower Exhibition ,Awaji in 2000.

I entered adults class lead by Genji Monogatri after a long time. My graduation thesis was

Illustration by Digital contents of Genji Monogatari . I could also have a chance to publish my

original picture book based on Genji Monogatari, old pictures and data in the University. I am really

a happy woman to have a chance here. The classical literature of Genji Monogatari grantefully

takes part in my latter half of my life. I am really thankful for making up my life.

7

A Homage to the Tale of Genji

Romatic events of the Heian Period

Kyoto was the Capital of Japan from AD 794 to 1850.

The Tale of Genji was written by Lady Murasaki (Murasaki Shikibu)

in Heian Period.

It is the stories about a shining Prince loved by numerous court ladies and noble

men of the Imperial Palace in Kyoto.

8

Birth of Genji

Genji is a hero of the novel. He is a beloved son of Emperor Kiritsubo and Lady

Kiritsubo.Genjii.. As he grows up, his nature is cleaned more and more. Because he

is very smart, beautiful and sparkling. Numerous women envies Lady Kiritsubo

and they are jealous of her.

9

The Emperor Kiritsubo and

Lady Kiritsubo

This is my invitation card of a Flower Exhibition ,Osaka in 1985

10

Prince Hikaru Genji

He had love affairs with numerous court ladies.

11

The Genji’s height of glory

Genji gets the height glory in his life with beautiful numerous women.

12

Empress Kiritsubo and Lady Fujitsubo

Lady Fujitsubo resembled closely to Genji’s mother. She became Emperor’s mistress

(future Empress). Genji and Fujitsubo fell in love secretly.

13

The Shining Empress Fujitsubo

Empress Fujitsubo is a matchless beautiful and very young. Genji loves her so

much. It is a fateful encounter. After that she has a Genji’s child.

14

Lady Aoi

Lady Aoi was the only daughter of the Minister of the Left. She married Genji to

cement her father’s close relations with the imperial family. She was Genji’first

principal wife. She was four years older than Genji, so she felt him very childish and

Aoi herself is too proud for Genji. Genji visited her very rarely. But they reconciled and

Aoi gave birth to a son,Yugiri. Lady Rokujo ,widow of the crown prince Zenbo and a long time mistress of Cenji.

Eight years older than Genji. Her jealousy was so strong that her wandering spirit

kills of the Lady Aoi of the evening faces and…….

15

Lady Aoi’ short life

Aoi is the first wife of Genji. She is a very beautiful and proud..

They married very young. She was sixteen and Genji was only twelve years old.

Their marriage is not going well. Aoi also suffers from evil sprit of Lady Rokujo.

16

Lady Rokujo

Lady Rokujo is the widow of the crown prince and lives with her daughter.

Lady Rokujo is very intelligent and beautiful. She is a famous court poetess.

Many male admirers are always around her. After her husband’s death, she

becomes Genji’s mistress. But Genji does not care her so much.

17

Intelligence and beauty of Rokujo

Lady Rokujo has intelligence and beauty. She excels in Japanese poems

Waka.

18

Dispute of carriages, Episode One

Lady Aoi decides to go the Kamo festival to see the procession and Genji.

For her court servants want to do. They go out in the gorgeous carriages. Already

Lady Rokujo was also in the grander procession quietly. But Aoi’s carriage, the

latecomer pushes away hers takes her place. Aoi’s servants break her carriageshafts.

Her tears fill her eyes. Lady Rokojo felt insulted but she could see Genji..

19

Kind of Carriages

Quoted from book Nihon Bungaku Taikei: The Tale of Genji

Aoi ‘s carriage

Rokujo’s carriage

20

Episode Two

The simple carriage of Lady Rokujo with footmen are violently cut into by the

goegeous Carriage of Lady Aoi.

21

Episode Three

The strong jealousy of Lady Rokujo becomes evil spirit and attacks all the

women. Lady Aoi is killed by the spirit . After Aoi’s death Genji stops his

visits to the Lady Rokujo. She decided to go to Ise with her daughter.

22

Women’s Mandala

Genji’s later days are not happy. Women’s Mandala ! Splendid women !

23

Hikaru Genji’s last years

Genji is raised his rank to the hightest possible by the new Emperor Reizei ( his

real son ) . Though his political states is high ,his love life begins to decline and his

beloved wife Murasaki dies in her forties. Genji, though we do not know, then in his

early fifties. Genji leaves the word, retires to temple and dies.

24

Remarks

I am very thankful for Genji Monogatari. ( The Tale of Genji )translated, read ,and

studied by many people in the world. I have been in an adult student in Sonoda

Women’s Unversity for six years. I have finished writing my thesis on Genji Monogatari

including illustration and an original picture book. This has been my life work. I could

compile them into my thesis. I always have felt my life has been worth living. Every

people has his / her dreams and stories in his /her challenging life. Old and amateur

like pictures were my treasure.

I studied, practiced for my purpose and achieved them in the university with a great

pleasure.

I always feel that nothing is useless in our lives. In the future I would like to challenge

myself to draw illustration and animation of all the book to draw illustrations and

animations of all the book of Genji Monogatari( 54Chapters )

25

Post Script

P 3 Tenkoku Teruko Nakai

A Guide of works of art at International Flower Exhibition

P 9 An Invitation Card of Flower Exhibition( 1985)

P 11 Dyeing based in red and white, Genji’s height of glory.

A box made of paulownia displayed with above works.

P 13 A work expresses imagination of gorgeousness of Fujitsubo with

dyeing in purple.

P 15 A work expresses a short Life of Aoi with cherry flowers.

P 17 Lady Rokujo is beautiful and talented woman in Waka..

A work expresses Waka. of calligraphy.

P 19 Kind of carriages. Upper → Humble, bamboo made carriage of

Lady Rokujo.

Middle →Velvet covered high class carriage of Lady Aoi.

P 23 HikaruGenji’s last years like gorgeous flowers withers and declines.

A work expresses Genji ‘s last years with dyeing cluster －amaryllis.