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.