Heroic Comparisons for the Chapters of Genji
(Buyû nazoraye
Genji, 武勇准源氏)
Publisher: Iba-ya Sensaburô
c. 1843
The Tales of Genji (Genji monogatari) is the
greatest novel in classical Japanese literature, and arguably, the world’s
first novel. It was written in the first
decade of the eleventh century by Lady Murasaki, and relates the womanizing
exploits of Prince Genji. Each of the
fifty-four chapters of the novel is named and is associated with a crest called
a Genji-mon. Two different forms of the crests are
reproduced below. In this series of
prints, events in the lives of legendary people are matched with chapters
having titles related to the events. All
ten prints known to Robinson are illustrated, and it is unlikely that any
others exist. These prints are about 14
by 6.5 inches (36 by 17 centimeters), a size known as ôtanzakuban.
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Chapter number: 1 Chapter name:
Kiritsubo (Paulownia Court, 桐壺) Scene:
Takeshiuchi-no-sukune carrying infant Emperor Ôjin on his shoulders Robinson:
S28.1 |
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Chapter number: 4 Chapter name:
Yûgao (Evening Faces, 夕顔) Scene:
Ushiwaka (Yoshitsune) playing his flute
on Robinson:
S28.4 |
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Chapter number: 7 Chapter name:
Momiji no ga (Autumn Outing) Scene:
Taira no Koremochi awakening from a drunken sleep with a lady behind him whose
face is reflected in the sake cup
as that of a demon Robinson:
S28.7 |
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Chapter number: 16 Chapter name:
Sekiya (The Gatehouse) Scene: Minamoto
no Yoshi-iye riding past the Nakoso gatehouse (sekiya) on his way from the subjugation of Mutsu Robinson:
S28.16 |
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Chapter number: 18 Chapter name:
Matsukaze (Wind in the Pines, 松風) Scene: The
robber Chôhan seated under a pine tree having a large cup of sake poured for him by a member of his
band Robinson:
S28.18 |
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Chapter number: 32 Chapter name:
Umegae (Plum Branch, 梅枝) Scene:
Kajiwara Genda Kagesuye fighting at Ikuta-no-mori with a plum branch (umegae) stuck in his armor Robinson:
S28.32 |
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Chapter number: 41 Chapter name:
Maboroshi (The Wizard, 鈴虫) Scene:
Satsuma no Kami Tadanori (薩摩守忠度) in court robes with open fan outside the home of
Kiku-no-maye, whom he was courting Robinson:
S28.38 |
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Chapter number: 45 Chapter name: Hashihime (Lady at the Bridge, 橋姫) Scene: Watanabe
no Tsuna encountering the demon-woman at Robinson:
S28.45 |
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Chapter number: 49 Chapter name:
Yadorigi (The Ivy, 宿木) Scene:
Sano Tsuneyo’s wife disguised as the monk Saimyôji cutting up a valuable bonsai for fire wood while
entertaining the regent Hôjô Tokiyori.
This is a scene from the noh
play Hachinoki (The Potted Tree). Robinson:
S28.46 |
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Chapter number: 51 Chapter name:
Ukifune (Boat on the Water, 浮船) Scene: The
death of Nitta Yoshioki at the Yaguchi Ferry in 1358 where he was shot down
by the Ashikaga in ambush Robinson:
S28.51 |
“Robinson” refers to listing in Kuniyoshi: The Warrior-Prints by Basil William Robinson (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1982) and its privately published supplement.
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