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 ( 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) Scene:
Satsuma no Kami Tadanori 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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