The Heike Monogatari tr by AL Sadler - Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan v46 pt2 (1918) p 1–278 & v49 pt1 ...

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TRANSACTIONS
OF THE
ASIATIC SOCIETY OF JAPAN
VOL XLVI.-PART II
1918
THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF JAPAN,
KEIOGIJIKU, MITA, TŌKYŌ
AGENTS
KELLY & WALSH, L'd., Yokohama, Shanghai, Hongkong
Z. P. MARUYA Co., L'd., Tokyo
KEGAN PAUL,TRUEBNER & Co., L'd., London
TRANSACTIONS
OF THE
ASIATIC SOCIETY OF JAPAN
VOL XLVI.-PART II
1918
THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF JAPAN,
KEIOGIJIKU, MITA, TŌKYŌ
AGENTS
KELLY & WALSH, L'd., Yokohama, Shanghai, Hongkong
Z. P. MARUYA Co., L'd., Tokyo
KEGAN PAUL,TRUEBNER & Co., L'd., London
INTRODUCTION.
Subject and Structure
.---The Heike Monogatari, one of the masterpieces of Japanese literature,
and also one of the main sources of the history of the Gempei period, is a poetic narrative of the
fall of the Heike from the position of supremacy it had gained under Taira Kiyomori to almost
complete destruction. The Heike, like the Genji, was a warrior clan, but had quickly lost its hardy
simplicity under the influence of life in the Capital, and identified itself almost entirely with the
effeminate Fujiwara Courtiers whose power it had usurped, so that the struggle between it and
the Genji was really more one between courtiers and soldiers, between literary officials and
military leaders. Historically this period stands between the Heian era of soft elegance and the
Kamakura age of undiluted militarism. The Heike were largely a clan of emasculated Bushi, and
their leader Kiyomori, though he obtained his supremacy by force of arms, assumed the role of
Court Noble and strove to rule the country by the same device of making himself grandfather to
the Emperor as the Fujiwara family had previously done. Hence his rule bears more affinity to
theirs than to that of Yoritomo, of the Genji, who made his headquarters in the Kwanto, well
removed from Kyoto influence and enervation, and relied entirely on a purely military form of
government by and for samurai.
In its construction the book may be divided roughly into two parts according to Mr. Utsumi, the
first half in which the greatness of the Heike is depicted and in which Kiyomori is the chief figure,
and the second which describes their overthrow, in which Yoshitsune holds the centre of the
stage. Mr. Yamada, however, thinks it falls naturally into three sections; the first, Bks. 1-5 ; the
prosperity of the Heike with Kiyomori as the central figure. The second, Bks. 6-8 ; the wandering
of the Heike, Kiso Yoshinaka being the principal character. The third
[p. ii}
section, Bks. 9-12 ; their destruction, the central figure being Kuro Hangwan Yoshitsune.
Whichever division be adopted, the work has a regular dramatic form quite unlike that of the
Gempei Seisuiki or Taiheiki which are simply historical chronicles.
Of the Heike the two prominent characters are Kiyomori and his son Shigemori, the former rash
and turbulent, yet a man of original ideas and at times sympathetic and sensitive, the latter law-
abiding, calm and wise, considerate to his neighbours, and showing respect to religion and the
Imperial House. The fall of the Heike is ascribed to the rash and impious folly of Kiyomori, but
the writer introduces Shigernori into the narrative most skilfully as a means of exciting the
sympathy and admiration of the reader for his conduct as well as his indignation at his father's
violence, leading to satisfaction that retribution will at last overtake his clan. Shigemori seems to
hold back this retributive destiny as long as he lives, but when he dies the clouds gather over his
house. After his death the headship of the family falls to his brother Munemori, a rather timid
and hesitating character in a crisis, though insolent and overbearing at other times, and apparently
much inferior to his two younger brothers Tomomori and Shigehira.
The first of the Genji ,to come on the scene is the veteran Yorimasa, whose premature revolt and
gallant end after the fight at the Ujigawa form a memorable episode in Japanese history. Then
Kiso Yoshinaka appears and for a while carries all before him. A vigorous and brilliant leader, he
seems to have lacked wisdom and sagacity and soon fell a victim like Yukiie to the jealousy and
guile of Yoritomo. The leadership of the Genji forces then devolves on Yoshitsune and the
narrative goes on to relate his victories and final destruction of the Heike. Yoshitsune is the ideal
type of attractive character in Japan. Youthful and dashing, cunning graceful and elegant, quite
unlike the solid and worthy Shigemori with his placidity and rather narrow-minded piety,
Yoshitsune might be put in the same category with Nelson or Coeur-de-Leon, with allowances
[p. iii]
for period and nationality, while Shigemori mightily suggests Aeneas. The whole drama is
represented from a Buddhist standpoint as an example of cause and effect working itself out in
action, the evanescence of all prosperity and dominion being strongly insisted on.
Authorship and Date.
---The authorship and date of the Heike Monogatari, as well as its
relation to the other literature of the Kamakura period, have been the subject of much discussion
among Japanese scholars of the present time, and no exact pronouncement can be made. Mr.
Utsumi says in the 'Heike Monogatari Hyoshaku : ' " As to the various statements that it was the
work of Shinano-no-Zenji Yukinaga, or Hamuro Tokinaga, or Minamoto Mitsuyuki, one cannot
adopt any one of them with certainty, but the following conclusions have been reached by the
Society for the Investigation of the National Literature, in their monograph on this work: (a), that
the Heike Monogatari was originally composed in three volumes which were afterwards
increased to six, and that these were again altered to twelve; (b), that it was composed sometime
before the period Shokyu (1219) and enlarged during the time of the Fujiwara Shoguns (1219-
1252) ; (c) that the Kancho volume was not originally separate from the rest of the work ; (d) that
there was one original source of the work, but that as it circulated it became altered and added to,
and that these additions and alterations are the work of different hands at different periods."
The most explicit statement about the authorship is contained in the Tsurezure Gusa of Yoshida
Kenko, (1281-1350) Section 226, which is considered by most scholars likely to be correct. It runs
as follows : " In the time of the Retired Emperor Go-Toba, Shinano-no-Zenji Yukinaga was
renowned for his knowledge of musical matters, so that he was once summoned to take part in a
discussion about them, but forgetting two of the Shichi Toku no Mai, Dances of the Seven
Virtues, lie was nicknamed ` Go Toku no Kwanja' or 'The Young Master of Five Virtues,' and
this he took so much to heart that
[p. iv]
he forsook his studies and became a recluse ; but the priest Jichin, who would take in anyone,
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The Heike Monogatari tr by AL Sadler - Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan v46 pt2 (1918) p 1–278 & v49 pt1 ...

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