Both deal with aristocratic Japanese culture in the Heian Era

Both deal with aristocratic Japanese culture in the Heian Era (794 — 1185). pa
Essay: I’m doing something a little different than nonnal with the readings and assigning you two
sources by the same author, the great Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973 — c. 1014). Murasaki was a
member of the powerful Fujiwara family, although from a minor branch. Her mother died when
she was young so, unusually for her time, was raised by her father and given a first-rate
education. She eventually became a lady-in-waiting for Empress Fujiwara no Shoshi, to whom
she seems to have been quite devoted. She was also an accomplished writer, which was not
unusual for Heian noblewomen, although Murasaki was by far the most important.’ You have
excerpts from her two main works here.
The first is a short passage from her magnum opus, the Tale of Genji (c. 1021), one of the earliest
and most important novels ever written. It primarily deals with the adventures of the title
character, Prince Genji, who was known for his romantic exploits. The novel is a work of pure
genius: Murasaki tracks roughly 400 characters as they move through the political and social
networks in the imperial court and, despite its extremely formal language, gives us a staggering
amount of insights into the inner lives of the main players. The passage in Sources of World
Societies is actually relatively tame as it focuses on two male characters discussing the role of
women in society. Nevertheless, I want you to focus on that idea. Think carefully about what
these characters say about women’s roles in the Heian court. Think about what roles they played
in society and, if you’re feeling ambitious, what political consequences that may have had.
The other source is an excerpt from Murasaki’s diary. Like most Heian noblewomen, she kept a
record of what she did in the diary, her observations on life in the imperial court, her views on the
people around her, poetry, and other random bits of writing on whatever caught her interest,
knowing full well that at some point the diary was going to be read by all of the women in the
court. The bit you have here describes what Murasaki saw after the empress gave birth to a son,
who was then taken for his first bath. Pay attention to what’s going on here. What do you think
this level of ceremony tells you about court life in Heian Japan and, as before, you might want to
think about what the political implications of this are. Note that the overwhelming majority of
people involved in this event are women — and think about what that reveals about their role in
the Heian court.
Answer the following questions:
What do these sources tell us about the culture of the Heian imperial court?
What roles did women play in elite Heian society? Why do you think these roles
could have been important? How might the social interactions described in both
sources have shaped Japanese politics in the ~ century?
Remember to proofread closely!
Both men and women in the Fleian imperial court wrote extensively. Interestingly enough, the
men generally wrote in Chinese and tended to create imitations of classical Chinese poetry of varying
quality. The women, on the other hand, tended to write in their native Japanese. Not only did their efforts
largely create Japanese literature, the diaries they kept and the novels they wrote are incredibly important
historical sources for Heian Japan.

The Diary of Murasaki Shikibu
Publication: Diaries of Court Ladies of Old Japan. translated by Annie Shepley
OmoH and Kochi Doi, with an introduction by Amy Lowell. Boston and New York:
Houghton Mifflin Company, 1920.
As the after-birth came, it was fearful to hear the jealously swearing voices of the evil
spirits. Shinzo-Azari2 took charge of Lady Ben-no-Kurodo; Soyo took charge of Hyoé
no-Kurodo; a priest Hojuji took charge of Ukon-no-Kurodo; Chiso Azari took charge of
Lady Miya-no-Naishi. This last priest was overpowered with the evil spirit, and as he was
in a too pitiable state. Ninkaku Azari went to help him. It was not because his prayer had
little virtue, but the [evil] spirit was too strong. Priest Eiko was in charge of Lady
Saisho’s supplicator of the spirit [i.e. Queen’s substitute]. This priest swore all night till
his voice became hoarse. Most ladies who were summoned in order that the spirits might
enter into them remained safe, and they were much troubled [thinking that it would be to
the Queen’s advantage were they attacked]. At noon we felt that the sun came out at last.
The Queen was at ease!
She is now at peace. Incomparable joy! Moreover, it is a prince, so the joy cannot be
oblique. The court ladies who had passed the previous day in anxiety, not knowing what
to do, as if they were lost in the mist of the early morning, went one by one to rest in their
own rooms, so that before the Queen there remained only some elderly persons proper for
such occasions. The Lord Prime Minister and his Lady went away to give offerings to the
priest who had read sutras3 and perfonned religious austerities during the past months,
and to those doctors who were recently summoned. The doctors and soothsayers, who
had invented special forms of efficacy, were given pensions. Within the house they were
perhaps preparing for the ceremony of bathing the child.
Large packages [of ceremonial clothes] were carried to the apartments of the ladies-in
waiting. Karaginu4 and embroidered trains were worn. Some wore dazzlingly brilliant
trains embroidered and ornamented with mother-of-pearl. Some lamented that the fans
which had been ordered had not come. They all painted and powdered5. When I looked
from the bridge I saw Her Majesty’s first officials, and the highest officers of His
~ of the women here are referred to by their real names. Noblewomen serving in the Heian imperial
court would take a nickname given to them by the empress, typically consisting of the title of a male
relative and another name chosen by the empress herself. To use Murasaki as an example, “Murasaki” is
the Japanese word for “purple” while “Shikibu” referred to the government ministry where her father very
likely worked.
Buddhist scriptures.
‘~ A Chinese-style jacket worn by aristocratic women in Heian Japan, particularly on formal occasions.
$ Put on makeup. “Powdered” refers to a white makeup that covered the entire face.
Highness the Crown Prince [the newborn child] and other court nobles. The Prime
Minister went out to have the brook, which had been choked with mud, cleaned out.
All the people seem happy. Even those who have some cause for melancholy are
overtaken by the general joy. The First Official of our Queen has naturally seemed
happier than anybody, though he does not show special smiles of self-satisfaction and
pride.
The Lieutenant-General of the Light Bodyguard has been joking with the King’s Adviser
of the Middle Rank, sitting on a mat on the balcony of the side building. The sword of
His Highness the young Prince has been brought from the Imperial Court. The
Lieutenant-General, and First Secretary Yorisada, on his way home from the shrine at Isé
where he had gone as Imperial Messenger to offer nusa6, stopped at the gate [as he could
not enter the house] to inquire for Her Majesty. He was given some present, I did not see
it.
The navel cord was cut by the Prime Minister’s Lady. Lady Tachibana of the Third Rank
gave the breast for the first time [ceremonial]7. For the wet-nurse Daisaémon-no-Omoto
was chosen, for she has been in the Court a long time and is very familiar with it; the
daughter of Munetoki, courtier and Governor of Bitchu8, and the nurse of Kurodo-no-Ben
were also chosen as nurses.
The ceremony of bathing was perfonned at six o’clock in the evening. The bath was
lighted [by torches]. The Queen’s maid in white over green9 prepared the hot water. The
stand for the bathtub was covered with white cloth.
Chikamitsu, Governor of Owari [Province], and Nakanobu, the Head Officer attached to
the Queen, presented themselves before the misu10.
There were two stands for kettles.
Lady Kyoiko and Lady Harima poured the cold water. Two ladies, Omoku and Uma,
selected sixteen jars from among those into which the hot water was poured [choosing the
purest]. These ladies wore gauze outer garments, fme silk trains, karaginu, and saishi11.
Theft hair was tied by white cords which gave the head a very fair look. In the bath Lady
6 Strips of white paper used in Shinto purification rituals.
In other words, there was a ceremony for the first time the baby was nursed. Someone other than the
empress would be chosen to be the child’s wet nurse until the baby was weaned.
A province in southwestern Japan on the island of Honshu.
Heian fashion was generally based on matching several layers of clothing in contrasting colors, in this
case, white on top of green.
‘° Bamboo blinds, probably with green cloth trim. They were could be open or closed depending on the
weather.
Something women wore in their hair.
Saisho became the partner of bathing [i.e. entered the bath with the royal infant]. Lady
Dainagon in her bathing-dress—she was especially beautiful in this rare costume. The
Lord Prime Minister took the August Prince in his antis; Lady Koshosho held the sword,
and Lady Miya-no-Naishi held up a tiger’s head before the Prince. Lady Miya-no-Naishi
wore karaginu with a pattern of pine cones. Her train was woven in a marine design of
sea-weeds, waves, etc.; on the belt a vine-pattern was embroidered. Lady Koshosho wore
an embroidered belt with a pattern of autumn leaves, butterflies, and birds, which was
bright with silver thread. Brocade was forbidden except for persons of high rank and they
used it only for the belt. Two sons of the Prime Minister and Major-General Minamoto
Masamichi were scattering rice in great excitement. “I will malce the most noise,” each
shouted to the other. The priest of Henchi Temple presented himself to protect the August
Child. The rice hit him on his eyes and ears so he held out his fan and the young people
laughed at him. The Doctor of Literature, Kurodo Ben-no-Hironari, stood at the foot of
the high corridor and read the first book of Sikici [historical records). Twenty bow-string
men twanged the bow-string to scare away evil spirits, they were ten men of the fifth, and
ten men of the sixth degree [of ranic] arranged in two rows. The same ceremonies of
bathing were repeated in the evening. Only the Doctor of Literature was changed. Doctor
Munetoki, Governor of Isé, read the Kokyo [book on filial piety], and Takachika read a
chapter of Buntei [in the Historical Records of Chinese Kings].
For seven nights every ceremony was performed cloudlessly. Before the Queen in white
the styles and colours of other people’s dresses appeared in sharp contrast. I felt much
dazzled and abashed, and did not present myself in the daytime, so I passed my days in
tranquillity and watched persons going up from the eastern side building across the
bridge. Those who were permitted to wear the honourable colours put on brocaded
karaginu, and also brocaded uchigi’2. This was the conventionally beautifUl dress, not
showing individual taste. The elderly ladies who could not wear the honourable colours
avoided anything dazzling, but took only exquisite uchigi trimmed with three or five
folds, and for karaginu brocade either of one colour or of a simple design. For their inner
kimonos they used figured stuffs or gauzes. Their fans, though not at first glance brilliant
or attractive, had some written phrases or sentiments in good taste, but almost exactly
alike, as if they had compared notes beforehand. In point of fact the resemblance came
from their similarity of age, and they were individual efforts. Even in those fans were
revealed their minds which are in jealous rivalry. The younger ladies wore muchembroidered
clothes; even their sleeve openings were embroidered. The pleats of their
trains were ornamented with thick silVer thread and they put gold foil on the brocaded
figures of the silk. Their fans were like a snow-covered mountain in bright moonlight;
they sparkled and could not be looked at steadily. They were like hanging mirrors [in
those days made of polished metal].
On the third night Her Majesty’s major-domo gave an entertainment. He served the
Queen himself. The dining-table of aloe wood, the silver dishes, and other things I saw
hurriedly. Minamoto Chunagon and Saisho presented the Queen with some baby clothes
2 A series of up to twelve brightly colored silk robes worn by Heian women on formal occasions.
and diapers, a stand for a clothes chest, and cloth for wrapping up clothes and furniture.
They were white in colour, and all of the same shape; yet they were carefully chosen,
showing the artist mind. The Governor of Omi Province was busy with the general
management of the banquet. On the western balcony of the East building there sat dourt
nobles in two rows, the north being the more honourable place. On the southern balcony
were court officials, the west being the most honourable seat. Outside the doors of the
principal building [where the Queen was] white figured-silk screens were put.
On the fifth night the Lord Prime Minister celebrated the birth. The flail moon on the
fifteenth day was clear and beautiful. Torches were lighted under the trees and tables
were put there with rice-balls on them. Even the uncouth humble servants who were
walking about chattering seemed to enhance the joyful scene. All minor officials were
there burning torches, making it as bright as day. Even the attendants of the nobles, who
gathered behind the rocks and under the trees, talked of nothing but the new light which
had come into the world, and were smiling and seemed happy as if their own private
wishes had been.fiilfilled. Happier still seemed those in the Audience Chamber, from the
highest nobles even to men of the fifth rank, who, scarcely to be counted among the
nobility, met the joyful time going about idly, and bending their bodies busily [i.e.
obsequiously].
To serve at the Queens dinner eight ladies tied their hair with white cords, and in that
dress brought in Her Majesty’s dining-table. The chief lady-in-waiting for that night was
Miya-no-Naishi. She was brilliantly dressed with great formality, and her hair was made
more charming by the white cords which enhanced her beauty. I got a side glance of her
when her face was not screened by her fan. She wore a look of extreme purity.
The following are the maids-of-honour who tied their hair; Minamoto Shikibu, daughter
of the Governor of Kaga Province; Kozaémon, daughter of the late Michitoki, Governor
of Bitchu; Kohyoé, daughter of Akimasa, Governor of the Left Capital; Osuké, daughter
of Sukechika, the head priest of the Isé shrine; 0 Uma, daughter of Yorinobu, an officer
of the Right Bodyguard; Ko Uma, daughter of Michinobu, an officer of the Left
Bodyguard; Kohyoé, daughter of Naritaka, Recorder of the Capital; Komoku [or
Dakumi], daughter of Nobuyoshi. These were all young and pretty. It was a sight worth
seeing. This time, as they chose only the best-looking young ladies, the rest who used to
tie their hair on ordinary occasions to serve the Queen’s dinner wept bitterly; it was
shocking to see them.
More than thirty ladies were sitting in the two rooms east of the Queen’s canopy, a
magnificent sight. The august dinner trays were carried by unemét3. Near the entrance of
the great chamber folding screens surrounded a pair of tables on which these dining-trays
had been placed. As the night advanced the moon shone bri~htly. There were unemé,
mohitori’4, migusiagé’5, tonomori’6, kanmori-no-nyokwan’ ,—some with whose faces I
~ Lower ranking noblewomen serving in the imperial court and who were chosen for their looks.
N Officials in charge of wells, soy sauce, and buildings for storing ice.
was not familiar. There were also door keepers, carelessly dressed and with hairpins
falling out, crowded together towards the eastern corridor of the principal building as if it
were a public holiday. There were so many people there was no getting through them.
After dinner the maids-of-honour came outside the misu and could be plainly seen by the
light of the torches. The train and karaginu of Lady Oshikibu was embroidered to
represent the dwarf pine-wood at Mount Oshio. As she is the wife of Michinolcu,
Governor of the eastern extremity of the island, she serves now in the Prime Minister’s
household. Dayu-no-Miyobu neglected the ornamentation of her karaginu, but she
adorned her train with silver dust representing sea-waves. It was pleasing to the eye,
though not dazzling. Ben-no-Naishi showed on her train a beach with cranes on it painted
in silver. It was something new. She had also embroidered pine branches; she is clever,
for all these things are emblematic of a long life. The device of Lady Shosho was inferior
to these—many laughed at her silver foil. She was sister to Sukemitsu, the Governor of
Shinano, and has lived at the court a long time. People wanted to see this entertainment.
A priest was there who used to attend the court to beguile the night with religious and
other stories. I said to him, “You cannot see such a lovely thing every day.” “Indeed!
indeed!” said he, neglecting his Buddha18 and clapping his hands forjoy. The court
nobles rose from their seats and went to the ste~s [descending from the balcony]. His
Lordship the Prime Minister and others cast da ~. It was shocking to see them quarrelling
about paper. Some [others] composed poems. A lady said, “What response shall we make
if some one offers to drink sáké2° with us?” We tried to think of something.
‘~ Attendants who wore hairpins.
6 The emperor’s housekeepers.
~ The cleaning staff.
In other words, he was distracted from his prayers.
II A dice game.
20 Rice wine.
J

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