Refined Beauty

Readers:

I need to talk about Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji; it has been such a beautiful and fun read, though I am only about 1/3 into it. I decided to read this monstrous piece (about 1,100 pages) after being assigned an excerpt in my Japanese Literature class, which left me struck by the contemporary feel of it, as well as attracted to the romantic aspect (for most of The Tale is about Genji's copious love affairs). I guess you could say I fell a little bit for the opulent, deep and beautiful Genji himself, something that has only gotten worse as I read the full text!

Genji is the son of an emperor, but so favored that he must be named commoner (hence the name Genji, which is really just his rank). Known as the Shining Lord, Genji masters every instrument, every art he attempts; his pure beauty leaves people, high and low, weeping. He exemplifies imperial life, which in and of itself makes it worth the read. Perhaps my recent interest (read "obsession") with all things Japanese makes me biased...

The story starts with Genji's birth, telling about his coming of age ceremony and marriage, but soon moves on to his late teenage years. This is about the time he begins his nighttime escapades, searching to find women of charm, wit and exceptional beauty. Genji is more than just a promiscuous man, though; he instead forms deep attachments to the many women of his life regardless of their rank that last throughout the novel. This brings me to my task: to list the important women of his life. I want to do this because it will help clarify and enhance my own reading experience, as I can feel the confusion coming! I am posting it to help whoever decides to read it, as well :). The characters in the novel are, for the most part, referred to by their ranks, but as this can sometimes change, their names can too!

The Tale of Genji is surprsingly accessible, though. Human interactions, though clearly set in a time and culture I can only imagine, are relatable and very real. In my Japanese Literature class I learned about Japanese senses of beauty, one of them being "miyabi." This refers to the beauty of imperial life, the elegance present in communication, clothes, manners--refined beauty. The Tale of Genji, my professor said, most demonstrated miyabi, and I agree. Reading the novel is like being thrown into an alternate world, where beauty and elegance are the essence of life. The characters often communicate in poems (according to the introduction, The Tale of Genji has more than 700!), separated by screens that only allow sensual sleeves, voices and stolen glances to slip through. Just thinking about it makes me want to crack open Genji and keep reading! The characters are filled with such a love and appreciation of life which, to me, makes the novel timeless.

I will post the list soon!