Piano Drama Picture Scroll The Tales of Genji

The Twilight Beauty Yugao

February 14, 2009

Hikaru Genji (the Shining Prince), who is blessed with peerless beauty and genius, was the beloved prince of the Emperor and the most gifted man of all time.

Although Genji was married to the beautiful Lady Aoi, the daughter of the Sadaijin (Minister of the Left), he could not sincerely love her. Knowing his love toward Lady Fujitsubo, who is the Consort of the Emperor (Genji's father), would never be fulfilled, 17-year-old Genji was so frustrated and spending the summer in idleness.

He fell passionately in love with a certain noble woman called Lady Rokujo.
Genji also got involved in a love affaire with a married woman called Utsusemi.
One night, however, he was not able to control his vehement love toward Lady Fujitsubo and eventually made love with her.

It was around that time that Genji found a house on Gojo ("Fifth Avenue"), over the roof of which a green vine, with its white flowers, was clambering. The name of the flowers was yugao, or "twilight beauty". Genji got himself acquainted with the lady of the house and the two of them fell in love. It was supposed to be a transient love, but Genji felt his heart fulfilled for the first time in his life thanks to the lady, Yugao's kindness. Genji was so fascinated that he visited her every single night.

On the other hand, Genji was not able to love Lady Rokujo like he did before. She was so frustrated with conflict between conscience and desire, her spirit left her body and wandered about, searching for her lover.

Genji and Yugao spend time all alone with each other in an old ruined house. However, their happiness did not last long. An evil spirit possessed Yugao and caused her demise.
The identification of the possessing spirit was Lady Rokujo's jealousy toward her.

Genji was so staggered. He blamed himself for having let his love die. At the same time, he had to care about his reputation as the Prince and was not allowed to let anybody know what had happened. There is no telling how depressed and frustrated he was.

With the help from Koremitsu, Yugao's funeral was held secretly but with all due respect. Genji, however, was so grieved that he got badly ill. His illness shook the people of the Nijo palace (where Genji lived). So worried was the Emperor that he repeatedly sent his men to visit his son.

One evening, one of Yugao's servant ladies, named Ukon, told Genji who her mistress really was. Although she had blue blood in her veins, Yugao lost her parents when she was little and became an orphan. Before she met Genji, Yugao was in love with To-no-Chujo or the Secretary Captain, one of Genji's best friends. However, because of the jealousy of the Captain's main wife, she left him and went into hiding. So shy and humble was Yugao that she would hide everything behind her sorrowful smiles. Her memories would never perish from Genji's heart.

Characters

Kiritsubo no Koi (Kiritsubo Consort):

Genji's mother. She was the favourite of the Emperor Kiritsubo, despite her relatively lower rank. The Consort was constantly harassed by the other women and dies of it three years after Genji's birth. She was, however, so nice and beautiful that they regretted for having harassed her to death.

Emperor Kiritsubo:

Genji's father. He loved Genji so much that he considered appointing him the crown Prince. The Emperor was, however, also apprehensive that Genji would be involved in struggles for power without any supports. After mature consideration, he decided to lower the Prince's rank to civilian.

Hikaru no Kimi (the Shining Prince) or Hikaru Genji:

A son of Emperor Kiritsubo. Blessed with peerless beauty and genius, he was nicknamed Hikaru no Kimi or "the Shining Prince". The Emperor demoted Genji from imperial prince to commoner and made him an imperial officer so that the Prince would not suffer struggles for power in the future. He was given the clan name Genji and becake Hikaru Genji. He maintained an unwavering devotion to his stepmother, the Lady Fujitsubo, but was frustrated because of his forbidden love to her. Pursuing his ideal lady, Genji undergoes many love affairs in his lifetime.
Genji and Yugao first met when he was seventeen. They loved each other secretly but intensely. Their love, however, did not last long because of Yugao's death.

Koremitsu:

Genji's foster brother and his right hand. Composed and witted. His loyalty to Genji did not change throughout his lifetime. Koremitsu managed to keep everything between Genji and Yugao secret.

Fujitsubo no Miya (Lady Fujitsubo):

The stepmother of Genji. The Emperor had her entered his court because of she looked so much like his late consort, Lady Kiritsubo. He favoured her over all his other ladies. Genji's adoration for her was so deep that the Lady could not reject him. As a result of their forbidden love, she gave birth to a baby. Lady Fujitsubo is the most important woman in the story and there lies a bond of destiny between Genji and her.

Aoi no Ue (Lady Aoi):

The beautiful daughter of the Minister of the Left. Genji's wedded wife. Because Lady Aoi was raised to be so proud of herself in order that she could be a suitable consort for the Emperor, she is not able to be close to her younger husband and is very much hurt by his philandering.

Utsusemi:

Not directly involved in this chapter of the Tales. Genji first met her incidentally on his way home. Although she was married to the Iyo Deputy, she could not resist Genji's courtship and eventually made love with him. Their relationships, however, were kept only by exchanging letters after that.

Rokujo no Miyasundokoro (Lady Rokujo):

The widow of the former Crown Prince (one of Emperor Kiritsubo's brother). Beautiful and wise, she was the ideal of the people in the palace. After his husband's death, however, she moved to a small house on Rokujo (Sixth Avenue) and started to live there quietly. Although she was confused by Genji's courtshipat first, her love for him deepened day by day. However, the Lady's love became a burden to him and Genji stopped visiting her as often as before. She could not manage to control her love and despair, conscience and desire. Her frustration was such that Lady Rokujo's spirit left her body without notice and hovered about the city, searching for her lover.

Yugao (Twilight Beauty):

A mysterious beautiful lady who lives on Gojo (the Fifth Avenue). Genji and she kept their identity secret but deeply loved each other. She was so shy and humble that she would hide her feelings under her kindness. Yugao actually was blue-blooded and once was in love with To-no-Chujo (the Secretary Captain) and gave birth to his daughter. However, she left him and was living in a house on Gojo because of harassment by the Captain's wedded wife. Genji encountered her by chance when he had visited Koremitsu, who lives next to Yugao. They fell in love soon afterward.

Ukon:

Ukon is the lady-in-waiting closest to Yugao and knows her background. She was with Yugao when Yugao was possessed by the evil spirit to death. Ukon deeply lamented her mistress's death. She starts to serve under Genji after that.

Message

Many big events were held in 2008 because it had been exactly 1000 years since the Tales of Genji was completed in 1008. I expect this occasion will be a chance to have the classics of Japanese literature, including the Tales of Genji, more widely known to the world. As the Western classics have been the origins of the European wisdom, I am certain that the Japanese classics, which I believe are as artistic as those of the West, possess the potential to be the origins of wisdom of the next generation. We are very proud of the art of expression in Japanese.

"How would Hikaru Genji see the Tales himself?" This question inspired me to write the script. The Tales of Genji may permits of as many interpretations as the number of its readers.
I would be grateful if you would enjoy today's concert as one of them.

Thank you very much for coming today.