54Chapeters of
The Tale of Genji

It is written by Murasaki Shikibu(Lady Murasaki) in the 11th century.I will introduce 54Chapters and Related Arts and Crafts.

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31. Makibashira / The Cypress Pillar(真木柱)

January 10, 2025 by Shiba

makibashira
Copyright © 2011 National Diet Library. All Rights Reserved.国立国会図書館,月耕,「源氏五十四帖」「真木柱」,1892年(明治25年)

Passage

she pushed it into a crack in the pillar with the point of her long hair-pin. What she wrote was: ‘Though I say good-bye to this house and shall never see it again, do not forget me, O pillar of the Steadfast Tree!’

The general's wife returns to her parents' home. Her daughter goes with her. On the day they leave the house, the daughter says goodbye to the home she is used to living in.

makibashira
Harvard Art Museums,The Handsome Pillar (Makibashira), Illustration to Chapter 31 of the Tale of Genji (Genji monogatari),Tosa Mitsunobu,Muromachi period

Summary

The one who won Tamakazura was General HigeKuro.The General renovates his mansion to welcome Tamakazura. The legal wife, in a fit of jealousy, throws incense ashes at the General. The general's father-in-law takes his daughter back to her family home.Tamakazura gave birth to a son and became the General's wife.

makibashira
土佐光吉,Tosa Mitsuyoshi,京都国立博物館 Kyoto National Museum,Kyoto National Museum『源氏物語絵色紙帖 眞木柱 詞日野資勝』（京都国立博物館 Kyoto National Museum所蔵）「ColBase」収録(https://jpsearch.go.jp/item/cobas-5812)

Comment

The ten chapters of Tamakazura end of it. It's not a happy ending. The Tale of Genji carefully avoids the Cinderella story.This tendencies does not change with the conclusion of the story( The Bridge of Dreams / The Floating Bridge of Dreams).I think that is a very important point in Genji.

About

I live in Kyoto.Introduce Japanese literature with the help of Google Translate.please excuse my english.

54Chapters

  1. 1. Kiritsubo / The Paulownia Court(桐壺)
  2. 2. The Broom-Tree / The Broom Tree(帚木)
  3. 3. Utsusemi / The Shell of the Locust(空蝉)
  4. 4. Yugao / Evening Faces(夕顔)
  5. 5. Murasaki / Lavender(若紫)
  6. 6. The Saffron-Flower / The Safflower(末摘花)
  7. 7. The Festival of Red Leaves / An Autumn Excursion(紅葉賀)
  8. 8. The Flower Feast / The Festival of the Cherry Blossoms(花宴)
  9. 9. Aoi / Heartvine(葵)
  10. 10. The Sacred Tree / The Sacred Tree(賢木)
  11. 11. The Village of Falling Flowers / The Orange Blossoms(花散里)
  12. 12. Exile at Suma / Suma(須磨)
  13. 13. Akashi / Akashi(明石)
  14. 14. The Flood Gauge / Channel Buoys(澪標)
  15. 15. The Palace in the Tangled Woods / The Wormwood Patch(蓬生)
  16. 16. A Meeting at the Frontier / The Gatehouse(関屋)
  17. 17. The Picture Competition / A Picture Contest(絵合)
  18. 18. The Wind in the Pine-Trees / The Wind in the Pines(松風)
  19. 19. A Wreath of Cloud / A Rack of Cloud(薄雲)
  20. 20. Asagao / The Morning Glory(朝顔)
  21. 21. The Maiden / The Maiden(少女)
  22. 22. Tamakatsura / The Jeweled Chaplet(玉鬘)
  23. 23. The First Song of the Year / The First Warbler(初音)
  24. 24. The Butterflies / Butterflies(胡蝶)
  25. 25. The Glow-Worm / Fireflies(蛍)
  26. 26. A Bed of Carnations / Wild Carnations(常夏)
  27. 27. The Flares / Flares(篝火)
  28. 28. The Typhoon / The Typhoon(野分)
  29. 29. The Royal Visit / The Royal Outing(行幸)
  30. 30. Blue Trousers / Purple Trousers(藤袴)
  31. 31. Makibashira / The Cypress Pillar(真木柱)
  32. 32. The Spray of Plum-Blossoms / A Branch of Plum(梅枝)
  33. 33. Fuji No Uraba / Wisteria Leaves(藤裏葉)
  34. 34. Wakana, Part I / New Herbs: Part One(若菜上)
  35. 35. Wakana, Part II / New Herbs: Part Two(若菜下)
  36. 36. Kashiwagi / The Oak Tree(柏木)
  37. 37. The Flute / The Flute(横笛)
  38. 38. (no title)/ The Bell Cricket(鈴虫)
  39. 39. Yugiri / Evening Mist(夕霧)
  40. 40. The Law / The Rites(御法)
  41. 41. Mirage / The Wizard(幻)
  42. Kumogakure / Vanished into the Clouds(雲隠)
  43. 42. Niou / His Perfumed Highness(匂宮)
  44. 43. Kobai / The Rose Plum(紅梅)
  45. 44. Bamboo River / Bamboo River(竹河)
  46. 45. The Bridge Maiden / The Lady at the Bridge(橋姫)
  47. 46. At the foot of the Oak-Tree / Beneath the Oak(椎本)
  48. 47. Agemaki / Trefoil Knots(総角)
  49. 48. Fern-Shoots / Early Ferns(早蕨)
  50. 49. The Mistletoe / The Ivy(宿木)
  51. 50. The Eastern House / The Eastern Cottage(東屋)
  52. 51. Ukifune / A Boat upon the Waters(浮舟)
  53. 52. The Gossamer-Fly / The Drake Fly(蜻蛉)
  54. 53. Writing-Practice / At Writing Practice(手習)
  55. 54. The Bridge of Dreams / The Floating Bridge of Dreams(夢浮橋)