is a late 10th centuryLikely between 969-984. (Endress; Großmann 2024: 177) Japanese story. It is Japan's oldest full-length narrative.Kubota (2007:34)Nihon Koten Bungaku Daijiten Henshū Iinkai (1986:170-173) Twenty volumes exist that are dominated by two plotlines: about a family of master virtuosos who have learnt the art of playing the koto from celestial beings and acquired it as a hereditary gift from a BuddhaEndress; Großmann 2024: 13. and the story of a rich court nobleman named Minamoto no Masayori from the Fujiwara family and his ninth daughter Atemiya, who is the subject of courtship by many nobles, Atemiya becomes the wife of the emperor and her son his successor.Endress; Großmann 2024: 18.
Composition
The author is unknown. Minamoto no Shitagō is cited as a likely candidate; however, it may have had multiple authors spanning a number of years. The text is referenced in a number of later works such as (), (1002), and (), suggesting compilation between .
The text is illustrated in an by Asukabe no Tsunenori, with calligraphy by Ono no Michikaze.
References to the Utsuho Monogatari
Makura no Sōshi A variety of references to the Ustuho monogatari are found in works after its completion. One of them is the Makura no Sōshi by Sei Shōnagon. In her work she expresses symphaty for Nakatada in his attempt at courtship with Atemiya as both Nakatada and Suzushi, another noble trying to court Amemiya, play the koto to win her heart.Endress; Großmann 2024: 25-26. Shōnagon and the wife of the emperor who she serves discuss the suitability of Nakatada and while the emperor's wife criticises Nakatada's low birth, Shōnagon argues for his courtship because of his koto play that even beckoned the heavenly beings.Endress; Großmann 2024: 28.
Genji Monogatari Two testimonies in the Genji Monogatari refer explicitly to the utsuho monogatari. Another one refers to the Utsuho monogatari possibly as "mukashi monogatari" ("old tale").Endress; Großmann 2024: 33. In one passage two pictures are compared between the old man of the Taketori Monogatari (taketori no okina) and Toshikage of the Utsuho Monogatari (utsuho no Toshikage).Endress; Großmann 2024: 35.
Another reference is the criticism the author of the Genji Monogatari has against either Atemiya who refuses the courtship of many nobles to then marry the emperor or against a calculating concubine of the emperor in the chapter Kuniyudzuri who manages to make her son into the crown prince.Endress; Großmann 2024: 36-37.
One possible reference is found the chapter Wakana II. The protagonist Genji listens to koto performances and is disappointed that no one plays truly masterfully as no one plays as well to shake heaven and earth, appeasing gods and demons, and to play to achieve wealth from a place of low estate.Benl 1966: 132-133. If this reference is true, the people Genji talked to were familiar with the central role of the koto within the work that he does not have to name the title nor protagonist of the work.Endress; Großmann 2024: 37.
Title The title of the story, The Tale of the Hollow Tree, is taken from an incident in the first chapter "Toshikage". The title refers to the bear den formed by trees in which the protagonist Nakatada and his mother flee to, to live there.Endress; Großmann 2024: 2. The ateji are also used.
Contents
The story is twenty volumes in length and revolves around a mystical harp that passes through four generations. It belongs to the monogatari genre and is subclassified as a denki monogatari.
It contains the following chapters:
Chapter Title 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
The story is generally divided into three major sections: Chapters 1-12: Toshikage is sent to China but shipwrecks in Persia. He obtains the mystical harps and returns to Japan. He has a daughter and teaches her music. The daughter has a son, Nakatada, and raises him in hollow tree. Nakatada seeks marriage to Atemiya. Chapters 13-18: Various political rivalries revolving around the Nakatada household and the crown prince. Chapters 19-20: Nakatada passes on the family musical traditions to Inumiya
Translations An English translation by Ziro Uraki was published in 1984 by Shinozaki Shorin under the title The Tale of the Cavern (Utsuho Monogatari) ().
Notes
References
Sources
Benl, Oscar (1966): Die Geschichte des Prinzen Genji. 2. Volume. Zürich: Manesse. Endress, G., & Großmann, E. (2024). Utsuho monogatari: Textgeschichte, Forschungsstand, ausgewählte Texte in Übersetzung. Gesellschaft für Natur- und Völkerkunde Ostasiens e.V.