| Budget Amount *help |
¥1,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000)
Fiscal Year 2002: ¥500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000)
Fiscal Year 2001: ¥500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000)
Fiscal Year 2000: ¥500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000)
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| Research Abstract |
Lady Murasaki wrote The Tale of Genji based on various books, sources, and historiographies that were available by the eleventh century. Medieval annotations of The Tale of Genji point out that the Tale not only refers to Japanese style poems and novels but also incorporates expressions based on Chinese classics and Buddhist sutras. These are important aspects of the Tale, and demand the readers to interpret these expressions. These are the premise of my study. In addition, my study has achieved the following :
(1)I have investigated into the representative medieval annotations of the Tale, including Kakai-sho, Kacho Yojo, Sairyu-sho, and Mingo Nisso. The entire Tale was structured incorporating Lady Murasaki's knowledge about Chinese classics, Buddhist sutras, and was based on historic facts and oral traditions. I argue that Lady Murasaki's attitude-toward the interpretation, reconciliation, and questioning of underlying history was an important method for structuring this rather unique world of the Tale.
(2)I argue that sources pointed out by Kakai-sho, Kacho Yojo, Sairyu-sho, and Mingo Nisso indicate the level of the intellectual achievement of the time when Lady Murasaki wrote the Tale.
(3)The reason why annotations of the Tale of Genji made considerable progress in the Kamakura and Muromachi Periods (1185〜1573) was that the nobility at that time attempted to recognize the glorious history of their ancestors by looking into the world of the Tale. In particular, Emperors Juntoku (r.1210〜1221) and Godaigo (r.1318〜1339) sought for the ideal of kingship in the world of the Tale. (I have already published this point in "Kakai-sho and the Tale of Genji," Bungaku, July-August issue, 2003.)
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