How the Genji Monogatari was received during the Heian Period: Evidence using Waka Poetry

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K20799
• Project/Area Number (Other): 18H05591 (2018)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2019); Single-year Grants (2018)
• Review Section: 0102:Literature, linguistics, and related fields
• Research Institution: Shujitsu University
• Principal Investigator: Kawarai Yuko 就実大学, 人文科学部, 講師 (20823967)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-08-24 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 源氏物語 / 和歌 / 源氏物語享受 / 享受史

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Using waka poetry as the main source material, this study examines how the Genji Monogatari (“The Tale of Genji”) was received during the Heian period.
It is known that the Genji Monogatari was recognised as a must-read book for poets in the early Kamakura period. It is assumed that it must have been widely enjoyed and established its position in the years leading up to the Kamakura period. However, due to the absence of direct materials, the book’s reception during the Heian period has not been confirmed. Using waka poetry by poets who had read the Genji Monogatari, this study clarified in detail who read the book, how it was enjoyed, and how it was circulated, to understand how the Genji Monogatari was received from immediately after it was written until the late Heian period.

Free Research Field

中古文学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

『源氏物語』は、文学はもちろん、絵画、芸能、服飾など、日本の広範な文化において広く享受され、さまざまな影響を及ぼした作品である。その享受の発端がいかなるものであり、なぜそのような影響力を持つに至ったかを解明することは、文学や文化を考える上で重要な指標となる。本研究は、『源氏物語』成立後200年間の享受の実相を明らかにし、鎌倉期以降の享受がどのような基盤の上に成立したかについて新たな視座をもたらした。