Man-Pai / Genji Ch.33 - Fuji no Uraba

Fuji no Uraba - Wisteria Dreams

 

Kuniyoshi: Genji Kumo Ukiyo-e Awase, Fuji no uraba (1845/46) 

Kuniyoshi, 1845/46

Early in the Fourth Month, the Minister of the Interior (To-no-Chujo) arranged a banquet of wisteria, which was full in bloom. He invited Yugiri. The Minister had begun to grow restless when finally Yugiri arrived. When the moon came out, the wine was served. Pretending to be very drunk, the Minister admired Yugiri who had waited long and well to obtain permission to marry his daughter, Kumoinokari. The long-standing ill feeling between them disappeared. Kashiwagi broke off an unusually long and rich spray of wisteria and presented it to Yugiri with a cup of wine. That was a romantic happy ending for Yugiri and Kumoinokari who had been separated for six years.

Yugiri was promoted to middle counselor. He moved into his grandmother's Sanjo house, which was filled with many good memories. One beautiful evening sitting near the veranda, Yugiri and Kumoinokari exchanged poems recalling the grandmother who had always protected them. Having heard that the garden was in its autumn glory, To-no-Chujo stopped by on his way from court. As the house was where he had lived in his young days, the Minister of the Interior was moved finding that the couple now lived there happily.

The present emperor Reizei and former emperor Suzaku paid a state visit to Rokujo, which was an extraordinary event. Genji’s preparations were brilliant. The royal party went first to the equestrian ring where the ritual of review was performed in finery. Then the party moved to the southeast quarter for the banquet. The lieutenants of the inner guards of east and west advanced and knelt before the royal seats, one presenting the take from the pond and the other a brace of fowl caught by the royal falcons in the northern hills. The emperor ordered Genji to move up to sit at the same level, which showed Genji off in utmost glory.

The Suzaku emperor had been ill since his visit to Rokujo. It had been his wish to take holy orders and retire from the world. But he worried about whom his daughter, the Third Princess could look to for support when he finally withdrew from the world. Her mother, a sister of Fujitsubo, had died in disappointment. Yugiri came to see him. Intending to marry Kumoinokari soon, he was in the full bloom of youth. The emperor looked at him wondering whether he might not offer a solution to the problem of the Third Princess. The emperor asked Yugiri to take his message that he would like to see his father Genji ardently.

Kunichika: 54 feelings #33, Fuji no Uraba (1884)

Kunichika, 1884

 

 

Resumed by Mary Nagase. Published by UNESCO.© UNESCO 2000

 

©2003/5, Manuel Paias