The Tale of Genji fostered the bond between Murasaki Shikibu and Fujiwara no Michinaga...

The Tale of Genji fostered the bond between Murasaki Shikibu and Fujiwara no Michinaga... until the widow Murasaki Shikibu found a patron and began writing her world-renowned classic.

Legend of her writing journey

Murasaki Shikibu, currently a hot topic due to the Taiga drama "Hikaru Kimi e," is surrounded by a well-known legend about the inception of "The Tale of Genji."

One day in the first year of Kanko (1004), Princess Senshi, the tenth daughter of Emperor Murakami and the ancestor of the 66th Emperor Ichijo, expressed her desire to read a rare story she had never read before to Empress Shoshi.

Shoshi asked her lady-in-waiting, Murasaki Shikibu, to write a new story in response to this request.

Murasaki Shikibu, tasked with this important role, secluded herself at Ishiyama Temple, a famous temple located on the banks of the Seta River flowing from Lake Biwa (Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture), and prayed for inspiration.

A few days later, while gazing at the beautiful full moon reflected on the surface of Lake Biwa, she conceived the scene of a nobleman exiled from the capital to Suma (Suma Ward, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture), reminiscing about the capital while looking at the moon.

She began writing with the line:

"The moon was shining brightly, and he remembered, 'Tonight is the fifteenth night...'"

and eventually wrote the epic "The Tale of Genji."

This opening line corresponds to the beginning of "Suma," the 12th chapter in the complete five-volume set of "The Tale of Genji."

This episode, known as "The Origin of The Tale of Genji," is included in various historical texts such as "Konjaku Monogatari," compiled in the late Heian period, the early Kamakura period's "Mumyosho," and the Nanboku-cho period's commentary on "The Tale of Genji," "Kogai Sho."

Furthermore, a room called "Genji no Ma," where Murasaki Shikibu is said to have written, still remains in a corner of Ishiyama Temple.

However, many of these handed-down stories are not necessarily considered factual, and scholars do not regard the aforementioned "origin of The Tale of Genji" as historical fact.

In his book, Gen'ei Imai states, "The story of Murasaki Shikibu's retreat at Ishiyama Temple is a complete fabrication.

When you stand in the area called 'Genji no Ma' in the main hall of Ishiyama Temple, you can see nothing but huge rocks in front of you, and not even the nearby Seta River, let alone the distant Lake Biwa."

So, when did Murasaki Shikibu start writing "The Tale of Genji"? Surprisingly, there are few clues about this.

石山寺の紫式部像

There are few clear descriptions in the "Murasaki Shikibu Diary" or "Murasaki Shikibu Collection," as well as other contemporary records.

What is known is that by around the fifth year of Kanko (1008), "The Tale of Genji" was partially written and read by several people.

This is based on a description in the "Murasaki Shikibu Diary" dated November 1 of the fifth year of Kanko.

Murasaki Shikibu records that Saemon no Kami, the head of the Left Gate Guards, visited and asked, "Is Lady Wakamurasaki here?"

("Excuse me, is Lady Wakamurasaki around here?"), to which she responded, "There's no one resembling Hikaru Genji here, so there's no way Wakamurasaki could be here. Besides, I could never be Wakamurasaki."

This indicates that by this time, at least up to the fifth chapter, where Wakamurasaki appears, had been written.

As for when and how it was written, former professor Masako Sawada of Shizuoka Eiwa Gakuin University, after examining various historical sources including the "Murasaki Shikibu Diary," suggests the following:

After the death of her husband, Murasaki Shikibu began writing bit by bit while living alone at her family home. She continued writing each chapter gradually, taking into account the reactions and requests of readers, and added volumes in response to public opinion.

It was likely when this story gained some public attention that Fujiwara no Michinaga, the head of the Fujiwara clan, noticed the high reputation of the tale and encouraged her to enter service.

Michinaga then provided Murasaki Shikibu with ample time and space to engage in her writing activities.

He also supplied high-quality paper and brushes, which were quite valuable at the time, creating a supportive environment both materially and mentally. Of course, Michinaga had personal motives, but essentially, he became Murasaki Shikibu's patron as the author of "The Tale of Genji."

"The Tale of Genji" became a significant connection between the widow Murasaki Shikibu and Fujiwara no Michinaga. Considering this, there seems to be room for drama indeed.

Other scholars also speculate that Murasaki Shikibu began writing up to the point where she described the exile of Hikaru Genji to Suma and his return to the capital before entering service. This covers the parts depicting Hikaru Genji's upbringing and his relationships with Fujitsubo and Wakamurasaki.

It is reasonable to assume that Murasaki Shikibu began writing "The Tale of Genji" when she was around 33 to 36 years old, which falls between the fourth year of Choho (1002), after her mourning period ended, and the second year of Kanko (1005), when she entered service.

Reference

Rekishi Tankyu Gakkai (ed.), "The Tale of Genji and Murasaki Shikibu: A Book to Make the Drama Ten Times More Enjoyable" (President Inc., 2023)