69
THE
Takizawa
Bakin,s
BOW-SHAPED
MOON
(YUMIHARIZUKI)
The
First Three
Chapters
Translated by
且iroshi
Kitagawa
Introduction
Takizawa Bakin, the author of 7▼he Bow一,∫haped Moon(Yumiharizuki),
was born at Fukagawa in Edo(present-day Tokyo)in 1767. His father was a samurai in charge of the household of Matsudaira Nobunari, one of the shogun's vassals, but drank so much that he was enfeebled and died when Bakin was only nine years old. As a result his family suffered
financial difficulties. From the age of ten to fourteen Bakin waited upon Nobunari's grandson, but becoming dissatisfied with this hereditary duty, he left home and led a vagrant life in search of his future career. He entered different fields of endeavor;medicine, Confucianism, and poetry.
Fi。 。lly,。t the ag。 ・f tw・nty-f・u・, h・decid・d t・bec・me a・ ・v・li・t・ ・der the guidance of a popular writer, Santo Kyoden(1761-1816). At that time, however, writing was not a sufficient means of livelihood, and so even
Kyoden
supported
himself・by
selling tobacco
pipes and
pouches.
After
spending some time at Kyoden's home and as a lowly worker at a wood bl㏄k printing and publishing firm, Bakin married the daughter of a wood sandal dealer so that he might have a place to settle down. He was twenty一
70
seven years old at the time. A fewl years later, when his mother一 三n-law died, he began selling medicine and teaching calligraphy, but devoted most of his time to writing until he died at the age of eighty-two. Though his life lwas long, it was filled with sufferings;his w量fe was a squint-eyed woman, illiterate and querulous, and her complaints tormented him throughout his life. He fondly raised his only son to be a doctor,1)ut he was physically very weak and died young. At the age of seventy-four Bakin lost his eyesight, but continued to work on his longest piece, Hakkenden (The Biograph三es of Eight Dogs). Teaching his daughter-in-law how to write, he dictated to her word for word until he was able to complete his work.
Bakin was not especially gifted in rhetoric, but his incessant efforts over as量xty-year career brought forth two hundred and eighty一 一〇dd pieces of long and short stor量es,ノorurt(ballad dramas), essays, and accounts of his travels. Of these works the most noteworthy were a group of long stories called yo〃iihon(reading books)which earned him his fame. Yomihon was a
genre which was already popular in Kyoto where sophisticated literature was appreciated. While, in Edo,. such books of light reading as kibyoshi
(comic books)and sharehon(gay-quarter novelletes)gained more popularity. Every page was illustrated to arouse the reader. Even though they were of little literary value, they were the outbursts of the witty and humorous feelings of commoners and free from aristocratic influence. ・Kiby6shi and sharehon, however, were destined to decline in popularity due to both external and internal reasons. Externally they were subject to the moral control of the Tokugawa government, and internally were to be replaced by something else that would better meet the growing intellectual demand in the wake ' of modern Japan.
The yomihon of Kyoto, which were greatly influencedもy literary works in colloquial Chinese, had three distinctive features;structural symmetry,
THE BOW-SHAPED MOON(YUMIHARIZUKI) 71 intellectual quality, and ethical discipline. Bakin, who began his writing career with kibyoshi, soon turned to yomihon, in which he surpassed all other writers including his master, Kyoden. Yomihon was a type of work more suitable for Bakin, as his literary knowledge about Chinese and Japanese sources was surprisingly extens1ve and his technique to combine them into afiction was・remarkably elaborate. In add三tion, he knew how to entertain the readers.
The central motif that.runs through his major works is'his strong sense of justice based on Confucianism and Buddhism. Confucianism follows the
principle of benevolence,``Do not do to others what you would not want to have done to yourself." The practical interpretation of Confucianism itself requires one to regard literature as a false means that hinders the
realization of a healthy society. But Bakin adopted the Confucianist line of thought and accelerated it further to his own severe didacticism which treated literature as'a useful means to reward good men and punish bad
men, It must also be noted that his didacticism was supported by the karma
(cause and effect)and samsdra(cycles of life)theories of Buddhism. In Buddhism one's fate is not decided in this world alone, but is predestined in aformer life. As a cycle of cause and effect perpetually repeats itself, one's
good fortune or misfortune can be'traced back to the good or evil deeds performed by his ancestors of many generations before. With these theories Bakin was able to pursue people and events in his novels through many life times, This device helped create his unique world of grandeur. And
what is more important, his witty method of pursuing didacticism captured the hearts of the people at a time when their intellectual ardor was oppressed by the obstinately feudalistic authorities of the Tokugawa government.
The Bow一 ∫hailed Moon is one of Bak五n's most successful works in which the aforementioned motif is typical. The title symbolizes``a master
72
1
in bowmanship,"who is apparently the hero, Tametomo, Historically Tametomo died in'exile on Hachijo Island, three hundred kilometers to the
south of Tokyo. But Bakin goes beyond the limits of historical fact so that a good man like Tametomo must not remain as a tragic hero but be rewarded justly. Though there are many close encounters with death, Bakin's uncanny ima琴ination keeps h五s characters alive time and time again.
As a man of forty already'successful in writing, Bakin is ambitious and energet量c in this work toとreate structural grandeur in great length,. To that effect he presents a symphonic composition of karmic stories based on traditional tales, war chron量cles, diaries, essays, joruri, kabuki plays, and Chinese sources. The work, therefore, contains many episodes about monsters and demons as well as enchanted animals and mysterious jewels that enrich his world of fantasy and imagination. Bak三n describes Tametomo's explora-tion at sea in the beautiful rhythm of the traditional 7-5 syllabic repetition.
The work is unique in Japanese literature as sea stories are very scarce・ One scholarly view suggests some similarities between The Odyssey and The B(no-Shaped Moon.
The text I am using is Chin∫8∫ ∫u Yum読arizuki(A Unique Story Concerning The Bow-Shaped Moon)annotated by Goto Tanji, which appears in Nihon Koten I3ungaku Taikei(A Complete Series of Classical Works of
Japanese Literature)60,61, published by Iwanami Shoten in 1958. Th量S IS the standard text based on the first edition published by Hirabayashi Shogoro ,and Nishimura Genroku in 1807-1811. Three chapters translated here conclude Book One of the text.
January 1,1976 Hiroshi Kitagawa
1 Though difficult to understand the relation between title and story, in a classical work like The Tale of the Soga Brothers(Soga Monogatari),awaxing moon represents atautly strung bow.
THE BOW-SHAPED
MOON(YUMIHARIZUKI)
73
Preface
7協8乃o四 一Shaped Moon is intended to describe the life of a valiant war- 1 rior, Minamoto no Tametomo, at the time of the Hogen Insurrection. It lS. however, a piece of fiction loosely based on historical facts. Similarities exist between this work and.apopular version of Chinese historiography, the``basic annals." It is my hope that the reader will gill his imagination free rein。
' 2
Tametomo's expedition to Ryukyu does not appear in any other work, 3
though it is referred to in the Jinノ α一k5(``On Japanese Shrines")in this way: 4 5
and the Ryukyu
Tametomo
went
from
Hachijo
Island
to Kikai
islands.
To commemorate
him
shrines
have
been
built on these
islands and he is worshiped
there as a god.
6
Terajima's Wakan Sansai Zue(``lconographical Encyclopedia")also explains: 一 7
for the country
of Ryukyu,
He dispelled
Tametomo
left Oshima
the'evil spirits of the mountains
and brought
peace to the country.
Deeply
grateful
to Tametomo,
the people
of Ryukyu
upheld
him
as their lord..After
his death, they built a shrine and called it by
the Shintoist
name,
Great
Shunten
Shrine.
1 1n July,1156, the abdicated emperor, Sutoku, plotted to destroy the reigning emperor, Go-Shirakawa. The united force of Kiyomori and Yoshitomo on the side of G(ン ーShirakawa staged a surprise attack on Sutoku's palace and defeated his army under the command of Yoshitomo's father, Tameyoshi.
2 An island chain about 960 kilometers long, southwest of Kyushu;55 islands extending nearly to Formosa;largest Okinawa.
aWritten by Hayashi Razan(1583-1657).
4 0ne of the seven islands off the shore of Izu.
5Literally"Devil's World." Asmall island, forty kilometers from the south-ernmost point of Osumi, Kyushu。
e Complied by Terajima Ryoan in 1713.
74
The Tal・ ・伽 晦 ・ 幽 … だ ・・(Ho・ ・n M・n・9・ …i)8 St・・es th・ ・T・m・ 一 tomo killed himself on Hachijo Island. It does'not tell anything about his expedition to Ryukyu. None of those who support the theory of his expedition have been'able to provide evidence of such an expedition. I have composed this fiction making use of views held by war chronicles and legends passed down from generation to generation, and have combined them into a'florid literary presentation.
Desp三to my efforts to be accurate from a historical point of view, I have been more concerned with the continuity of the story rather than with a scholarly presentation, This is simply because I have tried to make both sentences and illustrations understandable even for women and children. It would be my good fortune'if learned men, well versed in ancient affairs, would not be too cr呈tical of th三s attempt.
BOOK
ONE
Chapter
T
Shinzei
Is Well
Versed
in the HanFei-72〃
Tametomo
ls Gifted
in Bowmanship
Minamoto no Tametomo, a young warrior, was the seventh-generation l
descendant of Emperor Seiwa, grandson of Yoshiie, the commander-in-chief
of the expeditionary force against the northern provinces and governor of Mutsu province, and eighth son of Tameyoshi, the captain of the police commissioners division. Tametomo was gifted by nature with the faculty
8Awar chronicle of unknown authorship relating the Hogen lnsurrection. Composed probably in the mid-thirteenth century, it consists of three volumes. 1 The fifty-sixth emperor(858-876).
THE
BOW-SHAPED
MOON(YUMIHARIZUKI)
75
to master
、
the secrets of military
arts.
He was a boy of enormous
size,
2
seven shaku tall, and had great strength. His eyes shone like those of a wild dog;his arms were as long as those of a monkey. He could easily bend strong bows, and was extremely quick at nocking and drawing arrows. 3
Because his left arm was four∫un longer than his right, he was able to draw much greater shafts than other warriors. Bright boy that he was, he did not care about the presence of his many brothers, but behaved as he thought best. In the first year of Nimpyo(1151), at the time of the abdicated emperor Konoe, Tametomo was a handsome boy of thirteen. His father, Tameyoshi, looked admiringly on him and entertained great expectations of him.
On the twenty-eighth day of the first month of the fourth year of Man(1120)Emperor Toba abdicated at the age of twenty-one and had his son, Akihito, succeed to the throne. Akihito became the emperor later
given the posthumous name, Sutoku, on the twenty-n三nth day of the sixth month of the first year of 7isho(1177). During his reign, all affairs of state were administered by his father, Toba. When Toba had a second son, Toshihito, by Bifukumon-ln on the eighteenth day of the fifth month of the fifth year of Hoen(1139), he was so pleased that he made Toshihito crown prince and enthroned him at the age of three on the seventh day of the twelfth month of the third year of Eiji(1143). Sutoku was thus dethroned and called the junior abdicated emperor. Sutoku could not un-derstand his father's decision and bore a grudge against him. Because of this, father and son became hostile toward each other. Since Sutoku was forced to renounce the throne, the people sympathized with his misfortune. It is, however, a rule of the world that minds and hearts change as time
z One shaku is about one foot(30.3cm). 3 0ne tenth of one shaku.
76
goes by, and the number of vis丑tors to Sutoku's palace decreased. Finally, the courtiers in attendance upon him were only five, including the minister
o正the
Left, Yorinaga,
and the council
secretary,
Shinzei.
Among
the
warriors only Tameyoshi and his sons visited Sutoku from time to time.
One day Tameyoshi heard that Shinzei was to lecture on the Han一:fei- 4
tzu at Sutoku,s palace. Since Shinzei was a distinguished scholar, Tameyoshi wished to hear the lecture, and said to his son, Tametomo:``Shinzei's
lecture will certainly be worth hearing, especially for young men. Of my many sons you are the most valiant, but I do not think tha†you have learned much about.Chinese classics. Though I am taking you to the lecture meeting without the emperor's grant, you will be excused. Come with me." At this command, Tametomo changed his clothing to look like one of his father's attendants, and went with him to Sutoku's palace..There he sat near the foot of the stairs that led to the lecture hall and strained his ears to hear Shinzei's words from a distance.
Shinzei was the eighth-generation descendant of Nagayori, a lord with the third court rank, grandson'of Suetsuna, the governor of Echigo Province, and son of Sanekane, the court archivist, Shinzei belonged to one of the
four Fujiwara families, whose hereditary duty was to serve emperors as Confucian scholars. However, since he had been adopted into the Takashina
family, he did not take advantage of his knowledge of Confucianism to obtain a high rank at court. Shinzei was a great scholar in all fields of learning. His wife served as wet nurse to Prince Masahito, who later became Emperor Go-Shirakawa, and so the abdicated emperor, Toba, put his full trust in Shinzei, and even had h量m conduct administrative affairs.・He seemed
4Acollection of essays written by Han-fei-tzu(died 233 B. C.), a philosopher who developed a pessimistic evaluation of human nature and advocated severe laws and harsh punishments.
・
THE BOW-SHAPED MOON(YUMIHARIZUKI) 77 competent in carrying out his duties. However, he was so earnest in observ- 5i
ng the laws advocated by Shen-pu-hai and Han-fei-tzu that he imposed harsh punishments and conferred few rewards. He decided public matters according to his likes and dislikes, and so incurred the wrath of many people, but still kept the good graces of Emperor Toba. As Toba and Sutoku became hostile toward each other, for unknown reason, Shinzei seized the opportunity to visit Sutoku's palace.
Perhaps because he intended to raise a rebellion against Toba, Sutoku was secretly interested in some warriors of the Genji and the Heike clans. When Shinzei's lecture was over, Sutoku asked about civil and military affairs of the past. To his question,"Who were the strongest bowmen of our country?"Shinzei replied:``Of our many bowmen in the past, the most outstanding were Kibi no Okoshi and Tatehito no Sukune. No other bowmen can be compared with them." Again, when Shinzei was requested to point out the excellent bowmen of today, he replied:"Kiyomori, the governor of Aki Province, and Yorimasa, the chief of the ordnance bureau. I believe these two are the best of all." Hearing this, Tametomo burst into great laughter. Shinzei grew angry and cried:"What an impious outl)urst!Who is laughing?"
``He is my eighth son, Tametomo,"replied Tameyoshi. "He is still too young and too low in rank to be granted attendance at the palace.
However, since His Majesty renounced the throne, he has been pleased to see any visitors, and so I have brought Tametomo without due grant and have had him sit outside the hall so that he might be able to hear your lecture." At this intercession, Shinzei rose from his seat and descended the stairs. Glaring at Tametomo for a moment, Shinzei bitterly reproached: ``Isee something unusual in the face of this young scoundrel
. You must be
o
78
1ess than fifteen, but you look like a grown man. Disregarding the presence of His Majesty, the emperor, how dare you insult me, your.elder?"Tametomo
replied;``I have heard a rumor that the lay priest Sinzei is a scholar but is partial in deciding public matters. Ihave just now realized the truth of this rumor. When I heard you say,`The excellent bowmen of today are Kiyomori and Yorimasa,'Icould not help laughing at such a ridiculous statement. Yorimasa may be regarded as a warrior, but Kiyomori is neither amilitary man nor a civil administrator. It.is only due to a matter of
good fortune that he gains imperial favors. Though I do not like to boast about my family, my father Tameyoshi received an edict at the age of fourteen and destroyed Yoshitsuna, the former governor of Mino Province.' Again, at the age of eighteen, when it was reported that the monastic army 6
0f K6fuku-ji, bore a grudge against the imperial family and was going to attack Kyoto, my father received the emperor's command to defend the capital. The command was issued so suddenly that he could not gather his soldiers. Even so, at the head of only seventeen horsemen, he hurried to Mount Kurisu, and dispelled several thousand horsemen of the monastic army..But'he is getting on in years, so I do not know what he can do now. My brother, Yoshitomo, also is an excellent warrior when carrying abow and arrows." Hearing these words, Tameyoshi feared that Tametomo's
further argument with Shinzei would bring nothing but disaster. Tameyoshi wished to scold his son so that he would respectfully withdraw. However,
because of the presence of the emperor, Tameyoshi could do nothing.
At this moment, the minister. of the Left, Yorinaga, who happened to be
s The head temple of the Hosso sect built in Nara in 701, it was supported by the Fujiwara family. From the end of the tenth century to the end of the twelfth century, it possessed a monastic army that caused disorder and confusion in Kyoto
THE BOW-SHAPE DMOON(YUMIHARIZUKI) 79 visiting the emperor, could be seen smi正ing at Tametomo's argument.
Shinzei sat close to Tametomo.and said:``Damnable fellow!Tell me who told you that I am partial in deciding public matters. Yorimasa has recently raised his fame by shooting down a monstrous bird that.appeared 7
every night on the roof of the Shishin-den hall. Kiyomori, when he was aide to the captain of the Imperial Gate of the Left, easily shot down a monstrous creature that appeared at the Inner Palace. The creature fell into Kiyomori's sleeve. Drawing it out, he recognized it as a great rat. Kiyomori had his retainer cut down a bamboo stalk in the grove of the south garden, put the rat in the bamboo, and buried it on a hill near Kiyomizu Temple. This burial grou耳d is called``the bamboo mound." Kiyomori's act caused people to admire him. These are recent events, SO
you must be well aware of them. These attainments are beyond compari-son with those of Tameyoshi who defeated his cowardly uncle, Yoshitsuna, and the monastic army who knew little of military arts. As for Yoshitomo, Ihave heard nothing of his achievements. Now tell me how I am part量al."
Laughing more loudly than before, Tametomo retorted:``A hunter can shoot down a bird and a cat can catch a rat. You are wise only in civil affairs。 But what do you know of military arts?.lt is, after all, useless to make a list of bowmen by argument. Of all the bowmen of today the strongest one, a match for a thousand, is none but I, Tametomo!" At Tametomo's remarks Shinzei was aghast, unable to utter a word. After a short silence, he laughed and said:"How wildly your tongue rattles!Mastery in bowmanship cannot be attained without an accumulation of incessant efforts over many years. Even if you began your training while still in diapers, it is only a little more than ten years. Do not be foolish-think
Literally"Emperor's seat,,, it is the main building in the Inner palace, where the coronation ceremony was performed.
80
about it!People are not dolls. If you want to shoot someone, he will surely shoot back。 It is said that a good bowman in attack is also skilled in
defense. What would you say if your defensive skill were to be tried here and now?"
8
Tam6toπio replied:`らAt the age of eight, P'u-i was already wise enough g
to teach Emperor Shun. At five, PQ-i was in charge of imperial ceremonies. One's wisdom and skill should not be discussed with reference to age. Choose any master of bowmanship. I can defend myself even from an arrow shot by a bodhisattva. I will intercept it before it strikes!"
Shinzei meant to severely punsih Tametomo's arrogance, but since Tame-tomo showed no sign of submission, Shinzei was incensed and decided to display his great power. Leaping up, he cried:"Are there any bowmen in
attendance?Icommand them to stand forth with their bows and arrows!" At this command, two guards of the palace, Norishige and Norikazu, ap一 ・
peared at the foot of the stairs. Shinzei ordered them to shoot at Tametomo. Formerly, they had served as guards to two emperors, Shirakawa and Toba. When ordered by Emperor Toba to hit a mark on a plate three shaku five sun square, they were able to strike home。 People admired their excellent 10
skills and compared them to Yang-yu who shot a weeping willow leaf from adistance of one hundred steps. They were old,. but still in high spirits. However strong Tametomo's arms, it seemed that he would not be able to face arrows shot by these bowmen. Yorinaga, the minister of the Left, fearing that・a cruel punishment was about to fall on Tametomo, said to Shinzei:``Tametomo looks like a grown man, but he is barely more than
8 Awise man who refused the throne offered、by Shun, a model ruler in early China.
9Acourtier at the time of Shun.
10 Amaster of bowmanship during the Spring and Autumn period(722-481 B. C.).
THE BOW-SHAPE DMOON(YUMIHARIZUKI) 81 achild. He cannot argue with you as an equal." Yorinaga turned to Tameyoshi and said:``Leave here at once and take your son with you."
Tameyoshi, silent up to this point, respectfully replied:Tametomo is already thirteen years of age, so he is no longer a child. He would be called a coward if he were to withdraw now. It would be like a retreat without a fight in front of an enemy line. Iwould not lament his death. My only anxiety is that his failure will disgrace the military fame that the Genji have earned over many generations. It is my earnest request that
you allow my son to do as he wishes." Since Tameyoshi begged thus to try his son's skill, Yorinaga could do nothing in his defense. Then Tame-tomo confidently said to Shinzei:``Norishige and Norikazu are masters of bowmanship. It is a great honor for me to defend myself against their arrows. If I fail to dodge them, I will lose my 1董fe. Since I am determine(l to pay with my life, what・will I receive from you when I catch their arrows with my hands?"
Shinzei laughed and replied:``lf you catch them with your hands, you' shall have my head. Since I am a priest, I will not fall into hell when I die." Giving no ear to these words, Tametomo ran down to the courtyard and stood within shooting range.
Norishige and Norikazu were veteran warriors, so they were reluctant to use their weapons within the palace grounds for such a trivial matter. They thought the量r performance of shooting down a boy would be worse ll
than the brutal act of Emperor Buretsu. Seeing their hesitancy, Shinzei stood forth and ordered them to shoot. Unable to disobey this command, they walked to their positions, each carrying two arrows. At an event such as this it was a rule that a bowman may not use more than two arrows.
ダ
All the spectators, including the emperor, gripped their sweaty hands, fearing
82
that Tametomo would die like a dewdrop vanishing in the light of the morning sun. Norishige nocked an arrow and drew it mightily so that his bow was bent in the shape of a full moon. With a shout, Norishige's arrow flew whistling toward Tametomo, but he grasped it
. with his left hand. Amoment later Norikazu's arrow came toward Tametomo's chest, but he intercepted it with his right hand. The two bowmen were ashamed of their powerless shafts. However, unwilling to kill him, they wished to shoot their next arrows at areas that were not vital but difficult for him to
intercept. They aimed at his weak points and・let.their arrows fly together. Undaunted, Tametomo received one arrow with his sleeve, and since he had no time to use his hands, he took the other at its barb with his teeth and crunched it to pieces. His agility was like that of a supernatural being. He dashed and darted as quickly as a flash of lightning. All the spectators
were aghast. Throwing'away the arrows, Tametomo roared at Shinzei: "Now let me have your priestly head!" He ascended the stairs and dashed
toward Shinzei, Tameyoshi intercepted him and knocked him to the floor, saying:``A man born of a military family dodges arrows-that is a matter of no surprise. You ignore your lowly status and dare to be impudent. You presumptious rascal!"
When Yorinaga saw Tameyoshi trying to punish his son, he interceded for Tametomo, saying:``Tameyoshi!Do not scold him so severely." Yorinaga then advised Shinzei to forget about Tametomo, and turning to all spectators, he said:``Long ago in China two children argued about their distance from the rising sun and setting sun-to which did they stand nearer?Even Confucius could not settle their argument. In this same way, Shinzei's argument with Tametomo cannot be settled. That is all for the present. Out with you all!"Yorinaga pacified both sides with this impart量al speech. Sutoku had the secret intention of raising a rebellion with Yorinaga's support, so he
THE
BOW-SHAPE
DMOON(YUMIHARIZUKI)
83
was pleased
to see Tametomo's
excellent
skill through
the bamboo
curtains.
He thought
that he would
be able to employ
Tametomo's
help when
the time
came。 The emperor, therefore, commended Tametomo. This was a great
honor for his'father, Tameyoshi. They left the palace in delight. With this event, Tametomo's fame rose throughout the country. Shinzei, however, bore a grudge against Tameyoshi and Tametomo, and often tried to destroy them with his slanderous tongue.
At the outbreak
of the Hogen
Insurrection,
Tameyoshi
complied
with
12
He led six of his sons to fight on Sutoku's side, butSutoku's summons. he was defeated. As a result, Sutoku was banished to Matsuyama in Sanuki Province. Because of Shinzei's deep-rooted hatred, Tameyoshi and five of 13
Th
us Shinzei revived the death sentence that hadhis sons were beheaded. not been imposed for a long time. He ordered the body of Yorinaga dug up at Gosammai on the Hannya Plain, and had his head cut off. All who had s1ded w三th Sutoku were arrested and beheaded. Their heads were hung
at the prison gates.
Shortly after Sh1nzei and Vice-Councilor Nobuyori contended for political supremacy, the Heiji Insurrection broke out. Terrified by an oracle that
his throat would be pierced by a sword, Sh三nzei fled from the capital and went far into Tahara Village..At Daid6-ji Temple he hid himself in a pit
and buried his whole body, all but his head。. Still he was discovered and dug up. His head was cut off and exposed to the public on the bank of the Kamo River at Rokujo. People swore at him and said that his violent
12 The narration from this sentence to the end of the chapter outruns the sequential flow of the work.
13Tametomo joined his father in the Hogen Insurrection, but he was not beheaded for reasons made obvious in later chapters.
84
end was nothing but karmic retribution for his evil deeds. Proud of his extensive knowledge, Shinzei made a law unto himself, imposing severe
punishments and ignoring the concerns of the people.
Chapter
ll
Lost
in the Mountain,
Tametomo
Intervenes
in a Wolf
Fight
Kiheiji
Invites
Tametomo
to his Home
and
Offers"Monkey
Sake"
When'Tameyoshi
and Tametomo
returned
home
from
Sutoku's
palace,
Tameyoshi…;aid:"Why did you insult an elderly man with your rattling tongue, despite the presence of the abdicated emperor?You must act re-spectfully as a boy of thirteen should. You must first establish yourself
in the world to prove your filial piety'to me. Yours was a madman's act, for you were suddenly beside yourself with anger and stood within the bowshot range of Norishige and Norikazu. According to the arts of war,
aboastful general will be defeated in battle. The proverb says:`A wise man does not fight;an able man does not boast!What you did today must be cons玉dered imp玉ous to both the emperor and me. Exercise self-control hereafter!"To this admonition Tametomo replied in a suppressed
tone:``I do not like to be disrespectful, but I dare say that Shinzei is a
man of craft and cunning, though he appears to be scholarly. He is highly favored by the senior abdicated emperor, Toba, and the reigning emperor, ' Konoe, so he is supposed to act董n deference to the censure of the world
and restrain h三mself from attending the court of Sutoku. His frequent visits to Emperor Sutoku are but an expression of his loyalty in disguise. He is a spy watching the activit1es of Emperor Sutohu. When he discovers something suspicious, he reports it to the senior abdicated emperor. Because
THE
BOW-SHAPE
DMOON(YUMIHARIZUKI)
85
0f this, I dared to make
him
angry
hoping
that he would
no longer visit
Emperor
Sutoku,"
After a short silence, Tameyoshi
said:``The
old saying goes:`Do
not
be afraid of the government
but of its・officials!'Shinzei
is receiving
high
favors from・the
imperial
family.
If he bears a grudge
against us, we will
l be destroyed by his tongue-three sun long. Leave here for Tsukushi tomorrow to avoid calamity. Since I have something in mind, do not write to me. Prepare yourself for a journey at once!', Seeing his father's de-spondency, Tametomo said nothing in reply.
The morning after, the sky dawned clearly. The moon and stars were still lingering when Tametomo left Kyoto. He was accompanied only by his foster brother, Shigesue. After a journey of many days, Tametomo arrived at Bungo Province, where he sought aid from the influential Sueto. Since Sueto was on good terms with Tameyoshi, Tametomo was warmly received∂nd given vital support. In this manner three years passed, and Tametomo became fifteen. Having learned a great deal, he was extremely wise and brave. In order to distract his mind from studies of Confucianism and the arts of war, he occasionally took his bow and arrows and went hunting on Mount Yufu.
One day he went so deep into the mountains that he became lost. He was walking about, trying to find his way back when he caught sight of two wolves under a tree fighting desperately for a piece of deer meat. Bathed in blood, they were well matched in strength. While watching this fight, Tametomo thought to himself:``People in the present days hide vicious blades in their smiles, and once possessed by greed, will attack anyone who stands in their way. They envy others'high ranks and compete with one another for greater rewards. Such struggles are seen even between
86
father and son, between brother and brother. It is the same with these wolves, Indeed this fight is a medium to awaken me to a rule of the world, so let me save them." Tametomo approached them and said:"You brave fighters!If you keep fighting for food and are severely wounded, then it will be an easy task for me to catch both of you. You can obtain food by some other means than a fight. All sentient beings will lose their way if they seek it at the risk of their lives. Stop fighting
, at once!"Tametomo
then thrust the end of his bow between the two wolves and gave it a mighty swing. At this intervention, the animals were thrown to the left and the right. However, no longer belligerent, they looked reconciled as they began licking the blood of each other's wounds. After a while, the wolves stared at Tametomo and approached him bowing their heads as if showing their apology."My advice has brought peace to them. People compare crafty heroes to tigers or wolves. To my eyes, however, these wolves are more righteous and faithful than men。 They are not hateful creatures at all." So saying, Tametomo caressed the scruff of their necks. Wagging their tails and relaxing their ears, they made obeisance to him. Then they began to walk ahead, occasionally beckoning him to follow. Tametomo soon understood their intention and followed them as far as 2
fifteen or sixteen cho when suddenly the wolves ran.back.with their tails tucked between their legs. Alerted, Tametomo attentively looked ahead. 、 Then out of a clump of pampass grass appeared a man. He wore
a deer-skin hood on his head and was wrapped in a robe of paper mulburry bark. His leggings were made of hemp palm leaves. At his side hung a long sword. He was six shaku tall and appeared to be about thirty years old. He looked like a hunter, but since he carried no bow and arrow, he might have been a mountain robber. Undaunted, Tametomo held his bow tightly
THE BOW-SHAPE DMOON(YUMIHARIZUKI) 87
and stared at him. Approaching, the man made obeisance and said:"Your excellency must be Hachiro Tametomo, a man in the pure line of the Genji, whom all the villagers here respect. Perhaps you have raised these beasts for a long time, for I can sense it from their domesticated state. Allow me to introduce myself lest I be regarded with suspicion, Iam a hunter namend Kiheiji. My grandfather was a native of Ryukyu, but when he went to sea, his boat drifted ashore to Tsukushi. He was obliged to stay there and serve the Kikuchi clan in Higo Province. After my grandfather died, my father lost his occupation for some unknown reason and moved to this
province. Having no way to make a living, he spent the rest of his life hunting. Thus I have been a hunter myself. Since my father's time, I have used neither bow and arrow, nor sword, nor spear. But I am skilled in
†hrowing a stone that never misses its mark, Any swift bird or wild beast within a distance of eight cho cannot stay alive once hit by my stone. Hence my nickname`the Eight Cho Stone-Throwing Kiheiji.'Though my
present life is humble in this countryside, I am not w五thout ambition to rise in the world. When I heard about your mastery in the arts'of the
pen and the sword and your benevolence toward all people, I wished to see
you.層However, humもle that I was, I could not imagine actually meeting you. Iam most fortunate to have this unexpected opportunity of meeting your excellency deep in the mountains."
Now Tametomo understood why the wolves had been terrified by Kiheiji. Bearing in mind Kiheiji's wondrous skill of throwing stones, Tametomo
politely told Kiheiji how he became lost in the mountains and how the wolves had been tamed. Deeply impressed, Kiheiji said:"lt is a matter of
great happiness that your virtue is influential enough to enlighten even beasts. Since you have been wandering in the mountains all day long, you must be very hungry. My home is at the foot of this mountain. If you
88
would'not mind a humble'but, such as mine, please come and have aエest."
Unable to refuse this invitation, Tametomo began to descend the moun-tain with Kiheiji. The two wolves followed them to the door of Kiheiji's
home. Kiheiji quietly・opened an old double door and led Tametomo inside. ' Calling his wife to his side, Kiheiji told her how he met Tametomo and brought him home. Like her husband, the wife was a woman of sweet 3 nature, and she offered.Tametomo a meal of boiled millet and broiled ayu fish. Removing his straw shoes, Kiheiji came into the room and introduced
his wife, saying:``This is my wife, Yatsushiro. I shall be happy if she can serve you in any way." Grateful to them, Tametomo replied that their hospitality would be regarded as heaven,s grace upon him. Then Kiheiji took out a pot of sake and offered a drink to Tametomo. It tasted like
grape wine, different from ordinary sake, so Tametomo asked what it was made from. ``This is very rare sake, found in the mountains. It is called `monkey sake.'"replied Kiheiji
, ``ln the end of autumn monkeys gather many fruits and store them in the hollows of old trees or in the pits of rocks. In a few months the fruit turns to fermented juice like this sake. But very few inhab玉tants here discover it. Just recently I found some and brought it home." Slapping his hands together, Tametomo said:``Ah!I
have heard stories of such a sake. But s量nce I was brought up in the capital, Ihave never tasted it. Icould never have had such an opportunity unless Icame to roam these mountains." Greatly pleased to hear these words, Kiheiji offered more to Tametomo."Oh, I have forgotten. They must be hungry!" So saying, Kiheiji went out to call the wolves and threw some
pieces of deer meat to them。 At the sight of the beasts, Yatsushiro was
3 Less than thirty centimeters long, it is a highly prized fish among Japanese connoisseurs. This small fish spends the time of rearing in the sea and g㏄s upstream early in spring.
THE BOW-SHAPE DMOON(YUMIHARIZUKI) 89 terrified, but when she heard her husband's explanation, she was relieved, Kiheiji returned to the room and sat with Tameto皿o enjoying conversation about various matters. They even discussed the arts of war. Learning agreat deal from Tametomo, Kiheiji was deeply impressed by his brilliant talent, and so he pledged his loyalty to Tametomo. The veil of night had fallen. As Temetomo was leaving, he chanced to see his foster brother, Shigesue, waving a torch in the distance. Concerned about his master's well-being, he had come upon Kiheiji's home in search of Tametomo. Tametomo called Shigesue to his side and told him about Kiheiji and the wolves, Thanking Kiheiji and his wife for their hospitality, Tametomo and Shigesue departed. Though driven away many times, the wolves kept walking behind them. Since that night, they never left Tametomo's home, so his affection toward them grew deeper and he kept them by his side like dogs, 4 5
giving one the name``Yamao"and the other``Nokaze."
Chapter
III
At the Sacrifice
of his own
Life Yamao
Saves
his Master
Shigesue
Fulfills his Duty
in Devotion
to his Master
After his encounter with the Eight Cho Stone-Throwing Kiheiji, Tame-tomo became so fond of him that he often called upon him to go hunting. Thus Tametomo needed no other friends. Also, whenever he went to the mountains, he took one of the two wolves with him. They served their
master as hunting dogs, flushing out game from the bushes and retrieving it for Tametomo.
One day Shigesue advised Tametomo:``You were born in the pure
4 Literally"Mountain Man。" 5Literally"Field Wind."
90
1ine of the Genji, the descendants of Emperor Seiwa, qualified to be governor of a large province. However, since you were sent here you have preferred hunt1ng to military training. Iask you to remember the proverbs,`Good upbringing is more important than noble birth,'and`Evil communications corrupt good manners.," Smiling, Tametomo replied:``Your advice is well taken, but do not be fooled by my pretension. Even though I have been sent here, I am still ambitious. Sueto is a man of narrow mind. He envies anyone who is wiser than he. Iam living under his care. If I spend my days and months with his suspicion and do not use prudence, danger will arise within this house. My impatience would lead to calamity between
サ
Sueto and me. I always appear to be hunting in the mountains and pretend to do nothing but hunt all day long, so that he may relax his suspicions about me. See I have given all the game to Kiheiji, hoping to see him
prosper. This single fact alone may enable you to understand that I am not interested in earning a small income or pleasing myself by bunting." Greatly impressed by Tametomo's reply, Shigesue apologized:``Unaware of
your true intentions, I have been wrong to speak of trivialities."
That year passed and spring came once again. Tametomo became a man of sixteen. His stateliness caused Shigesue to feel sympathy for him. Had he been in the capital, he might be given a certain title in the ceremony of conferments. But, having been sent to such an out-of-the-way place, 1hi
s house was but six ken square and he was attended by only one retainer. Naturally his father tried to punish him, but no tidings from his home for
four years was a bit too cruel. Shigesue brooded over his master's fate and loathed the world. Tametomo was fortunate to have such a warm-hearted、
retainer.
Early one morning
when
Tametomo
took his bow
and arrows
and tried
THE BOW-SHAPE DMOON(YUMIHARIZUKI) 91 to go to Mount Yufu with one of the wolves, Yamao, Shigesue caught hold of his master's sleeve and said:``Last night I had a nightmare. Even now while I am wide awake, I feel uneasy..Ibeg you not to go hunting today." With great laughter, Tametomo replied:"The proverb goes,`Debility of the vital organs causes nightmares., An anxiety like you■s had best be
given to a woman. Dismiss your fears and take care of my home while Iam out!"Shigesue, however, would not retreat to silent obedience, and said:``A man in days of old said:`Attend to your affairs cautiously., if
you still dare to go, I pray you to take me along.,, Tametomo could no longer refuse, and so he allowed Shigesue to go with him. Pleased by Tametomo,s concession, Shigesue carried a torch to light their way.
Tametomo and Shigesue stopped at Kiheiji's home at the foot of Mount Yufu and tried to take him along. His wife, Yatsushiro, appeared, and 2
serving them hot water, sa三d:``Kiheiji left to go hunting early. But if you hurry, I believe you will overtake him halfway up the mountain." Hearing this, Tametorno and Shigesue hurried onward deep into the forests of the mountain, However, since it was still dark, they could not find Kiheiji. Tired from running all the way, they rested, sitting on the roots of a great camphor tree in wait for the dawn light, and were soon overcome
l)y drow-siness. When they began to doze, Yamao howled loudly and biting the hem of his master's hunting garment, pulled him. Abruptly awakened, they・looked around but saw nothing odd. They believed that they were fooled by Yamao, and soon fell back to sleep. But once again Yamao cried and seemed to glare straight at them as if trying to attack. Tametomo composed himself and said:``Now I can understand the saying,`Tigers and wolves can never be completely tamed,'You are trying to attack me while
z The custom of serving tea to visitors became popular in the late Kamakura period.
92
1・sleep without guard. If so,.you shall pay for it!"Then he held the hilt of his sword and・glared at Yamao. Shigesue,‡00, became alert and readied himself to.draw his sword. However, undaunted and still howling, Yamao sprang forward when Shigesue charged at him and cut off his head. The head flew up into the branches of the camphor tree. Then suddenly some-thing covered in blood fell from the branches with an earth rumbling sound. Aghast, Tametomo and Shigesue carefully looked around under・the star
light. What caught their eyes was a great serpent, as thick as the trunk of the camphor tree, and the head of Yamao with his jaws clamped tightly on the serpent's windpipe. It was incredibly long;half of its body sti'11 coiled around the tree。 Tametomo and Shigesue killed the serpent by stabbing it many times, but Tametomo was regretfully ashamed of what had happened to Yamao, saying:``Because this serpent tried to swallow me from above, Yamao warned・me by howling again and again and tugging at the hem of my garment. But I misunderstood him. Though Shigesue's sword cut off his head, he remained faithful and saved his master. I was entirely wrong." After weeping for a while, Shigesue'lamented:"lt was on account of this incident that I had a nightmare last night. Even a wolf knows how to repay his master's favor. Though dead, his head still attacked the enemy of his master. I am inferior to him in loyalty, despite many years of service to my master. My actions were unjust. What a shame!"With these words, Shigesue remained grievous, and so Tametomo tried to comfort him.,
The sky became tinged with the hue of dawn. Then suddenly dark clouds emerged over the mountain tops and the wind began to blow. It was the beginning of the third month, but lightning flashed and thunder
roared.
It seemed
that lightning
would
strike at any moment.
Gazing
up
at the rifts of clouds, Tametomo uttered:``I have heard an old story-any serpent, a few hundred years old, possesses a jewel within. Since a dragon
THE BOW-SHAPE DMOON(YUMIHARIZUKI) 93 in heaven knows of this, it descends to take the jewel, sending down lightn-ina first. This serpent must have a jewel within. Shigesue, cut it open and see if it is true!" At this command Shigesue was about to split the serpent from head to tail when the rain fell torrentially and the earth rumbled with.the sounds of thunder. Taking a few steps backward, Tametomo readied himself to shoot at a lightning bolt if it would fall upon him. Undaunted by the rain and the deafening thunder, Shigesue cut the serpent open to the tail, but found nothing like a jewel. Thinking that it must be in the head of the serpent, Shigesue continued to search peeling off the
layers of sk量n around the head and examining beneath the jaw. However, at the moment when he felt something between the jaw bones and tried
to pull it out, it suddenly grew dark all around and a small black cloud engulfed Shigesue with a sound that shook I)oth heaven and earth. Tametomo let his arrow fly. When his hand sensed that the arrow had struck home, the rain suddenly ceased and the sun rose over the eastern peaks. Worrying
about Shigesue, Tametomo rushed to him. But alas!Shigesue lay with his head broken. From his body that was torn apart a black smoke could be seen rising. Even so, his right hand held his sword and his left a jewel covered with blood. At the place where the thunder had perhaps ascended back to heaven stood the camphor tree that would take ten men to circle it with outstretched arms. It was, however, split in two as far as the roots
as if it had been struck by a great ax. Without even glancing at the tree, Tametomo lamented the violent end of Shigesue, and said to himself: ``Driven by youthful audacity
, I was careless in facing two dangers. First, Ihad Shigesue kill Yamao by mistake, and now I have lost Shigesue. He was my hereditary retainer. His life cannot compare with a jewel, however
precious it may be. Above all, during. these years of my adversity, he served me hand and foot with unswerving faith. Ishould have talked with him
94
more frankly so that I could have rewarded him with affection. Last night he must have forseen his own violent death in his dream. Though he was not particularly valiant, he held on to the jewel even after he was struck 3
to death by lightning. He is more loyal than Ling Hsiang-ju in Ching!" Thus reproaching himself, Tametomo gave way to bitter grief. But hoping to make Shigesue's last effort fruitful, he took the jewel in his hands, Upon his palm it shone like a bright moon. No other jewels in the world could compare with it.
Tametomo saw a man drenched to the skin walking along the path on the'slope across from him, and soon recognized him as Kiheiji. Kiheiji too caught sight of his master and hurried to him. When he saw Shigesue, Yamao, and the serpent lying dead, he was dumfounded. His shock did not subside even after he had heard about everything from Tametomo. Though in grief, Kiheiji dug the earth near the roots of the camphor tree and buried the bodies of Shigesue and Yamao. In response to Kiheiji's suggestion.to erect stone monuments on the burial ground, Tametomo effortlessly brought two great stones and placed them on top of the graves. After praying that Shigesue would be reborn in heaven, free from suffer-ings and blessed by the Buddha, Tametomo began to descend the mountain with Kiheij量.
As they walked homeward, they saw an old crane caught in a branch of a pine tree atop the cliff across the ravine. The crane was struggling hard to fly away, but unable to free herself from the branch, seemed to be writhing in agony. ``A string or something similar is attached to the leg of that crane,"Tametomo said,``and the string is caught by the end of the branch. That is why the crane cannot fly away," Nodding to his master.
3Aretainer of King I-lui-wen of Chao during the Warring State period(403-221B. C.)
