Tsutsumi Chūnagon Monogatari

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Tsutsumi Chūnagon Monogatari (堤中納言物語, Tsutsumi Chūnagon Monogatari^? "Tales of the Riverside Middle Counselor") is a post late-Heian period Japanese collection of short stories.

Contents 1 Authorship 2 Contents 3 Manuscripts 4 External links 5 References

[edit] Authorship

With the exception of one story, the authorship is unknown. It is likely each story was written by different authors at various times and later collected together into a single text.

Ōsaka Koenu Gonchūnagon is known to have been composed in 1055 by Lady Koshikibu. This is confirmed in volume 8 of Rokujō Saiin Utaawase (六条斎院歌合, Rokujō Saiin Utaawase^?) which includes one of the poems from this story.

In addition, poems from Hanazakura Oru Shōshō, Hodohodo no Kesō, Kaiawase, and Haizumi are included in the 1271 Fūyō Wakashū (風葉和歌集, Fūyō Wakashū^?) indicating an upper bound for these stories.

Tradition states that Fujiwara no Tameuji (1222-1286) and Fujiwara no Tamesuke (1263-1328) created copies of the manuscripts also indicating completion of the text by the 13th century.

[edit] Contents

The meaning of the title is unknown. There are two main theories:

• A reflection of the various stories (monogatari) bound (tsutsumi) together into a single collection.
• An appellation to Fujiwara no Kanesuke who was known as the Riverside Middle Counselor due to his residence near the Kamo River.

The text contains ten short stories:

• Hanazakura Oru Shōshō (花桜折る少将, Hanazakura Oru Shōshō^?)
• Kono Tsuide (このつゐで, Kono Tsuide^?)
• Mushi Mezuru Himegimi (虫めづる姫君, Mushi Mezuru Himegimi^?)
• Hodohodo no Kesō (ほどほどの懸想, Hodohodo no Kesō^?)
• Ōsaka Koenu Gonchūnagon (逢坂越えぬ権中納言, Ōsaka Koenu Gonchūnagon^?)
• Kaiawase (貝あはせ, Kaiawase^?)
• Omowanu Kata ni Tomari suru Shōshō (思はぬ方にとまりする少将, Omowanu Kata ni Tomari suru Shōshō^?)
• Hanada no Nyōgo (はなだの女御, Hanada no Nyōgo^?)
• Haizumi (はいずみ, Haizumi^?)
• Yoshinashigoto (よしなしごと, Yoshinashigoto^?)

There is also an incomplete fragment at the end. It is untitled, but variously known by its first few words as Fuyugomoru (冬ごもる, Fuyugomoru^?).

[edit] Manuscripts

There are approximately 60 existing manuscripts, but the original no longer exists. Each manuscript has difficult to read passages and the text as a whole needs to be supplemented by comparison with other manuscripts.

[edit] External links

• Kyōto University manuscript

[edit] References

• Kubota, Jun (2007). Iwanami Nihon Koten Bungaku Jiten (in Japanese). Iwanami Shoten. ISBN 978-4-00-080310-6. 
• Matsuo, Satoshi; Naohiko Teramoto (1957). Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei: Ochikubo Monogatari, Tsutsumi Chūnagon Monogatari (in Japanese). Iwanami Shoten. ISBN 4-00-060013-3. 
• Nihon Koten Bungaku Daijiten Henshū Iinkai (1986). Nihon Koten Bungaku Daijiten (in Japanese). Iwanami Shoten. ISBN 4-00-080067-1. 
• Ōtsuki, Osamu; Gen'e Imai, Sumiaki Morishita, Masao Karashima (1992). Shin Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei: Tsutsumi Chūnagon Monogatari, Torikaebaya Monogatari (in Japanese). Iwanami Shoten. ISBN 4-00-240026-3.