is a fictional character in ''
The Tale of Genji
is a classic work of Japanese literature written by the noblewoman, poet, and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu around the peak of the Heian period, in the early 11th century. It is one of history's first novels, the first by a woman to have wo ...
'' (''Genji Monogatari''). She is a mistress of the novel's protagonist,
Hikaru Genji, with whom she becomes infatuated and jealous of his other lovers. Her jealousy subconsciously causes her ''
ikiryō
, also known as , , or , is a disembodied spirit or ghost in Japanese popular belief and fiction that leaves the body of a living person and subsequently haunts other people or places, sometimes across great distances. The term(s) are used in c ...
'' (wandering spirit) to become a Shiryo (also known as a ''
Yūrei
are figures in Japanese folklore analogous to the Western concept of ghosts. The name consists of two kanji, (''yū''), meaning "faint" or "dim" and (''rei''), meaning "soul" or "spirit". Alternative names include , meaning ruined or departed ...
'') that attacks and murders multiple other mistresses and wives of
Genji.
Lady Rokujō is a relatively minor character in the novel. She appears in chapters Kiritsubo, Hana no En, Sakaki, Miotsukushi and Wakana. Outside of these chapters, Lady Rokujō has little mention or influence on the novel.
Lady Rokujō is also the protagonist of two
Nōh dramas. In ''Nonomiya'' ("The Shrine in the Fields")'','' Lady Rokujō pretends to be a village woman who tells a traveling monk of Lady Rokujō's story. In ''
Aoi no Ue
is a fictional character in '' The Tale of Genji'' (''Genji Monogatari''). Daughter of the Minister of the Left (Tō no Chūjō's sister) and Genji's first principal wife, she marries Genji when she is sixteen and he is only twelve. Proud and dis ...
'' ("Lady Aoi"), Lady Rokujō possesses
Genji's wife,
Lady Aoi, out of jealousy, causing
Lady Aoi to fall ill. ''
Aoi no Ue
is a fictional character in '' The Tale of Genji'' (''Genji Monogatari''). Daughter of the Minister of the Left (Tō no Chūjō's sister) and Genji's first principal wife, she marries Genji when she is sixteen and he is only twelve. Proud and dis ...
'' was later adapted into a modern stage play by
Yukio Mishima
Kimitake Hiraoka ( , ''Hiraoka Kimitake''; 14 January 192525 November 1970), known by his pen name Yukio Mishima ( , ''Mishima Yukio''), was a Japanese author, poet, playwright, actor, model, Shintoist, Ultranationalism (Japan), ultranationalis ...
in ''
The Lady Aoi''.
Origins
Lady Rokujō is based on the role of Japanese noblewomen consorts in the 12th century.
Her character is named after her residence on Sixth Street (''Rokujō'') of the capital city
Heian-kyō
Heian-kyō was one of several former names for the city now known as Kyoto. It was the official capital of Japan for over one thousand years, from 794 to 1868 with an interruption in 1180.
Emperor Kanmu established it as the capital in 794, mo ...
, Kyogoku. She is also referred to as Rokujō no Miyasundokoro depending on translations. Her name is an
alias as the novel was written during the
Heian
The Japanese word Heian (平安, lit. "peace") may refer to:
* Heian period, an era of Japanese history
* Heian-kyō, the Heian-period capital of Japan that has become the present-day city of Kyoto
* Heian series, a group of karate kata (forms)
* ...
era during which it was considered socially unacceptable to mention individuals by given name.
Background
Lady Rokujō is the daughter of a high ranking Minister of the Left. Before the events of ''
The Tale of Genji
is a classic work of Japanese literature written by the noblewoman, poet, and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu around the peak of the Heian period, in the early 11th century. It is one of history's first novels, the first by a woman to have wo ...
,'' Lady Rokujō was the consort to the crown prince. Lady Rokujō had a daughter with the crown prince at 16, whom they named Akikonomu. At 20 years old, the crown prince died. Akikonomu became a consort of Emperor Reizei.
Role in ''The Tale of Genji''
Lady Rokujō is first mentioned in the novel in the chapter Kiritsubo. A teenage
Genji begins his affair with the older Lady Rokujō, who at the time was also a consort of Emperor Reizei.
Genji loses interest in Lady Rokujō and delays the intervals between their meetings. This upsets Lady Rokujō who wishes to be his only lover.
Lady Rokujō next appears in the chapter Hana no En. Lady Rokujō visits the Kamo Matsuri Festival. Lady Rokujō is humiliated when her Gissha is rudely pushed aside by
Lady Aoi’s manservants and
Genji ignores her.
Lady Rokujō notices
Lady Aoi is pregnant with
Genji's child and becomes jealous. Her spirit rushes out of her body as a wrathful Shiryo and possesses
Lady Aoi.
Lady Aoi becomes extremely ill, and rumors spread that a jealous lover of
Genji must be possessing
Lady Aoi. Lady Rokujō denies rumors that it is her spirit torturing
Genji’s mistress. Lady Rokujō has a dream about an aggressive encounter with a rival woman, and wakes to find she smells of poppy seeds. Lady Rokujō realizes she is the Shiryo possessing
Lady Aoi. Lady Rokujō is distraught at the revelation. Her negative feelings strengthen the Shiryo, and
Lady Aoi dies as a result.
In the following chapter Sakaki, Lady Rokujō is frightened by her jealous Shiryo. She leaves to the
Ise Province with her daughter Akikonomu to purify and contain her spirit.
Genji visits her briefly.
Lady Rokujō next appears at the end of the chapter Miotsukushi. Lady Rokujō and Akikonomu return to the capital. Lady Rokujō dies soon after from illness, and entrusts Akikonomu and her estate to
Genji. In her will, Lady Rokujō asks
Genji not to begin a sexual relationship with Akikonomu, so he appoints her as a court lady of the new Emperor.
In chapter Wakana,
Genji describes his affair with Lady Rokujō to Lady
Murasaki
''Murasaki'' is the Japanese word for:
* ''Lithospermum erythrorhizon'' (ムラサキ), commonly called purple gromwell
* the colour purple (紫)
It may also refer to:
People
* Murasaki Shikibu, author of ''The Tale of Genji''
** Murasaki n ...
.
Genji states how he found Lady Rokujō difficult to be with. Unknown to
Genji, Lady Rokujō's spirit is bound to him through her jealousy and overhears the conversation. Lady Rokujō's spirit is so humiliated she possesses Lady Murasaki. Lady Murasaki falls ill.
Genji asks a buddhist clergy,
Shintō
, also called Shintoism, is a religion originating in Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, it is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes ...
deities (also known as
Kami
are the Deity, deities, Divinity, divinities, Spirit (supernatural entity), spirits, mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in the traditional Shinto religion of Japan. ''Kami'' can be elements of the landscape, forc ...
) of the native lands, and foreign Buddhas for help to perform an exorcism, but they are unsuccessful. After several weeks, Lady Rokujō's possession causes Lady Murasaki to stop breathing.
Genji and others pray, causing Lady Rokujō's spirit to jump out of Lady Murasaki's body into the medium body of a little girl.
Lady Rokujō speaks to
Genji through the medium. She admits she wants
Genji to suffer because of her unrequited feelings and jealousy. Lady Rokujō states now that she has died she wishes
Genji would forgive her wrongdoings and defend her name.
Genji apologizes, and Lady Murasaki begins breathing again. Lady Rokujō's spirit disappears.
Lady Rokujō's is only referenced directly once following these chapters. In chapter Suzumushi, Empress Akikonomu expresses her wish to become a priestess to console Lady Rokujō's spirit. Empress Akikonomu states she can feel Lady Rokujō's spirit is still in agony.
Genji persuades her not to.
Role in ''Aoi no Ue''
''
Aoi no Ue
is a fictional character in '' The Tale of Genji'' (''Genji Monogatari''). Daughter of the Minister of the Left (Tō no Chūjō's sister) and Genji's first principal wife, she marries Genji when she is sixteen and he is only twelve. Proud and dis ...
'' is set during Lady Rokujō's possession of
Lady Aoi after the Kamo Matsuri Festival.
Lady Aoi’s family invite Priestess Teruhi to summon the spirit possessing
Lady Aoi and find out its name through
Azusa yumi. Priestess Teruhi's prayers trap the spirit and it appears as Lady Rokujō.
Lady Rokujō states her distress at being mistreated by
Lady Aoi's manservants at the Kamo Matsuri Festival and being ignored by
Genji. Lady Rokujō's Shiryo looks at
Lady Aoi and is enraged by jealousy. Lady Rokujō's spirit attacks
Lady Aoi to beat her soul out of her body.
Lady Aoi’s family invite Priest Yokawa-no-hijiri to help, who uses a sacred invocation that turns Lady Rokujō's jealousy into a female ogre. The ogre beats
Lady Aoi and the Priest Yokawa-no-hijiri.
The priest,
Lady Aoi and her family overwhelm and pacify Lady Rokujō's spirit. Lady Rokujō's spirit becomes peaceful. It is insinuated her spirit may now transform into a Buddha.
Role in ''Nonomiya''
Lady Rokujō, disguised as an elegant village woman, finds a monk praying at a
Shintō
, also called Shintoism, is a religion originating in Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, it is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes ...
shrine in Nonomiya Sagano, Kyoto, and asks him to leave. She tells him she visits the shrine every year on this day to remember the past and offer a ritual. Lady Rokujō tells the monk her life story as portrayed in ''
The Tale of Genji
is a classic work of Japanese literature written by the noblewoman, poet, and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu around the peak of the Heian period, in the early 11th century. It is one of history's first novels, the first by a woman to have wo ...
''.
Lady Rokujō says
Genji once visited her at this shrine on this day several years ago. Lady Rokujō states she has since dedicated herself to purifying the shrine with her daughter, Akikonomo. Lady Rokujō then reveals she is Lady Rokujō and disappears.
The monk hears more about Lady Rokujō's story from another villager and prays to her spirit at the shrine. Lady Rokujō's spirit appears in a
Gissha. Lady Rokujō tells the monk how
Lady Aoi’s manservants humiliated her at the Kamo Matsuki Festival. She asks the monk to pray to save her spirit as she is trapped by her jealousy over
Genji.
Lady Rokujō recalls her memory of parting from
Genji at the Nonomiya Shrine after he had briefly visited her. Lady Rokujō is overcome with emotions and dances around the shrine before climbing into the Gissha and disappearing.
Performance history in Nōh dramas
Lady Rokujō's character is described in ''
The Tale of Genji
is a classic work of Japanese literature written by the noblewoman, poet, and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu around the peak of the Heian period, in the early 11th century. It is one of history's first novels, the first by a woman to have wo ...
'' as an older woman of high-standing nobility. She is the daughter of a high ranking Minister of the Left, and was the consort to the crown prince and the Emperor. Due to her status, actors playing Lady Rokujō's character have historically expressed dignity and grace through their movements. Lady Rokujō's character is also historically meant to be dressed in luxurious fabrics and gowns to depict her wealth and status. These wardrobe choices are meant to juxtapose the humiliating actions of
Lady Aoi's manservants and
Genji in ''
Aoi no Ue
is a fictional character in '' The Tale of Genji'' (''Genji Monogatari''). Daughter of the Minister of the Left (Tō no Chūjō's sister) and Genji's first principal wife, she marries Genji when she is sixteen and he is only twelve. Proud and dis ...
'', as Lady Rokujō enters the stage in the first half of the drama in on her broken Gissha.
Lady Rokujō is also an extremely emotional and jealous character throughout ''
The Tale of Genji
is a classic work of Japanese literature written by the noblewoman, poet, and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu around the peak of the Heian period, in the early 11th century. It is one of history's first novels, the first by a woman to have wo ...
'' and both of the Nōh dramas. Due to this, Lady Rokujō actors have historically been instructed to depict her as constantly wistful and painfully sad over what will never be. In ''Nonomiya'', Lady Rokujō actors are directed to dance sadly to the point of tears to express Lady Rokujō's extreme feelings for
Genji.
Translation disagreements
Due to different historical and modern translation techniques, some translations of ''
The Tale of Genji
is a classic work of Japanese literature written by the noblewoman, poet, and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu around the peak of the Heian period, in the early 11th century. It is one of history's first novels, the first by a woman to have wo ...
'' suggest Lady Rokujō was so jealous of
Genji's sexual relationship with Yugao in chapter Yugao that she possessed and killed Yugao in her sleep. However, other translations suggest Yugao died due to another spirit that was not Lady Rokujō. Due to the original manuscript no longer existing, these translation issues remain unresolved.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rokujo
The Tale of Genji
Female characters in literature
Fictional characters from Kyoto