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The Tale of Genji

Murasaki Shikibu

  • 5th of 5th month: a riding contest at the Rokujō riding ground.

  • The Rokujō ladies become absorbed in tales. Genji discourses to Tamakazura on the value of tales.

  26

  • 6th month: Genji hears about Tō no Chūjō's acceptance of his Ōmi daughter.

  • Genji wonders what to do with Tamakazura, and To no Chūjō's wonders what to do with his Ōmi daughter.

  27

  • Early autumn: Genji and Tamakazura talk by the light of cressets.

  • Genji holds a concert with Yūgiri and Kashiwagi.

  28

  • 8th month: a typhoon. In the aftermath Yūgiri glimpses Murasaki and also sees Genji with Tamakazura.

  • Yūgiri visits Ōmiya, his grandmother. Tō no Chūjō calls on Ōmiya for the first time in ages.

  29

  • 12th month: the Emperor makes a progress to Ōharano.

  37

  • 1st of 2nd month: Genji calls on Ōmiya, who is ill. He meets Tō no Chūjō and finally tells him about Tamakazura.

  • 26th of 2nd month: Tamakazura's donning of the train, under the sponsorship of her father, Tō no Chūjō.

  30

  • 20th of 3rd month: Ōmiya dies.

  • 13th of 8th month: Tamakazura's mourning for Ōmiya, her grandmother, ends. It is decided that she will go to the palace in the 10th month or so.

  • Tamakazura is courted by Hotaru, Higekuro, and others,

  31

  • Circa 10th month: Higekuro marries Tamakazura.

  • Uproar in Higekuro's house. His wife (Murasaki's elder half sister) empties ashes over him. She returns to her father's residence.

  38

  • 1st month: the men's mumming. Tamakazura goes to the palace as Mis-tress of Staff. Higekuro takes her home.

  • 11th month: Tamakazura has a son.

  32

  39

  • Last day of 1st month: Genji asks various ladies to blend incense for his daughter's donning of the train.

  • 10th of 2nd month: Hotaru (His Highness of War) judges the incense. A concert follows.

  • Preparations for Genji's daughter's 4th-month entry into the palace. Yūgiri longs for Kumoi no Kari.

  33

  • 20th of 3rd month: the anniversary of Ōmiya's death. Tō no Chūjō speaks with Yūgiri.

  • 7th of 4th month: Tō no Chūjō invites Yūgiri to a wisteria blossom party and that evening gives him Kumoi no Kari.

  • 8th of 4th month: the rite of lustration of the Buddha.

  • Murasaki goes to the Divine Birth (Miare) at Kamo.

  • Murasaki attends the Kamo Festival.

  • After 20th of 4th month: Genji's daughter enters the palace. Murasaki accompanies her.

  • Three days later: Murasaki leaves the palace. The Akashi lady replaces her, and the two meet for the first time.

  • Preparations to celebrate Genji's fortieth year begin.

  • Autumn: Genji becomes Honorary Retired Emperor.

  • Tōno Chūjō becomes Chancellor. Yūgiri is appointed Counselor.

  • After 20th of 10th month: Emperor Reizei and Retired Emperor Suzaku visit Genji's Rokujō estate. Genji is at the summit of his glory.

  • Retired Emperor Suzaku falls ill after his visit to Rokujō.

  34

  • Near the end of the year Suzaku's Third Princess (Onna San no Miya, 13 or 14) has her donning of the train.

  • Three days later, Suzaku enters religion and entrusts Onna San no Miya to Genji.

  40

  • 23rd of 1st month: Tamakazura offers Genji spring shoots for his fortieth year.

  • 10th or so of 2nd month: Onna San no Miya moves to Rokujō. Genji has married her.

  • End of 2nd month: Suzaku moves to a mountain temple.

  • Genji and Oborozukiyo meet.

  • Summer: the Consort (Genji's daughter) is pregnant. She withdraws from the palace to Rokujō.

  • 10th month: Murasaki dedicates an image of Yakushi for Genji's fortieth year.

  • 23rd of 10th month: a banquet at Nijō.

  • After 20th of 12th month: Akikonomu has sutras read at the Seven Great Temples of Nara for Genji's fortieth year.

  • Emperor Reizei celebrates Genji's fortieth year. Yūgiri is appointed Right Commander.

  41

  • 1st month: a continuous Great Rite begins for the safe delivery of the Consort's child.

  • 10th or so of 3rd month: the Consort (Genji's daughter) gives birth to a son the future Heir Apparent.

  • The Akashi Novice sends the Akashi lady, his daughter, a letter and vanishes into the mountains.

  • 3rd month: a kickball party at Rokujō. Kashiwagi (25 or 26, Tō no Chūjō's eldest son) glimpses Onna San no Miya and desires her.

  35

  • End of 3rd month: an archery competition at Rokuiō

  42–45

  • Hotaru begins his affair with Makibashira. A four-year gap.

  46

  • Emperor Reizei abdicates after eighteen years. The Heir Apparent (Suzaku's son) becomes Emperor. The son of the Consort (Genji's daughter) becomes Heir Apparent. Tō no Chūjō resigns as Chancellor. Higekuro, the Left Commander, becomes Minister of the Right and Regent. Yūgiri becomes Grand Counselor and Left Commander

  • 20th of 10th month: Genji goes on a pilgrimage of thanks to Sumiyoshi with Murasaki the Consort and the Akashi lady and her mother.

  • Onna San no Miya is promoted in rank.

  47

  • Preparations to celebrate Retired Emperor Suzaku's fiftieth year.

  • 19th of 1st month: Genji's ladies play together in concert at Rokujō.

  • Murasaki becomes ill. Suzaku's jubilee event is postponed.

  • 3rd month: Genji moves Murasaki to Nijō.

  • Kashiwagi marries Ochiba Suzaku's Second Princess.

  • 10th or so of 4th month: Kashiwagi succeeds in meeting Onna San no Miya.

  • 6th month: Murasaki's condition improves a little. Genji permits her to receive the Buddhist precepts for laymen. Onna San no Miya is pregnant with Kashiwagi's child.

  • Oborozukiyo becomes a nun

  • The Consort (Genji's daughter) gives birth to Niou.

  • 10th or so of 12th month: the rehearsal for Suzaku's jubilee. Genji invites Kashiwagi. Kashiwagi then becomes ill.

  • 25th of 12th month: Suzaku's jubilee event is held.

  36

  48

  • Spring: Onna San no Miya gives birth to Kaoru, Kashiwagi's son.

  • Onna San no Miya becomes a nun.

  • Kashiwagi is promoted on his deathbed to Acting Grand Counselor. He then dies.

  • 3rd month: the celebrations for Kaoru's fiftieth day.

  • 4th month: Yūgiri visits Ochiba, Kashiwagi's widow.

  37

  49

  • Spring: Genji and Yūgiri observe the first anniversary of Kashiwagi's death.

  • Autumn: Yūgiri visits Ochiba and receives from her mother the flute that Kashiwagi had prized.

  • Yūgiri dreams of Kashiwagi.

  38

  50

  • Summer: Dedication of the sacred image for Onna San no Miya's private chapel. Genji personally copies out her sutras.

  • Autumn: Bell crickets are released in Onna San no Miya's Rokujō garden.

  • 15th of 8th month: a full-moon banquet.

  • Akikonomu holds a Rite of the Eight Discourses for her late mother, the Rokujō Haven.

  39

  • Ochiba's mother moves to Ono, in the hills, because she is ill.

  • Mid-8th month: Yūgiri visits Ono and declares his interest in Ochiba.

  • Ochiba's mother (the Ichijō Haven) dies.

  • Yūgiri brings Ochiba, who wants to become a nun, back to her Ichijō residence instead as his wife. Kumoi no Kari, his first wife, is jealous and returns to her father's home.

  40

  51

  • Murasaki, who remains wea
k after her major illness, wishes to become a nun. Genji will not allow it.

  • 10th of 3rd month: Murasaki, at Nijō, dedicates one thousand copies of the Lotus Sutra.

  • Summer: the Empress (Genji's daughter) visits Murasaki.

  • 14th of 8th month: Murasaki dies.

  • 15th of 8th month: Murasaki's funeral. Genji resolves to leave the world.

  41

  52

  • Spring: Genji remains in seclusion, mourning Murasaki.

  • 14th of 8th month: the first anniversary of Murasaki's death.

  • 12th month: Genji prepares to take religious vows.

  An eight-year gap. Genji seems to have spent two or three years in seclusion in his Saga temple before his death. Retired Emperor Suzaku, Hotaru, Tō no Chūjō, and Higekuro die.

  Kaoru

  42

  14

  • 2nd month: Kaoru comes of age. He is appointed Adviser and awarded the fourth rank.

  44

  • Autumn: Kaoru is appointed Right Captain.

  15

  • 1st of 1st month: Yūgiri (41) and his children visit Tamakazura (48).

  • The same evening: Kaoru visits Tamakazura.

  • After 20th of 1st month: Kaoru visits Tamakazura's third son. A red plum blossom party ensues.

  • 3rd month: Tamakazura's daughters play Go together, secretly watched by the Chamberlain Lieutenant (Yūgiri's sixth son).

  • 9th of 4th month: Tamakazura's elder daughter marries Retired Emperor Reizei. The Chamberlain Lieutenant laments his fortunes in love.

  • 7th month: Tamakazura's elder daughter becomes pregnant.

  16

  • 14th of 1st month: the men's mumming and a concert in the presence of Retired Emperor Reizei.

  • 4th month: Tamakazura's elder daughter gives birth to a girl.

  • Tamakazura's second daughter goes into palace service.

  42

  • Niou and Kaoru, often rivals, are presented as a pair.

  19

  • Kaoru is promoted to the third rank and Consultant Captain.

  20

  • 1st month: Yūgiri holds a banquet at Rokujō.

  —

  21

  ———

  45

  22

  • Late autumn: Hachi no Miya (the Eighth Prince), who lives at Uji, goes on religious retreat. Kaoru visits his residence during his absence and glimpses Hachi no Miya's two daughters, Ōigimi (24) and Naka no Kimi (22).

  • That night Kaoru hears from Ben, an old gentlewoman in Hachi no Miya's service, hints concerning his own birth.

  • Back in the City, Kaoru tells Niou (23) about Uji.

  • 5th or 6th of 10th month: Kaoru goes to Uji and plays music with Hachi no Mia. He then hears from Ben the full story of his birth.

  46

  23

  • After 20th of 2nd month: Niou goes to Hasedera and visits Uji on his way back.

  • Kaoru visits Hachi no Miya.

  • Niou sends repeated letters to Uji. Naka no Kimi responds.

  • Autumn: Kaoru is promoted to Counselor; Yūgiri, to Minister of the Left (a possible symptom of a textual problem); Kōbai, to Minister of the Right and Left Commander; and the Chamberlain Lieutentant, to Consultant Captain.

  • Mid-autumn: Hachi no Miya goes on retreat.

  • After 20th of 8th month: Hachi no Miya dies.

  • Winter: Niou writes frequently to Uji.

  • End of the year: Kaoru visits Uji and confesses his feelings to Ōigimi.

  43

  24

  • Spring: Kōbai's elder daughter goes to the Heir Apparent.

  46

  • Onna San no Miya's Sanjō residence burns down and she moves to Rokujō.

  49

  • Summer: death of the mother of the reigning Emperor's Second Princess, whose donning of the train is postponed.

  • The Emperor moves to have Kaoru marry his Second Princess.

  47

  • Autumn: first anniversary of Hachi no Miya's death. Kaoru again presses Ōigimi, but she rebuffs him.

  • 28th of 8th month: Kaoru accompanies Niou to Uji. Kaoru gets nowhere with Ōigimi, Meanwhile Niou makes love to Naka no Kimi

  • Circa 10th of 9th month: Niou and Kaoru go to Uji. Ōigimi again rebuffs Kaoru.

  • 1st of 10th month: Niou and Kaoru go autumn-leaf viewing in Uji. Niou is unable to meet Naka no Kimi.

  • Negotiations begin to bring about the marriage of Niou to Roku no Kimi (Yūgiri's Sixth Daughter). The Empress reproves Niou's wanton ways. Niou moves to the palace

  • Ōigimi, at Uji, falls ill. Kaoru visits her.

  • 11th month: The Uji sisters lament Niou's neglect.

  • Kaoru again visits Ōigimi. Her condition becomes grave, and he remains at Uji.

  • Ōigimi dies. The funeral. Kaoru remains at Uji to absorb himself in Buddhist rites.

  • 12th month: Niou visits Uji. He prepares to bring Naka no Kimi to Nijō.

  48

  25

  • 7th of 2nd month: Naka no Kimi moves to Niou's residence at Nijō.

  • After 20th of 2nd month: Roku no Kimi has her donning of the train

  . Kaoru moves to the rebuilt Sanjō residence of his mother.

  49

  • 5th month: Naka no Kimi is pregnant.

  •16th of 8th month: Niou marries Roku no Kimi at Rokujō.

  • Naka no Kimi begs Kaoru to take her back to Uji. Niou suspects them of being involved with each other.

  • Kaoru visits Naka no Kimi. Naka no Kimi first mentions her half sister, Ukifune.

  -

  -

  • After 20th of 9th month: Kaoru goes to Uji and decides to turn Hachi no Miya's residence there into a temple. He asks Ben about Ukifune.

  • Kaoru sends Naka no Kimi red leaves from Uji. Niou is increasingly suspicious.

  26

  • 1st of 2nd month: Kaoru becomes Acting Grand Counselor and Right Commander, Naka no Kimi gives Niou a son.

  • After 20th of 2nd month: the Second Princess's donning of the train. She is married to Kaoru the next day.

  • Last day of 3rd month: The Second Princess gives a wisteria party at the Fujitsubo. That night she moves to Kaoru's Sanjō residence.

  • After 20th of 4th month: Kaoru goes to Uji to inspect the new temple. Ukifune arrives at Uji on her way back from a pilgrimage to Hasedera, and Kaoru spies on her.

  50

  • A plan to marry Ukifune to a certain Lieutenant breaks down.

  • Ukifune's mother asks Naka no Kimi to protect Ukifune. Naka no

  Kimi commends Ukifune to Kaoru. Niou discovers Ukifune and begins pursuing her.

  • Autumn: the new temple at Uji is finished. Kaoru goes there and asks Ben to mediate between him and Ukifune.

  • 13th of 9th month: Kaoru moves Ukifune to Uji.

  51

  27

  • Late 1st month: Niou pursues Ukifune to Uji and sleeps with her under the pretense of being Kaoru.

  • Kaoru prepares to bring Ukifune to the City in the 4th month.

  • Circa 10th of 2nd month: a Chinese-poetry gathering at the palace. The next day Niou goes to Uji and spends two days with Ukifune in a house on the other side of the river. He plans to take her to the City before Kaoru can do so. Kaoru discovers the affair between the two and posts guards at Uji. Caught between Kaoru and Niou, Ukifune decides to drown herself in the Uji River.

  • Niou goes to Uji but is prevented by Kaoru's guards from meeting Ukifune.

  52

  • Ukifune has disappeared. A funeral is held without a body.

  53

  • The Prelate of Yokawa, who is visiting Uji, finds a young woman (Ukifune) lying under a tree. He takes her back to his mother's house at Ono, below Mount Hiei.

  52

  • Kaoru and Niou learn of Ukifune's suicide and mourn her.

  • Kaoru conducts forty-ninth-day memorial services for Ukifune.
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  • The Empress holds a Rite of the Eight Discourses at Rokujō.

  53

  • 4th or 5th month: Ukifune is exorcised and recovers her senses.

  • Autumn: a Captain, once married to the daughter of the Prelate's sister (now a nun), visits Ono and glimpses Ukifune. He pursues her, but she avoids him.