Tales of the Heike

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Tales of the Heike

• CNE/ENG 120
• 10/29/04

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Tales of the Heike

• AuthorA. Kakuichi
• Culture Japanese
• Time 14th c. CE
• Genre prose epic
• Names/terms to know Heike, Genji, Kiyomori,
  Kiro, Atsumori, samurai.
• Themes samurai code, impermanence of life (mujo).

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Important Elements

• Like Greek and Roman epic, this Japanese epic
  helped to create a warrior ideal the samurai
  code of death before dishonor.
• The epics strong depiction of the impermanence
  of life is very important in the Japanese view, a
  concept imported from Buddhism. Change is a major
  theme of the work. We are but dust before the
  wind.

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Historical Background

• The epic recreates events of the late 12th c.
  (late 1100s) which brought vast change to
  Japanese political life. As we discussed last
  class, at this time the aristocracy was eclipsed
  (became culturally less important) and military
  clans rose to power.
• In 1156 civil war ignited (the Genpei War) in a
  dispute over royal succession.

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Heike vs. Genji, Part I

• The winner in the royal succession war got help
  from two warrior clans, the Genji (Minamoto) and
  the Heike (Taira), who then turned against one
  another. The Heike won this first war, remaining
  in the captial for 20 years living it up while
  the Genji withdrew to the eastern provinces and
  planned their revenge.

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Heike vs. Genji, Part II

• Renewed fighting between the clans began in 1180
  and last five years. In the end, the Heike were
  annihilated while the Genji established a 200
  year military dictatorship.
• In the Tales of the Heike, the decline of the
  Heike is implicitly linked with their loss of
  military discipline and moral righteousness,
  brought upon by decadent living in the capital.

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Narrative Structures

• It begins, like epic poetry, with a statement of
  the works theme.
• 3 narrative units
• Brief heydey of the Heike.
• Fall of the Heike
• The Genji prevail.

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Chapter Themes

• Chapters 1-6 The history and character of
  Kiyomori, head of the Heike clan and the reason
  for its downfall (the sins of the fathers . . .)
• Chapters 7-12 Focus on different samurai from
  both clans, the 3 important Genji leaders
  (Yoritomo, Yoshinaka, and Yoshitsune) and the
  defeats of Kiyomoris sons.

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What You Havent Read

• In the course of the Heike heydey, Kiyomori
  undermines the goodwill of the emperor and the
  entire capital, which his father had cultivated
  as the keystone of Heike dominion. Finally, his
  own sons grow repulsed by his behavior.
• The virtuous son, Shigemori, confronts Kiyomoi,
  urging restraint.

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Shigemoris Quest

• Shigemori makes a pilgrimage to pray for a
  solution to what is happening. He calls on
  Buddhist deities, asking for
• relief for his family from his fathers sins, or
• Death deliverance from the wheel of suffering
  beyond.
• In a few days, he dies. The gods show their
  displeasure with the Heike through the death of
  Shigemori, a series of natural disasters and
  other portents.

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Political Repercussions

• The retired emperor doesnt support the Heike.
• Former allies go over to the house of Genji.
• Buddhist temples unite their armies against
  Kiyomori.
• Yoritomo, head of the Genji, cuts a deal with the
  retired emperor, who pardons his past offenses.
  War begins, rages a year before the death of
  Kiyomori.

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Samurai

• Warriors, hereditary retainers (they serve as
  their fathers did before them).
• Must fight for the Heike now in return for what
  the Heike had done for them in the past. must
  honor obligations
• Death/suicide before dishonor.

13
The Bells of Gion Monastery

• This opening section sets up the theme of the
  work, the impermanence of life and the need for
  morality.
• As flowers bloom and die, so the proud flourish
  then vanish like a spring nights dream.
• Introduces Kiyomori.

14
Gio

• Characterizes Kiyomori for us.
• The tale of Gio and her relatives and friends
  personalizes the consequences of Kiyomoris
  immoral behavior. Reflects the Buddhist idea of
  karmic causality (evil actions are appropriately
  punished, good ones, rewarded).
• The virtuous gain reward in the afterlife, having
  suffered under Kiyomori but having chosen the
  moral path.

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Death of Kiyomori

• Describe Kiyomoris character.
• How does Kiyomori treat people?
• How does he die? What do you think his affliction
  means?

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The Flight From Fukuhara (Ch. 7, you didnt read
this)

• They spent a night at the old Fukuhara capital.
  It was late in the first autumn month . . . As
  the lonely, quiet night deepened, dew and tears
  mingled on the travelers grass pillows, and
  every aspect of the surroundings became a source
  of misery. Feeling that they might never return,
  they gazed at the buildings Kiyomori had erected.

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• Everything had fallen into decay within the space
  of 3 years - the Hill Palace for spring
  blossom-viewing, the Beach Palace for autumn
  moon-viewing, the Bubbling Spring Hall, the Pine
  Shade Hall . . . the two-storied Viewing-stand
  Hall, the Snow-viewing Palace, the Reed-Thatched
  Palace, the noble residences, the roof tiles
  shaped like Mandarin ducks, the fine stone
  pavements. Thick moss covered the roads autumn
  grasses obstructed the gates. Ferns sprouted from
  the roof tiles ivy overran fences. . .

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• Only the pine wind visited the sagging, mossy
  halls only the moonlight entered the exposed
  bedchambers with their tattered blinds.

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Death of Lord Kiso (a Genji)

• This episode expresses warrior values devotion,
  concern for family name, acceptance of death at
  any moment, courage.
• Focuses on the relationship between master and
  retainer.
• Bonus the woman warrior Tomoe!
• Lord Kiso fails in his quest for a noble death
  (he allows himself to be killed by an unknown
  warrior) his retainer, Kanehira, succeeds. When
  his master dies, he immediately kills himself.

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Death of Atsumori

• Conflict betweet the warrior and Buddhist
  spirits the warrior must kill without
  hesitation the Buddhist abhors killing, focuses
  on the next world.
• Kumagae, who once served the Heike but who
  switched over to the Genji, captures Atsumori but
  hesitates to kill him (reminds him of his own
  son).
• Regret for the sin of killing leads Kumagae to
  renounce the warrior path.

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The Dying Aristocracy

• The fall of the Heike is represented in the work
  as the fall of aristocratic society - they are
  the last of them. This lends poignancy to the
  tale. The Genji represent a new class of warrior.
• Atsumori reflects a courtly ideal that is dying
  blackened teeth, beautiful face, the ability to
  play the flute.
• In his regret, Kumagae takes the flute with him.

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The Drowning of the Emperor

• Exemplifies the samurai code.
• In the capital, the heads of slain Heike are
  paraded around like those of common criminals.
  The Heike flee, Yoshitsune the Genji pursues them
  to the sea.
• In the Inland Sea, the Heike are trapped by
  tides. Antoku, the young emperor and his
  grandmother commit suicide by drowning.
• His moral behavior in a past life won him his
  crown but what this great good was fleeting (he
  only enjoyed it for 8 years!).

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6 Paths of Existence the Death of the Imperial
Lady

• The death of Kiyomori stands in contrast to the
  death of his daughter Kenreimonin. He dies a
  fiery, tortured death goes to hell for his
  sins she dies peacefully is rewarded for her
  devotion to Buddhist law by being reborn in the
  Pure Land.

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Tales of the Heikes Influence

• Inspired noh plays, was constantly performed by
  minstrels
• Also impacted science, as well see in this clip
  from Carl Sagans Cosmos series.
• For Monday, excerpts from 1,001 Nights.