The Tale of Genji

This lavish panel screen from 17th century features multiple chapters of The Tales of Genji. The boats decorated with dragon and phoenix heads on the bottom left part are signatures of chapter 24, Kocho (Butterflies), where Genji gathered people to celebrate the beauty of spring. Genji appears in several scenes on this screen. On the bottom right side, he could be seen with a kin (traditional music instrument with seven strings) by his side, and accompanied with Tamakazura, the daughter of Yugao. This refer to chapter 27, Kagaribi (Flares), which describes Genji’s deep affection towards Tamakazura. Genji also appears in the middle section, where he shares the enjoyment of the summer with his son Yugiri in the fishing pavilion at Rokujo, drinking iced bottles of sake. The scenes on the top suggest stories from chapter 28, Nowaki (The Typhoon). In this chapter, Genji sends Yugiri to check on Umetsubo Empress after a terrifying autumn typhoon strike. He arrives when the page girls, in their dark violet and crimson dresses, are in the garden collecting dews for bell cricket in cages. He stands outside of the empress’s living room, where the maids rest under the morning sunlight.