Tales of Moonlight and Rain
Encyclopedia
is a collection of nine independent stories, written by Ueda Akinari
, first published in 1776, adapted from Chinese ghost stories
. It is considered to be among the most important works of Japanese fiction of the 18th century, the middle of the Edo period
. Edo literary achievements are normally associated with the fiction of Ihara Saikaku
and drama of Chikamatsu Monzaemon
in the Genroku period and the popular literature of Takizawa Bakin in the later Bunka Bunsei period. Tales of Moonlight and Rain, then, occupies an important yet often overlooked position between these two moments in Edo
literary history.
, from the works Jiandeng xinhua (剪灯新話) and Sanyan (三言). In his reinterpretation of these stories, Ueda recast them as historical tales set in Japan, weaving together elements of the source tales with a rich array of references to historical events, personages, and literary works, both Japanese and Chinese. In his use of Chinese compounds glossed with Japanese phonetic readings, Ueda frequently incorporates double meanings and word play into his text. Ueda’s penchant for allusion is evident in the Chinese preface, which is also noteworthy for its presentation of the author’s view of fiction as means of expressing truth.
Although each story revolves around a supernatural event, Ueda does not stray too far from the affairs of this world. Like other members of the kokugaku (nativisit) movement Ueda relied on fiction as a tool to reinvigorate Japan’s past, by bringing to life the aesthetics of antiquity in the present. At the same time, he presents in Tales of Moonlight and Rain some of the moral views of the kokugaku school. To do so, he employs supernatural elements, such as ghosts who revisit the living to make known the effects they have suffered from the unethical behavior of others. For example, in the story “Asaji ga yado” (“The House Amid the Reeds”), upon which Kenji Mizoguchi
’s 1953 film Ugetsu
is partially based, a husband who has abandoned his faithful wife returns home only to unknowingly meet her ghost, an experience which leads him to a heartbreaking realization of the effects of his infidelity. However, as Dennis Washburn argues, through his highly literate style and developed narrative technique, Ueda avoids overly emphasizing the moral aspect, and the tales are first and foremost a literary exploration of human emotion.
and Bakin modeled their works on its content and style. Although interest declined for a time in the Meiji period, many twentieth century writers, including Junichiro Tanizaki
and Ryūnosuke Akutagawa
, read and were influenced by his work.
Ueda Akinari
Ueda Akinari or Ueda Shūsei was a Japanese author, scholar and waka poet, and a prominent literary figure in 18th century Japan...
, first published in 1776, adapted from Chinese ghost stories
Chinese folklore
Chinese folklore includes songs, dances, puppetry, and tales. It often tells stories of human nature, historical or legendary events, love, and the supernatural, or stories explaining natural phenomena and distinctive landmarks.-Folktales:...
. It is considered to be among the most important works of Japanese fiction of the 18th century, the middle of the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
. Edo literary achievements are normally associated with the fiction of Ihara Saikaku
Ihara Saikaku
was a Japanese poet and creator of the "floating world" genre of Japanese prose .-Biography:Born the son of the wealthy merchant Hirayama Tōgo in Osaka, he first studied haikai poetry under Matsunaga Teitoku, and later studied under Nishiyama Sōin of the Danrin School of poetry, which emphasized...
and drama of Chikamatsu Monzaemon
Chikamatsu Monzaemon
Chikamatsu Monzaemon was a Japanese dramatist of jōruri, the form of puppet theater that later came to be known as bunraku, and the live-actor drama, kabuki...
in the Genroku period and the popular literature of Takizawa Bakin in the later Bunka Bunsei period. Tales of Moonlight and Rain, then, occupies an important yet often overlooked position between these two moments in Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
literary history.
Content and style
The nine stories are based on supernatural tales of the Ming dynastyMing Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
, from the works Jiandeng xinhua (剪灯新話) and Sanyan (三言). In his reinterpretation of these stories, Ueda recast them as historical tales set in Japan, weaving together elements of the source tales with a rich array of references to historical events, personages, and literary works, both Japanese and Chinese. In his use of Chinese compounds glossed with Japanese phonetic readings, Ueda frequently incorporates double meanings and word play into his text. Ueda’s penchant for allusion is evident in the Chinese preface, which is also noteworthy for its presentation of the author’s view of fiction as means of expressing truth.
Although each story revolves around a supernatural event, Ueda does not stray too far from the affairs of this world. Like other members of the kokugaku (nativisit) movement Ueda relied on fiction as a tool to reinvigorate Japan’s past, by bringing to life the aesthetics of antiquity in the present. At the same time, he presents in Tales of Moonlight and Rain some of the moral views of the kokugaku school. To do so, he employs supernatural elements, such as ghosts who revisit the living to make known the effects they have suffered from the unethical behavior of others. For example, in the story “Asaji ga yado” (“The House Amid the Reeds”), upon which Kenji Mizoguchi
Kenji Mizoguchi
Kenji Mizoguchi was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. His film Ugetsu won the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival, and appeared in the Sight & Sound Critics' Top Ten Poll in 1962 and 1972. Mizoguchi is renowned for his mastery of the long take and mise-en-scène...
’s 1953 film Ugetsu
Ugetsu
Ugetsu is a 1953 Japanese film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi. Set in 16th century Japan, it stars Masayuki Mori and Machiko Kyō, and is inspired by short stories by Ueda Akinari and Guy de Maupassant...
is partially based, a husband who has abandoned his faithful wife returns home only to unknowingly meet her ghost, an experience which leads him to a heartbreaking realization of the effects of his infidelity. However, as Dennis Washburn argues, through his highly literate style and developed narrative technique, Ueda avoids overly emphasizing the moral aspect, and the tales are first and foremost a literary exploration of human emotion.
Publication and influence
Tales of Moonlight and Rain was first published in a 1776 woodblock edition, although some scholars maintain that the work was completed eight years earlier in 1768. Tales of Moonlight and Rain was one of the first works of “reading books” (yomihon) that were published for a smaller, more literate audience. Often centering on historical topics, “reading books” catered to the highly educated, both in Chinese and Japanese classics, and were also connoisseurs of Ming period vernacular fiction. Tales of Moonlight and Rain grew in popularity following its publication, and many subsequent authors such as Santō KyōdenSanto Kyoden
was a Japanese poet, writer and artist in the Edo period. His real name was , and he was also known popularly as . He is the brother of Santō Kyōzan.- Life :...
and Bakin modeled their works on its content and style. Although interest declined for a time in the Meiji period, many twentieth century writers, including Junichiro Tanizaki
Junichiro Tanizaki
was a Japanese author, one of the major writers of modern Japanese literature, and perhaps the most popular Japanese novelist after Natsume Sōseki. Some of his works present a rather shocking world of sexuality and destructive erotic obsessions; others, less sensational, subtly portray the dynamics...
and Ryūnosuke Akutagawa
Ryunosuke Akutagawa
was a Japanese writer active in the Taishō period in Japan. He is regarded as the "Father of the Japanese short story". He committed suicide at age of 35 through an overdose of barbital.-Early life:...
, read and were influenced by his work.
The stories
The nine stories appeared in four volumes in the following order.- Shiramine (White peak): "a story based upon a Japanese legend that features the native supernatural flying goblin tengu, likewise has strong elements of a folk tale prototype"
- Kikka no chigiri (The chrysanthemum pledge): "Akinari not only uses the plot but also the diction of the Chinese vernacular story, "Fan Juquing jishu sisheng jiao" (Fan Chu-ch'ing's Eternal Friendship)". "A man unable to go to his friend's house because he has been imprisoned kills himself so that his ghost can escape and fulfil the pledge."
- Asaji ga yado (House Amid the Thickets)
- Muo no rigyo (A Carp that Appeared in My Dream)
- Bupposo (Bird of Paradise)
- Kibitsu no Kama (The Cauldron of Kibitsu): "The story of a husband who runs off with a prostitute. The wife dies and her spirit possesses the prostitute who herself dies." The remainder of the story chronicles the husband's ineffectual attempts to combat the spirit of his deceased wife.
- Jasei no in (Lust of the White Serpent)
- Aozukin (The Blue Hood): "a story of an eminent Buddhist priest who saves the soul of a homosexual priest who turned into a goblin."
- Hinpuku-ron (Theory of Wealth and Poverty)