Chapter 145

of her _Makura no Sōshi_.

[2] His father-in-law’s house, where his wife Princess Aoi still continued to live.

[3] Japanese houses were arranged somewhat differently from ours and for many of the terms which constantly recur in this book (_kichō_, _sudare_, _sunoko_, etc.) no exact English equivalents can be found. In such cases I have tried to use expressions which without being too awkward or unfamiliar will give an adequate general idea of what is meant.

[4] Provincial officials. Murasaki herself came of this class.

[5] The tenth month.

[6] From the _saibara_ ballad, _The Well of Asuka_: ‘Sweet is the shade, the lapping waters cool, and good the pasture for our weary steeds. By the Well of Asuka, here let us stay.’

[7] The ‘Japanese zithern’; also called _wagon_. A species of _koto_.

[8] As opposed to the formal and traditional music imported from China.

[9] See _Encyclopedia de la Musique_, p. 247. Under the name Nan-lü this mode was frequently used in the Chinese love-dramas of the fourteenth century. It was considered very wild and moving.

[10] Goddess of Beauty.

[11] A poem by Po Chü-i pointing out the advantages of marrying a poor wife.

[12] There is a reference to an old poem which says: ‘I know that to-night my lover will come to me. The spider’s antics prove it clearly’ Omens were drawn from the behaviour of spiders. There is also a pun on _hiru_ ‘day’ and _hiru_ ‘garlic,’ so that an ordinary person would require a few moments’ reflection before understanding the poem.

[13] The irises used for the Tango festival (5th day of 5th month) had to have nine flowers growing on a root.

[14] The ‘Lord of the Centre,’ i.e. the planet Saturn.

[15] I.e. people with whom one can be quite at ease. It was usual to unharness one’s bulls at the gate.

[16] Ki no Kami’s step-mother.

[17] We learn later that Genji courted this lady in vain from his seventeenth year onward. Though she has never been mentioned before, Murasaki speaks of her as though the reader already knew all about her. This device is also employed by Marcel Proust.

[18] Chūjō means ‘Captain,’ which was Genji’s rank at the time.

[19] _Kokinshū_ 811, an anonymous love-poem.

[20] The _hahakigi_ or ‘broom-tree’ when seen in the distance appears to offer ample shade; but when approached turns out to be a skimpy bush.

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