"Kaei Suikoden"

...The thrilling and authentic story of a lawless vagrant, a long-range swordsman, who exposed the powerlessness of the magistrates and other officials, was supported by those who enjoyed it in later generations, and gradually an image of Chuji that was different from the real, evil image of Chuji was formed. The origins of the tendency to glorify Chuji from the late Edo period to the present day, in plays, lectures, rokyoku, movies, etc., can be seen already in the true story "Kaei Suikoden" (year of creation unknown), and it was later expanded in "Kunisada Chuji Jitsuden" (published in 1879) by Onishi Shonosuke, "Shohon Kunisada Chuji Kyoyuden" (published in 1880) by Ryusuitei Taneyoshi, lectures (written by the first Nishio Rinkei), rokyoku, etc. In theatre, the kabuki play "Joshu Weaver Oshima" (written by Kawatake Shinshichi III), which premiered at the Tokyo Shimuraza Theatre in 1884, "Kunisada Chuji" (written by Yukitomo Rifu, starring Sawada Shojiro, and which became the troupe's signature play) at the Shinkokugeki Theatre in 1919, and "Kunisada Chuji" and "Kunisada Chuji Continued" (written by Mayama Seika), which premiered in 1932, portrayed an introspective Chuji who provided relief to poor farmers, which caused a sensation.

*Some of the terminology explanations that refer to "Kaei Suikoden" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…不逞の遊民，長脇差者が代官らの無力をあばき活躍したとする痛快味と真実感が，後世にいたる享受層に支持され，凶悪な実像とは別の忠次像がしだいに形成された。演劇，講釈，浪曲，映画など，幕末期から現代にいたる忠次美化志向の淵源は，実録本《嘉永水滸伝》(成立年未詳)にすでに見られ，その後，大西庄之助作《国定忠治実伝》(1879刊)，柳水亭種清作《正本国定忠次俠勇伝》(1880刊)，また講釈(初世西尾麟慶作)，浪曲等で拡大された。演劇では1884年東京市村座初演の《上州織俠客大縞（じようしゆうおりたてしのおおしま）》(3世河竹新七作)の歌舞伎をはじめ，1919年新国劇での《国定忠治》(行友李風作，沢田正二郎主演で，この一座の代表的演目となる)，また1932年初演《国定忠次》《続国定忠次》(真山青果作)では貧農を救恤（きゆうじゆつ）する内省的な忠次像が描かれ反響をよんだ。…

※「《嘉永水滸伝》」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報