Giminmono - Giminmono

Japanese: 義民物 - ぎみんもの

This is a type of Kabuki-Kyogen play that has as its protagonist a righteous citizen who sacrifices his life for the peasants and saves them from poverty. From the Enpo and Tenna periods (1673-84) until the end of the Edo period, it was strictly prohibited by law to mention the Shogunate or feudal lords in publications or plays. Dramatized performances of righteous citizens became possible during the Kaei period (1848-54), which was a sign of the Shogunate's loosening of control and loss of authority. Higashiyama Sakura Soshi (written by Segawa Joko III), which premiered at the Edo Nakamuraza in August 1851 (Kaei 4), was a huge hit, based on the story of the violent petition that took place in Sakura fief during the Shoho period (1644-48), which had been performed in the circulating book Jizodo Tsuya Monogatari and lectures by Ichiritsusai Bunsha and Ishikawa Kazumu.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

農民のために一命をなげうって，その困窮を救う義民を主人公とする歌舞伎狂言の一系統。延宝･天和期(1673‐84)以来幕末にいたるまで，将軍家や大名諸侯に関して，出版物や演劇を通じて言及することは，法令によって厳禁されていた。義民物の劇化上演が，嘉永年間(1848‐54)にいたって可能となったのは，幕府の統制がゆるみ権威が失墜した一つのあらわれであった。1851年(嘉永4)8月江戸中村座初演の《東山桜荘子（ひがしやまさくらそうし）》(3世瀬川如皐作)は，それまでに流布されていた実録本《地蔵堂通夜物語》や一立斎文車，石川一夢らの講釈で演じられていた正保年中(1644‐48)に起きた佐倉領の強訴事件に取材し，大当りをとった作。

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

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