Keisei Hangonkou

Joruri Gidayu-bushi. Historical piece. Three acts. Written by Chikamatsu Monzaemon. First performed at the Takemotoza Theater in Osaka in August 1708 (estimated). It is said to have been written to mark the 150th anniversary of the death of painter Kano Motonobu, and combines the legends of Nagoya Sanza and Domo no Matahira with Motonobu's achievements of becoming the husband of Tosa Shogen Mitsunobu and opening a painting studio. The title is based on the historical tale of Han's Emperor Wu burning a famous incense and seeing the image of his late Lady Li. The story is about Shokan's daughter, the courtesan Toyama, who is pledged to Motonobu but gives up her love to Rokkaku Sakyodayu's daughter Icho no Mae and dies, and her soul appears before Motonobu (as told in the middle and lower volumes). In both Joruri and Kabuki, the most famous version is the first volume, "Shokan Kankyo," which is commonly known as "Domata" and is often performed independently.

The story is about Shogen's disciple Ukiyo Matahei, who has lost all hope due to his speech impediment, and decides to commit suicide with his wife by drawing a portrait of himself on a stone washbasin, which causes a miracle to occur in which the soul is absorbed and the portrait is transferred to the back, and he is allowed to use the surname Tosa in recognition of his achievement. The contrast between the simple, taciturn Matahei and the tomboyish, eloquent wife (whose character name in Kabuki is Otoku) is a highlight of the play. Traditionally, the later adaptation of "Meihitsu Keisei Kagami" (1752) has been widely performed, but in recent years it has been performed exclusively using a script that is faithful to the original.

[Toshiaki Matsui]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

浄瑠璃義太夫節(じょうるりぎだゆうぶし)。時代物。3段。近松門左衛門作。1708年（宝永5）8月（推定）大坂・竹本座初演。絵師狩野元信(かのうもとのぶ)の一五〇年忌を当て込んだ作といわれ、元信が土佐将監光信(とさのしょうげんみつのぶ)の女婿(じょせい)になり絵所(えどころ)を開いた事績に、名古屋山三(さんざ)や吃(ども)の又平の伝説などを取り混ぜたもの。題名の由来は、漢の武帝が名香をたいて亡き李(り)夫人のおもかげを見たという反魂香の故事に基づき、将監の娘である傾城遠山(とおやま)が元信と契りながら六角(ろっかく)左京太夫の娘銀杏の前(いちょうのまえ)に恋を譲って死に、その霊魂が元信の眼前へ姿を現すという話（中・下の巻）にあるが、有名なのは浄瑠璃でも歌舞伎(かぶき)でも上の巻「将監閑居」で、俗に「吃又(どもまた)」とよばれ、独立して多く上演される。

　将監の弟子浮世又平がことばが不自由なため望みを失い、女房とともに死を決して形身の自画像を石の手水鉢(ちょうずばち)に描くと、魂がこもって画像が裏へ抜け出る奇跡がおこり、功によって土佐の名字を許されるという筋で、質実で口無調法な又平と、男勝りで雄弁な女房（歌舞伎では役名おとく）の対照が見どころ。従来、後世に改作した『名筆傾城鑑(めいひつけいせいかがみ)』（1752）が多く行われてきたが、近年はもっぱら原作に忠実な台本によって上演されている。

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