Jinen Koji - Jinen Koji

Noh piece. Fourth piece. Five-school current piece. Written by Kan'ami. A masterpiece full of the vitality of early Noh. A girl (child actor, or boy in some schools) offers her kosode (short sleeved kimono) to Jinen Koji (shite), who is preaching for seven days to build Ungo-ji Temple, to pray for the repose of her parents. A rough slave trader (waki, wakitsure) drags her away. The temple attendant (ai) tries to stop her, but it's no use. Jinen Koji chases after the girl who is selling herself to pray for the repose of her parents, and stops her boat on the shores of Lake Biwa, demanding that he exchange the kosode for the girl. The slave trader, who is annoyed by Jinen Koji's refusal to yield to his threats, asks for one entertainment dance after another, hoping to return her after humiliating her. Jinen Koji performs various dances, rescues the girl, and returns to the capital. The tense dialogue, which makes full use of slang, rare in Noh, is an interesting performance that is the sole domain of the composer Kan'ami. The performance also includes a full range of medieval performing arts, including the Kusemai, Nakamai, Sasaramai, and Kakkomai, to meet the demands of the audiences of the time. Kan'ami was a large man, and although he was well past middle age, his son Zeami wrote with admiration that when he performed this piece he looked like a beautiful teenager. The scene in which Ze'ami preaches, recorded in his writings, has also been revived and performed in recent years.

[Masuda Shozo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

能の曲目。四番目物。五流現行曲。観阿弥(かんあみ)の作。創成期の能の活力に満ちた名作。雲居寺(うんごじ)造営のため七日の説法をする自然居士（シテ）に、小袖(こそで)を捧(ささ)げて父母の追善を請う少女（子方。流儀によっては少年）があった。それを荒々しい人買い（ワキ、ワキツレ）が引っ立てていく。寺男（アイ）が制止するが効き目がない。自らの身を売って親の供養を願う少女を救い出そうと、自然居士は後を追い、琵琶(びわ)湖のほとりでこぎだす舟を止めて、小袖と少女の交換を迫る。脅迫にも屈しない自然居士に閉口した人買いは、さんざんに恥を与えてから返そうと、次々に余興の舞を所望する。自然居士はさまざまの舞を繰り広げ、少女を救い出して都へ帰っていく。能には珍しく俗語を駆使した緊迫の問答のおもしろさは、作者観阿弥の独壇場である。クセ舞、中の舞、ささらの舞、羯鼓(かっこ)の舞と中世の芸能尽くしも、当時の観客の要望にこたえるものであった。観阿弥は大男であり、中年を過ぎた年齢ながら、この曲を演ずると10代の美少年にみえたと、息子の世阿弥(ぜあみ)が賛嘆を込めて書き残している。世阿弥の伝書に記載のある説法を述べている場面も、近年復活して上演されるようになった。

［増田正造］

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