Shintokumaru

Sekkyo Joruri (a type of Japanese drama that plays the role of a Buddhist chanter). Among the old books, the Sado Shichidayu's original work "Setsukiyō Shintokumaru," published in 1648, is well known. It tells the story of the love affair between Shintokumaru, the child of Kiyomizu Kannon, and Otohime, a rich woman from Izumikageyama, how Shintokumaru goes blind and falls into despair due to a curse from his stepmother, how he retreats to Shitennoji Temple, and how the miraculous power of Kiyomizu Kannon cures Shintokumaru's illness. An earlier work that deals with the same subject matter is the Noh play "Yoroboshi," in which the protagonist is named Shuntokumaru. Due to the nature of Noh, this work has many omissions in the plot and structure, and so has little connection to this Sekkyo Joruri. A commonality is that both include faith in Shitennoji Temple; Shitennoji Temple and Kiyomizu Kannon have been connected since ancient times, and the Shuntokumaru series was born out of a background of Buddhist faith. There are also many similarities with the sekkyo joruri "Aigo no Waka." "Shintokumaru" influenced later joruri, giving birth to Takemoto Gidayu's original version "Yoroboshi" and "Futabareijin Azuma Hinagata," but the most famous work is "Setsubun Gappo Gatsuji," a collaboration between Suga Sensuke and Wakatake Fuemi that premiered in 1773 (An'ei 2).

[Kazuo Sekiyama]

"Setsugeibushi" edited and annotated by Araki Shigeru and Yamamoto Kisso (Heibonsha, Toyo Bunko)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

説経浄瑠璃(じょうるり)。古い本では、正保(しょうほう)5年（1648）刊行の佐渡七太夫正本『せつきやうしんとく丸』がよく知られている。清水(きよみず)観音の申し子である信徳丸と和泉(いずみ)かげ山の長者の乙姫(おとのひめ)の恋愛、継母の呪詛(じゅそ)による信徳丸の失明落魄(らくはく)、四天王寺参籠(さんろう)、清水観音の霊験(れいげん)によって信徳丸の病気平癒という因果応報の物語。同じ題材を扱った先行作品に謡曲『弱法師(よろぼし)』があり、主人公の名は俊徳丸。これは能の性格上、筋や構成のうえで省略が多く、この説経浄瑠璃とは関連性が薄い。共通点は、ともに四天王寺信仰が入っている点で、四天王寺と清水観音は古くからかかわりがあり、一連の俊徳丸ものは仏教信仰を背景にして生まれた。また、説経浄瑠璃『愛護若(あいごのわか)』との共通点も多い。『しんとく丸』は、後世の浄瑠璃に影響し、竹本義太夫(ぎだゆう)の正本『弱法師』や、『莠伶人吾妻雛形(ふたばれいじんあづまひながた)』を生んだが、1773年（安永2）初演の菅専助(すがせんすけ)・若竹笛躬(ふえみ)合作『摂州合邦辻(せっしゅうがっぽうがつじ)』がもっとも有名である。

［関山和夫］

『荒木繁・山本吉左右編・注『説経節』（平凡社・東洋文庫）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例