The Tale of Takamura

Also known as "Ono no Takamura Shu." In the past, it was also called "Takamura Nikki" or "Ono no Takamura no Ki." It is a story from the Heian period. The author and date of its creation are unknown. There are two theories: one that it was created in the mid-Heian period, and the other that it was created in the late Heian period. The story centers on Ono no Takamura, who was a talented poet and writer in the early Heian period, and consists of two parts: the first part is a strong poetic tale, and the second part has a literary inclination toward narrative literature. However, it was entrusted to Takamura by later generations, and it is difficult to say that the waka poems in the work were composed by Takamura. However, as the title suggests, it was also considered a private collection of poems by Takamura, and nine of his poems have been collected in four imperial anthologies, starting with the "Shin Kokinshu." The first part tells of Takamura's love affair with his half-sister, who becomes pregnant with Takamura's child, is separated from her by her mother, dies in agony, and appears as a ghost. The second part tells of Takamura proposing to the daughter of the Minister of the Right, but is rejected by Oigimi and Naka no Kimi, but marries the Third Princess and achieves success. The former is said to be closely related to the poem "Composed when his sister was about to die" in the Kokinshu, and the latter to the letter "Dedicated to the Minister of the Right" in Volume 7 of Honcho Monzui. Rich in mystery and romance, it is a unique work that incorporates a variety of story types, including ghost tales and proposals.

[Teruhiko Komachiya]

"A New Lecture on the Tale of Takamura by Shohei Ishihara, Keizo Nemoto, and Nobuhiro Tsumoto (1977, Musashino Shoin)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

『小野篁集』とも。古くは『篁日記』『小野篁記(おののたかむらのき)』などともよばれた。平安時代の物語。作者・成立は未詳。平安中期成立とする説、平安末期成立とする説が並存する。平安初期に歌人・文人として才名が高かった小野篁を主人公とする物語で、歌物語性の濃厚な第一部と、説話文学的な傾きがある第二部との二つの部分よりなるが、後人が篁に仮託したもので、作品中の和歌も篁の詠作とはいいがたい。だが、書名からもうかがわれるように、篁の私家集としても意識されており、『新古今集』以下四つの勅撰(ちょくせん)集に九首の歌が入集している。第一部は篁の異母妹との恋が語られ、篁の子を身ごもった妹が母親に仲を裂かれて悶死(もんし)し、亡霊となって現れるというもの。第二部は右大臣の娘に求婚した篁が、大君(おおいぎみ)や中の君には断られたが、三の君と結婚して栄達したというもの。前者は『古今集』の「妹(いもうと)の身まかりにける時詠みける」、後者は『本朝文粋(もんずい)』巻七の「右大臣に奉る」書状などが素材的に関連深いといわれる。怪奇性や浪漫(ろうまん)性に富み、亡霊譚や求婚譚など多様な話型を踏まえた、異色の作品である。

［小町谷照彦］

『石原昭平・根本敬三・津本信博著『篁物語新講』（1977・武蔵野書院）』

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