Camellia saga: Yumiharizuki

A reading book from the Edo period. Written by Kyokutei Bakin, with illustrations by Katsushika Hokusai. 28 volumes, 29 books. The first part was published in 1807 (Bunka 4), the second and sequel in 1808, the collection in 1810, and the remaining parts in 1811, all by Hirabayashi Shogoro in Edo. Minamoto no Tametomo, who was exiled to Kyushu due to a dispute with Shonogon Nyudo Shinzei, made Hachoucho Tsubuteno Kiheiji his retainer, married Shiranuihime, and pacified Kyushu, but was defeated in the Hogen Rebellion and exiled to Izu Oshima. Tametomo ruled well there, but was attacked by the government army, had Oniyasha killed in his place, and was washed ashore in the Ryukyu Islands via Kyushu. In Ryukyu, the sorcerer Mouun took advantage of King Shōnei's stupidity and seized power, and was fighting against the wicked minister Toshiyuki. Tametomo rescued the princess who was to succeed him, and together with his son Shuntenmaru and Ki Heiji, who had been cast ashore on a remote island, they defeated Mouun and pacified Ryukyu. Shuntenmaru ascended to the throne, but Tametomo ascended to heaven.

This is Bakin's first full-scale historical novel, and he learned how to blend fact and fiction from the Chinese Qing Dynasty vernacular novel "The Legend of the Five Tigers at Peaceful West," and made an unfortunate hero into a historical success, appealing to the public's feelings of favoritism towards the underdog. The combination of grand architectural conception and gorgeous prose makes this a masterpiece on a par with "The Legend of the Eight Dogs at Peaceful West."

[Takeshi Tokuda]

"Goto Tanji's annotated collection of Japanese classical literature, 60 and 61, Tsubaki no Setsu Yumiharizuki (1958, 1962, Iwanami Shoten)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸時代の読本(よみほん)。曲亭馬琴作、葛飾北斎(かつしかほくさい)挿絵。28巻29冊。前編は1807年（文化4）、後編、続編は1808年、拾遺は1810年、残編は1811年に江戸の平林庄五郎(しょうごろう)から刊行。少納言入道信西(しんぜい)との不和で九州へやられた源為朝(ためとも)は、八町礫紀平治(はっちょうつぶてのきへいじ)を家来にし、白縫(しらぬい)姫を妻として九州を平定したが、保元(ほうげん)の乱に敗れて伊豆大島に流される。そこでも為朝は善政を敷いたが、官軍に攻め寄せられ、鬼夜叉(おにやしゃ)を身代り死にさせて、九州を経て琉球(りゅうきゅう)に漂着した。琉球では、尚寧(しょうねい)王の暗愚に乗じて妖術(ようじゅつ)使い濛雲(もううん)が実権を奪い、奸臣(かんしん)利勇と対決していたが、為朝は世継ぎの王女を助けて、孤島に漂着していたわが子舜天丸(しゅんてんまる)や紀平治とともに濛雲を破り、琉球を平定した。舜天丸は王位につくが、為朝は昇天する。

　馬琴最初の本格的な史伝小説で、中国清(しん)代の白話(はくわ)小説『五虎平西前伝(ごこへいせいぜんでん)』に史実と虚構のない交ぜの方法などを学び、史上不遇の英雄を歴史の成功者に仕立てて、大衆の判官(ほうがん)びいきの心情に訴えた。雄大な建築的構想と絢爛(けんらん)たる文章とが相まって『南総里見八犬伝』と並ぶ傑作である。

［徳田　武］

『後藤丹治校注『日本古典文学大系60・61　椿説弓張月』（1958、1962・岩波書店）』

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