The Story of Nishiyama

A novel (Yomihon) written by Takebe Ayatari. Three volumes. Published in February 1768 (Meiwa 5). The so-called Genta Incident, which occurred in December 1767, when Watanabe Genta, a resident of Ichijoji Village in Kyoto, beheaded his relative Watanabe Danji's side while accompanying his younger sister Yae, was involved in a tangled love affair. This novel is written in an elegant style and is considered to be a masterpiece from the early days of the Yomihon. Based on the method of "creating elegance by following the vulgar" (Kinryu Yukei's preface), the novel uses a unique style of interspersing archaic phrases and indicating their sources. The legendary colors based on "Taiheiki" and the elegant and fresh lyricism that glorifies a tragic love story brought a breath of fresh air to the world of novels at the time. Ueda Akinari later wrote "The Tale of the Masura" and "The Blooming Face of the Dead Head" (included in "The Tales of Spring Rain") based on the same subject matter.

[Hiroyasu Nakamura]

"Takada Mamoru's annotated and translated 'Nishiyama Monogatari' (included in 'Japanese Classical Literature Collection 48', 1973, Shogakukan)" ▽ "Noma Mitsutatsu 'Regarding the so-called Genta Incident -- Ayatari and Akinari' (included in 'Bungaku', June/July 1969 issue, Iwanami Shoten)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

建部綾足(たけべあやたり)作の小説（読本(よみほん)）。三巻。1768年（明和5）2月刊。前年の1767年12月、京都一乗寺村の住人渡辺源太が、恋愛問題のもつれから、同族渡辺団次方に妹やゑを同道してその首を打ち落とした、いわゆる源太騒動を、浪漫(ろうまん)的な悲恋物語に仕上げた雅文体の小説で、読本初期の秀作とされている。「俗に即して雅を為(な)す」（金竜雄敬序）の方法意識のもとに、古言をちりばめ、分注して出処を示す特異な文体が用いられていた。『太平記』に材をとった伝奇的な色彩と、悲恋を謳(うた)い上げた艶麗(えんれい)清新な叙情によって、当時の小説界に新風をもたらした。上田秋成(あきなり)はのちに同一題材をもとにして『ますらを物語』、『死首(しくび)の咲顔(えがお)』（『春雨物語』所収）を書いている。

［中村博保］

『高田衛校注・訳『西山物語』（『日本古典文学全集48』所収・1973・小学館）』▽『野間光辰「いわゆる源太騒動をめぐって――綾足と秋成」（『文学』1969年6.7月号所収・岩波書店）』

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