Murasaki Shikibu

Dates of birth and death unknown. A female writer from the mid-Heian period. She wrote "The Tale of Genji," "The Diary of Murasaki Shikibu," and "The Murasaki Shikibu Collection," and nearly 60 of her poems have been included in imperial anthologies such as "Goshui Wakashu." She was born as the second daughter of Fujiwara Tametoki and Tamenobu's daughter, and her family included excellent poets such as her great-grandfather Fujiwara Kanesuke, his cousin Sadakata, grandfather Masatada, his younger brother Kiyomasa, and uncle Tameyori. Her father Tametoki was also a first-class literary figure, and her full brother Nobunori also left behind a family anthology. Kanesuke, along with Sadakata, was a patron of poets of the Kokinshu such as Ki no Tsurayuki and Oshikouchin no Mitsune, and was a powerful aristocrat under the direct rule of Emperor Daigo, but after the reign of Masamasa and Kiyomasa, he was settled in the Zuryo class, and Tametoki finally obtained the position of Echizen no Kami after submitting a petition to the emperor of the time (Emperor Ichijo). This is because Murasaki Shikibu's poems and writings often lament the ruins of her family and express her dissatisfaction with her status. It is highly likely that the "family" she built was Tsutsumitei on the banks of the Kamo River, whose elegance is praised in the Tales of Yamato and other works. The site is around Rosanji Temple in Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto City.

There are various theories about her birth year, including 970 (Tenroku 1), 973 (Tenen 1), and 978 (Tengen 1), but it seems most likely that she was born around 973. She lost her mother at an early age and grew up under her father's wing, and under his influence she became familiar with Chinese classics and showed outstanding talent, to the point that Tametoki lamented that she was not a boy. On the other hand, she seems to have read all the poetry books and stories handed down in the family, and was skilled enough to be asked to teach them how to play the koto. When Emperor Kazan, who was his attendant, abdicated (June 986), Shikibu lost her job and was forced to live in seclusion by her father, and it seems that she spent her prime beside him, reading books and interacting with friends.

In the summer of 996 (Chōtoku 2), Shikibu accompanied Tametoki on his journey to Echizen (Fukui Prefecture) as the governor of the province. She was surprised by the deep snow in the northern region and returned to Kyoto after a year or two. In the winter of 998 or early spring of 999 (Chōhō 1), she married Fujiwara Nobutaka. Tametoki's great-grandson, Nobutaka was related to Shikibu and was Tametoki's superior, so he was said to have been a very open-minded person, but he already had many children with his first wife and was constantly involved in love affairs, so Shikibu had to worry about separation that night. It is noteworthy that she chose a man who was thought to be more than 20 years older than her for her first marriage, but this marriage did not last long. Nobutaka passed away in April 1001, leaving behind one daughter, Kenshi (Daininosanmi), and Shikibu was cast out as a young widow. It seems that The Tale of Genji was spun as a second reality to overcome the despair of this reality.

At the end of 1006 (Kanko 3) (some say it was the 5th year), she began serving Emperor Ichijo's Empress Shoshi (daughter of Fujiwara no Michinaga), but her stories continued to be written after that. The Murasaki Shikibu Diary is a record of Shikibu's own feelings centered on the birth of Shoshi's son (later Emperor Go-Ichijo) in September 1008. Shikibu stayed by Shoshi's side after Emperor Ichijo's death (June 11), but she seems to have died around spring in 1014 (Chowa 3) (some say it was after 1019). The Murasaki Shikibu Collection is thought to have been compiled by Shikibu herself in her later years, and contains around 120 poems from her days as a young girl. There is what is said to be Shikibu's grave in Murasakino, Kyoto (Murasakino Nishigoshoden-cho, Kita-ku).

[Hiroshi Ito]

No matter where I am, if I don't know who I'm going to be living with, I'll just keep living with this sadness

"Murasaki Shikibu and Her Times" by Tsunoda Fumiei (1966, Kadokawa Shoten) " "Murasaki Shikibu" by Shimizu Yoshiko (Iwanami Shinsho)" "Japanese Writers 12: Murasaki Shikibu, Author of Genji" by Inaga Keiji (1982, Shintensha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

生没年未詳。平安中期の女流作家。『源氏物語』『紫式部日記』『紫式部集』を著し、『後拾遺(ごしゅうい)和歌集』以下の勅撰(ちょくせん)集に60首近い歌がとられている。藤原為時(ためとき)と為信(ためのぶ)娘との間の次女として生まれ、一族に曽祖父(そうそふ)藤原兼輔(かねすけ)、その従兄定方(さだかた)、祖父雅正(まさただ)、その弟清正(きよただ)、伯父為頼(ためより)など優れた歌人をもち、父為時も一流の文人であり、同母兄弟惟規(のぶのり)も家集を残している。兼輔は定方とともに紀貫之(きのつらゆき)、凡河内躬恒(おおしこうちのみつね)ら『古今集』歌人たちの庇護(ひご)者であり、醍醐(だいご)天皇親政下の有力貴族であったが、雅正・清正の代以降は受領(ずりょう)層に品定まり、為時に至っては時の帝(みかど)（一条天皇）に申文(もうしぶみ)を奉ってやっと越前守(えちぜんのかみ)の職を得るありさまであった。紫式部の歌や文章に、家の荒廃を嘆き、身の程の口惜しさを思うものが目だつゆえんである。その「家」は兼輔が建て『大和(やまと)物語』などにその風流ぶりをうたわれた、賀茂(かも)川べりの堤第(つつみてい)であった公算が強い。京都市上京区の廬山寺(ろざんじ)あたりがその跡地に相当する。

　生年については970年（天禄1）、973年（天延1）、978年（天元1）などの諸説があるが、973年ごろとみるのが妥当であろう。母を早く失い父の膝下(しっか)に育ったようで、その感化のもとに漢籍に親しんで優れた素質を示し、為時をして男子ならぬを嘆かせた。一方、家に伝わる歌書や物語類をも手当たりしだいに読みあさったらしく、箏(そう)の演奏なども伝授を頼まれるほどの腕前であった。近侍した花山(かざん)天皇の退位（986年6月）とともに職を失い蟄居(ちっきょ)する父の傍らで娘盛りを迎えた式部は、読書や友との交流などに心をやりながら過ごしたらしい。

　996年（長徳2）夏、国守として越前（福井県）へ向かう為時に同行した式部は、北国の深い雪に驚き1、2年で帰京、998年冬か999年（長保1）初春に藤原宣孝(のぶたか)と結婚した。宣孝は定方の曽孫、式部と縁続きで、為時の上司だったこともあり、磊落(らいらく)な人柄であったらしいが、すでに先妻との間に多くの子女があり、なお艶聞(えんぶん)が絶えず、式部もその夜離(よが)れに悩まねばならなかったようである。彼女が初婚の相手に20以上も年上と思われる相手を選んだことは注目されるが、この結婚生活は長く続かず、一女賢子(けんし)（大弐三位(だいにのさんみ)）を残して1001年4月、宣孝が他界し、式部は若き寡婦としてほうり出された。『源氏物語』はこうした現実の絶望を乗り越える第二の現実として紡ぎ出されたらしい。

　1006年（寛弘3）暮れ（5年説も）、一条(いちじょう)天皇中宮彰子(しょうし)（藤原道長娘）のもとに出仕したが、その後も物語は書き継がれたらしい。『紫式部日記』は1008年9月の彰子の皇子出産（後の後(ご)一条天皇）を軸に自己の心境を交えて記したものである。一条天皇崩御（11年6月）ののちも式部は彰子の傍らにあったが、1014年（長和3）春ごろに没したらしい（1019年以降説もある）。『紫式部集』は晩年自ら編んだものと思われ、娘時代からの歌詠120首前後を収める。京都紫野（北区紫野西御所田(ごしょでん)町）に式部の墓と伝えるものがある。

［伊藤　博］

　いづくとも身をやる方(かた)の知られねば憂(う)しと見つつも永らふるかな

『角田文衛著『紫式部とその時代』（1966・角川書店）』▽『清水好子著『紫式部』（岩波新書）』▽『稲賀敬二著『日本の作家12　源氏の作者　紫式部』（1982・新典社）』

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