Morihisa

Noh piece. Fourth piece. Five-school current piece. Written by Kanze Motomasa. The script, handwritten by his father Zeami, still exists. The source is the "Nagatohon Heike Monogatari." The captured Heike Fudai warlord Shume no Hangan Morihisa (shite) asks his escort Tsuchiya Saburo (waki) to visit the Kannon Bodhisattva of his faith in Kiyomizu, and then travels to Kamakura, where his death awaits. On the night before his execution, he recites the Kannon Sutra and has a spiritual dream. When he is about to be beheaded on the beach of Yui, the sword of the sword-bearer miraculously breaks, and Minamoto no Yoritomo, who had the same dream and was deeply moved, spares his life, and he dances for joy after receiving a toast in celebration. This is a masterpiece that depicts the strength of a man supported by his faith, and the appearance of an old warrior who does not flinch in the face of fate. There is a prequel to this Noh play called "Ikedori Morihisa," but it is no longer performed today.

[Masuda Shozo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

能の曲目。四番目物。五流現行曲。観世元雅(かんぜもとまさ)作。父の世阿弥(ぜあみ)自筆の台本が現存する。出典は『長門(ながと)本平家物語』。捕らえられた平家譜代(ふだい)の武将主馬判官(しゅめのはんがん)盛久（シテ）は、護送の土屋三郎（ワキ）に頼み、信仰する清水(きよみず)の観世音(かんぜおん)に参詣(さんけい)し、死の待つ鎌倉への旅を行く。処刑の前夜、観音(かんのん)経を読誦(どくじゅ)して霊夢を受ける。由比(ゆい)の浜で首を切られようとするとき、太刀(たち)持ち（ワキツレ）の刀が折れる奇跡が生まれ、同じ夢をみて感動した源頼朝(よりとも)によって命が許され、祝杯を授けられて喜びを舞う。信仰に支えられた人間の強さ、運命の前にたじろがぬ古武士の風貌(ふうぼう)を描いた佳作である。この能の前編ともいうべき『生捕(いけどり)盛久』があるが、今日では上演されない。

［増田正造］

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