Tale of a prostitute

Japanese: 遊女記 - ゆうじょき

A short piece of writing in classical Chinese from the end of the Heian period. The Chinese literature scholar Oe Masafusa wrote about the courtesans of Eguchi and Kanzaki. According to it, at the time, the Kanzaki River was a key transportation point between the west and Kyoto, and pleasure villages such as Eguchi, Kanzaki, and Kanijima were developed along the river. The courtesans would approach passing boats in small boats to pick up customers, and there were so many of them that the water was no longer visible, and the customers would forget about their hometowns and families as they enjoyed themselves. The customers came from a wide range of social classes, from nobles to commoners, and some were loved by the regent Fujiwara no Michinaga and the provisional chief counselor Yorimichi.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

平安末期の漢文体の短文。漢文学者大江匡房が，江口や神崎の遊女たちの様を書き記したもの。それによると，当時西国から京への交通の要所にあたる神崎川には江口，神崎，蟹島などの遊里が発達していた。遊女たちは小舟に乗って通行する舟に近づき客をとるが，その数は水面が見えなくなるくらい多く，客は故郷や家族のことを忘れて遊んだという。卿相から庶民まで客の階層は広く，なかには関白藤原道長，権大納言頼通らに愛される者もあった。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

<<: Courtesan reputation record - Yujohyobanki

>>: Paid contract/Free contract - Paid contract/Free contract