Chapter XV: Appendix: II

The Vestal Virgins of Ise and Kamo.

So important a part do these ladies play in the Tale of Genji that the reader may perhaps wish to know exactly what they were. I may say at the outset that I have used the term ‘vestal’ merely for convenience. These Virgins were not guardians of a sacred fire.

_Ise_.—Upon the accession of a new Emperor, a princess of the Imperial House (preferably a daughter of the Emperor) was sent to be priestess of the great Shintō shrines at Ise. According to the _Nihongi_ (Bk. V; Emperor Sūjin 6th year[1]) ‘The gods Amaterasu and Ōkunidama were formerly both worshipped in the Emperor’s Palace Hall. But the Emperor Sūjin was frightened of having so much divine power concentrated in one place. Accordingly he entrusted the worship of Amaterasu to the Princess Toyosuku-iri, bidding her carry it out in the village of Kasanui in Yamato.’ Subsequently Amaterasu expressed a desire to be moved to Ise.

The Virgin was usually about twelve years old at the time of her appointment. Cases however are recorded in which she was an infant of one year old; or again, a woman of twenty-eight. Her office lasted till

(1) The Emperor died or resigned
(2) She herself died or became disabled
(3) Either of her parents died
(4) She misconducted herself.

Thus in A.D. 541 the Vestal, a certain Princess Iwane, misconducted herself with Prince Mubaragi and was replaced. The process of preparing the Virgin for her office lasted three years. She was first of all, after a preliminary purification in running water handed over to the City guards. Meanwhile, just outside the Capital, a special place of purification was built for her, called the Palace-in-the-Fields. After a second River Purification she took up her residence in this temporary Palace and stayed there till the time came for her to settle at Ise. Before the journey to Ise she was again purified in the River, and she appeared at the Imperial Palace to receive at the Emperor’s hands the ‘Comb of Parting.’ No Virgin of Ise was appointed after 1342.

_Kamo_.—The Virgin of Kamo, first instituted in A.D. 818 was a replica of the Ise Virgin. She too had her Palace-in-the-Fields, three years of purification, etc. The practice of sending a Virgin to Kamo was discontinued in 1204.

Upon both Virgins curious speech-taboos were imposed. Thus they called

death, ‘recovery’
illness, ‘taking a rest’
weeping, ‘dropping salt water’
blood, ‘sweat’
to strike, ‘to fondle’
a tomb, ‘an earth heap’
meat, ‘vegetables’

All words connected with Buddhism were taboo. Thus Buddha himself was called ‘The Centre’; Buddhist scriptures were called ‘stained paper’; a pagoda, ‘araragi’ (meaning unknown); a temple, ‘a tile-covered place’; a priest (ironically), ‘hair-long’; a nun, ‘female hair-long’; fasting, ‘partial victuals.’

To both Virgins was attached an important retinue of male officials. These were appointed by the Emperor and no doubt acted as his agents and informers in the districts of Ise and Kamo.

Probably the Ise Virgin was a very ancient institution which later proved useful for political ends. The Virgin of Kamo, who does not appear on the scene till the ninth century, was presumably instituted simply as a means of spreading Court influence.

[1] 92 B.C. according to the usual chronology, which is however purely fictitious.

Transcriber’s Notes.

1. Italicized text is indicated with leading and trailing underscores.

2. Footnotes have been renumbered and placed at the end of each
chapter.

3. The bastard-title page prior to the main title page and the
half-title page preceding the main text have both been omitted.
They contained the words “THE TALE OF GENJI”.

4. The original landscape orientation of the genealogical tables
has changed to a portrait orientation by the transcriber in
order to provide a better view for eReaders. Each table has
has been separated by two blank lines for clarity.

5. In order to facilitate word wrapping, ellipses in the middle of
a sentence have been replaced with a group of three periods. This
group has a leading and, unless a comma is present, trailing blank
space added. Ellipses at the end of a sentence do not have a
leading blank space, but closing punctuation has been added if
needed.

6. Except as mentioned above and in the Change List that follows,
every effort has been made to replicate this first-edition text
as faithfully as possible, including non-standard punctuation,
inconsistently hyphenated words, and other inconsistencies.

Change List:

Page 7
of ‘governess changed to
of ‘governess’

Page 9
PREFACE 9 changed to
PREFACE 7

Page 69
lack of influence... changed to
lack of influence....’

Page 95
reason’ said Gengi. changed to
reason’ said Genji.

Page 102
joins Mount Katsuragi and Mount Kombu changed to
joins Mount Katsuragi and Mount Kombu.

Page 114
steward’s son, and tell changed to
steward’s son, ‘and tell

Page 130
There could be on harm in this interchange changed to
There could be no harm in this interchange

Page 137
and that blurr of shimmering changed to
and that blur of shimmering

Page 179
it was very diasppointing to lose changed to
it was very disappointing to lose

Page 228
off the scent. And this opinion changed to
off the scent.’ And this opinion

Page 232
modern Wu-ch’ang in Hupeh. changed to
modern Wu-ch‘ang in Hupeh.

Page 242
‘Oh, how you frightened me? she cried. changed to
‘Oh, how you frightened me,’ she cried.

Page 263
consent of the Emperor changed to
consent of the Emperor.

Page 275
deep-dyed robe, and he recited the poem: changed to
deep-dyed robe,’ and he recited the poem:

Page 293
sickening for some strange illness. changed to
sickening from some strange illness.

Page 294
her father Prince Hyōbukyo changed to
her father Prince Hyōbukyō