Many Facets of the Tale of Genji

January 13, 2017-March 31, 2017
Location: Asia Collection

Written in the tenth century by a court lady known as Murasaki Shikibu, The Tale of Genji, is a lengthy romantic novel that has attracted readers and scholars alike. Although Shikibu’s original texts were lost, over 100 hand-written manuscripts have been identified. The Tale of Genji has been translated from classical to modern Japanese language and into foreign languages, and it has inspired commentaries, criticisms, illustrations, woodblock prints, scrolls, manga, animation, films and games for over a thousand years. In conjunction with a public lecture "The Plot of The Tale of Genji and the Emperor System," by Dr. Yuichiro Imanishi of the National Institute of Japanese Literature on February 16, 2017, the exhibit shares many facets of this extraordinary tale.