Reimagining the family in the Yoru no Nezame: Different thoughts on shukke

Inspired by the well-known Genji Monogatari, Sugawara no Takasue no Musume’s Yoru no Nezame (ca. 1060-1080) is noticeably associated with the practice of shukke (buddhist tonsure), which the protagonist Nezame no Ue tries to undergo, despite her motherhood, as a means of emancipation from the undesirable courtship of the Emperor. Evidence of the popularity of this association can be found in Takahashi Sanae’s essay titled “Haha no shukke no monogatari. Yoru no Nezame ron”. However, the peculiarity of Nezame’s attempted shukke lies in the fact that, unlike the examples found in the Genji Monogatari, her shukke is not perceived as an obstacle to her relationship with her family and her love interest, Chūnagon. Far from it, Nezame goes as far as stating: “After it is done, there will be no reason for you or me to meet with anxiety hovering over us; it will be fresh, wonderful, and a joy to me, I know” (Richard, 1973), portraying tonsure as a fundamental practice to preserve their bond, in a global reimagination of the institution of family. This paper addresses Nezame’s shukke in Yoru no nezame, a largely understudied masterpiece of Heian literature, usually overlooked by the critics as a mere imitation of the Genji monogatari in spite of its many distinctive traits. Central to this paper is the idea that while the literary trope of shukke is usually exploited by female characters in Heian-period monogatari as a strategy of emancipation from any and all unwelcome suitors, Nezame introduces a revolutionary concept of shukke, reconceptualising family and love relationships. It is worth calling attention to the fact that this new vision of shukke is not at all embraced by every character in this monogatari. Indeed, while Nezame portrays shukke as a useful way to improve her love relationship, her sister Ōigimi regards it as a ploy to break her marital bond. I aim therefore to highlight the differences between these approaches to shukke by analysing and comparing how multiple characters consider this ritual in various scenes of Yoru no Nezame, colouring it with either conventional or innovative implications, according to their circumstances.