Chapter 6 (Events of 1181-82)

Jump to Section: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

6-[1] The Death of the New Retired Emperor---This chapter begins with the year changing from 1180 to 1181. It starts darkly, including the death of Takakura.

Major characters

Retired Emperor" = Emperor Takakura (1161–1181, r. 1168–1180). Father is Emp. Go-Shirakawa, mother is Kiyomori's daughter Tokushi.

Section summary

The new year begins awkwardly, with unrest everywhere.

Retired Emperor Takakura finally dies, over-grieved by events of the past two years.

6- [2] Autumn Leaves---In a pattern common to this work, a section recounting the deeds of someone who has just expired is included as a retrospective of that individual's life. In this case, the fine acts of Takakura are remembered. The title comes from Takakura's love for autumn leaves.

Major characters

Takakura

Kenreimon'in, Takakura's consort and mother of Emp. Antoku.

Section summary

Stories highlighting Takakura's fine sensibilities and compassion are told.

6- [3] Aoi---This is the name of a young woman whom Takakura loved in particular. Their ill-fated romance is recounted. This section continues in the spirit of the one immediately preceding, showing great sympathy for Takakura, now dead. Behind the mentality of this section is the first chapter of The Tale of Genji, where the middle-ranked Kiritsubo lady-in-waiting is excessively loved by Emp. Kiritsubo. She is subjected to such hateful jealousy by other court women that she finally dies. Takakura is attempting to avoid a similar fate for Aoi, but the outcome is the same.

Major characters

Takakura

Aoi, a servant girl (shôtô, or ue-warawa, that is, a servant to a lady-in-waiting). She should be thought of as quite young and quite low in rank.

Section summary

Takakura loves a very low-ranking girl named Aoi. His attentions put her in an awkward situation. He very reluctantly decides he can no longer see her. He writes a poem, however, that says he continues to love her. She dies within a few days of receiving this imperial poem. The explanation given is that her situation resembles the saying: "For a day of your love, I sacrificed the whole of my life."

6- [4] Kogo---This long section tells the story of another love of Takakura, a woman his wife Kenreimon'in finds for him to consol him over the loss of Aoi. Her name is Kogo, and she is loved by yet another man. Kiyomori smells trouble since both Takakura and this other man have as wives Kiyomori's daughters. He drives Kogo from the palace. Eventually she is forced to become a nun. This story is told not only as a further extension of the stories of the late Takakura, but as yet another item on the list of terrible things that Go-Shirakawa must suffer.

Major characters

"Emperor" = Takakura

"Empress" = Kenreimon'in, Kiyomori's eldest daughter

Kogô, another woman servant but of higher rank than Aoi of the above section, a lady-in-waiting (nyôbô) to Kenreimon'in

Section summary

Kogô is given to Takakura by his wife Kenreimon'in causing grief to her already-lover. Kiyomori sees her as a trouble-maker to marriages he has carefully arranged. Kogô, learning of his displeasure, flees. The emperor finally has her located and brings her back to court, only to be forced to become a nun by Kiyomori.

6- [5] The Circular Letter---The first part of this section follows in the footsteps of the previous sections, all of which examine the fates of certain women. It then turns to matters of war, bringing the famous Kiso no Yoshinaka onstage. The circular letter is his mustering of troops loyal to him.

Major characters

Kiso no Kanja Yoshinaka (1154–1184) a Minamoto adopted by the Kiso clan after his father was killed.

Section summary

Kiyomori, feeling sorry for all the bad things he has done to Go-Shirakawa, tries to consol him by giving him one of his daughters.

Kiso no Yoshinaka, determines to rise up against the Taira in competition with Yoritomo's growing rebellion in the east. Yoshinaka's territory of power is on the western seaboard, opposite of Yoritomo's.

6- [6] The Arrival of the Couriers---These couriers bring to the supporters of Kiyomori in the capital terrible news of the growing number of groups deciding to side with the Minamoto against them. Suddenly in this story the fate of the Taira is made unmistakably clear. Kiyomori seems overconfident, at least at the beginning of this section.

Major characters

Yoshinaka, see above section.

Section summary

Kiyomori claims not to worry about the rebellious decision of Kiso no Yoshinaka to the north. He appoints a new governor to subdue Yoshinaka in that province. Other rebels are captured and beheaded. But couriers come to announce that warriors from all of the south (Kyûshû, one of Japan's major islands) are also now siding with Yoritomo.

6- [7] The Death of Kiyomori---One of the most famous sections of The Tale of Heike.

Section summary

Shikoku warriors, the fourth of Japan's four major islands, joins forces with the Minamoto.

Munemori plans a campaign to the east to defeat Yoritomo but defers it when his father falls gravely ill.

Kiyomori dies, his body so hot as to boil water. His only wish is that, after his death, Yoritomo is beheaded.

Reading notes

<209> "since the previous one had produced no noteworthy results"—Refers to Koremori, Kiyomori's son and Munemori's nephew, who led the embarrassing battle against the Minamoto at Fuji River where the troops fled at the sound of the wild birds suddenly taking flight. (Chapter 5, Section [11])

Multimedia

Kiyomori dies of an illness that makes his body so hot that it boils water.

6- [8] The Man-Made Island---Unusual events that occur after Kiyomori dies.

Section summary

Kiyomori's estate bursts into flames the night of his funeral.

"Ghosts" are heard laughing, a sound coming from the direction of Go-Shirakawa's residence. It turns out to be a drunken party. The men are arrested, then released.

Tells how Kiyomori had an island constructed.

6- [9] Jinshinbo---Explains why Kiyomori is actually a reincarnation of Archbisop Jie. Like the section before, this is recounting stories that fill out details of Kiyomori's life and character.

6- [10] The Gion consort---The section continues with details of Kiyomori, including an interesting claim that he was actually Go-Shirakawa's son. Then, again, the narrative turns to telling of battles. In this case the Taira are victorious, but fail to press the issue, a tactical error.

Major characters

Tadamori, Kiyomori's father and the man who was able to gain special imperial favors once again for the Taira family. We read about him in Chapter 1, Sections [2] & [3].

Section summary

Tells how Go-Shirakawa gives Tadamori his favorite consort, Gion, who, it turns out, was pregnant at the time. Tadamori is allowed to raise the boy who is born, namely, Kiyomori.

A digression tells of a similar event in the past.

In a switch of scene and topic, Go-Shirakawa is relocating to his palace. Munemori treats him better than did his father.

A battle in the east against the Minamoto is successful but Tomomori (a little brother of Shigemori), who had led the attack, falls ill and the rout is cut off early.

The text makes the point that such is the luck of the Taira.

6- [11] The Hoarse Shouts---Power is returning to Go-Shirakawa, because Kiyomori has died.

Major characters

Yoshinaka, the general who together with Yoritomo is leading the fight against the Taira

Section summary

The governor that Kiyomori had appointed to subdue Kiso no Yoshinaka rides against Yoshinaka but is challenged by the gods. When he ignores the warning, black clouds gather above his head. He loses consciousness and dies within several hours.

Reading notes

<221> "all the men who had been banished in the third year of Jishô"—See Chapter 3, Section [16] "The Exiling of the Ministers of State". These 43 officials had been banished by Kiyomori in an attempt to consolidate power.

6- [12] The Battle at Yokotagawara---The Minamoto, led by Kiso no Yoshinaka, score a victory. Meanwhile, in the Capital, the Taira remain at the center of government. An awkward piece exists between them and Go-Shirakawa.

Section summary

The late Takakura's wife is given the name Kenreimon'in.

The Taira continue to receive excellent imperial appointments.

Further fighting in the territories near Yoshinaka's loyalists. The Minamoto win this round of clashes. In the Capital, the Taira "shrug off" the news.