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{{short description|Japanese fictional prose narrative and folktale}}
{{short description|Japanese fictional prose narrative and folktale}}
{{Redirect |Princess Kaguya||Kaguya (disambiguation){{!}}Kaguya}}
{{redirect|Princess Kaguya|the Studio Ghibli animated film|The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (film)|the 1935 drama film|Princess Kaguya (1935 film)|the 1987 live-action film|Princess from the Moon||Kaguya (disambiguation){{!}}Kaguya}}
{{redirect|Kaguyahime|the Japanese band|Kaguyahime (band)}}
{{for2|the Studio Ghibli animated film|[[The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (film)|The Tale of the Princess Kaguya]]|the 1935 drama film|[[Princess Kaguya (1935 film)]]|the 1987 live-action film|[[Princess from the Moon]]}}
{{italic title}}
{{italic title}}
[[File:Japanese Fairy Book - Ozaki - P118.png|thumb|right|alt=A young woman dressed in a pink kimono recedes on towards a palace the sky surrounded by clouds as people on the ground look on.|"The Receding Princess" from ''The Japanese Fairy Book'', 1908]]
[[File:Japanese Fairy Book - Ozaki - P118.png|thumb|right|alt=A young woman dressed in a pink kimono recedes on towards a palace the sky surrounded by clouds as people on the ground look on.|"The Receding Princess" from ''The Japanese Fairy Book'', 1908]]
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{{Nihongo|'''''The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'''''|竹取物語|Taketori Monogatari|lead=yes}} is a {{transliteration|ja|[[monogatari]]}} (fictional prose narrative) containing elements of [[Japanese folklore]]. Written by an unknown author in the late 9th or early 10th century during the [[Heian period]], it is considered the oldest surviving work in the {{transliteration|ja|monogatari}} form.

⚫
{{Nihongo|'''''The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'''''|竹取物語|Taketori Monogatari|lead=yes}} is a {{transl|ja|[[monogatari]]}} (fictional prose narrative) containing elements of [[Japanese folklore]]. Written by an unknown author in the late 9th or early 10th century during the [[Heian period]], it is considered the oldest surviving work in the {{transl|ja|monogatari}} form.


The story details the life of Kaguya-hime, a princess from the Moon who is discovered as a baby inside the stalk of a glowing [[bamboo]] plant. After she grows, her beauty attracts five suitors seeking her hand in marriage, whom she turns away by challenging them each with an impossible task; she later attracts the affection of the [[Emperor of Japan]]. At the tale's end, Kaguya-hime reveals her celestial origins and returns to the Moon. The story is also known as {{Nihongo|'''''The Tale of Princess Kaguya'''''|かぐや姫の物語|Kaguya-hime no Monogatari}}, after its protagonist.<ref name="katagiri 81">Katagiri et al. 1994: 81.</ref>
The story details the life of Kaguya-hime, a princess from the Moon who is discovered as a baby inside the stalk of a glowing [[bamboo]] plant. After she grows, her beauty attracts five suitors seeking her hand in marriage, whom she turns away by challenging them each with an impossible task; she later attracts the affection of the [[Emperor of Japan]]. At the tale's end, Kaguya-hime reveals her celestial origins and returns to the Moon. The story is also known as {{Nihongo|'''''The Tale of Princess Kaguya'''''|かぐや姫の物語|Kaguya-hime no Monogatari}}, after its protagonist.<ref name="katagiri 81">Katagiri et al. 1994: 81.</ref>


==Background==
==Background==
''The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'' is considered the oldest surviving {{transl|ja|[[monogatari]]}}, though its exact date of composition is unknown.<ref name="katagiri 95">Katagiri et al. 1994: 95.</ref> The oldest surviving manuscript is dated to 1592.<ref name="katagiri 95"/> A poem in the {{transl|ja|[[Yamato Monogatari]]}}, a 10th-century work that describes life in the imperial court, invokes the tale in reference to a [[Tsukimi|moon-viewing party]] held at the palace in 909. A mention of smoke rising from [[Mount Fuji]] in ''The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'' suggests that the volcano was still active at the time of its composition; the {{transl|ja|[[Kokin Wakashū]]}} indicates that the mountain had stopped emitting smoke by 905. Other sources suggest the tale was written between 871 and 881.<ref name="seeds">{{cite book|last=Keene|first=Donald|author-link=Donald Keene|title=Seeds in the Heart: Japanese Literature from Earliest Times to the Late Sixteenth Century|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_DEwTJq3TbcC|year=1999|publisher=[[Columbia University Press]]|isbn=978-0-231-11441-7|pages=434–441}}</ref>
''The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'' is considered the oldest surviving {{transliteration|ja|[[monogatari]]}}, though its exact date of composition is unknown.<ref name="katagiri 95">Katagiri et al. 1994: 95.</ref> The oldest surviving manuscript is dated to 1592.<ref name="katagiri 95"/> A poem in the {{transliteration|ja|[[Yamato Monogatari]]}}, a 10th-century work that describes life in the imperial court, invokes the tale in slight reference to a [[Tsukimi|Moon-viewing party]] held at the palace in 909. A mention of smoke rising from [[Mount Fuji]] in ''The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'' suggests that the volcano was still active at the time of its composition; the {{transliteration|ja|[[Kokin Wakashū]]}} indicates that the mountain had stopped emitting smoke by 905. Other sources suggest the tale was written between 871 and 881.<ref name="seeds">{{cite book|last=Keene|first=Donald|author-link=Donald Keene|title=Seeds in the Heart: Japanese Literature from Earliest Times to the Late Sixteenth Century|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_DEwTJq3TbcC|year=1999|publisher=[[Columbia University Press]]|isbn=978-0-231-11441-7|pages=434–441|access-date=2020-11-23|archive-date=2023-09-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230915170124/https://books.google.com/books?id=_DEwTJq3TbcC|url-status=live}}</ref>

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The author of ''The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'' is also unknown, and scholars have variously attributed the work to [[Minamoto no Shitagō]] (911–983), to the Abbot Henjō, to a member of the Inbe clan, to a member of a political faction opposed to [[Emperor Tenmu]], and to the {{transl|ja|[[kanshi (poetry)|kanshi]]}} poet Ki no Haseo (842–912). It is also debated whether the tale was written by one person or a group of people, and whether it was written in {{transl|ja|[[kanbun]]}}, Japanese {{transl|ja|[[kana]]}}, or even [[Chinese language|Chinese]].<ref name="seeds"/>


⚫
The author of ''The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'' is also unknown, and scholars have variously attributed the work to [[Minamoto no Shitagō]] (911–983), to the Abbot [[Henjō]], to a member of the Inbe clan, to a member of a political faction opposed to [[Emperor Tenmu]], and to the {{transliteration|ja|[[kanshi (poetry)|kanshi]]}} poet [[Ki no Haseo]] (842–912). It is also debated whether the tale was written by one person or a group of people, and whether it was written in {{transliteration|ja|[[kanbun]]}}, Japanese {{transliteration|ja|[[kana]]}}, or even [[Chinese language|Chinese]].<ref name="seeds"/>
Some modern commentators regard ''The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'' as proto-[[science fiction]],<ref name=Richardson>{{Cite book|title=The Halstead Treasury of Ancient Science Fiction|first=Matthew|last=Richardson|publisher=Halstead Press|location=Rushcutters Bay, New South Wales|year=2001|isbn=978-1-875684-64-9}} ([[cf.]] {{Cite journal|title=Once Upon a Time|journal=Emerald City|issue=85|date=September 2002|url=http://www.emcit.com/emcit085.shtml#Once|access-date=2008-09-17}})</ref> although few mainstream scholars would endorse this interpretation. The concept of travel between the moon and the earth might superficially resemble science fiction, but it held no such associations in the belief systems of the Heian period. For the original audience of ''The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'', the moon that Kaguya-hime ascended to was a mythical topos, much like [[Hо̄rai]] or the undersea [[Dragon Palace]]. The motif of flight to the moon was closely tied to the Daoist cult of immortality,<ref>Wang, 2005</ref> which enjoyed considerable popularity among the early Heian nobility; indeed, Daoist legends shaped "the earliest stratum of immortality legends in Japan," which in turn "formed the germ of" ''The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.'' <ref>Drott, 2015, pg. 305</ref>


==Narrative==
==Narrative==
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[[File:The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter - Discovery of Princess Kaguya.jpg|thumb|''Discovery of Kaguya-hime'', late 17th century depiction]]
[[File:The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter - Discovery of Princess Kaguya.jpg|thumb|''Discovery of Kaguya-hime'', late 17th century depiction]]


Among the suitors are five nobles: {{Nihongo|Prince Ishitsukuri|石作皇子}}, {{Nihongo|Prince Kuramochi|車持皇子}}, {{Nihongo|the [[Minister of the Right]] Abe no Mimuraji|右大臣阿倍御主人}}, {{Nihongo|the [[Dainagon|Grand Counselor]] Ōtomo no Miyuki|大納言大伴御行}}, and {{Nihongo|the [[Chūnagon|Middle Counselor]] Isonokami no Marotari|中納言石上麻呂}}. They eventually persuade the old man to have Kaguya-hime choose from among them. Uninterested, Kaguya-hime devises five impossible tasks, agreeing to marry the noble who can bring her the item specified for him: the stone [[Dāna|begging bowl]] of the [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]], a jeweled branch from the mythical island of [[Mount Penglai|Hōrai]], a robe of [[Rat (zodiac)|Chinese fire-rat]] skins, a colored jewel from a [[Japanese dragon|dragon]]'s neck, and a [[Cowrie#Shell description|cowry shell]] born from a [[swallow]].
Among the suitors are five nobles: {{Nihongo|Prince Ishitsukuri|石作皇子}}, {{Nihongo|Prince Kuramochi|車持皇子}}, {{Nihongo|the [[Minister of the Right]] {{illm|Abe no Miushi|ja|阿倍御主人}}|右大臣阿倍御主人}}, {{Nihongo|the [[Dainagon|Grand Counselor]] {{illm|Ōtomo no Miyuki|ja|大伴御行}}|大納言大伴御行}}, and {{Nihongo|the [[Chūnagon|Middle Counselor]] [[Isonokami no Maro]]tari|中納言石上まろたり}}. They eventually persuade the old man to have Kaguya-hime choose from among them. Uninterested, Kaguya-hime devises five impossible tasks, agreeing to marry the noble who can bring her the item specified for him: the stone [[Dāna|begging bowl]] of the [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]], a jeweled branch from the mythical island of [[Mount Penglai|Hōrai]], a robe of [[huoshu|fire rat]] skins, a colored jewel from a [[Japanese dragon|dragon]]'s neck, and a [[Cowrie#Shell description|cowry shell]] born from a [[swallow]].


Realizing the impossibility of his task, the first noble presents a fake stone bowl made from a blackened pot, but is exposed when Kaguya-hime notices that the bowl does not glow with holy light. The second noble presents a branch created by the country's finest jewelers, but is revealed when a messenger of the craftsmen arrives at Kaguya-hime's house to collect payment. The third noble is deceived by a merchant from China, who sells him a robe that burns when it is tested with fire. The fourth noble sets out to find a dragon at sea, but abandons his plans after encountering a storm. The fifth noble falls from a great height while reaching into a swallow's nest.
Realizing the impossibility of his task, the first noble presents a fake stone bowl made from a blackened pot, but is exposed when Kaguya-hime notices that the bowl does not glow with holy light. The second noble presents a branch created by the country's finest jewelers, but is revealed when a messenger of the craftsmen arrives at Kaguya-hime's house to collect payment. The third noble is deceived by a merchant from China, who sells him a robe that burns when it is tested with fire. The fourth noble sets out to find a dragon at sea, but abandons his plans after encountering a storm. The fifth noble falls from a great height while reaching into a swallow's nest.
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After this, the [[Emperor of Japan]] comes to visit Kaguya-hime and, after falling in love, asks her hand in marriage. Although he is not subjected to an impossible trial, Kaguya-hime rejects his request for marriage as well, telling him that she is not from his country and therefore cannot go to the palace with him. She remains in contact with the Emperor, but continues to rebuff his proposals. Three years pass as they continue to communicate by letter.
After this, the [[Emperor of Japan]] comes to visit Kaguya-hime and, after falling in love, asks her hand in marriage. Although he is not subjected to an impossible trial, Kaguya-hime rejects his request for marriage as well, telling him that she is not from his country and therefore cannot go to the palace with him. She remains in contact with the Emperor, but continues to rebuff his proposals. Three years pass as they continue to communicate by letter.


That summer, whenever Kaguya-hime views the full moon, her eyes fill with tears. Though her adoptive parents grow very worried and question her, she refuses to tell them what is wrong. Her behaviour becomes increasingly erratic until she reveals that she is not of the Earth and that she must return to her people on the moon. It is said that she was sent to the Earth, where she would inevitably form [[Upādāna|material attachment]], as a punishment for some crime without further description. The gold was a [[stipend]] from the people of the moon, sent to pay for Kaguya-hime's upkeep.
That summer, whenever Kaguya-hime views the full moon, her eyes fill with tears. Though her adoptive parents grow very worried and question her, she refuses to tell them what is wrong. Her behaviour becomes increasingly erratic until she reveals that she is not of the Earth and that she must return to her people on the Moon. It is said that she was sent to the Earth, where she would inevitably form [[Upādāna|material attachment]], as a punishment for some crime without further description. The gold was a [[stipend]] from the people of the Moon, sent to pay for Kaguya-hime's upkeep.


[[Image:Taketori Monogatari 2.jpg|thumb|left|Heavenly beings descend, depiction {{circa|1650}}]]
[[Image:Taketori Monogatari 2.jpg|thumb|left|Heavenly beings descend, depiction {{circa|1650}}]]
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As the day of her return approaches, the Emperor sends his guards to protect her from the Moon's people, but when an embassy of heavenly beings descends upon the bamboo cutter's house, the guards are blinded by a strange light. Kaguya-hime announces that, though she loves her many friends on Earth, she must return with the beings to her true home on the Moon. She writes sad notes of apology to her parents and to the Emperor, then gives her parents her own robe as a memento. She then takes a little of the [[elixir of immortality]], attaches it to her letter to the Emperor, and gives it to the guard officer. As she hands it to him, a feather robe is placed on her shoulders, and all of her sadness and compassion for the people of the Earth are apparently forgotten. The entourage ascends into the sky, taking Kaguya-hime back to {{Nihongo3|"the Capital of the Moon"|月の都|Tsuki no Miyako}} and leaving her earthly foster parents in tears.
As the day of her return approaches, the Emperor sends his guards to protect her from the Moon's people, but when an embassy of heavenly beings descends upon the bamboo cutter's house, the guards are blinded by a strange light. Kaguya-hime announces that, though she loves her many friends on Earth, she must return with the beings to her true home on the Moon. She writes sad notes of apology to her parents and to the Emperor, then gives her parents her own robe as a memento. She then takes a little of the [[elixir of immortality]], attaches it to her letter to the Emperor, and gives it to the guard officer. As she hands it to him, a feather robe is placed on her shoulders, and all of her sadness and compassion for the people of the Earth are apparently forgotten. The entourage ascends into the sky, taking Kaguya-hime back to {{Nihongo3|"the Capital of the Moon"|月の都|Tsuki no Miyako}} and leaving her earthly foster parents in tears.


[[File:Gekkyu no mukae.jpg|thumb|Princess Kaguya returns to the Moon, 1888 print by [[Yoshitoshi]]]]
[[File:Gekkyu no mukae.jpg|thumb|Princess Kaguya returns to the Moon. 1888 print by [[Yoshitoshi]].]]


The old couple become very sad and are soon put to bed sick. The officer returns to the Emperor with the items Kaguya-hime gave him as her last mortal act, and reports what happened. The Emperor reads her letter and is overcome with sadness, and asks his servants, "Which mountain is the closest place to Heaven?"; in response, one suggests the Great Mountain of [[Suruga Province]]. The Emperor then orders his men to take the letter to the summit of the mountain and burn it, in the hope that his message would reach the distant princess. They are also ordered to burn the elixir of immortality, as the Emperor does not wish to live for eternity without being able to see her.
The old couple become very sad and are soon put to bed sick. The officer returns to the Emperor with the items Kaguya-hime gave him as her last mortal act, and reports what happened. The Emperor reads her letter and is overcome with sadness, and asks his servants, "Which mountain is the closest place to Heaven?"; in response, one suggests the Great Mountain of [[Suruga Province]]. The Emperor then orders his men to take the letter to the summit of the mountain and burn it, in the hope that his message would reach the distant princess. They are also ordered to burn the elixir of immortality, as the Emperor does not wish to live for eternity without being able to see her.
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{{cite book |script-title=ja:かぐや姫の誕生―古代説話の起源 |author=伊藤清司 |date=1973 |publisher=講談社 |language=ja}}</ref>
{{cite book |script-title=ja:かぐや姫の誕生―古代説話の起源 |author=伊藤清司 |date=1973 |publisher=講談社 |language=ja}}</ref>


Initially, many researchers believed {{transliteration|zh|Banzhu Guniang}} to be related to ''Tale of Bamboo Cutter'', although some were skeptical. In the 1980s, studies showed that the relationship between these stories was not as simple as initially thought. Okutsu provides an extensive review of the research, and notes that the book {{transliteration|zh|Jinyu Fenghuang}} was intended to be for children, and as such, the editor took some liberties in adapting the tales. No other compilation of Tibetan tales contains the story.<ref name="okutsu">{{cite book |script-title=ja:竹取物語の研究 |author=奥津 春雄 |title=竹取物語の研究: 達成と変容 |publisher=翰林書房 |date=2000 |language=ja |isbn= 978-4-87737-097-8}} |others=Translated by 梶濱 亮俊|script-title=ja:東チベットの民話 |date=2001 |publisher=SKK |language=ja}}</ref> A researcher went to [[Sichuan]] and found that, apart from those who had already read {{transliteration|zh|Jinyu Fenghuang}}, local researchers in [[Chengdu]] did not know the story.<ref name="shigehara">{{cite book |script-title=ja:日中説話の比較研究 |author= 繁原 央 |date=2004 |publisher=汲古書院 |language=ja |isbn= 978-4-7629-3521-3}}</ref> Several Tibetan sources in [[Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture]] did not know the story either.<ref name="shigehara" /> The philological consensus is that the author of the 1957 book purposefully copied ''The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter''.<ref>Katagiri et al. 1994</ref>
Initially, many researchers believed {{transliteration|zh|Banzhu Guniang}} to be related to ''Tale of Bamboo Cutter'', although some were skeptical. In the 1980s, studies showed that the relationship between these stories was not as simple as initially thought. Okutsu provides an extensive review of the research, and notes that the book {{transliteration|zh|Jinyu Fenghuang}} was intended to be for children, and as such, the editor took some liberties in adapting the tales. No other compilation of Tibetan tales contains the story.<ref name="okutsu">{{cite book |script-title=ja:竹取物語の研究 |author=奥津 春雄 |title=竹取物語の研究: 達成と変容 |publisher=翰林書房 |date=2000 |language=ja |isbn= 978-4-87737-097-8}}</ref> A researcher went to [[Sichuan]] and found that, apart from those who had already read {{transliteration|zh|Jinyu Fenghuang}}, local researchers in [[Chengdu]] did not know the story.<ref name="shigehara">{{cite book |script-title=ja:日中説話の比較研究 |author= 繁原 央 |date=2004 |publisher=汲古書院 |language=ja |isbn= 978-4-7629-3521-3}}</ref> Several Tibetan sources in [[Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture]] did not know the story either.<ref name="shigehara" /> The philological consensus is that the author of the 1957 book purposefully copied ''The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter''.<ref>Katagiri et al. 1994</ref>


===Chang'e===
===Chang'e===
The Chinese legend of [[Chang'e]] can be traced to the second century BC. According to the main telling of the legend, a {{transliteration|zh|[[Xian (Taoism)|xian]]}} named Chang'e came to Earth, thereby losing her immortality. To get it back, she stole the elixir of immortality from the [[Queen Mother of the West]], then fled to the moon. The elements of immortality and flight are well-connected to the Daoist figure of the {{transliteration|zh|xian}}, as is the appearance of unusual figures in the mountains, but the Japanese tale includes many novel elements such as the bamboo cutter, the suitors, and the night abduction by floating creatures.<ref>Seimiya Tsuyoshi, "Shinsen shiso no kihon kozo." ''Shūkan Tōyōgaku'' no. 33 (1976)</ref>
The Chinese legend of [[Chang'e]] can be traced to the second century BCE. According to the main telling of the legend, a {{transliteration|zh|[[Xian (Taoism)|xian]]}} named Chang'e came to Earth, thereby losing her immortality. To get it back, she stole the elixir of immortality from the [[Queen Mother of the West]], then fled to the Moon. The elements of immortality and flight are well-connected to the Daoist figure of the {{transliteration|zh|xian}}, as is the appearance of unusual figures in the mountains, but the Japanese tale includes many novel elements such as the bamboo cutter, the suitors, and the night abduction by floating creatures.<ref>Seimiya Tsuyoshi, "Shinsen shiso no kihon kozo." ''Shūkan Tōyōgaku'' no. 33 (1976)</ref>


==Legacy==
==Legacy==
''The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'' is a popular folk tale in Japan.<ref name="Animation">{{cite web |last1=Zahed |first1=Ramin |title=Hot Clip: Ghibli's 'Tale of the Bamboo Cutter' |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/features/hot-clip-ghiblis-tale-bamboo-cutter/ |website=[[Animation Magazine]] |access-date=11 May 2020 |date=18 November 2013}}</ref> It has been adapted, updated and reworked into numerous modern media, especially [[Japanese pop culture]] media such as [[manga]] and [[anime]].<ref name="Crunchyroll">{{cite news |last1=Green |first1=Scott |title=VIDEO: Studio Ghibli's "Princess Kaguya" Featured in Ad |url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2013/10/22-1/video-studio-ghiblis-princess-kaguya-featured-in-ad |access-date=11 May 2020 |work=[[Crunchyroll]] |date=October 22, 2013 |language=en-us}}</ref><ref name="Milky">{{cite book |title=Schoolgirl Milky Crisis: Adventures in the Anime and Manga Trade |date=2010 |publisher=A-Net Digital LLC |isbn=978-0-9845937-4-3 |page=196 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=inWpe4hhc0IC&pg=PA196}}</ref>
''The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'' is a popular folk tale in Japan.<ref name="Animation">{{cite web |last1=Zahed |first1=Ramin |title=Hot Clip: Ghibli's 'Tale of the Bamboo Cutter' |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/features/hot-clip-ghiblis-tale-bamboo-cutter/ |website=[[Animation Magazine]] |access-date=11 May 2020 |date=18 November 2013 |archive-date=23 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923172908/https://www.animationmagazine.net/features/hot-clip-ghiblis-tale-bamboo-cutter/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It has been adapted, updated and reworked into numerous modern media, especially [[Japanese pop culture]] media such as [[manga]] and [[anime]].<ref name="Crunchyroll">{{cite news |last1=Green |first1=Scott |title=VIDEO: Studio Ghibli's "Princess Kaguya" Featured in Ad |url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2013/10/22-1/video-studio-ghiblis-princess-kaguya-featured-in-ad |access-date=11 May 2020 |work=[[Crunchyroll]] |date=October 22, 2013 |language=en-us |archive-date=27 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127034324/https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2013/10/22-1/video-studio-ghiblis-princess-kaguya-featured-in-ad |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Milky">{{cite book |title=Schoolgirl Milky Crisis: Adventures in the Anime and Manga Trade |date=2010 |publisher=A-Net Digital LLC |isbn=978-0-9845937-4-3 |page=196 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=inWpe4hhc0IC&pg=PA196 |access-date=2020-05-11 |archive-date=2023-09-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230915170128/https://books.google.com/books?id=inWpe4hhc0IC&pg=PA196 |url-status=live }}</ref>


===Modern adaptations===
===Modern adaptations===
Generally faithful adaptations of the original story include the following:
Generally faithful adaptations of the original story include the following:


* [[Princess Kaguya (1935 film)|''Princess Kaguya'']] {{ndash}} 1935 live-action Japanese film directed by Yoshitsugu Tanaka, with cinematography by [[Eiji Tsuburaya]].<ref>{{Citation|last=allcinema|title=映画 かぐや姫 (1935)について 映画データベース - allcinema|url=https://www.allcinema.net/cinema/86896|language=ja|access-date=2021-07-04}}</ref>
* [[Princess Kaguya (1935 film)|''Princess Kaguya'']] {{ndash}} 1935 live-action [[Japanese film]] directed by Yoshitsugu Tanaka, with cinematography by [[Eiji Tsuburaya]].<ref>{{Citation|last=allcinema|title=映画 かぐや姫 (1935)について 映画データベース - allcinema|url=https://www.allcinema.net/cinema/86896|language=ja|access-date=2021-07-04|archive-date=2021-07-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210707084617/https://www.allcinema.net/cinema/86896|url-status=live}}</ref>
*''[[Princess from the Moon]]'' {{ndash}} 1987 live-action [[Japanese film]] directed by [[Kon Ichikawa]], and starring [[Toshiro Mifune]] and [[Yasuko Sawaguchi]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Shirane |first1=Haruo |title=Envisioning The Tale of Genji: Media, Gender, and Cultural Production |date=2008 |publisher=[[Columbia University Press]] |isbn=978-0-231-51346-3 |page=326 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ITRIvGT0SGsC&pg=PA326}}</ref><ref name="Animation" />
*''[[Princess from the Moon]]'' {{ndash}} 1987 live-action Japanese film directed by [[Kon Ichikawa]], and starring [[Toshiro Mifune]], [[Ayako Wakao]] and [[Yasuko Sawaguchi]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Shirane |first1=Haruo |title=Envisioning The Tale of Genji: Media, Gender, and Cultural Production |date=2008 |publisher=[[Columbia University Press]] |isbn=978-0-231-51346-3 |page=326 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ITRIvGT0SGsC&pg=PA326 |access-date=2020-05-11 |archive-date=2023-09-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230915170128/https://books.google.com/books?id=ITRIvGT0SGsC&pg=PA326 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Animation" />
* ''[[The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (film)|The Tale of the Princess Kaguya]]'' {{ndash}} 2013 [[anime film]], directed by [[Isao Takahata]] and produced by [[Studio Ghibli]].<ref name="Crunchyroll" /><ref name="Animation" /><ref name="Source">{{cite web |title=The Tale of the Princess Kaguya |url=https://www.bendsource.com/bend/the-tale-of-the-princess-kaguya/Film?oid=2411603 |website=The Source Weekly |location=[[Bend, Oregon]] |year=2014 |access-date=11 May 2020}}</ref>
* ''[[The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (film)|The Tale of the Princess Kaguya]]'' {{ndash}} 2013 [[anime]] film, directed by [[Isao Takahata]] and produced by [[Studio Ghibli]].<ref name="Crunchyroll" /><ref name="Animation" /><ref name="Source">{{cite web |title=The Tale of the Princess Kaguya |url=https://www.bendsource.com/bend/the-tale-of-the-princess-kaguya/Film?oid=2411603 |website=The Source Weekly |location=[[Bend, Oregon]] |year=2014 |access-date=11 May 2020 |archive-date=27 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127103849/https://www.bendsource.com/bend/the-tale-of-the-princess-kaguya/Film?oid=2411603 |url-status=live }}</ref>


Modern updates and reworkings of the original story are found in numerous other works:
Modern updates and reworkings of the original story are found in numerous other works:


* ''[[Queen Millennia]]'' (''The New Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'') {{ndash}} 1980 Japanese {{transl|ja|[[seinen manga|seinen]]}} manga, [[light novel]] and [[anime]] franchise created by [[Leiji Matsumoto]].<ref name="Crunchyroll"/>
* ''[[Queen Millennia]]'' (''The New Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'') {{ndash}} 1980 Japanese {{transliteration|ja|[[seinen manga|seinen]]}} manga, [[light novel]] and anime franchise created by [[Leiji Matsumoto]].<ref name="Crunchyroll"/>
* ''[[Please Save My Earth]]'' {{ndash}} 1986 {{transliteration|ja|[[shōjo manga|shōjo]]}} manga and 1993 anime series.<ref name="Milky"/>
* ''[[Please Save My Earth]]'' {{ndash}} 1986 {{transliteration|ja|[[shōjo manga|shōjo]]}} manga and 1993 anime series.<ref name="Milky"/>
⚫
* ''[[Yaiba]]'' {{ndash}} 1988 Japanese {{transliteration|ja|[[shōnen manga|shōnen]]}} manga and 1993 anime.
* ''[[Big Bird in Japan]]'' {{ndash}} 1989 American ''[[Sesame Street]]'' television special.
* ''[[Big Bird in Japan]]'' {{ndash}} 1989 American ''[[Sesame Street]]'' television special.
* ''[[Sailor Moon]]'' {{ndash}} 1991 Japanese {{transliteration|ja|shōjo}} manga and anime franchise.<ref name="Crunchyroll"/>
* ''[[Sailor Moon]]'' {{ndash}} 1991 Japanese {{transliteration|ja|shōjo}} manga and anime franchise.<ref name="Crunchyroll"/>
** ''[[Sailor Moon S]]'' {{ndash}} 1994 anime [[Television in Japan|television series]].<ref name="Milky"/>
** ''[[Sailor Moon S]]'' {{ndash}} 1994 anime [[Television in Japan|television series]].<ref name="Milky"/>
** ''[[Sailor Moon S: The Movie]]'' {{ndash}} 1994 anime film.
** ''[[Sailor Moon S: The Movie]]'' {{ndash}} 1994 anime film.
⚫
* ''[[Soul Eater (manga)|Soul Eater]]'' {{ndash}} 2003 {{transliteration|ja|[[shōnen manga|shōnen]]}} manga.
* ''[[From the Towers of the Moon]]'' {{ndash}} 1992 American theatrical [[opera]],<ref name="Animation"/> inspired by the film ''Princess from the Moon''.
* ''[[From the Towers of the Moon]]'' {{ndash}} 1992 American theatrical [[opera]],<ref name="Animation"/> inspired by the film ''Princess from the Moon''.
* ''[[Turn A Gundam]]'' {{ndash}} 1999 ''[[Gundam]]'' anime series and film.<ref>{{cite web |author=Feez |title=Turn A Gundam's 20th Anniversary: A Reflection |url=https://tsukinomayu.com/2019/04/09/turn-a-gundams-20th-anniversary-a-reflection/ |website=Moon's Cocoon |access-date=11 May 2020 |date=9 April 2019}}</ref>
* ''[[Turn A Gundam]]'' {{ndash}} 1999 ''[[Gundam]]'' anime series and film.<ref>{{cite web |author=Feez |title=Turn A Gundam's 20th Anniversary: A Reflection |url=https://tsukinomayu.com/2019/04/09/turn-a-gundams-20th-anniversary-a-reflection/ |website=Moon's Cocoon |access-date=11 May 2020 |date=9 April 2019 |archive-date=16 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200716055001/https://tsukinomayu.com/2019/04/09/turn-a-gundams-20th-anniversary-a-reflection/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* ''[[Naruto]]'' {{ndash}} 1999 Japanese {{transliteration|ja|shōnen}} manga and anime franchise.<ref name="theculturetrip">{{cite web |last1=Joy |first1=Alicia |title=The Tale Of The Bamboo Cutter, Japan's 10th-Century Sci-fi Folk Tale |url=https://theculturetrip.com/asia/japan/articles/the-tale-of-the-bamboo-cutter-the-history-of-the-folktale/ |website=Culture Trip |date=3 October 2016 |access-date=11 May 2020}}</ref>
* ''[[Naruto]]'' {{ndash}} 1999 Japanese {{transliteration|ja|shōnen}} manga and anime franchise.<ref name="theculturetrip">{{cite web |last1=Joy |first1=Alicia |title=The Tale Of The Bamboo Cutter, Japan's 10th-Century Sci-fi Folk Tale |url=https://theculturetrip.com/asia/japan/articles/the-tale-of-the-bamboo-cutter-the-history-of-the-folktale/ |website=Culture Trip |date=3 October 2016 |access-date=11 May 2020 |archive-date=22 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922022723/https://theculturetrip.com/asia/japan/articles/the-tale-of-the-bamboo-cutter-the-history-of-the-folktale/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* ''[[Mushishi]]'' {{ndash}} 1999 manga and 2006 anime.
* ''[[Mushishi]]'' {{ndash}} 1999 manga and 2006 anime.
* ''[[Oh! Edo Rocket]]'' {{ndash}} 2001 Japanese [[Play (theatre)|play]] and novel and 2007 manga and anime series.<ref name="Crunchyroll"/>
* ''[[Oh! Edo Rocket]]'' {{ndash}} 2001 Japanese [[Play (theatre)|play]] and novel and 2007 manga and anime series.<ref name="Crunchyroll"/>
* ''[[Inuyasha the Movie: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass]]'' {{ndash}} 2002 ''[[Inuyasha]]'' anime film.<ref name="Animation"/><ref name="theculturetrip"/>
* ''[[Inuyasha the Movie: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass]]'' {{ndash}} 2002 ''[[Inuyasha]]'' anime film.<ref name="Animation"/><ref name="theculturetrip"/>
* In the 2003 book {{lang|nl|Het verhaal van de bamboesnijder}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bibliotheek.nl/catalogus/titel.246944374.html/het-verhaal-van-de-bamboesnijder|title = Het verhaal van de bamboesnijder - Pauline van de Ven &#124; gedrukt boek &#124; Bibliotheek.nl}}</ref><ref>Publishing house De Geus, Breda 2003</ref> Princess Kaguya portrays the [[Narcissus (mythology)|Narcissus]] conflict, a contradictory desire to coincide perfectly with the beloved and at the same time to be a unique and free individual.
* {{lang|nl|Het verhaal van de bamboesnijder}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bibliotheek.nl/catalogus/titel.246944374.html/het-verhaal-van-de-bamboesnijder|title=Het verhaal van de bamboesnijder - Pauline van de Ven &#124; gedrukt boek &#124; Bibliotheek.nl|access-date=2022-01-19|archive-date=2023-07-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230716094639/https://www.bibliotheek.nl/catalogus/titel.246944374.html/het-verhaal-van-de-bamboesnijder|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>Publishing house De Geus, Breda 2003</ref> {{ndash}} 2003 book where Princess Kaguya portrays the [[Narcissus (mythology)|Narcissus]] conflict, a contradictory desire to coincide perfectly with the beloved and at the same time to be a unique and free individual.
* ''[[Soul Eater (manga)|Soul Eater]]'' {{ndash}} 2003 {{transliteration|ja|[[shōnen manga|shōnen]]}} manga.
* ''[[Imperishable Night]]'' {{ndash}} 2004 ''[[Touhou Project]]'' [[video game]]
* ''[[Imperishable Night]]'' {{ndash}} 2004 ''[[Touhou Project]]'' [[video game]]
* ''[[Ōkami]]'' {{ndash}} 2006 [[Capcom]] video game.<ref name="theculturetrip"/>
* ''[[Ōkami]]'' {{ndash}} 2006 [[Capcom]] video game.<ref name="theculturetrip"/>
* ''[[Shiren the Wanderer (2008 video game)|Shiren the Wanderer]]'' {{ndash}} 2008 video game.
* ''[[Shiren the Wanderer (2008 video game)|Shiren the Wanderer]]'' {{ndash}} 2008 video game.
* ''Persona 4 Golden'' {{ndash}} Persona Kaguya Hime in this 2012 enhanced port of the video game ''[[Persona 4]]'' is based on the tale.
* ''[[Warriors Orochi 3]]'' {{ndash}} 2011 [[Koei]] video game. Kaguya is a playable character; over the course of the game, her detachment as an immortal is replaced with a feeling of camaraderie for the mortals she protects.
* ''[[Persona 4 Golden]]'' {{ndash}} Persona Kaguya Hime in this 2012 enhanced port of the video game ''Persona 4'' is based on the tale.
* ''[[Kaguya-sama: Love Is War]]'' {{ndash}} 2015 {{transl|ja|seinen}} manga and 2019 anime series.
* ''[[Kaguya-sama: Love Is War]]'' {{ndash}} 2015 {{transliteration|ja|[[seinen manga|seinen]]}} manga and 2019 anime series.
* ''[[Prince Kaguya]]'' {{ndash}} 2015 musical.
* ''[[Prince Kaguya]]'' {{ndash}} 2015 musical.
* ''[[Pokémon Sun and Moon]]'' {{ndash}} Ultra Beast Celesteela from this 2016 video game is based on the tale.
* ''[[Pokémon Sun and Moon]]'' {{ndash}} Ultra Beast Celesteela from this 2016 video game is based on the tale.
* ''[[SINoALICE]]'' {{ndash}} 2017 game, featuring Princess Kaguya as one of its playable characters, being portrated with the sin of masochism.
* ''[[Fly Me to the Moon (manga)|Fly Me to the Moon]]'' {{ndash}} 2018 {{transl|ja|shōnen}} manga and 2020 anime series.
* ''[[Fly Me to the Moon (manga)|Fly Me to the Moon]]'' {{ndash}} 2018 {{transliteration|ja|shōnen}} manga and 2020 anime series.
* ''[[Spirit Hunter: NG]]'' {{ndash}} 2018 game where the player is forced to perform several tasks of exorcising spirits by a childlike doll known as 'Kakuya'.
* ''[[Spirit Hunter: NG]]'' {{ndash}} 2018 game where the player is forced to perform several tasks of exorcising spirits by a childlike doll known as 'Kakuya'.
* ''[[Star Twinkle Precure]]'' {{ndash}} Kaguya Madoka in this 2019 anime, who transforms into Cure Selene, is based on Princess Kaguya
* ''[[Star Twinkle Precure]]'' {{ndash}} Kaguya Madoka in this 2019 anime, who transforms into Cure Selene, is based on Princess Kaguya
* ''Ninja Box'' {{ndash}} The [[kunoichi]] Takewaka-chan and her evolution from this 2019 [[Nintendo Switch]] game were based on Princess Kaguya.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ninjabox.bn-ent.net/character/nukenin-03.html|title =ヌケニンたち3/キャラクター/ニンジャボックス/バンダイナムコエンターテインメント|access-date = February 23, 2023}}</ref>
* ''Ninja Box'' {{ndash}} The [[kunoichi]] Takewaka-chan and her evolution from this 2019 [[Nintendo Switch]] game is based on Princess Kaguya.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ninjabox.bn-ent.net/character/nukenin-03.html|title=ヌケニンたち3/キャラクター/ニンジャボックス/バンダイナムコエンターテインメント|access-date=February 23, 2023|archive-date=July 16, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230716122557/https://ninjabox.bn-ent.net/character/nukenin-03.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Blade of the Moon Princess]] {{ndash}} 2010 {{transliteration|ja|shōnen}} manga by [[Tatsuya Endo]], uses sci-fi elements to alter or expand the story.


==Notes==
==Notes==
Line 103: Line 104:
==Bibliography==
==Bibliography==
* Edward Drott. "'To Tread on High Clouds': Dreams of Eternal Youth in Early Japan." ''Japanese Journal of Religious Studies'' vol. 42, no. 2 (2015), 275–317.
* Edward Drott. "'To Tread on High Clouds': Dreams of Eternal Youth in Early Japan." ''Japanese Journal of Religious Studies'' vol. 42, no. 2 (2015), 275–317.
* Katagiri Yōichi, Fukui Teisuke, Takahashi Seiji and Shimizu Yoshiko. 1994. {{transl|ja|Taketori Monogatari, Yamato Monogatari, Ise Monogatari, Heichū Monogatari}} in {{transl|ja|Shinpen Nihon Koten Bungaku Zenshū}} series. Tokyo: Shogakukan.
* Katagiri Yōichi, Fukui Teisuke, Takahashi Seiji and Shimizu Yoshiko. 1994. {{transliteration|ja|Taketori Monogatari, Yamato Monogatari, Ise Monogatari, Heichū Monogatari}} in {{transliteration|ja|Shinpen Nihon Koten Bungaku Zenshū}} series. Tokyo: Shogakukan.
* [[Donald Keene]] (translator), ''The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'', {{ISBN|4-7700-2329-4}}
* [[Donald Keene]] (translator), ''The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'', {{ISBN|4-7700-2329-4}}
* ''Japan at a Glance'' Updated, {{ISBN|4-7700-2841-5}}, pages 164–165 (brief abstract)
* ''Japan at a Glance'' Updated, {{ISBN|4-7700-2841-5}}, pages 164–165 (brief abstract)
Line 109: Line 110:
* {{cite book |last=Horiuchi |first=Hideaki |author2=Akiyama Ken |title=Shin Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei 17: Taketori Monogatari, Ise Monogatari |publisher=[[Iwanami Shoten Publishing|Iwanami Shoten]] |date=1997 |location=[[Tōkyō]] |language=ja |isbn=978-4-00-240017-4 |title-link=Ise Monogatari}}
* {{cite book |last=Horiuchi |first=Hideaki |author2=Akiyama Ken |title=Shin Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei 17: Taketori Monogatari, Ise Monogatari |publisher=[[Iwanami Shoten Publishing|Iwanami Shoten]] |date=1997 |location=[[Tōkyō]] |language=ja |isbn=978-4-00-240017-4 |title-link=Ise Monogatari}}
* {{cite book |last=Satake |first=Akihiro |author2=Yamada Hideo |author3=Kudō Rikio |author4=Ōtani Masao |author5=Yamazaki Yoshiyuki |title=Shin Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei 4: Man'yōshū |publisher=[[Iwanami Shoten Publishing|Iwanami Shoten]] |date=2003 |location=[[Tōkyō]] |language=ja |isbn=978-4-00-240004-4 |title-link=Man'yōshū}}
* {{cite book |last=Satake |first=Akihiro |author2=Yamada Hideo |author3=Kudō Rikio |author4=Ōtani Masao |author5=Yamazaki Yoshiyuki |title=Shin Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei 4: Man'yōshū |publisher=[[Iwanami Shoten Publishing|Iwanami Shoten]] |date=2003 |location=[[Tōkyō]] |language=ja |isbn=978-4-00-240004-4 |title-link=Man'yōshū}}
*[http://jti.lib.virginia.edu/japanese/taketori/AnoTake.html {{transl|ja|Taketori monogatari}}, Japanese Text Initiative, Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library]
*[http://jti.lib.virginia.edu/japanese/taketori/AnoTake.html {{transliteration|ja|Taketori monogatari}}, Japanese Text Initiative, Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library]
<!-- The version of this article from before Feb. 8, 2005 was based was entirely on ISBN 4-7700-2329-4; information from Mount Fuji, ISBN 4-7700-2841-5, and my memory of Japanese Lit. class added by Carlj7 -->
<!-- The version of this article from before Feb. 8, 2005 was based was entirely on {{ISBN|4-7700-2329-4}}; information from Mount Fuji, {{ISBN|4-7700-2841-5}}, and my memory of Japanese Lit. class added by Carlj7 -->
* {{cite book |last=Yamada |first=Yoshio |author2=Yamda Tadao |author3=Yamda Hideo |author4=Yamada Toshio |title=Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei 26: Konjaku Monogatari 5 |publisher=[[Iwanami Shoten Publishing|Iwanami Shoten]] |date=1963 |location=[[Tōkyō]] |language=ja |isbn=978-4-00-060026-2 |title-link=Konjaku Monogatari}}
* {{cite book |last=Yamada |first=Yoshio |author2=Yamda Tadao |author3=Yamda Hideo |author4=Yamada Toshio |title=Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei 26: Konjaku Monogatari 5 |publisher=[[Iwanami Shoten Publishing|Iwanami Shoten]] |date=1963 |location=[[Tōkyō]] |language=ja |isbn=978-4-00-060026-2 |title-link=Konjaku Monogatari}}
* Eugene Y. Wang. "Mirror, Moon and Memory in Eighth-Century China: From Dragon Pond to Lunar Palace." ''Cleveland Studies in the History of Art'' vol. 9 (2005), 42–67.
* Eugene Y. Wang. "Mirror, Moon and Memory in Eighth-Century China: From Dragon Pond to Lunar Palace." ''Cleveland Studies in the History of Art'' vol. 9 (2005), 42–67.
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[[Category:Kaguya-hime]]
[[Category:Works based on The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter]]
[[Category:9th-century science fiction works]]
[[Category:Folklore featuring impossible tasks|Babmoo cutter, the Tale of]]

Latest revision as of 01:37, 2 December 2024

"Princess Kaguya" redirects here. For the Studio Ghibli animated film, see The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (film). For the 1935 drama film, see Princess Kaguya (1935 film). For the 1987 live-action film, see Princess from the Moon. For other uses, see Kaguya.
"Kaguyahime" redirects here. For the Japanese band, see Kaguyahime (band).

A young woman dressed in a pink kimono recedes on towards a palace the sky surrounded by clouds as people on the ground look on.
"The Receding Princess" from The Japanese Fairy Book, 1908

The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (Japanese: 竹取物語, Hepburn: Taketori Monogatari) is a monogatari (fictional prose narrative) containing elements of Japanese folklore. Written by an unknown author in the late 9th or early 10th century during the Heian period, it is considered the oldest surviving work in the monogatari form.

The story details the life of Kaguya-hime, a princess from the Moon who is discovered as a baby inside the stalk of a glowing bamboo plant. After she grows, her beauty attracts five suitors seeking her hand in marriage, whom she turns away by challenging them each with an impossible task; she later attracts the affection of the Emperor of Japan. At the tale's end, Kaguya-hime reveals her celestial origins and returns to the Moon. The story is also known as The Tale of Princess Kaguya (かぐや姫の物語, Kaguya-hime no Monogatari), after its protagonist.[1]

Background

[edit]

The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter is considered the oldest surviving monogatari, though its exact date of composition is unknown.[2] The oldest surviving manuscript is dated to 1592.[2] A poem in the Yamato Monogatari, a 10th-century work that describes life in the imperial court, invokes the tale in slight reference to a Moon-viewing party held at the palace in 909. A mention of smoke rising from Mount Fuji in The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter suggests that the volcano was still active at the time of its composition; the Kokin Wakashū indicates that the mountain had stopped emitting smoke by 905. Other sources suggest the tale was written between 871 and 881.[3]

The author of The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter is also unknown, and scholars have variously attributed the work to Minamoto no Shitagō (911–983), to the Abbot Henjō, to a member of the Inbe clan, to a member of a political faction opposed to Emperor Tenmu, and to the kanshi poet Ki no Haseo (842–912). It is also debated whether the tale was written by one person or a group of people, and whether it was written in kanbun, Japanese kana, or even Chinese.[3]

Narrative

[edit]
Taketori no Okina takes Kaguya-hime to his home, painting c. 1650

One day in the bamboo forest, an old bamboo cutter called Taketori no Okina (竹取翁, "old bamboo harvester") comes across a mysterious, shining stalk of bamboo. Upon cutting it open, he is surprised to find an infant the size of his thumb inside. The old man and his wife, having no children of their own, decide to raise the infant as their own daughter, and name her Nayotake-no-Kaguya-hime (なよたけのかぐや姫, "Shining Princess of the Young Bamboo"). From that moment on, every time the man cuts a stalk of bamboo, he finds a small nugget of gold inside. The family soon grows rich, and within just three months, Kaguya-hime grows from an infant into a woman of ordinary size and extraordinary beauty. At first, the old man tries to keep news of Kaguya-hime away from outsiders, but as word of her beauty spreads, she attracts many suitors who seek her hand in marriage.

Discovery of Kaguya-hime, late 17th century depiction

Among the suitors are five nobles: Prince Ishitsukuri (石作皇子), Prince Kuramochi (車持皇子), the Minister of the Right Abe no Miushi [ja] (右大臣阿倍御主人), the Grand Counselor Ōtomo no Miyuki [ja] (大納言大伴御行), and the Middle Counselor Isonokami no Marotari (中納言石上まろたり). They eventually persuade the old man to have Kaguya-hime choose from among them. Uninterested, Kaguya-hime devises five impossible tasks, agreeing to marry the noble who can bring her the item specified for him: the stone begging bowl of the Buddha, a jeweled branch from the mythical island of Hōrai, a robe of fire rat skins, a colored jewel from a dragon's neck, and a cowry shell born from a swallow.

Realizing the impossibility of his task, the first noble presents a fake stone bowl made from a blackened pot, but is exposed when Kaguya-hime notices that the bowl does not glow with holy light. The second noble presents a branch created by the country's finest jewelers, but is revealed when a messenger of the craftsmen arrives at Kaguya-hime's house to collect payment. The third noble is deceived by a merchant from China, who sells him a robe that burns when it is tested with fire. The fourth noble sets out to find a dragon at sea, but abandons his plans after encountering a storm. The fifth noble falls from a great height while reaching into a swallow's nest.

After this, the Emperor of Japan comes to visit Kaguya-hime and, after falling in love, asks her hand in marriage. Although he is not subjected to an impossible trial, Kaguya-hime rejects his request for marriage as well, telling him that she is not from his country and therefore cannot go to the palace with him. She remains in contact with the Emperor, but continues to rebuff his proposals. Three years pass as they continue to communicate by letter.

That summer, whenever Kaguya-hime views the full moon, her eyes fill with tears. Though her adoptive parents grow very worried and question her, she refuses to tell them what is wrong. Her behaviour becomes increasingly erratic until she reveals that she is not of the Earth and that she must return to her people on the Moon. It is said that she was sent to the Earth, where she would inevitably form material attachment, as a punishment for some crime without further description. The gold was a stipend from the people of the Moon, sent to pay for Kaguya-hime's upkeep.

Heavenly beings descend, depiction c. 1650

As the day of her return approaches, the Emperor sends his guards to protect her from the Moon's people, but when an embassy of heavenly beings descends upon the bamboo cutter's house, the guards are blinded by a strange light. Kaguya-hime announces that, though she loves her many friends on Earth, she must return with the beings to her true home on the Moon. She writes sad notes of apology to her parents and to the Emperor, then gives her parents her own robe as a memento. She then takes a little of the elixir of immortality, attaches it to her letter to the Emperor, and gives it to the guard officer. As she hands it to him, a feather robe is placed on her shoulders, and all of her sadness and compassion for the people of the Earth are apparently forgotten. The entourage ascends into the sky, taking Kaguya-hime back to Tsuki no Miyako (月の都, "the Capital of the Moon") and leaving her earthly foster parents in tears.

Princess Kaguya returns to the Moon. 1888 print by Yoshitoshi.

The old couple become very sad and are soon put to bed sick. The officer returns to the Emperor with the items Kaguya-hime gave him as her last mortal act, and reports what happened. The Emperor reads her letter and is overcome with sadness, and asks his servants, "Which mountain is the closest place to Heaven?"; in response, one suggests the Great Mountain of Suruga Province. The Emperor then orders his men to take the letter to the summit of the mountain and burn it, in the hope that his message would reach the distant princess. They are also ordered to burn the elixir of immortality, as the Emperor does not wish to live for eternity without being able to see her.

Legend has it that the word for immortality (不死, fushi), became the name of the mountain, Mount Fuji. It is also said that the kanji for the mountain, which translate literally to "mountain abounding with warriors" (富士山), are derived from the Emperor's army ascending the slopes to carry out his order. It is said that the smoke from the burning still rises to this day. (In the past, Mount Fuji was a much more active volcano and therefore produced more smoke.)

Literary connections

[edit]

Elements of the tale were drawn from earlier stories. The protagonist Taketori no Okina appears in the earlier poetry collection Man'yōshū (c. 759; poem #3791). In it, he meets a group of women and recites a poem to them. This indicates that there previously existed an image or tale revolving around a bamboo cutter and celestial or mystical women.[4][5]

A similar retelling of the tale appears in the 12th century Konjaku Monogatarishū (volume 31, chapter 33), although the relationship between these texts is debated.[6]

Banzhu Guniang

[edit]

In 1957, Jinyu Fenghuang (金玉鳳凰), a Chinese book of Tibetan tales, was published.[7] In the early 1970s, Japanese literary researchers became aware that Banzhu Guniang (班竹姑娘), one of the tales in the book, had certain similarities with The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.[8][9]

Initially, many researchers believed Banzhu Guniang to be related to Tale of Bamboo Cutter, although some were skeptical. In the 1980s, studies showed that the relationship between these stories was not as simple as initially thought. Okutsu provides an extensive review of the research, and notes that the book Jinyu Fenghuang was intended to be for children, and as such, the editor took some liberties in adapting the tales. No other compilation of Tibetan tales contains the story.[10] A researcher went to Sichuan and found that, apart from those who had already read Jinyu Fenghuang, local researchers in Chengdu did not know the story.[11] Several Tibetan sources in Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture did not know the story either.[11] The philological consensus is that the author of the 1957 book purposefully copied The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.[12]

Chang'e

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The Chinese legend of Chang'e can be traced to the second century BCE. According to the main telling of the legend, a xian named Chang'e came to Earth, thereby losing her immortality. To get it back, she stole the elixir of immortality from the Queen Mother of the West, then fled to the Moon. The elements of immortality and flight are well-connected to the Daoist figure of the xian, as is the appearance of unusual figures in the mountains, but the Japanese tale includes many novel elements such as the bamboo cutter, the suitors, and the night abduction by floating creatures.[13]

Legacy

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The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter is a popular folk tale in Japan.[14] It has been adapted, updated and reworked into numerous modern media, especially Japanese pop culture media such as manga and anime.[15][16]

Modern adaptations

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Generally faithful adaptations of the original story include the following:

Modern updates and reworkings of the original story are found in numerous other works:

Notes

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References

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  1. ^ Katagiri et al. 1994: 81.
  2. ^ a b Katagiri et al. 1994: 95.
  3. ^ a b Keene, Donald (1999). Seeds in the Heart: Japanese Literature from Earliest Times to the Late Sixteenth Century. Columbia University Press. pp. 434–441. ISBN 978-0-231-11441-7. Archived from the original on 2023-09-15. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  4. ^ Horiuchi (1997:345-346)
  5. ^ Satake (2003:14-18)
  6. ^ Yamada (1963:301-303)
  7. ^ 田海燕, ed. (1957). 金玉鳳凰 (in Chinese). Shanghai: 少年兒童出版社.
  8. ^ 百田弥栄子 (1971). 竹取物語の成立に関する一考察. アジア・アフリカ語学院紀要 (in Japanese). 3.
  9. ^ 伊藤清司 (1973). かぐや姫の誕生―古代説話の起源 (in Japanese). 講談社.
  10. ^ 奥津 春雄 (2000). 竹取物語の研究: 達成と変容 竹取物語の研究 (in Japanese). 翰林書房. ISBN 978-4-87737-097-8.
  11. ^ a b 繁原 央 (2004). 日中説話の比較研究 (in Japanese). 汲古書院. ISBN 978-4-7629-3521-3.
  12. ^ Katagiri et al. 1994
  13. ^ Seimiya Tsuyoshi, "Shinsen shiso no kihon kozo." Shūkan Tōyōgaku no. 33 (1976)
  14. ^ a b c d e Zahed, Ramin (18 November 2013). "Hot Clip: Ghibli's 'Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  15. ^ a b c d e Green, Scott (October 22, 2013). "VIDEO: Studio Ghibli's "Princess Kaguya" Featured in Ad". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  16. ^ a b c Schoolgirl Milky Crisis: Adventures in the Anime and Manga Trade. A-Net Digital LLC. 2010. p. 196. ISBN 978-0-9845937-4-3. Archived from the original on 2023-09-15. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  17. ^ allcinema, 映画 かぐや姫 (1935)について 映画データベース - allcinema (in Japanese), archived from the original on 2021-07-07, retrieved 2021-07-04
  18. ^ Shirane, Haruo (2008). Envisioning The Tale of Genji: Media, Gender, and Cultural Production. Columbia University Press. p. 326. ISBN 978-0-231-51346-3. Archived from the original on 2023-09-15. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  19. ^ "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya". The Source Weekly. Bend, Oregon. 2014. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  20. ^ Feez (9 April 2019). "Turn A Gundam's 20th Anniversary: A Reflection". Moon's Cocoon. Archived from the original on 16 July 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  21. ^ a b c Joy, Alicia (3 October 2016). "The Tale Of The Bamboo Cutter, Japan's 10th-Century Sci-fi Folk Tale". Culture Trip. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  22. ^ "Het verhaal van de bamboesnijder - Pauline van de Ven | gedrukt boek | Bibliotheek.nl". Archived from the original on 2023-07-16. Retrieved 2022-01-19.
  23. ^ Publishing house De Geus, Breda 2003
  24. ^ "ヌケニンたち3/キャラクター/ニンジャボックス/バンダイナムコエンターテインメント". Archived from the original on July 16, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.

Bibliography

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Further reading

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