Momiji no Ga
Title
"Ga" means a celebration of jubilee for a great personage on the occasion of his attaining a felicitously advanced age (Tyler). It here concerns the former emperor (Genji's grandfather). The celebration takes place under bright red autumn leaves (momiji). Tyler translates "Beneath the Autumn Leaves." Waley has "The Festival of Red Leaves" and Seidensticker "An Autumn Excursion". Washburn is most detailed as usual: "An Imperial Celebration of Autumn Foliages". My preferred translation is again a bit different, and as literal as possible: "A Celebration Beneath the Autumn Leaves."
Chronology
This chapter begins in the autumn of the year in which Genji is 18 and
overlaps with the later part of "The Safflower" and also of "Young
Murasaki." It continues to the autumn of the next year when Genji is 19.
Position in the Genji
The chapter can be divided into two halves: the first half is about the
pregnancy of Fujitsubo against the background of an imperial excursion
under the red autumn leaves to celebrate the 50th birthday of Ichi no In, the father of Emperor Kiritsubo; early the next year her (and Genji's) child
is born, a boy, upon which Fujitsubo is made Empress. The other half is a comic interlude about a lecherous
elderly court lady and her bantering relation with Genji and To no
Chujo.
[Momiji no Ga, Tosa Mitsunobu, Harvard Art Museums]
Synopsis
In the tenth month planning begins for an imperial excursion to the Suzaku Palace of the Retired Emperor Ichi no In. Fujitsubo is with child and therefore not able to take part, but the Kiritsubo Emperor (her husband) arranges that she can see a rehearsal at the Seiryoden palace. Genji and To no Chujo reap much praise for their bugaku dance "Waves of the Blue Sea," but Fujitsubo can hardly bear to watch it. Feeling guilty about her transgression and aware that she is pregnant, she is assailed by conflicting emotions. The following day Genji's splendid dancing under the trees with colored leaves of autumn is again a success. The dance is watched by three imperial generations: the Cloistered Emperor Ichi no In, Genji's father the Kiritsubo emperor, and the crown prince (Genji's half-brother and the later Emperor Suzaku).The baby was expected in the 12th month, but does in fact not arrive until the 2nd month of the next year, something which is ascribed to spirit possession, but in fact strengthens Genji - who makes a correct calculation - in the belief that he is indeed the father. The baby is a son (the future Emperor Reizei) and he resembles Genji to an alarming degree. But the Emperor doesn't suspect anything and is happy when in the fourth month he finally holds the child he thinks to be his own in his arms - he is delighted to have a beautiful prince who looks exactly like his beloved son Genji and doesn't have the slightest suspicion.
Fujitsubo and Genji are filled with dread at the enormity of their sin. Both of them would surely be ruined, if anything was revealed to their enemies at court, the
Kokiden faction. Nevertheless, Genji rashly keeps sending Fujitsubo letters, trying to see her (but in vain). Fujitsubo decides that she will keep the truth to herself, and will not see Genji again - something which makes Genji decidedly gloomy.
The only positive note in this difficult period is innocent little Murasaki (Fujitsubo's niece from Kitayama whom Genji has taken in), who, playing with her dolls, is happily ensconced in Genji's private house. Genji spends more and more time with her and increasingly neglects his wife, Aoi.
A comic interlude is formed by Gen no Naishinosuke, an elderly court lady serving Emperor Kiritsubo and an inveterate coquette, who tries to seduce Genji at the palace. Hearing of the odd liaison, To no Chujo becomes involved as well, all as a joke. They have a mock sword fight for her favor in Gen no Naishinosuke's room.
In terms of bloodlines To no Chujo and Genji are nearly equal: they are cousins, sons of respectively the Kiritsubo Emperor and his sister Omiya, sharing an imperial grandfather. Because of Genji's marriage to To no Chujo's sister Aoi, they are also brothers-in-law - but that is exactly a reason for resentment for To no Chujo and his sister: by marrying a commoner, Aoi could not become consort to the crown prince, and that has also hampered the prospects of To no Chujo (and the political prospects of the Fujiwara family to which both belong). Genji and To no Chujo cover their rivalry and bad feelings by a jocular comradeship.
In the seventh month, the baby is made Crown Prince, and Fujitsubo is elevated to the rank of Empress. Genji is made a Consultant (something like Prime Minister). This all serves to make Kokiden more grumpy than ever. All the same, Genji cannot stop loving Fujitsubo, but she is more than ever beyond his reach.