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1748: Chikamatsu's Play Kanadehon Chūshingura
and the Komusō Shakuhachi Piece 'Tsuru no sugomori'
近松門左衛門 - CHIKAMATSU MONZAEMON
仮名手本忠臣蔵 - KANADEHON CHŪSHINGURA
鶴
の
巣籠 - TSURU no SUGOMORI
The famous classical shakuhachi piece 'Tsuru no Sugomori',
鶴
の
巣籠, "Cranes Resting in their Nest", is referred to in Japanese literature for the very first time, in the significant Bunraku and Kabuki versions of the
play Kanadehon Chūshingura, "The Treasury of Loyal Retainers".
First, allegedly in 1706, Chikamatsu wrote a 3-act 'Bunraku' puppet theatre play based on the what is now commonly known as "The 47 Rōnin Story".
Appearing in Act 9 of the 1748 Kabuki play version, the specific quotation reads as follows,
- - -
「... ちょうど表には尺八を吹く虚無僧が来て、
「鶴の巣籠り」の曲を奏でている。」
- - -
" ... right in front of the house a 'Komusō' comes up while blowing the shakuhachi, and he is performing the melody "Cranes Resting in their Nest"."
Do note, that a shakuhachi piece titled 'Sugomori' is listed in the Shakuhachi denrai-ki, dated 1732.
"Act IX: Honzō's Suicide in Front of His Family; Yuranosuke Dressed as a Komusō
Making Preparations to Attack Moronao."
Woodblock print dated 1836 by Utagawa Hiroshige, 1797-1858.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
Woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige, 1797-1858, date not given.
Source site's image description: "Hara Goyemon & Senzaki Yagoro (ex-retainers
to Yenya Hangwan) disguised with the basket hats worn by 'Komuso,' before Yoichibei's hut,
just after the return of his corpse by three huntsmen."
Source: Art Gallery, E-Museum
Read more about the famous 'Chūshingura' play here, f.i.:
Wikipedia about Kanadehon Chūshingura, in English
&
Wikipedia about Kanadehon Chūshingura, in Japanese
1749
The actor Matsumoto Koshirō II in the role as
Kakogawa Honzō in the Kabuki play 'Kanadehon Chūshingura".
Woodblock print by Torii Kiyoshige (c. 1724-1764)
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