Heian Romance: 9. The Definition of Beauty

9. The definition of beauty

It was a windy afternoon where Norikiyo came to Yuiko’s quarter to teach her archery. The lesson was held at a small yard in front of her quarter. Norikiyo would watch Yuiko practices and correct her posture when mistakes occur. She managed to hit the bulls-eye that afternoon no matter how far the distances given to her.  

“I made you proud am I?”

“Don’t get yourself too haughty my dear apprentice. This is only the beginning, and now let the fun begins!”

Norikiyo then took a piece of cloth and blind-folded Yuiko’s eyes.

“What are you doing?!”

“I want you to hit the bulls-eye again without looking at it.”

“What? How’s that possible?”

“Use the inner eye, heart of yours. You will eventually hit it when your mind reaches tranquil and peaceful state. ”

“How’s that related to archery?”

“That’s related to everything. From poetry, archery, horse-riding, music playing and even cooking, the inner state of mind is very important. Everything is beautiful if you pay full attention and a serene mind in doing it.

I always tend to get complains among the courtiers saying my poets not innovative and too much exaggeration. But still all of my life had been looking for things that are beautiful; when I found it I would write poems to commemorate this experience. These thoughts genuinely come from my mind, and so which makes them touching and beautiful.”

“You have a point… Nonetheless, the way you speak today makes me feel that I never knew you before. Satou no Norikiyo, truly you are a man of mystery…”  

“So my apprentice can you prove my theory correctly?”

“Yes master!”

“Close your eyes clear your mind. Focus mainly and directly onto the bulls-eye. Stay calm and now pull the bow strings backwards. Release it when you are full of confident!”

Yuiko releases the arrow and it hits directly to the bulls-eye.

“I did it!! I DID IT!!”

All of the excitements made Yuiko threw away her bow and hugged Norikiyo happily without thinking of the consequences.

  “Ugh! What a disgrace!!”

Yuiko and Norikiyo turned back and saw that Yorinaga was standing at the nearby corridor.  

Ever since he had been promoted to the post of Minister of Center, Yorinaga had entitled to gain excess to the royal secret achieve, hence to go there he would have to pass Yuiko’s quarter.

“Yorinaga?!”

“Shame of you Norikiyo, how can you hug the princess openly in the middle of the day? And you Princess Yuiko, you should learn elegant skills like music or poety instead of this rowdy lowly warrior’s hobby! This is absolutely intolerable!!”

“I….I….”

Yuiko was stunned and couldn’t think of any words to retort Yorinaga. The incident at the Oxen Street still vividly imprinted on her mind. Whenever she saw Yorinaga the scene that he kissed her would reprise again and again.

Yuiko get back to herself again after the leave of Yorinaga.

“Oh my, why couldn’t I think of any fowl words to return to that HIGHLY respectable Minister of Center? What happen to me? My mind seems not function properly.”

 “Perhaps you are in love, my dear apprentice. I find that your gazes were different when look at him…”

“In love with him?! Seriously NO!!”

Heian Romance: 8. Autumn Moon in the Palace

8. Autumn moon in the palace

After every catastrophe occurred the Emperor will demand for a change in era name, with the thought that by changing the name bad luck will be gone for good. Few months ago there was a serious plague happened in the capital, therefore the Emperor Toba demanded to change the era name.

It is the Regent’s job to suggest few suitable names for the emperor to choose. Hence the Regent Fujiwara no Tadamichi had confined himself in the royal secret achieve these few days pondering and researching appropriate names before the naming counsel starts. 

One night as Tadamichi was tired with his research, he decided to come out from the secret achieve to have a walk and clear his tangled mind. While he strolls aimlessly around the royal secret achieve, he heard that someone was playing koto* short distance away.

That person was playing a Chinese tune named Autumn Moon from the Tang Dynasty, it is generally believed to express the hidden bitterness and depression suffered by palace maids in the imperial palace.  Tadamichi was drawn by the music; unintentionally he too took out his flute which he usually carries and started a duet with the mysterious koto player. He grew more and more anxious to know the identity of the player; hence he follows sound of the music and found him landed at the platform of Yuiko’s quarter.

“Lady Yuiko? Sorry to disturb, but are you the mysterious koto player?”

“Yes. Let me guess, you are the flute player then?”

“Yes.”

Both of them gazed at each other and smile, as if that they have finally found their contentment mate. From there onwards, they would meet and play the duet just like Yuiko’s mother Tamako and the Regent did during the old days.

Words seldom uttered from their mouth, nonetheless mentally they felt attached to each other. The power of music had made them close without the aid of words…

*Koto is a Japanese Instrument similar to the Chinese Gu Zheng.

Heian Romance 7. The Heedless Man

7. The heedless man

 

One day as Yuiko is attending her patients at the Oxen Street, one of her helper runs to her saying that Yorinaga is waiting for her outside the clinic along with five armed Genji warriors on horseback.

“Master Koremitsu, I think they come here for revenge! What are we going to do?”

Yuiko pause and think for a moment, and then she gathered all the helpers to follow her to meet Yorinaga outside.

“Master Yorinaga, what an honor for us to have you revisited our clinic! All of us here are definitely in debt to you. We are very grateful that the horse you DONATED the other day had brings the people here few months supply of food. And so they will have a good winter thank to YOU! People, let us all bow down to the Great Master Yorinaga!” said Yuiko sincerely while instructs all the helpers to kowtow to Yorinaga.

“What is this all about?!”

“Master Yorinaga, have you ever experienced poverty, illness and hunger? I guess not. These people here suffer every day, while you people enjoy and overly indulge in sensual pleasure. I know that it is wrong to steal your horse, but try to think about it differently; by selling your horse it gives us fund to run the clinic and so indirectly you are actually helping the poor. That is a good deed isn’t it? Not to mention you will also gain respect from you own servants and warriors, they too have suffered you know.” said Yuiko earnestly trying to convince Yorinaga.

 “I guess you are right… Guards, retreat!”

Yuiko made a wry grin, and thought that her charismatic education with Satou no Norikiyo had finally paid off.

***

Yorinaga would visits the clinic every now and then to help the sick financially and sometimes he would assist Yuiko in her work too. After work they would sit at the veranda, drink sake and talk about the future. Nevertheless, arguments arise every time when they reach the topic of how to govern the country. Yorinaga prefers the conservative way by any means the ruler must be strict and severe punishment must be given to those who had sinned; while Yuiko take it the other way round, she prefers a more lenient and pliable ruler.

Yorinaga bought an exotic wine from the Sung Dynasty one day and as usual they would share it after work, it’s a consolation to them after a hard day labor. 

Yorinaga pours Yuiko and himself a second cup of wine while appreciating the beautiful calming snowing scenery at the veranda. He started to get tipsy after second shot; he turns towards Yuiko and found that she’s still sober.  Only until now that he would realize how attractive Yuiko is; her fair smooth complexion, beautiful watery eyes, almond shaped face, delicate nose and thin mouth, makes him blush just by looking at them. With the aid of alcohol, Yorinaga moves closer to Yuiko and kiss her by her cheek.

“What are you doing?!”

“I….Sorry…I have to get going…Bye!”

After the incident, Yorinaga never set foot to the clinic again. Maybe it is due to the fact that he had been promoted to the Minister of the Center a significant post at the court, higher post equals more responsibilities, therefore makes him busier as before. Or perhaps he is ashamed of the fact that he had kissed a man named Abe no Koremitsu and even found that this man is attractive…  

Heian Romance: 6. Satou no Norikiyo

6. Satou no Norikiyo

Satou no Norikiyo is a handsome young fellow from the warrior class. Due to his talents in poetry and his looks, he had gained the heart of all the women in the palace. Although he works as a humble watch guard in the palace, he is the only person who unofficially permitted to gain excess to all ladies quarters. The ladies often fight among themselves in order to gain his attention, it would be an honor if Norikiyo visits their quarters and teach them poetry.

“Abe no Koremitsu the famous physician from Oxen Street!” announced Norikiyo as he approaches Yuiko’s doorstep one fine afternoon.

 “The honorable Norikiyo, what brings you here to the humble quarter of mine?” asked Yuiko intentionally.

Norikiyo then handed Yuiko few medicine books from the Great Sung Dynasty.

“So it was here!! Oh, thank you thank you my dear Norikiyo!!”

“I guess the next step you want me to do is to help you collect animal cadavers for medicine practical training isn’t it?”

“You are absolutely right!! My dear Satou no Norikiyo, you are sharp as a tack!!”

“My lady you must know that there’re been some rumors recently about cadavers and smells near your quarter. So I don’t think it would be a good idea to get you more of these things.”

“Well that is what I want them to think, a haunted place which people will avoid even during the day.”

“The next think you know is that you quarters had been surrounded by bunch of Onmyoji (Shinto priest)!”

 “Ha-ha very funny Norikiyo! Those fools won’t dare to lay a hand on me! By the way, are you free this afternoon? Let’s go riding then. I have been longing for this day to show you my new skills!! ”

 “Sure, my lady.”

Norikiyo is the one and only person who would dare to go near Yuiko’s quarter and make friend with her. They met when Yuiko was 10. Ever since then, Norikiyo would visit her frequently and brings her unique medicine books from the local black market. Not to mention he’s also the person who teaches her archery and horse-riding skills. For Yuiko, Norikiyo is like a big brother, a person who she can depends on, and of course, secretly she is fond of him too.

Heian Romance: 5. The Regent's story

5. The Regent’s story

Whenever there’s rain, part of the palace will tend to struck by lighting and follow up by fire. This is the disadvantage of the Heian’s housing structure, as there are mainly made of papers and woods. However, people during this period believe that the courtiers’ hedonistic attitude had angered the God, and so He sent the lighting for destruction. Therefore when it rains, the court’s Onmyoji (Shinto priest) will gather together and beg for His mercy.

The Regent Fujiwara no Tadamichi was reading in the royal secret achieve at the deep end of the palace when it rains, one late night. The lightning strikes a bridge in the palace suddenly, not only cut off Tadamichi’s way back, but also made him accidentally lost his candle and twisted his ankle, leaving him painfully alone in dark.  

“My lady, there’s a fire at the bridge nearby the royal secret achieve!” alerted Ryoko to her mistress.

“We better go and figure out what had happen.”

They found Tadamichi in pain when they reached, and bring him back to Yuiko’s quarter for treatment.

***

“Sorry to have you here for treatment. Since this is the isolated side of the palace, I don’t think the guards will be here any moment.” Yuiko apologized to the Regent Tadamichi as she applies some herbs to his hurt ankle.

“No, it was me who should apologize, to cause such trouble to you. But still I am surprised to know that you have the knowledge of medicine. Both of you really look alike…”

“You mean me and my father? Well yeah, I heard that he’s a physician too.”

“No, I mean your mother. Both of you look so much alike that it gave me a shocked when the first time I saw you…”

“Really? Well I never get the chance to know her or even my father. They were dead few months after I was born. No one in the palace willing to tell me what had happen. They said my parents bring disgrace to the royal family…”

  After a long pause, Tadamichi sighed and starts his story…

“I knew your mother Princess Tamako since we were small. As my mother was her wet nurse, we get to play along and met up very often. Our favorite thing to do was to climb up the roof and begins our own music recital; I would play the flute while she plays the lute. She’s lively, caring, and intelligent, and beats me in almost everything. Not to mention she’s the apple of the former emperor’s eye, and everyone loves her.

We were supposed to get married two years after our adulthood ceremony. But she met your father Abe no Asatori a local peasant physician one day at the market, and fall in love with him at the first sight. She often sneaks out of the palace to see and helps him with his studies in medicine, so often that the emperor himself had grounded her to set foot outside the palace. The love between a princess and a lowly peasant is object and forbid by the court. However, this didn’t stop her thought and love towards your father. They keep on seeing each other and decide to elope after knowing Tamako is pregnant. Nevertheless, their attempt failed and your father was killed by one of the soldier during the elopement, leaving Tamako alone and in despair. Eventually, she decided to follow your father and gave up her life few months after you were born…”

Tadamichi ends his story here. There’s a long silence among them, so silent that the fall of a pin too could be heard clearly. Yuiko glances at Tadamichi and saw that he was in tears. Although already in his middle age, traces of youthfulness still can be found in his face. He has sharp features and an aquiline nose, with his sophisticated and placid attitude, he had becomes one of the handsome man in the court who holds high position. Power, fame and wealth are in his hand; still nothing can fill the emptiness in his heart after Tamako’s death…

Yuiko breaks the silence by saying: “I really envy my mother… Even in death she will always be loved and remembered…”

“……”

“It was you weren’t it, the person who made arrangement for my parents’ meeting despite the objection of the emperor?”

“I….”

“Regent Tadamichi, thank you very much! Our family is greatly in debt to you! Thank you…”said Yuiko grabbing his hand while tears begin to fall from her eyes.

At this moment the rain stops, and the guards arrived for the rescue…

 

* Regent 摂政: In the Heian Period, The Regent is the actual person who exercise power in ruling and governs the country, making the Emperor practically as puppet monach.

Heian Romance: 4. Oxen Street

4. Oxen Street

The Oxen Street is the lowliest part of the Heian capital located just before the Rashomon Gate. People who live here are either beggars or slaves of the local “God Father” Masatoshi. Masatoshi earns his living by trading oxen and slaves with the courtiers. However, he does not take care of his slaves properly, which end up causes high illness and mortality rate among them. If there happens to be an epidemic in the capital, Oxen Street surely will be the source of the sickness, and so it is a God forsaken place where ordinary people wouldn’t want to go.

Yuiko although being courtier, secretly she’s also a practicing physician. She bought a quarter at Oxen Street under the name of Koremitsu and uses as a clinic for the residents around the area. She would come to Oxen Street twice a month to examine and treat the patients without any charges. The locals are very grateful to her and volunteer to take care of the clinic when she’s gone. Therefore, the clinic had becomes the hang up place for them, they would sing song, dance and play games when there’s an occasion.

***

As usual, Yuiko reaches her clinic and was welcomed by the folks as if she was the Savior Himself. Part of her enjoys this moment, as though she was an important person. Despite that fact that she is a princess, she seldom earns respect and appreciation from the court.

 When Yuiko is about to enter the clinic, someone shouted “Scoundrel!!” loudly at the back. She looked back and saw a young man riding a horse approaching her. The man is wearing kariginu (Heian costume) made of high quality silk, and at far Yuiko already knows who that person is. That is Fujiwara no Yorinaga, the son of the Regent.

Yorinaga got down from the horse, past the crowd and walk directly towards Yuiko. Yorinaga is 2 years senior than Yuiko and is famous for his tenacious attitude towards the law. His lifelong aspiration is to bring back the previous glory of the Fujiwara Regent house; with this he will do ANYTHING to achieve his target.

 A closer look at Yorinaga, Yuiko realize that he has fair complexion, a pair of round eyes, straight nose and a delicate mouth. He also dyes his teeth and paints his eyebrow in the courtiers’ fashion, making himself a good looking aristocrat.  

“Scoundrel! Do you know what you did just now at the Gojo Bridge?” shouted Yorinaga angrily.

“I’m sorry sir; I don’t understand what you mean. However instead of hearing you explain the situation, I prefer to get back to my work. There’re many patients waiting to be treated and attended to.”

“This is intolerable!”

Yorinaga continues to mumble around even when Yuiko starts her work. He would follow her here and there complaining, but Yuiko decided to ignore him and let it be. As time goes by the annoying grumbling noise cease, this is due to the fact that involuntarily Yorinaga started to help by distributing medicines to the sick.

At the end of the day, both of them are too tired to move that they slept in the clinic over the night.

Yorinaga wake up the next morning and found that Yuiko is gone. Other than Yuiko, he realizes that his horse is gone too, leaving him alone in this unfavorable place of doom.

“Oh you scoundrel physician! I for sure will revenge on what you had done to me!!”

And so this marks the start of an interesting relationship between Yuiko and Yorinaga.

Heian Romance: 3. Gojo Bridge

3. Gojo Bridge

It is Yuiko’s habit to go to Oxen Street every 1^st and 15^th day of the month. She goes there by impersonating herself as a young male physician with the name of Koremitsu. In order to reach Oxen Street, she has to pass thru Gojo Bridge; a small one way wooden bridge located at the southeast of the fifth avenue.  

As this day is the 1^st day of the month, Yuiko would sneak out from the palace at dawn, ride a horse and gallop her way to the Oxen Street. The traffic usually is smooth during this hour, as people yet to wake up. However today, when she reaches Gojo Bridge, there is a litter with four menservants carrying it at the opposite direction intending to cross the bridge. By looking at the decoration of the litter, Yuiko knows that the person inside must be the Regent Fujiwara no Tadamichi or someone from their family. It is the Heian’s etiquette to give way to the superior especially the royal family and the regent, when passing bridges or streets. However, Yuiko does not intend to do so, she’s the person who shows no concern towards the social ranking.

“Get down from the horse and let our master cross the bridge!” shouted one of the manservants.

“Why should I? Mind you, I reach the bridge before your master, aren’t I suppose to pass first?” questioned Yuiko.

“Fools!  Don’t you know this is the regent’s family palanquin? You must give way to our master!!”

“Make me then!!”

The four menservants drop their master’s litter run towards Yuiko attempting to pull her down from her horse. Yuiko knew their intention and immediately outsmart them by gripping the reins tightly, driving the horse towards their master’s palanquin, and jump over it swiftly. It is Yuiko’s first attempt to ride dangerously and yet she succeeded leaving the courtier and his servants stupefied.

“Kimiharu, who was that scatterbrain?! This is absolutely intolerable!!” finally the menservants’ master voice up angrily.

“I’m sorry master, we do not know him.” Replied Kimiharu.

“Shame of you! Quick, get me a horse and I’ll chase after him! Have to teach this rowdy rogue a lesson!!”

“But master…”

“No but!! Do it!!”

The servant Kimiharu went to the neighboring household pay them handsomely in exchange for their horse.

After crossing Gojo Bridge, Yuiko reaches Oxen Street, never would she knows that the master she just provoked is secretly following her at the back.