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Heike Monogatari: A Medieval Japanese Epic

© John Walsh

Medieval Japanese society was a dark, pessimistic and frequently unhappy place. Life seemed both short and cheap and it appeared that ghosts, demons and vengeful gods wandered the night, seeking whom they may devour. Feeding these beliefs were the epic tales and songs of the past that were recited by the blind bards who offered one of the few forms of public entertainment that were available.

In many of the larger cities, the blind (men only, of course) organised themselves in brotherhoods to ensure standards and co-operation in their trade. Led by young monks, the bards would make their way to temples, shrines and other suitable places - even in the open air - where crowds would gather to hear the tales they would tell. Many of those attending would wear masks to hide their countenances, preventing others from seeing their expressions - even if their identity could usually be guessed. The bards would recite their own versions of epic tales and accompany themselves with a biwa - an instrument somewhat similar to a lute.

Speaking out loud in Japanese society was an unusual thing to do - civilised society required people to modulate their tones and those with loud voices were considered unrefined and indeed boorish. A loud voice was sufficient to attract the attention of heaven or hell - or the restless ghosts who throng the world looking for resolution. As the bards declaimed the sagas, therefore, there were not just telling stories but they were calling out for the attention of the dead and this lent a dangerous and uncanny air to the proceedings.

The Heike Monogatari is one of the most famous of these sagas. It is the story of the deeds of the people of the household of the Hei. While the written version of the story probably consisted of three volumes with a more or less standard format, the recited version grew in the telling and was shaped by the individual preferences of individual bards and those who influenced them. Existing versions now have up to twelve versions, although there is no really definitive text. The saga itself grew in syncretic fashion, therefore, adding moralistic and religious tracts to the original story of the rivalry between the Taira and Minamoto clans. This rivalry was fought out for domination of the state of Japan and the battles fought between them were of considerable importance in determining the fate of the country.

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