Tenka Taihei
天下太平
| [Genre] | Sokyoku |
| [Style] | Kumiuta |
| [School] | Ikuta Ryû - 生田 |
| [Also Known As] | Sumiyoshi No Kyoku, Hinazura No Kyoku, Taiheiraku, Taihei Tenka Taihei |
| [Composed] | Yatsuhashi Kengyō - Koto |
History (Tsuge Gen'ichi):
| Tenga Taihei ('Peace in the Emperor's Realm'), one of the 'Thirteen Yatsuhashi Song Cycles,' is classified into the omote category (1). The texts of the six songs are not related to one another. However, the fourth and fifth songs refer to episodes from the 'The Festival of the Cherry Blossoms' (Hana no en) and the 'New Herbs: Part Two' (Wakana, Ge) chapter of 'The Tale of Genji.' This song cycle is sometimes called Himazuru no kyoku ('Baby Cranes') referring to the first song, or Sumiyoshi no kyoku ('Music of the Sumiyoshi Shrine'), referring to the fifth song. The standard title of this cycle, 'Tenga Taihei' is taken from the first line of the first song. (1) Kumiuta are traditionally classified into four categories according to the degree of profundity and stylistic proficiency required and sometimes the technical difficulties involved. These are omote (lit. "outside"), ura (lit. "inside"), naka (lit. "interior"), oku (lit, "deep interior"). By way of illustration, it may be helpful to imagine these categories as representing the structure of the imperial palace or a Shinto shrine with outer and inner walls, and further inside, the outer and inner sanctuaries. It should also be mentioned that these categories represent stages of a student’s progress in the learning of the koto repertoire, and are regulated by the issuing of diplomas along the way. |
Poem (translated by Tsuge Gen'ichi)
| Peace in the emperor's realm, Eternal is his reign. The wind blesses as it passes Through the evergreens. Baby cranes enjoy One thousand years of life. Tortoises of ten thousand years Play in the mountain stream (2). Our secret pledge of love is The cause of these implacable reveries. No matter how cautiously I try to hide my heart It rises into my complexion. Like lavender wrapped in sheer fabric The color of my affections Shows hopelessly through. How could I once have resented The full moon For heightening the pains Of my love sickness? Now in the twilight Of our darkening love Tears fall ceaselessly Over the sleeves of my robe. Under the cover of a misted moon On the evening following The Festival of the Cherry Blossoms, He caught at her sleeve (3). But the lady knew well That his call to a tryst Was but a token Of insincere love. At the shrine dedicated To the god of Sumiyoshi, The sound of one koto Brings memories of another. The couple talks Of those happy days When by divine grace They were brought together (4). Was it Tatsuta-hime, The lovely goddess of autumn, Who wove the brocade For these mountains? With each chilling shower The splendid colors Grow deeper and deeper, How wonderful! (2) This song is congratulatory in character. The crane, the tortoise and the evergreens are all symbols of longevity common to such auspicious verse in East Asia. (3) The gentleman referred to is Genji and the lady is Oborozukiyo ('Misty Moon'). (4) The sound of Genji's koto played a critical role in his first meeting with Lady Akashi. In this poem, the couple is reminded of that fact by a koto they hear on a pilgrimage to the Sumiyoshi shrine, where Akashi's father had devotedly prayed for her marriage to Genji. | Tenga taihei chookyuu ni osamaru miyo no matsukaze hinazuru wa chitose furu tani no nagare ni kame asobu Hitoshirenu chigiri wa asakaranu mono-omoi tsutsumu to suredo murasaki no iro ni izuru zo hakanaki Kakanaku mo kumanaki tsuki wo ikade uramishi tonikaku ni waga sode ni taenu namida no yuugure Hana no en no yuugure oborozukuyo ni hiku sode sadaka naranu chigiri koso kokoro asaku miekere Sumiyoshi no miyadokoro kakinarasu koto no ne kami no megumi ni aisomete sugishi mukashi wo kataran Aki no yama no nishiki wa tatsutahime ya oriken shigure furu tabi goto ni iro no masu zo ayashiki |
Tenka Taihei appears on the following albums
| Album | Artist | |
| Kikuhara Hatsuko Zenshu vol. 2 |
Voice : Kikuhara Hatsuko Koto : Kikuhara Hatsuko |