The Genji Changes: From the Album in the Muromachi Period to the Inaka Genji in the Edo period

Abstract

This paper selects the illustrations from chapter four of The Tale of Genji to display the changes of Japan from Muromachi period to Edo period. It focuses on showing the changes of the media and the techniques the artists applied to meet the demands of the audience in these two periods. For the album from Muromachi period, the author takes a close look at the calligraphy and artsy techniques of the illustrations to emphasize the art achievement of the Japanese court at that time. For the Inaka Genji from the Edo period, the author analyses the illustrations that were mostly finished in a short period, which provides a brief overview for the peasants and other lower classes an overview of the whole chapter. This work shows the pivotal role that media played in the spread of The Tale of Genji in the Japanese literacy world.