Ryōko

龍虎 The Dragon and The Tiger

1 Source and/or Related Material

Unknown

2 Author

Kanze Nobumitsu

3 Repertoire

Kanze, Kita

4 Synopsis

A Japanese monk (waki) travels to China for Buddhist studies, where he meets a woodcutter (maeshite) and starts a discussion on different approaches to enlightenment. The woodcutter is reproaching the monk for traveling afar to seek enlightenment when he could have done so at home, and the monk gets distracted and abruptly changes the topic. He notices a strange color at one corner of the horizon and asks the woodcutter for an explanation. The woodcutter explains that a tiger and a dragon are constantly battling over there in the distance, and the monk convinces him to show him the way to go and see. All exit, and a local deity (ai) appears to retell the story in plain speech. The monk arrive at a bamboo grove. In no time, the tiger (nochishite) emerges from a cave in the bush and the dragon (tsure) descends from the sky. They start a fight in which the dragon is defeated and retreats to the bamboo grove.