Sanshō

三笑 Three Share a Laugh

1 Source and/or Related Material

Lushanji, Chinese Zen tales

2 Author

Unknown

3 Repertoire

Kanze, Hōshō, Kongō, Kita

4 Synopsis

In Jin-dynasty China, a temple servant (ai) tells of the Zen master Huiyuan, who has secluded himself in a hermitage at the foot of Mt. Lushan for some thirty years, refusing even to get so close to civilization as to cross the river Huxi. One day, the poet Tao Yuanming (tsure) comes with the Daoist Lu Xiujing (tsure) to visit Huiyuan’s hut. Huiyuan (shite) is delighted to see two familiar faces. The three friends compose poems, Tao Yuanming and Lu Xiujing perform a dance, and soon a drunken Huiyuan joins in. Eventually it is time to go, and as Huiyuan sees off Tao Yuanming and Lu Xiujing, he crosses a bridge over the river Huxi. Realizing that he broke his own rule, the three share a laugh.