Shōkun

昭君 Wang Zhaojun

1 Source and/or Related Material

Book of Han, Konjaku monogatari shū, commentaries on the Wakan rōeishū, etc

2 Author

Komparu Gonnokami

3 Repertoire

Kanze, Hōshō, Komparu, Kongō, Kita

4 Synopsis

Lady Wang Zhaojun, the Han Chinese Emperor’s favorite consort, has been presented to Huhanye Tarkhan, ruler of the nomadic Xiongnu Empire, as part of a peace settlement between the two empires. A villager (waki) goes to visit Zhaojun’s father Baitao (maeshite) and her mother (tsure). Zhaojun’s parents tell how their daughter had planted a willow tree for them as a memento, saying that it would wilt when she died, and it has just wilted, to their horror. They tell how their daughter was taken away to live among the nomads of the North, then wish they could only see their daughter one last time in the mirror, in which sometimes you can catch a glimpse of people who are far away. A local man (ai) comes to tell the story of Lady Zhaojun in plain speech. Suddenly, Zhaojun’s spirit (kokata) appears in the mirror, pursued by the spirit of Huhanye Tarkhan (nochishite). However, Huhanye grows ashamed at his own demonic appearance in the mirror and flees.