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98 chapter 4 Women and the Way Nun Abutsu as Poet and Genji Scholar Abutsu’s diary Fitful Slumbers contains a total of twenty-two poems, all but one of which were composed by the author. It also includes the first of Abutsu’s forty-eight poems that would appear in imperial anthologies. If we assume that Abutsu wrote Fitful Slumbers at the early stages of her relationship with her future husband Fujiwara no Tameie, then her skillful use of canonical poetry from imperial anthologies like the Kokinshū and narratives like Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji were a means of showcasing her talent as a poet, scholar, and capable member of Ankamon-in’s court. This chapter will trace what became of Abutsu after her return to the capital in her late teens and what we can glean of her abilities as a poet and Genji scholar based on anthologized works and references to her activities. These capabilities made Abutsu an accomplished attendant at court and an authority on poetry, narratives, and court conduct during her periods of ascetic practice . But, most important to her future and her legacy, they also brought her to the attention of Fujiwara no Tameie, the era’s most influential poet, thus cementing a relationship that would drastically transform both the poetic and political position of his descendants. From Pregnant Nun to Primary Wife During the decade after the events described in Fitful Slumbers, Abutsu again took up ascetic practice at a nunnery, then gave birth to at least two children and lived in poverty before rising from this position to become the primary wife of the era’s most prestigious poet. This transformation from single mother to coveted wife attests to the ties that she fostered at the court of Ankamon-in and as a practitioner at Hokkeji, as well as to her formidable talents as a scholar and poet. Abutsu’s expertise as a Genji scholar led Women and the Way 99 Tameie to seek her assistance, and it began a relationship that within two decades would lead to the splintering of his household into three factions (a rift examined in the final chapter of this book), each claiming to be the legitimate inheritor of his poetic legacy. In examining Abutsu’s activities as a poet and scholar, this chapter will also consider how these enterprises were related to her gender and her position as an attendant. As a serving woman in The Unnamed Book (Mumyōz ōshi)declares, “Very few women have had their names preserved by having composed a famous poem destined to last into the future. In fact, it is a most rare occurrence.”1 Even when women were included in imperial collections , their poems were seldom placed in the most respected positions. Out of the twenty-one imperial anthologies, there is only one example of a woman’s poem being featured as the first poem.2 Although women were not excluded from poetry gatherings and their poetry is found in imperial collections, the discussion among women in The Unnamed Book reveals that they were well aware of the limitations imposed due to their gender. One woman comments, “There is nothing more deplorable than the fate of being a woman. From olden times there have been many of us who have loved emotions and studied the arts, but no woman has ever been chosen to compile a collection of poetry. This is really a great shame.”3 Despite the seemingly inferior status of women in the poetic world, Abutsu was able to participate in numerous poetry matches and to have her name recorded in an imperial anthology within her lifetime. Today over nine hundred of her poems are still in circulation.4 In addition to her talents as a poet, later commentaries indicate that she contributed to debates on The Tale of Genji and its interpretation, a domain that scholars have traditionally represented as male dominated. What does this tell us about the female poets and Genji readers of Abutsu’s time? Before focusing on Abutsu’s poetry and scholarship, let us return to her life after she journeyed back to the capital from the travels with her father, as depicted in Fitful Slumbers. According to Fitful Slumbers, Abutsu was unable to carry out her original intention of becoming an ordained nun once she took ill at the nunnery. After first changing residences and then returning home, she accepted an invitation to travel with her father and...

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