牡丹灯記The Peony Lantern

What you'll learn

During the Lantern Festival, Kyōsei, a recent widower, meets a beautiful woman named Reikei and her maid, Kinren. They visit his home nightly. An elderly neighbor becomes suspicious and investigates.

Kyōsei visits Lake West to find Reikei's home but finds no trace. He stops at a temple and discovers Reikei's coffin and a straw doll representing Kinren. Realizing they are spirits, he seeks help from Priest Wei.

A month later, Kyōsei's fear fades. He visits a friend and gets drunk. On his way home at dusk, he passes Koshin Temple despite the priest's warning. He meets Kinren again, who drags him to Reikei. Reikei pulls him into her coffin, and they die together.

Key vocabulary

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～ぬ N1Classical negative ending, equivalent to modern ない.
  迷いて返るを知らず、罪安んぞ逃るべき。
• ～をして～しむ N1Classical causative structure meaning 'make/let someone do'.
  魑魅魍魎をして以てその奸を容るる無く、夜叉羅刹をして、その暴を肆にするを得ざらしむ。
• ～ごとき N1Classical adnominal form of ごとし, meaning 'like, similar to'. Used in N1.
  疾きこと飃風の如く、烈しきこと猛火の若し。
• ～ところで N1Even if (doing something)… no effect. 'Even if you do ~'.
  喬生は家へ帰って、魏法師の言ったように朱符を門と榻へ貼ったところで、怪しい女はその晩から来なくなった。
• ～ことなしに N1Without doing something. Used in formal writing.
  彼は女と自分との隔てがなくなったように思った。

Cultural notes

• 上元節 (Lantern Festival)The 15th day of the first lunar month, also known as the Lantern Festival. It was celebrated with lantern displays and festivities. In this story, it sets the stage for the supernatural encounter.
• 牡丹燈 (Peony Lantern)A lantern decorated with peony flowers, often associated with the supernatural in Chinese and Japanese folklore. In this story, it is a key symbol of the ghostly woman.
• 四明山 (Mount Siming)A famous mountain in Zhejiang, China, known as a Taoist sacred site. The Iron Cap Daoist (鉄冠道人) resides there, representing a Daoist immortal who can exorcise evil spirits.

Try a comprehension question

Read a sample in Japanese

Topics

Short Storyghost storyfolkloredeathlonelinesseeriemelancholyaozora bunko