Shocked Culture

There are times when people can't wait to grow up, praying incessantly for the day they can finally escape the strict clutches of their parents' hold of them, to avoid the rigid system that school imposes and to break free from the rules, which is the reason of order. The Philippines is like a child in this way, people can't handle the fact that in order to improve oneself, one should be able to accept one's role in society, obediently following the rules that keep people in their places. This is the mentality which my family has managed to rub in my head - the reason for the poor economic performance of our dear country cannot be blamed entirely upon the officials (who we often label to be such corrupt sons of bitches) but also on the pathetic manner we, Filipinos abide as well as enforce the leeway of our constitution. I could understand fully their sentiments, since the Philippines is indeed branded internationally as one of the most dangerous places to visit.

Driving through the traffic infested streets of Manila alone is an adventure by itself. Nobody could predict when there would be another road kill. Jeepneys suddenly halting in the middle of the road, public utility vehicles overtaking "slow" cars (which are often the ones who are following the ideal speed of driving). Why am I saying all of this? Wala lang naisip ko lang maidugtong sa first sentence ko.

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Yesterday, I have finally finished reading Liza Dalby's Tale of Murasaki from cover to cover. It was an incredible story, in my opinion, although the first half of the book proved to be quite dragging. I could easily compare it to Memoirs of A Geisha except that the latter seems to have garnered more recognition as well as the privilege of being made into a movie (my friend mentioned this when she saw what I was reading).

The synopsis of my current read revolves around the life of Fuji, later to be known as Lady Murasaki Shikibu, the first novelist of the first novel, The Tale of Genji. The whole story would describe her interesting lifestyle as one of the Japanese women who is well versed in Chinese literature. Due to that talent, honorable Japanese men found her distasteful, which goes in accordance to her wishes for she is determined not to marry at all. Her father later on, found her a wealthy suitor who eventually becomes her husband. By then, she was among the old maids of her time. By that marriage, she bears him a daughter named Katako, who would succeed Murasaki in court life, servicing Empress Dowager Shoshi.

I most admire Dalby's exceptional creativity in piecing together the biography of the acclaimed novelist. She had mentioned earlier in her text that the manuscript we were to read was her own interpretation of how Murasaki perhaps lived her life. Basing it from Murasaki's notes and diary, Dalby strung together these fragments of memories together, incorporating some of her own knowledge in Japanese culture as well as imagination in completing the said novel. In addition to the fantastic story, I cannot help but admire her meticulous noting of details which gave me a deeper appreciation of Japanese ceremonies. The rich culture of the Japanese seems to have been effectively captured by her words. Unfortunately, I do not have sufficient knowledge to back up whether her interpretations of the said Japanese affairs prove to be accurate.

I wonder if people in Japan really used to converse using waka (I'm not even sure if this is the word for the style of poetry they used before the haiku). Reading Murasaki's works makes me question how the heck does the world manage to create all these profound and observant people. I wonder if I am among them. By using nature in her poetry, she manages to give it the tongue to express her feelings and thoughts without the vulgarity of frankness. Fashioning one's ideas into poems seems (to me) to magnify the thoughts one desires to express, but in a desirable manner that insults seem to become slightly euphemistic.

One practice that bothered me throughout the story though was the rush of parents to marry off their daughters as well as the callousness of society regarding philandering. When Murasaki reached her 20's, she was already branded as an old maid. Princess Shoshi in fact was married off when she was around thirteen. Her husband, Emperor Ichijo was already 20 at the time and has already two children with his first wife, Empress Teichi. He was married to Teichi when he was 10 and she, 13. When Shoshi's father Michinaga reached his fortieth year, it was such an incredible event for many. It occurred to me though, in the course of my reading that life then seems to be extremely ephemeral. A man can die suddenly without warning, perhaps with a few indications of disease. Many characters in the novel would eventually expire, most would die so suddenly that the readers would have little time to mourn for their loss, just like the other characters in the story who were given the license to live, the audience would have to let it be and move on. (I hated the part when Nobutako, Murasaki's husband died, just when I was beginning to grow fond of him, after hating him so much before because I had preferred the Chinese boy to be paired with the protagonist)

*By the way I love the fact that Japanese don't find malice in sex. In the story that is, women gave in when they know they have no other options, but in the long run it is acceptable in the eyes of their peers. They are not so judgmental whether one is still a virgin. Unlike in the Philippines, people are so afraid of naked bodies that to touch one perhaps would suffice to equal a sin unless the toucher and the touchee are martially bound. Why are we so afraid of our bodies? Why are we disgusted by the perfection that is but our own?

While reading the book, I was suddenly struck that my surroundings are so saturated with Japanese thingamajigs. The laptop which I have recently received came from my grandparents' partner, Japanese. My digital camera also came from Japan, and thus I have no idea how to operate it since the instructions are all written in Japanese. My visits in Ukay-Ukays have yielded me two Japanese inspired shirts which I am very fortunate to have bought at such an affordable price in addition to its fabulous quality. Perhaps Japan would really dominate the world, although I am still putting my bets on China.