The Tale of the Heike (Paperback)

~ Helen McCullough (Translator)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The great Japanese civil war in the latter half of the 12th century between the Taira (Heike) and the Minamoto (Genji) ended with the Minamoto victory at Dan-no-Ura in 1185. The story became the subject of many compositions, crystallizing in the Kakuichi version of 1371, of which this is a translation. It is handled very clearly and efficiently, with an extensive glossary, chronology, and lengthy discourse on the work from a literary point of view that helps the reader get a grasp of what is, to Western eyes, a somewhat disjointed and episodic narrative. It is good to have a bright new translation to stand beside Seidensticker's Tale of Genji , representing the two great Japanese epics. Donald J. Pearce, Univ. of Minnesota, Duluth, Lib.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“This version of the Heike is superb and indeed reveals to English-language readers for the first time the full scope, grandeur, and literary richness of the work as a masterpiece of medieval writing.”—Journal of Asian Studies

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Product Details Paperback: 504 pages Publisher: Stanford University Press; 1st edition (March 1, 1990) Language: English ISBN-10: 0804718032 ISBN-13: 978-0804718035 Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #120,322 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Look Inside This Book

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index

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Citations (learn more)

36 books cite this book:

• The World Turned Upside Down by Pierre François Souyri on 6 pages
• Sources of Japanese Tradition (Second Edition), Volume One: From Earliest Times to 1600 by Wm. Theodore de Bary on 5 pages
• The Cambridge History of Japan, Vol. 2: Heian Japan (Volume 2) by Donald H. Shively on 5 pages
• Renegade Monk: Honen and Japanese Pure Land Buddhism by Soho Machida in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
• Traditional Japanese Theater by Karen Brazell on page 137, page 138, and page 139

See all 36 books citing this book

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	69% buy the item featured on this page: The Tale of the Heike 4.1 out of 5 stars (7) $26.95
	12% buy The Tale of Genji: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) 4.3 out of 5 stars (22) $18.48
	9% buy The Tales of the Heike (Translations from the Asian Classics) 4.0 out of 5 stars (2) $16.29
	6% buy The Tale of Genji 4.5 out of 5 stars (22) $19.77

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Customer Reviews

7 Reviews 5 star:  (4) 4 star:  (2) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:  (1)           Average Customer Review 4.1 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 57 of 58 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Great translation of a venerable classic, August 17, 2001 By  Hong A. Ooi (Loveland, CO United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    Translations of Japanese and Chinese classics are often hampered by the archaic language used in the originals. This was not the case here and the translator has achieved a balanced fusion of great story-telling and accurate presentation of the text. This is no small achievement since the Heike tale is populated by many diverse characters some of whom are only mentioned once whereas others have great influence on the plot despite their brief appearances. I have found that the best way to read the book is to treat oneself to the episodic nature of the chapters. This reflects the original format of the story; that it was expressed in minstrel style story-telling by the "biwa-hoshi" in nightly recitals. As such each segment of the story can be treated like individual pearls in a string, each complete and entertaining by its own merit but strung together to form the whole epic saga of the Heike. Attempts to read the book in the style of a conventional Western novel with its continuous narrative will result in frustration since the story seem to take many didactic excursions and side plots. This may also have been the rootcause to the earlier frustration of another reviewer who encountered too many characters to comprehend at one single reading. A similar experience can be found if a first time reader tries to read the Bible continuously from Genesis to Revelation. The other great challenge in this translation is in its reference to the characters of the story. The long titles accorded to each individual felt cumbersome and unnecessary at first but as I continued reading I began to appreciate that the original narrators of the tale were relating to the traditional Japanese audience, not the modern reader. As such the titles and honorifics were not only essential but required for reasons of protocol. Many listeners in feudal Japan were related or held similar positions to those described in the story. This realization helps the reader to savour the vintage of this work. The book also helps to lift a veil over 12th Century interaction between Japan and China. The narrators often recited characters from ancient China as part of the shared heritage of Japanese perceptions of honor and duty. The exchange of ideas and cultural practices between the two empires comes across as very vital and alive at that period as expressed by the presence of a Chinese physician during Taira no Shigemori's death. My initial fascination about the extermination of the Taira (from reading the story of Earless Hoichi from Kwaidan by L. Hearns) have been greatly enriched by the full account of the Gempei Wars found here in the Tale of the Heike. The sense of karmic justice where the terrible fate that befell the Taira clan was a direct result of the evil deeds of Kiyomori was all but pervasive in this book. Great reading! 20 of 21 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Japan before the Shogun, May 27, 1999 By A Customer As one of Japan's most important pieces of historical literature, the Tale of the Heike provides a glimpse into the last days of the courtly Heian period, just as it was replaced by the Kamakura Shogunate at the end of the Twelfth Century. Those readers accustomed to stories of Sixteenth-Century samurai will find this an interesting change of pace. The sensibilities revealed in the narrative provide an interesting insight into the thought processes of the people of medieval Japan. McCullough's translation is very good; her prose is compact, but maintains the poetic quality of the original texts with a minimum of distracting footnotes. 5.0 out of 5 stars Best version of this Japanese classic, September 8, 2009 By  V. Cristino "Joao Leonardo" (Brasilia, BRASIL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    McCullough's rendition of this classic Japanese tale of warfare is, compared to other translations I've studied, the most eloquent and poetic available to westerners.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars Heike The translation for this books seems to be very good thus far, and it didn't take long at all to recieve it. Published 8 months ago by Jessica A. Ahern 4.0 out of 5 stars Almost what I expected But Helen McCullough left me feeling like not all the translations made it through with all their meanings intact. Read more Published on September 8, 2003 5.0 out of 5 stars I am proud i read the book and thought it was very very good sometimes it was hard to follow the plot.translating this book must have been very hard to do for i should now because Helen C... Read more Published on July 1, 2003 1.0 out of 5 stars Confused I had to read this book for a course I took in Japanese civilization and culture. I found it very hard to follow even with some background. Read more Published on March 28, 2001 Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 504 pages
• Publisher: Stanford University Press; 1st edition (March 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804718032
• ISBN-13: 978-0804718035
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #120,322 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great translation of a venerable classic, August 17, 2001

By	Hong A. Ooi (Loveland, CO United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Translations of Japanese and Chinese classics are often hampered by the archaic language used in the originals. This was not the case here and the translator has achieved a balanced fusion of great story-telling and accurate presentation of the text. This is no small achievement since the Heike tale is populated by many diverse characters some of whom are only mentioned once whereas others have great influence on the plot despite their brief appearances.

I have found that the best way to read the book is to treat oneself to the episodic nature of the chapters. This reflects the original format of the story; that it was expressed in minstrel style story-telling by the "biwa-hoshi" in nightly recitals. As such each segment of the story can be treated like individual pearls in a string, each complete and entertaining by its own merit but strung together to form the whole epic saga of the Heike. Attempts to read the book in the style of a conventional Western novel with its continuous narrative will result in frustration since the story seem to take many didactic excursions and side plots. This may also have been the rootcause to the earlier frustration of another reviewer who encountered too many characters to comprehend at one single reading. A similar experience can be found if a first time reader tries to read the Bible continuously from Genesis to Revelation.

The other great challenge in this translation is in its reference to the characters of the story. The long titles accorded to each individual felt cumbersome and unnecessary at first but as I continued reading I began to appreciate that the original narrators of the tale were relating to the traditional Japanese audience, not the modern reader. As such the titles and honorifics were not only essential but required for reasons of protocol. Many listeners in feudal Japan were related or held similar positions to those described in the story. This realization helps the reader to savour the vintage of this work.

The book also helps to lift a veil over 12th Century interaction between Japan and China. The narrators often recited characters from ancient China as part of the shared heritage of Japanese perceptions of honor and duty. The exchange of ideas and cultural practices between the two empires comes across as very vital and alive at that period as expressed by the presence of a Chinese physician during Taira no Shigemori's death. My initial fascination about the extermination of the Taira (from reading the story of Earless Hoichi from Kwaidan by L. Hearns) have been greatly enriched by the full account of the Gempei Wars found here in the Tale of the Heike. The sense of karmic justice where the terrible fate that befell the Taira clan was a direct result of the evil deeds of Kiyomori was all but pervasive in this book. Great reading!

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Japan before the Shogun, May 27, 1999

By A Customer

As one of Japan's most important pieces of historical literature, the Tale of the Heike provides a glimpse into the last days of the courtly Heian period, just as it was replaced by the Kamakura Shogunate at the end of the Twelfth Century. Those readers accustomed to stories of Sixteenth-Century samurai will find this an interesting change of pace. The sensibilities revealed in the narrative provide an interesting insight into the thought processes of the people of medieval Japan.

McCullough's translation is very good; her prose is compact, but maintains the poetic quality of the original texts with a minimum of distracting footnotes.

5.0 out of 5 stars Best version of this Japanese classic, September 8, 2009

By	V. Cristino "Joao Leonardo" (Brasilia, BRASIL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

McCullough's rendition of this classic Japanese tale of warfare is, compared to other translations I've studied, the most eloquent and poetic available to westerners.