Torikaebaya monogatari

by Unknown

Translated into English as The Changelings, is a Japanese tale from the late Heian period (794 to 1185) by an unknown author, or possibly more than one author. It is four volumes in length.

It is the tale of two siblings whose mannerisms are those of the opposite sex, and their relationships in the Emperor's court. It was translated into English in 1983. The reception of the tale over time has depended on how the society sees sex and gender issues, with one reading of it being as a ribald erotic comedy, while another reading is as a serious attempt to discuss sex and gender issues through a medieval Buddhist understanding.

409 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1124

About the author

Books can be attributed to "Unknown" when the author or editor (as applicable) is not known and cannot be discovered. If at all possible, list at least one actual author or editor for a book instead of using "Unknown".

Books whose authorship is purposefully withheld should be attributed instead to Anonymous.

Reviews

[Nico De León · Rating 4 out of 5]

The way gender and sexuality were viewed during the late Heian period is very interesting and enriching. The story is not at all the bawdry and ribald erotic tale the Meiji period scholars warned about, it can actually be pretty deep. The characters are well constructed, including the women; even the constant adulation of the people and their virtues evades grating on the reader. Actually, despite none of the characters having personal names, the female characters manage to be more complex and compelling than some female characters written in the 21st century. Maybe that’s why so many have considered it might have been written by a woman?

Though the tale is very riveting, it can also be pretty upsetting, especially due to everything that happens to the characters who’s known as Chūnagon for most of the story. The tengu explanation is fine, but the way it’s resolved feels more egregious than the usual deus ex machina, especially since Chūnagon still suffers after going “back” to being a “woman”. The most offensive part, however, must be how the Saishō ordeal is treated. All the other women ignore him but he marries a princess? Why is he rewarded for all the horrible things he’s done to other characters and especially Chūnagon, while Chūnagon is punished so strongly even after going back to “her” “original” gender? And why does Chūnagon have it so much worse than Naishi no Kami during the whole story? The narration is good at making you empathise with Chūnagon, so the ending leaves much to be desired.

Rule of thumb: “And then they all lived happily ever after and everyone got married and had a ton of kids” is not a good way to finish your story.

Rating: 3.7/5