Murasaki - Waka Murasaki

Murasaki - Murasakicsa

- A leafy plant with thick purple roots. Small white flowers bloom around June and July.

- "a plant whose roots yield a purple dye" (81). You can see the dying process
here (http://manyo.web.infoseek.co.jp/murasaki_someidea.htm)

-Many hours were needed to produce a rich purple color so only high-class aristocrats, imperial families and some powerful priests were allowed to wear purple robes.


- The roots were also used for medicinal purpose to treat: burns, frostbites, cracks, chaps, measels and bruises. It was also used in chinese medicine to lessen fever and as an antidote for skin disease.


- Currently, the murasaki plant is endangered and scientist are trying to prevent its extinction.
　
In Relation to Genji - Waka Murasaki


- Needless to say, ta-da! Another relation to the color purple!


- Many scholars argue her pen name, Murasaki, came from Murasaki in the Tale of Genji.


- Murasaki is mentioned in Genji's poetry (100), associating with love and Fujitsubo.

- The poem also be connected to the chapter title (waka-murasaki) and can be read as: because the murasaki plant is still young (waka), it cannot be used to dye things, but in Genji's hands ("I would be to pick") soon it will grow to produce beautiful dye. Therefore, it can connect to the ideal young woman who a man can mould (from Ch. 2)

- The murasaki plant dye is quite hard to remove from one's hand. Therefore, it can signify how the color purple always stays in Genji's heart.


- The murasaki plant may be hard to notice surrounded by grass on the plains, so it may signify how Mursaki is the hidden flower. Moreover, the rich purple color is hidden beneath the soil (since the dye comes from the root); thus it can be seen as another hidden flower. The hidden flower concept seems to be emphasized by the murasaki plant since Shikibu could have chosen many other plants bearing visible, purple flowers.


- The rich purple color of the murasaki plant must be produced with much care and time. This beautiful hue of purple cannot be produced by mere flower petals, but only from the murasaki root. This signifies how Genji took his time and care into growing Murasaki into his ideal, beautiful, perfect woman.