Zeami Motokiyo

Motokiyo Zeami (Japanese世 阿 弥 元 清, * 1363, † 1443 ) was an important person of the Japanese Noh theater.

As a playwright, theorist and actor of Noh he has appeared as a teenager in front of the Shogun Yoshimitsu. This promoted various art forms in Japan during the Muromachi period. Together with his father he created Kan'ami estimated Noh numerous pieces today. Later Shoguns occupied Zeami Motokiyo with stage ban.

His work Fūshikaden (风姿 花 伝), also Kadensho (花 伝 书) called, was regarded for centuries as the textbook of the Noh.

Life

Zeami Motokiyo was born when his father was 31 years old. This was already a famous Noh actor and master of his own theater in the provinces of Yamato and Iga. Even as a child he learned of the Father, the theater, Kanze -za, know.

1374 or 1375, at the age of twelve, was Kanze -za an idea in Kyoto before the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. The Shogun took, according to the Shudo him as a lover. 1384 died Kan'ami. Zeami succeeded his father under the name Kanze Dayu ( Masters Kanze ).

At the time, actors were in low rank and had little education. But Zeami could expand as the Shogun 's favorite formation. His literary education by waka, renga and traditional works, such as Genji Monogatari, promoted his work as a writer Noh. He created a total of 50 Noh works.

After the death of Yoshimitsu, the position Zeamis difficult. The following Shōgun Yoshimochi pulled Dengaku before the Noh theater. After Todo Yoshimochi, Yoshinori, was the sixth shogun in opposition to Zeami and Kanze -za. 1422 gave his son Zeami Master Rank Kanze Motomasa and he himself became a Buddhist monk. The hostility Yoshinori grew.

1432 died the son Motomasa. 1434 Zeami was exiled to Sado Island. He was still 1436, Sado and wrote a book. His place of residence after 1436 is unknown. It is thought the return to Kyoto. A picture of him bearing the words, after he died in 1443.

Works

Zeami wrote about 60 Noh plays and about ten Noh textbooks. You play today his works in Noh theater. He drew motifs of his drama from Japanese classical and legends, especially Heike Monogatari and Genji Monogatari. Among his most important works include Takasago ( according to legend), Sanemori ( Heike Monogatari by ), Izutsu ( Ise Monogatari ) and Aoi no Ue (after Genji Monogatari ).

As a theorist, he wrote mostly for his son, who was also his student. His most famous work is theory Kadensho or Fūshikaden.