遊女歌舞伎(三)

概要

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This paper takes up yujo as the main topic and will be the first part of 'Yujo no rekishi', the history of prostitutes, to be followed in the coming papers. The history of prostitutes can be traced back first to maiden servants in a shrine, called miko, then maiden servants to a king, and then to female priests at Ise Shrine. They all share the characteristics of the original miko, in which femininity was an important asset as an intermediary between shaman deities and people. They had an equal function to draw out the power of deities and kings as the receptive sex. Later in the Edo period, a similar ralationship was succeeded between yujo and her customers in the house of prostitutes. A rich man could dream of himself acting a king or an emperor by means of yujo who he believed was his miko. His dream well deserved his fortune.
2000-02-29