Things That are Near Though Distant: Extramarital Affairs in Heian-Period Japan

• Main Author: Matthew Grubits
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Japan Foundation, Sydney 2009-12-01
• Series: New Voices
• Subjects: Aesthetics; aristocrats; Genji; Heian period; marriage; gender
• Online Access: http://newvoices.org.au/volume-3/things-that-are-near-though-distant-extramarital-affairs-in-heian-period-japan/

According to historian William McCullough, a society cannot be understood without an appreciation of its marriage institutions, for marriage institutions are a dominant strand in the fabric of any society. In the Heian period, however, there was an even more dominant strand in the fabric of society than marriage that impinged on the relationships between aristocratic men and women. As historian Ivan Morris points out, the most prevalent relationships between men and women were extramarital affairs. If an appreciation of marriage institutions is necessary for us to understand Heian society, then an appreciation of affairs is likewise necessary. Few historians have addressed the subject of affairs, though they are central to the most notable texts from the period. This article addresses this gap in scholarship by exploring why affairs were so prevalent during the Heian period. This exploration involves looking at the marriage institution, perceptions of sexuality, belief systems and, importantly, aestheticism. Heian society was intensely aesthetic – a great emphasis was placed on pathos, beauty and aesthetic acts such as composing poetry. This paper argues that affairs were themselves aesthetic acts; that is, they were occasions of aesthetic expression. Because aristocrats had a preoccupation with aestheticism, they embraced affairs.