Danzori no Hotei

**Danzori no Hotei** [柏森の保定, 1653 - January 1725] was a Kantonese playwright of the 17th century, specialising in romantic dramas and tragic comedies. His most famous plays deal with the topic of double-suicides, or 'love-suicides', scenarios in which two lovers end their lives side-by-side in a passionate yet morbid way. His romance plays or *airen-kyūbo* are considered his best works, particularly The Love Suicides at Kuhatsu [1711] and Bamboo Sprout [1717]. His comedies are viewed less positively, though the Battle of the Wooden Gate [1722] remains praised.

## Biography

Hotei was born to a *gungi* family. There is disagreement about his birthplace; the most popular theory suggests that he was born and raised in modern-day southern Arami Prefecture, or as it was then known, Hasetsu Province. His father, also named Danzori no Hotei, served the *konbūshin* Shin no Ōtoru as a doctor. Hotei's younger brother also became a doctor, and Hotei himself wrote a short pamphlet on healthcare. The identity of his mother is unknown.

At the time, doctors who served the *konbūshin* or their men held landlord (*gungi*) status. This entitled Hotei and his family to a certain amount of land, and they were officially recognised as members of the upper-class. But in the 1660s Hotei's father lost his office and fell from honour. At some point between 1664 and 1670 Hotei moved to Anzaki with his father where he served for a few years as a scribe and messenger for a noble family. Hotei published his first known literary work in this period, a short poem called *The Wild Dogs* that appeared in 1672. Due to his work as a scribe he was skilled at writing with traditional characters.

With the production of his first play in 1683 in Anzaki - *The Silk Curtain* - Hotei became known as a skilled playwright. The Silk Curtain is believed to have been Hotei's first play although it shows a surprising understanding of scriptwriting for his age and experience level. Hotei also wrote plays for theatre companies as commissions between 1684 and 1695; during this time his popularity grew and he gained the respect of a number of established actors and writers in the industry. From 1695 until 1702, Hotei wrote almost exclusively comedic plays, or *gīkyū*, before almost completely abandoning the genre abruptly after the start of the 18th century.

In 1704, Hotei became a playwright for the Yōsaka Theatre Company and travelled south to the capital to continue his career. His popularity peaked with his domestic plays of love-suicides (or *kayajirai*) and with the huge success of *The Love Suicides at Kumako* in 1711, Hotei soon gained prestige and established himself firmly in the contemporary theatre scene. *Bamboo Sprout*, first performed in 1717, became his second-most acclaimed and popular play. From 1719 onwards, Hotei turned his hand back to *gīkyū* with the publication of *Battle of the Wooden Gate* in 1721, and *Mr. Kassai's Mistress* in 1723. However, as *gīkyū* began to lose popularity towards the mid-century period, and his earlier plays started to appear old-fashioned, Hotei fell out of favour with audiences. He died suddenly of unknown causes in January 1725, aged 72.

## Major works

* The Silk Curtain [丝槇, Kinumaki], 1683
* The Love Suicides at Kuhatsu [筈壮の慕计殺, Kuhatsu no Kayajirai], 1711
* Bamboo Sprout (え竹, Etake], 1717
* Courtesan in Mourning / Courtesan in Black [设欺の筈装, Meiri no Kussō], 1718
* Battle of the Wooden Gate [牟們の蒯, Mutsu no Tarai], 1721
* Mr. Kassai's Mistress [畏家の朋, Kassai no Tomo], 1723