• Noh: 東岸居士, 張良 (Togan Koji, Choryo)

3/22/26 (Sun)

Togan Koji: An infrequently performed play by Zeami. The title can be translated as Lay Priest of the Eastern Shore, the latter referring to the entry point to the paradise on the west. Togan Koji, a real-life personage (he has a grave in Nagoya), was a disciple of Jinen Koji, the subject of a play by Zeami’s father. Whereas that play involved a kidnapping of a young girl and her dramatic rescue, Togan has little story at all. But that doesn’t mean lack of content.

A traveler on his way to Kiyomizu Temple encounters Togan Koji on the banks of the Shirakawa River. The latter is soliciting donations for repair of a bridge constructed by his master, Jinen Koji. When the traveler asks what sermon he would give that day, the koji replies that everything is as it appears to the eye, just as the Buddha’s teachings say: “The willow is green, the flowers are red.” He states that he has no home to live in and therefore has no intention of becoming a monk. That is why he has neither shaved his head nor worn monastic robes. At the traveler’s request, he dances and plays the kakko drum, explaining that whether one attains enlightenment through dance or by listening to the Dharma, the destination is the same, i.e., all existence is equally a manifestation of the true reality.

The play, though rather static in terms of narrative, expounds beautifully on Buddhist themes. The bridge is alluded to explicitly as a path to the other shore, Paradise, which is available to all who follow the way of righteousness. The protagonist says that all things are one and urges the traveler to pass with him through the gate of reality. The highlight of the show is as usual the dance, especially the bit with the drum (though that involved a two-minute silent blank while the drum was fitted onto the actor – they need to work on that). There was a third character in the beginning who simply referred to Togan Koji and didn’t need to be there (it wasn’t in my version of the script). The roots of Noh as religious dances were evident here, and I understood in watching this how Zeami was aiming to make Buddhist teachings more palatable. It’s a fascinating piece that should be done more often.

Choryo is the real-life Zhang Liang, an attendant to the Han emperor in 2nd century BC (will use the Chinese names below). The play takes place in present-day Pizhou in Jiangsu Province. Zhang dreams that he meets an old man on a bridge who drops his shoe and then orders Zhang to put it back on. Though peeved, Zhang does so in deference to the man’s age and apparent standing.

The old man is pleased and tells Zhang in the dream that he will pass down the secrets of military strategy if Zhang returns in five days. Zhang awakens and decides to follow through. Unfortunately he arrives late, earning the old man’s ire. The man is furious but decides to give Zhang one more opportunity, telling him to come back in another five days.

Zhang, taking no chances, arrives early. The man shows up and reveals himself to be Huang Shigong, a Taoist hermit known historically for an important military treatise. He intentionally kicks off his shoe in a river to test Zhang’s loyalty. Zhang leaps into the river, but is unable to grab the shoe in the heavy currents. A giant serpent then materializes and takes the shoe, leading to a fight between Zhang and the creature. Zhang prevails and is able to put the shoe back on Huang’s foot. The serpent reveals that it is a manifestation of the Goddess of Mercy sent to test Zhang. The satisfied Huang passes on the strategy, climbs a mountain, and transforms himself into a shining golden boulder (the literal meaning of his name 黃石公).

I could tell immediately that this was by Zeami’s great-nephew Nobumitsu, known for his Kabuki-like dramas like Ataka and Funa Benkei. This had plenty of action despite its small cast, especially with the throwing of the shoe and the fight with the giant serpent. The title role was actually played by the waki (supporting actor), who, normally relegated to the sidelines, had an unusually active role here (Nobumitsu was himself a waki actor). Zhang gets a costume change in the second half, and jumps, spins, turns and strikes dramatic poses on and off the special dais. This is very much his show. This is evidently one of those advanced shows that waki actors have to win permission to perform. The guy today did stellar work.

The shite (lead role), the old man/Huang, was definitely the lesser presence, outshone even by the tsure (side actor), the serpent. The latter appears only in the second half but has that magnificent battle scene involving the all-important shoe. He has to race to pick it up from wherever it happens to land, not an easy task with the goblin mask, and the ensuing fight scene is absolutely the play’s highlight. The Chinese-inspired costumes add spice to the work, though the dumb head coverings for the old man/Huang obscure his interesting masks. In any case, another great piece by Nobumitsu, the last of Noh’s great playwrights. The more of his shows I see, the more I regret that the art’s development essentially stopped here. It’s frustrating to think what might have been. Terrific show.