The Tale of The Heike - Classic Military Tale

Classic Military Tale

The fall of the powerful Taira – the samurai clan who defeated the imperial-backed Minamoto in 1161–symbolizes the theme of impermanence in the Heike. The Taira warrior family sowed the seeds of their own destruction with acts of arrogance and pride that led to their defeat in 1185 at the hands of the revitalized Minamoto.

The story is episodic in nature and designed to be told in a series of nightly installments. It is primarily a samurai epic focusing on warrior culture – an ideology that ultimately laid the groundwork for bushido (the way of the warrior). The Heike also includes a number of love stories, which harkens back to earlier Heian literature.

The story is roughly divided into three sections. The central figure of the first section is Taira no Kiyomori (平清盛) who is described as arrogant, evil, ruthless and so consumed by the fires of hatred that even in death his feverish body does not cool when immersed in water. The main figure of the second section is the Minamoto general Minamoto no Yoshinaka (源義仲). After he dies the main figure of the third section is the great samurai, Minamoto no Yoshitsune (源義経), a military genius who is falsely accused of treachery by his politically astute elder brother Minamoto no Yoritomo (源頼朝).

The Tale of the Heike has provided material for many later artistic works ranging from Noh plays to woodblock prints, and is also referenced in modern works.