What is Geisha?
Japanese geisha originated in the 17th century in Tokyo and Osaka. At the beginning, all of the geisha were male, and then the first female geisha emerged in 1750. Compared with the male geisha, female geisha have better talent. From the middle of the 18th century, the female gradually replaced the male geisha career. Nowadays, Geisha culture exists in Japan for more than 300 years. As an extremely important part of Japan’s traditional cultural heritage, it has become a vivid representative of Japanese culture and spirit.
Geisha industry is performing art and most of the form is dance, music. They serve their guests catering, singing and dancing for the guest’s entertainment and make the atmosphere active, but they do not sell body. In the past, geisha was a lifelong occupation and had to be female. Before World War II, the vast majority of geisha were forced to work in this occupation for their livelihood. However, in modern society, there are still a few women who are love for traditional arts to join the geisha industry.
How do they work?
G. Henshall wrote that the geisha’s purpose was “to entertain their customer, be it by dancing, reciting verse, playing musical instruments, or engaging in light conversation”. Geisha is not only engaged in song and dance performances, but also catering guests. In terms of performances, it can be divided into in two ways. The first one refers to dance-based performances, and another one refers to performers singing and playing drums, shamisen. Geisha culture as a carrier of traditional culture, in addition to the above two performances, but also the show of tea ceremony, incense and kimono. Besides, the geisha has been trained in speaking, thus, they are good at chatting with guests.
In ancient times, geisha generally began learning arts at the age of ten, but because of the limitations of modern law, girls must learn it after graduating from secondary school, at about the age of 15. They have to learning a wide range of content, involving culture, etiquette, language, decoration, poetry and painting, etc., The process is very difficult and strict to achieve that they have experience to keep their elegance and stability along the period. By the age of 16, they will be able to become an official geisha and begin a performance of up to five years. In these five years, they will become a kabuki before become an official geisha. Geisha’s career usually ends at the age of 30, after which she retires, or continues to work as a geisha after being downgraded.
Geisha Dance
Picture by:https://pursuitist.com/easter-travel-ideas-to-embrace-the-art-of-exploration-traveltuesday/
The Argument about Geisha
There always has an argument about geisha whether they are prostitute. Geisha is by no means a whore.It is a part of Japanese traditional culture and is the Japan’s “national essence.” The old geisha industry has a very strict standard of rules and regulations, from training performances to marriage, there must be abide by the rules. However, because the geisha itself is versatile and abides by the principle of chastity, it has won the admiration of many dignitaries.
“Remember Chiyo, geisha are not courtesans, and we’re not wives. We sell our skills, not our bodies. We create another secret world, a place only of beauty. The very word “geisha” means artist, and to be a geisha is to be judged as a moving work of art. ” —Memoirs of a Geisha
There is a movie, called “Memoirs of a Geisha,” introduced the life of a Japanese geisha named Sayuri. Sayuri is a beautiful fishing village girl, with a pair of grey blue eyes，became the most expensive geisha in the Gion, Japan. Mineko Iwasaki, is the archetype of Sayuri the movie and is one of the most famous geisha, has hosted US President MR. Ford and Queen Elizabeth. From this, we can understand the real status of geisha in Japan. If geisha is just a prostitute, how can they be treated like this?
Memoirs of Geisha
Picture by:https://weheartit.com/entry/92254327
Conclusion
Geisha is the mysterious unspeakable art. In the past, geisha had been all the rage so that many young girls yearning for it, dreaming that they can show themselves on the stage. However, with the changes of the times and the impact of foreign cultures, coupled with the geisha training is too strict and hard, thus, fewer and fewer people in the modern society engaged in the industry, and even has become a tourism tools. According to relevant statistics, the number of qualified geisha today is about 200. As the birthplace of geisha, Kyoto currently has only about five hanamachis，which are the traditional entertainment venues，and still living 156 geishas ranging from 18 to 80 years old. For this kind of traditional culture, we should protect and inherit it so that it will still shine in the long history.
Memoirs of a Geisha
References
Bardsley, J., (2010). Teaching Geisha in History, Fiction, and Fantasy. ASIANetwork Exchange: A Journal for Asian Studies in the Liberal Arts. 17(2), p.23–38.
Foreman, K. (2017). The gei of geisha: Music, identity and meaning. UK: Routledge.
Henshall, K. G. (1999). A History of Japan: From Stone Age to Superpower. New York: St.
Huijuan,Wang.(2008). Japanese Geisha Culture. World Culture,2008(2),p.46-48.
Rahayu, M., Emelda, L., & Aisyah, S. (2014). Power Relation In Memoirs Of Geisha And The Dancer. Register Journal, 7(2).
Stanley, A. (2013). Enlightenment geisha: The sex trade, education, and feminine ideals in early Meiji Japan. The Journal of Asian Studies, 72(3), p.539-562.
Picture Resources
Picture1: https://www.insidejapantours.com/japanese-culture/geisha/
Picture2:https://pursuitist.com/easter-travel-ideas-to-embrace-the-art-of-exploration-traveltuesday/
Picture3: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/memoirs_of_a_geisha/
Global Heritage 