Screen-maiden loved by Tokkei

Overview

Tokkei, a Kyoto scholar living in Muromachi, buys a paper-covered single-leaf screen bearing a girl’s portrait. His fascination becomes so consuming that he neglects his studies, loses sleep and appetite, and becomes ill. An elderly scholarly friend identifies the artist as Hishigawa Kichibei and explains that the painter captured the subject’s mind as well as her form: although the woman represented is no longer in the world, her spirit lives in the picture.

Following his friend’s advice, Tokkei gives the figure a girl’s name and calls to her patiently over many days. Hearn explicitly says the Japanese narrator does not supply that name. Eventually the picture answers. Tokkei offers wine obtained from one hundred shops, and the girl steps out of the screen, walks across the matting and kneels to accept the cup. The narrative describes her as more beautiful than the image, with a gracious character as well as bodily presence.

The two pledge themselves for seven existences. She warns that she will return to the screen if he is unkind, but the ending states that she never does: the place formerly occupied by her painted figure remains blank. Hearn presents the account through Hakubai-En Rosui and attributes it to Otogi-Hyaku-Monogatari. The old scholar’s explanation supplies the spirit-in-the-picture interpretation; the story does not independently establish the earlier life or personal identity of the original sitter.

Origins & earliest records

Japanese written tales retold in English by Lafcadio Hearn

Records & interpretation

Complete story, ending and all attached notes read in the identified historical edition.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Shadowings

   Lafcadio Hearn · 1919

   III, The Screen-Maiden, pp.23–29; Boston, Little, Brown and Company,1919; copyright1900

Family & connections

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Primary records and illustrations

References

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1. Historical literary retellingHearn, Shadowings, III, The Screen-Maiden, pp.23–29Research access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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