When Man becomes Woman in Heian Japan: Text-Oriented Analysis of The Changelings

“Though he spoke calmly, however, he now thought: ‘How wretched it is to have become the woman I now am. Even the Buddha claimed woman is sinful. Udaijin always disliked me, and at times Yon no kimi looked reproachful. Is this my retribution for those days — that I am to experience, in her place, the misery of being forsaken by a man?’ He thought feelingly of past and future, and because he had no one with whom he could speak freely, he grew distressed, his feelings pent up in his heart.” (The Changelings)

In this excerpt, Chunagon transforms from a man beaming with agency to a powerless woman reflects the inferiority of woman during the Buddhist Heian era. Through Chunagon’s inner turmoil, the reader sees the theme of woman frustration in The Changelings.

Becoming a woman to him is equivalent to being punished by Gods for his previous immorality. Chunagon attributes this event to Karma and uses it to rationalize his misfortune and chaos. He alludes to Buddhism teachings that “even the Buddha claimed woman is sinful.” Could it be that the Buddhism practiced in the Heian era deemed women as the source of sin? So he attributes his “misery of being forsaken by a man” to “retribution” for his past sins.

Although Chunagon appears “calmly” as “he [speaks]” regarding Saisho’s unfaithfulness, he feels distressed and has “feelings pent up in his heart.” What Chunagon displays on the outside is, in fact, the opposite of what he is truly feeling, the author is able to reveal to the audience women’s inferiority in the Buddhist Heian era.

Chunagon brings intertextual references to the countless times he has hurt Udaijin and Yon no Kimi, demonstrating his previous superiority as a man. For example, he used to “[remain] in concealment somewhere for as many as ten without sending any word.” Such disappearance causes “[lamentation]” among Udaijin and Yon no Kimi. Udaijin [eats] nothing and [grieves], while “Yon no Kim [is] miserable” and “distraught” (para 1, pg 72).

When Chunagon was a man, he was unaware of the pain he inflicted upon others as it was socially acceptable for men to act so. However, now a woman, he recognizes women’s inferiority in the Heian society and sees his new role less advantageous than his previous one.