Genji meets Murasaki

(19th century print by Yoshitoshi)

Chapter 5 Waka Murasaki (Lavender)
In this chapter Genji finallly manages to have a forbidden tryst with his stepmother Fujitsubo. Genji searches out a mountain priest because of lingering ill health (the implication is that he is perhaps suffering from possession illness). While in the mountains he discovers 10-year-old Murasaki, a niece of Fujitsubo. He is struck by their resemblance, and impusively absconds with her to rear her at his home. The Murasaki character, Genji's greatest love, emerges as the model of a "perfect woman" in the story, and for this reason the author of Tale of Genji was given the sobriquet Murasaki by her contemporaries and continues to be known by that name. .