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*''Japanese'': 平家物語 ''(Heike monogatari)''
*''Japanese'': 平家物語 ''(Heike monogatari)''
The ''Tale of the Heike'', or ''Heike monogatari'', is among the most famous of the ''[[gunki monogatari]]'' epic "war tales." Developed out of oral traditions, and in particular the storytelling tradition of the traveling ''[[biwa hoshi|biwa hôshi]]'', the ''Tale'' is extant today in a number of differing written versions, ranging in length and style, many of them with variant titles and varying content, ranging as well in date, from the 13th century through today. In general, however, the ''Tale'' relates a dramatized, fictionalized, account of the fall of the [[Taira clan]] in the late 12th century, with much of the text describing the events of the [[Genpei War]]. The versions considered most typical, or most characteristic, are of middling length, date to the 14th-15th centuries, and are records of versions related orally by the ''biwa hôshi'' performers. The version perhaps most widely considered standard is one recorded by a ''biwa hôshi'' named [[Kakuichi]] in [[1371]]; generations of ''biwa hôshi'' memorized and recited Kakuichi's version of the tale, passing it down through the tradition. This version of the tale has also been used as the basis for many modern translations.
The ''Tale of the Heike'', or ''Heike monogatari'', is among the most famous of the ''[[gunki monogatari]]'' epic "war tales." Developed out of oral traditions, and in particular the storytelling tradition of the traveling ''[[biwa hoshi|biwa hôshi]]'', the ''Tale'' is extant today in a number of differing written versions, ranging in length and style, many of them with variant titles and varying content, ranging as well in date, from the 13th century through today. In general, however, the ''Tale'' relates a dramatized, fictionalized, account of the fall of the [[Taira clan]] in the late 12th century, with much of the text describing the events of the [[Genpei War]].
Whatever its origin, all extant versions of the tale seem to be related to, or derived from, one another; multiple versions are known to have been in circulation by the end of the 13th century, but if any dramatically differing versions existed, they are not extant today. The versions today considered most typical, or most characteristic, are of middling length, date to the 14th-15th centuries, and are records of versions related orally by the ''biwa hôshi'' performers. The version perhaps most widely considered standard is that derived from one recorded by a ''biwa hôshi'' named [[Kakuichi]] in [[1371]]; generations of ''biwa hôshi'' memorized and recited Kakuichi's version of the tale, passing it down through the tradition. This version of the tale has also been used as the basis for many modern translations.
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