What
the Tale of Genji scroll does not show us is the public side
of court life, here recreated in a modern painting. Public affairs were
the concern of men alone, and were governed by closely prescribed rules
of ceremonial behavior. It was a rather straight-laced world, dominated
by the spirit of Chinese Confucianism. Its business was conducted exclusively
in the Chinese written language, much as medieval European monarchs ruled
in Latin. In this scene, the emperor sits hidden behind curtains on a raised
platform, while a court official reads a formal proclamation to assembled
courtiers. All are carefully placed by rank, bowing in humble unison.