The Tale of the Heike

Name: The Tale of the Heike
Rating: 4.06 (1675 reviews)

by Helen Craig McCullough

First published 1988

Amazon

4.1(1,675)

The Tale of the Heike follows the ascent and destruction of the Taira clan during the political violence that culminates in the Genpei War. Taira no Kiyomori raises his family to dominance at court, but opposition gathers around the Minamoto, and the struggle moves from palace intrigue and provincial rebellion to celebrated battles on land and sea.

The work treats victory as inseparable from loss. Warriors, courtiers, women and monks confront loyalty, exile, bereavement and the Buddhist impermanence announced in its famous opening. Helen Craig McCullough’s annotated translation preserves the scale of the medieval war tale while making its dynastic tragedy and interwoven personal stories accessible to modern readers.