Chronological Study of Noh Plays Written by Zeami and his Reratives: on Zeami's Favorite Terms, ‘KABU’ and ‘BUGA’

Abstract

According to Omote Akira, Iwanami Noh Kyogen Koza, Zeami used (Ongyoku, Hataraki, Mai) as the term which means sing and dance in Kaden and ‘KABU’ for the first time in Kashuuchinukigaki (written at 1418). He changed the term from ‘KABU’ to ‘BUGA’ in Kakyo and used ‘BUGA’ since then as the term which means dance and sing. Zeami and his reratives reused on their Noh plays the terms used in Zeami's Noh theories. It may, therefore, well be that they reused properly ‘KABU’ and ‘BUGA’ on their Noh plays as they did on Zeami's Noh theories.

The paper examines how ‘KABU’ and ‘BUGA’ are used in Noh plays written by Zeami and his reratives. The paper suggests the possibility that ‘BUGA’ were used in Zeami's Noh plays from the latter half of 1419 on for the reason that we can see ‘KABU’ on «Hakurakuten» which was considered to be made in the latter half of 1419 by Amano Fumio. ‘KABU’ is, therefore, considered to be the term which was used on the Noh plays made prir to this. Such Noh plays are «Ousaka» «Hotokegahara».