The Evening Bird of the Language to Snuggle Up To: The Storytelling of the "Shinneko" (Late 18th Century)

The Evening Bird of the Language to Snuggle Up To: The Storytelling of the "Shinneko" (Late 18th Century)

In Yoshiwara in the mid-Edo period, "shin neko," a time of silence away from the noise of the party, was most valued. The guests and prostitutes faced each other alone and communicated only through words and silence, without sake or tricks. The prostitute shows her culture and refinement through her choice of words and the way she pauses, and the customer reads the emotions behind her breathing. In this short time, "emotion" and "sophistication," which cannot be measured by money, were condensed. Loneliness and dreams that could not be expressed through flashy entertainment were exchanged, and silence itself became a beauty that transcended words. Yoshiwara was a place of art where the best of the townspeople's culture was gathered, even though it was regulated by the shogunate, and "shin neko" was a symbol of that spirit. In this tranquility, the Edo people saw love, sincerity, and transience.