Chapter 12 Chapter Twelve

During the two years that my mother interrupted my training, I had forgotten most of what I had learned.Also, I didn't learn much at first because I was thinking about other things.So, when Mameha agreed to be my older sister, I went back to school and it felt like I was going to class for the first time.I have already described some situations of learning shamisen under Mr. Mouse.But besides shamisen, a geisha must learn many other skills.My first lesson in the morning was learning to play a snare drum we call chuchumi.After drum lessons, I also learn Japanese flute and shamisen in the morning.Then I have singing lessons and tea ceremony lessons.

In all these courses, music and dance are only part of what we study.Because even if a girl is proficient in various arts, if she doesn't learn the correct manners, she will still make a fool of herself at a party.Therefore, the teacher always insists that the students behave politely and gracefully at all times.For example, in shamisen class, if you don’t choose the most appropriate words, speak with a regional accent instead of the standard Kyoto accent, act listlessly or walk too heavily, you will be severely corrected by the teacher. The training process of a geisha is extremely difficult. After a whole morning of training, there is still a lot of work to be done in the afternoon and evening.Also, she only sleeps three to five hours a night.In winter, Pumpkin and I were forced to exercise by dipping our hands in icy water. We cried out in pain every time, but then we had to practice the piano in the windy courtyard.

Later, Mameha and I talked about the success of geisha. "When I say successful, I mean that a geisha has achieved independence. Unless a geisha has her own kimono collection - or unless she is adopted as a daughter by a geisha, that's not the same as having her own kimono. A collection of the same nature—otherwise she'd be at the mercy of others for life. You've seen some of my kimonos, haven't you? How do you think I got them?" The confusion in my heart must have been written all over my face, because Mameha laughed when she saw the expression on my face. "Chiyo, there is an answer to this riddle. My tanna' is a generous man who buys most of my kimonos. That's why I'm more successful than Hatsumomo. I have a rich tanna ’. And she hasn’t had a ‘danna’ for years.”

I have been in Gion for a long time, so I know a thing or two about Mameha's so-called "danna". "Dana" is what a wife calls her husband - or rather, that's what a wife calls her husband in my day.However, danna in a geisha's mouth does not refer to her husband.Geisha never marry.Or at least they stopped working as geisha once they got married.A true geisha would never tarnish her reputation by spending the night with a random man.But if the right man is interested in other relationships - not just for one night, but for a much longer period of time - if he's willing to pay the price, well, in that case the geisha will be happy to take it this arrangement.Banquets and other events are lively, but a geisha must have a danna if she wants to make a lot of money in Gion, and a geisha without a danna—such as Hatsumomo—is like a stray cat on the street without an owner to feed it.

There also needs to be an agreement between the geisha and the danna.The terms generally stipulate that the Dana will pay off a portion of the geisha's debts and cover most of her monthly expenses—such as the cost of cosmetics, some tuition fees, perhaps medical bills, and so on.Despite all these extravagances, Dana still had to pay her hourly rate for the time he spent with her, just like her other customers, but he had some privileges. "After your social debut, you apprentice as a geisha until you turn eighteen. After that, if you want to pay off your debts, you need to find a danna. A danna with a lot of money. My job is to make sure you By then you will be well-known in Gion, but whether you can become an excellent dancer depends on whether you work hard. If you haven't even reached the fifth level at the age of sixteen, then I can't help you, new Mrs. Tian will be very happy to win the bet with me."

Of all the arts of a geisha, dancing is the most revered art.Only the most potential and most beautiful geisha are encouraged to specialize in dance, and its profound tradition can only be compared with the tea ceremony.Geisha in the Gion area perform Inoue-style dances derived from Noh. I dare not say that I have any talent in dance or other aspects, but I am indeed studying with one heart and one mind, and I will never give up until I achieve my goal.Ever since I ran into the chairman on the street that spring, what I have longed for most is to have the opportunity to become a geisha and find a place for myself in this world.Now that Mameha has given me such an opportunity, I am determined to make some achievements.But with so many classes and chores, and high expectations for myself, the first half year of training left me feeling exhausted.After that, I started to discover some little secrets that can make things go more smoothly.For example, I found a way to practice shamisen while running errands.The specific method is that I practice a piece of music in my mind, imagining how my left hand should press the strings on the handle, and how my right hand should use the plectrum to pluck the strings.That way, when I do have the instrument on my lap, I can sometimes play a piece fairly well even if I've only tried it once before.Some people think that I can learn the song without practicing, but in fact, I have been practicing repeatedly as I wandered through the streets and alleys of Gion.

I used another little tip to learn the ballads and other songs taught in school.From a young age, I can remember music that I only heard once the day before.I don't know why, I guess my brain is a little special.So I made it a habit to write the lyrics on paper before bed.Then when I woke up, while my mind was still calm and sensitive, I lay on the futon and read those papers.Usually this is enough for me to remember the lyrics, but the tune is more difficult to remember, my secret is to use some images to remind myself.For example, a branch falling from a tree can make me think of drums; a stream flowing over a rock can make me think of the rising pitch of a shamisen; when I think of a song in my head, it's like walking through a landscape .

Of course, the biggest challenge for me is dancing, which is the most important craft.For months, I tried all kinds of little recipes I invented, but none of them worked for me.But if I imagine the President is watching me, my movements become very soulful, and sometimes every dance move is some kind of communication with him.Keeping your head tilted at an angle while circling may represent asking, "Where shall we go to have a good time together, President?" Extending an arm and opening a fan means that I am very grateful to have the privilege of having his company.When I snap the fan shut, it's to tell him that pleasing him is the most important thing in my life.