Study of Noh play in the Edo Era

江户时代的能演员大致分为四种。第一种类型由“Yoza”的首领（Iemoto）组成，他们在德川幕府的主持下行事。（“Yoza”是指室町时代大和地区形成的四种能派演员。）第二类是“尤扎”的弟子，他们在封建领主的支持下行事。这些演员都是封建领主的附庸或雇员。第三类由业余爱好者、城镇居民或农民组成，他们被称为“Ujiko”。他们在神道教或佛教仪式上演奏能乐。第四种类型是除了“Yoza”成员之外的专业能剧演员，他们被称为“Tesarugaku”。他们属于能能演奏者的小团体，并在街头演奏能能，常年在各省巡回演出。例如，继位的德川幕府将军，hideada（第二代幕府将军）或Tsunayoshi（第五代幕府将军），都资助过Yoza的一位大师。许多封建领主为了迎合幕府将军的口味，聘请“尤扎”派的弟子为他们专门表演，并允许他们的封臣成为能派演员的学生。此外，德川幕府和封建领主镇压了除“Yoza”成员外的所有能族演员。因此，在江户时代的后半期，第四类能能演员已经绝迹，所有能能演员都向“Yoza”的大师们拜师学艺。“江本”制度在这个时代完全建立起来。

Noh actors in the Edo Era are roughly divided into four types. The first type consisted of the head masters (Iemoto) of "Yoza", who acted under the auspices of Tokugawa shogunate. ("Yoza" means four schools of Noh actors established in Yamato area in the Muromachi Era.) The second type consisted of disciples of "Yoza", who acted under the auspices of feudal lords. and these actors were vassals or employees of feudal lords. The third type consisted of amateurs, townspeoples or farmers, who were called"Ujiko". They played noh on the occasions of Shinto or Buddhist rituals. The fourth type consisted of professional Noh actors except the members of "Yoza", who were called "Tesarugaku". They belonged to small groups of Noh players, and played Noh on the street touring the provinces all the year round.Successive Tokugawa Shoguns, for example, Hidetada(the second Shogun), or Tsunayoshi (The fifth shogun), patronized one of the masters of "Yoza". Lots of feudal lords catered to Shogun's tastes, and hired the disciples of "Yoza" school as actors performing exclusively for them, and allowed their vassals to become the pupils of Noh actors. Besides, Tokugawa shogunate and feudal lords suppressed all the Noh actors except the members of "Yoza". As a result, in the second half of the Edo Era, Noh actors of fourth type became extinct, and all the Noh actors apprenticed themselves to the masters of "Yoza". And the "Iemoto" system was established completely in this era.