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When he reached the age of twelve, he went through his initiation ceremonies and received the cap of an adult. It was held in the Grand Seiryouden Hall.
The throne faced east on the east porch, and before it was Genji's seat and that of the minister who was to bestow on him the official cap.
The freshness of his face and his boyish coiffure were again such as to make the emperor regret that the change must take place. The secretary of the treasury performed the ritual cutting of the boy’s hair.
As the beautiful locks fell the emperor was seized with a hopeless longing for his dead lady. The ceremony over, the boy withdrew to change into adult trousers and descended into the courtyard for ceremonial thanksgiving.
The emperor was stirred by the deepest of emotions. He had on brief occasions been able to forget the past, and now it all came back again. Vaguely apprehensive lest the initiation of so young a boy bring a sudden aging, he was astonished to see that his son delighted him even more. Genji married Aoi-no-Ue, the daughter of the Minister of Left. The bride was older, and ill at ease with young husband. Fujitsubo was for him a sublime beauty.
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