also: はんじょがけい
expression
bedroom of a forsaken woman
Archaic expression referring to the lonely bedchamber of a woman abandoned by her lover or husband. Often used in classical poetry and literature, evoking a sense of melancholy and neglect. Compare with 秋の扇 (autumn fan), another metaphor for a discarded woman.
See also: 秋の扇
「班女が閨」は、古い和歌で詠まれることがある。
The phrase 'bedroom of a forsaken woman' sometimes appears in old waka poetry.
Both are classical metaphors for a woman who has lost her lover's affection. 秋の扇 (autumn fan) emphasizes uselessness after summer, while 班女が閨 focuses on the lonely bedroom itself.
The phrase is of classical Chinese origin, referring to the story of Ban Jieyu (班婕妤), a consort of Emperor Cheng of Han who was abandoned and wrote a poem comparing herself to an autumn fan. The Japanese reading はんじょがねや is a kun'yomi adaptation of the Chinese characters.