The Pillow Book
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The Pillow Book of Sei Shōnagon is a fascinating, detailed account of Japanese court life in the closing years of the 10th century. Written by a lady of the court at the height of Heian culture, this book enthrals with its lively gossip, witty observations and subtle impressions.
Lady Shōnagon was an erstwhile rival of Lady Murasaki, whose novel, The Tale of Genji, fictionalized the elite world Lady Shōnagon so eloquently relates. Featuring reflections on royal and religious ceremonies, nature, conversation, poetry and many other subjects, The Pillow Book is an intimate look at the experiences and outlook of the Heian upper class.
Sei Shōnagon, born around 965, was lady-in-waiting to Empress Sadako and between the early 990s and 1002, she kept these ‘personal notes’, recording what she saw and encountered with wit, accuracy and intelligence. There is immense variety here. There are more than 320 entries, each with its own heading: ‘Birds’, Trees’, ‘When His Excellency The Chancellor Had Departed’, ‘Unreliable Things’…. Some entries are very brief, no more than ‘asides’, and there are even concise lists. Some reflect the sensitive Japanese response to nature or patterned silk, and there are longer narratives of incidents involving prominent political figures. Her singular humour is often to the fore: ‘Masahiro really is a laughing stock. I wonder what it is like for his parents and friends.’
But there are also entries which reflect a considerate nature as shown in ‘One of Her Majesty’s Wet-Nurses’.
While Arthur Waley’s classic translation remains well-known it was abridged, and this Ukemi recording presents the translation by Ivan Morris, the first unabridged English version. It is fluent and lively, and reflects the sparkling character of Sei Shōnagon’s writing which, in the 21st century, belies its ancient origins and its academic standing as one of the great works of Japanese literature. This is perfectly captured by in Georgina Sutton’s reading.
G. J. Davis –
Japanese classic
A lovely paperback of a Japanese medieval classic. I’ve only read the introduction so far, but this translator’s work was considered the very best. Looks very inviting.
Graham –
A different time, a different world but somehow comforting
Sometimes as a good book comes to an end you know you’ll miss the authors voice..In this case in true Japanese fashion, I am enjoying the last pages as slowly as possible with real Japanese plum wine from Wakayama, capital city of Wakayama Prefecture in the Kansai region of (central) Japan 🇯🇵.The book from the Heian period, a time of relative peace is not for everyone. Needing 3 bookmarks to cover glossary and notes/appendices its an interesting look at a senior gentlewomens mind in the empresses service. Common to the period, some sections are simply random thoughts and lists of related events. But much of traditional japanese culture and its subtleties, is shown. From correctness of address those of other ranks to dress codes and the showing of sleeves. Replies to any message must be suitably and carefully aligned with the wealth of known Chinese and Japanese poetry, much of which I have now learnt and will continue to follow.The book, regardless of title is not erotic, although it hints at love affairs and moonlight to dawn visits. The pillow book, means papers kept by the bed for recording random thoughts upon waking, and book as in bound loose leaf pages.Farewell dear Sei Shōnagon. I shall miss your often observant, sometimes judgemental and cruel but always intelligent and witty commentary. May it forever be havest and festival time where you lie.
Leitha –
Intriguing, striking glimpse of life in Japanese court
Intriguing glimpses into court life in ancient Japan. This translation and edition is meticulously done, with copious notes and information. The extra material is very helpful as the text on its own would be partly incomprehensible. But what a closeted, narrow life; the impression is at times claustrophobic, oppressive. Yet how fortunate are we, to witness it, thanks to Sei Shonagon’s private notes/diary.
Autumnbreeze 3000 –
A journey of delightful discoveries
How recent can a life lived 1000 years ago seem to be? Sei Shonagon (c. 966–1017) wrote down her thoughts and observations while she was a lady-in-waiting to empress Teishi. Today those notes read as if one of us had written them down (also thanks to Meredith McKinney’s translation) except for the strangeness of customs and the foreignness of living arrangements but this only adds to the adventure of reading the Pillow Book. Sei speaks to the reader in a familiar voice. She makes lists of pleasant things and those that are disagreeable. She likes everything that cries in the night, be it a bird or a cricket, but NOT babies. She finds women without interest who lead dull lives and rejoice in their petty little pseudo-pleasures despicable. She derides men who fall asleep and snore during a romantic visit at night. She loves a good sermon, as one would an interesting presentation, also for the fun of the outing to a temple, but complains about parking problems and the behavior of some carriage owners.In Sei’s world, what people wore, how they combined the colors of their clothing was very complicated and most important for men and women so we get detailed descriptions of who wore what and how he or she looked in it (there was a Bureau of Clothing in the imperial palace). She has strong opinion about style and taste but she hardly mentions facial features and body types. In the love affairs and romantic interests, it was taste and sensibility, not physical appearance, that were the focus. She sights that the man you love and the same man once you’ve lost all feelings for him seem like two completely different people. It was a joy to read Sei Shonagon’s Pillow Book in Meredith McKinney’s translation.
LJonthebay –
this is one of my favorite books. When it came time for me to …
I confess I am biased: this is one of my favorite books. When it came time for me to take my first trip to Japan this fall, I HAD to load Sei Shonagon’s diary onto my Kindle.At turns gossipy or poetic, this 10th century diary reads like a blog, evoking life at the Imperial Court or on pilgrimage, listing irritating things or cattily writing off another courtier because he just WON’T write decent poetry.
Kindle Customer –
so the world lost a great snark before her time
There she is, Sei Shonagon, with her inkpen, scrawling hilarious and pithy comments when no one is looking. She didn’t live long enough to see gossip sites, so the world lost a great snark before her time. Best segments: her 3-star review of bad boyfriends, her lists of random pretty poetical crap she liked, and her funny critique of middle-aged married couples taking afternoon “naps.” As much as I like her work, Sei Shonagon scares me. I was not one of the cool kids in high school. 😉 Murasaki seems s little bit less point-and-laugh, which I find appealing (although Lady Sarashina trumps them all. Long live sparkle-girl!)If you could wish for world peace or Sei Shonagon writing a blog, what would her first post be about?
Kuma –
This is just brilliant. Anyone with any interest in Japanese literature needs to read this. And it is really well written and pretty funny to say the least. After a thousand years that is some achievement. I don’t think there is anything quite like this in British history, so it’s amazing this woman wrote this in Japan a thousand years back. It’s probably even better than Tale of Genji. Pillow Book is funnier for a start! Great!
Andrea –
This book was recommended by The School of Life. I wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s full of a variety of musings in the daily life of a Japanese court lady in around 995 AD. Reading it I feel transported to that time and place where customs, clothing and way of living was so different from today and also the ordinary working people of Japan of that time. A time when poetry and communicating with others through poetry was a valued and admired skill.
kiyo –
大変読みやすい英文で，日本の古文書籍でありながら寧ろ英文で心象描写を深化確認するように読み進めました。気軽にすいすい読めて楽しめます。
Raquel Pezzotta –
Gostei de tudo. Veio tudo muito bom. Gosto de histórias japonesas também.
Kindle Customer –
A fascinating, entertaining, instructive and amusing read. A lady-in-waiting to the Empress in the Japanese palace 1000 years ago, Sei Shonogan shows respect for the royal court, but she was not over-awed by it. With immense human sympathy she describes the foibles and follies of her fellow courtiers, recognising the very ordinary human traits that underlay all their aristocratic nobility. Her Pillow Book also gives many fascinating insights into 10th century Japanese life.