During her time as a gentlewoman of the court, sei shonagon wrote her famous work the pillow book in japanese. Apocryphal texts and literary identity 5 certainty. In the following physics class, i was still floating in the world of sei shonagon, and i stayed there all day long. She was the daughter of kiyohara no motosuke, a provincial governor and noted poet. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages. Written by a lady of the court at the height of heian culture, this book enthralls with its lively gossip, witty observations, and subtle impressions. The pillow book of sei shonagon by arthur waley overdrive. Ive already written about this quirky collection and its author and quoted one of my favorite lyrical passages about things that make ones heart beat. In this study, i address the issue of womens humour and laughter in heian japan, particularly as handled in sei shonagons makura no soshi. Focusing on an extensive body of texts, including scholarly commentaries, erotic parodies, and instruction manuals for women, i examine how makura no soshi and the image of its female author sei shonagon were transformed. Q11495910, q11560521 jiel sei shonagon 966 1025 abinof lautan yapanik. Yoshida, kenko licensing edit this image is in the public domain because it is a mere mechanical scan or photocopy of a public domain original, or from the available evidence is so similar to such a scan or photocopy that no protection can be expected to arise.
Aug 05, 2019 the pillow book was written during a particularly trying period of sei shonagons life. After a brief historical outline we will concentrate on the. Sep 19, 2019 makura no soshi pdf in this study, i address the issue of womens humour and laughter in heian japan, particularly as handled in sei shonagons makura no soshi. Her name was sei shonagon 96610 and in the play makura no soshi bedside notes in waka verse verses of 31 syllables, she delicately goes over her impressions of life at court in those days.
Sachiko iwabuchi, university of virginia electronic text center. Whether the title was generic and whether sei shonagon herself used it is not known, but other diaries of the heian period 7941185 indicate that such journals may have been kept by both men and women in their. Unfortunately, the pillow book is the only remaining text by sei shonagon, and her life after she left court in a. Theobald andrew purcell 18411877 served as surgeonmajor for the british in japan ca. This dissertation explores the reception history of makura no soshi the pillow book, 11th c. Its opening section, which beginsharu wa akebono, or spring, dawn, is arguably the single most famous passage. A revisionary history by naomi fukumori sei sh6nagons makura no sdshi the pillow book ofsei shonagon, is widely recognized as one of the two literary classics of the heian period 7941185 along with murasaki shikibus genji monogatari the tale of genji.
Sachiko iwabuchi, university of virginia electronic text center conversion to tei. The pillow book, makura no soshi is a book of observations and musings recorded by sei shonagon during her time as court lady to empress consort teishi during the 990s and early s in heian japan. Sei shonagons pillow book makura no soshi is the private journal of a ladyinwaiting to the empress of japan written during the 990s. Autrefois transcrit makoura no cochi, makoura no soci ou makura no sooshi. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Ebook the pillow book of sei shonagon free online video. Bibliographies sei shonagon, works by hagitani boku. Its opening section, which begins haru wa akebono, or spring, dawn, is arguably the single most. It was the custom among aristocrats in those days to call a court lady nyobo by a nickname taken from her clan name or a court office belonging either a close male relative.
The pillowbook of sei shonagon translated by ivan morris. Focusing on an extensive body of texts, including scholarly commentaries, erotic parodies, and instruction manuals for women, i examine how makura no soshi and the image of its female author sei shonagon were transformed through shifts in. The pleasures of the flesh and the pleasures of literature. This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. Unlike the wistful and sometimes tragic mood of the tale of genji, however, the author of the pillow book expressed. The work of shonagon consists of a collection of essays, anecdotes, poems, and descriptive passages that have little connection to one. Theories, nevertheless, have been and continue to be raised. This book was more like a journal or diary, each section does not necessarily connect fluidly and recounts various things sei shonagon sees, feels, or thinks at various times during her time in the imperial court. Emperor ichijo had recently taken on another consort, sidelining the writers patron, empress teishi, to a secondary role. Go to the editions section to read or download ebooks. In 1874, he publishedour neighbourhood, or sketches in the suburbs of yedo, which described japanese daily life the various chapters, illustrated with engravings, deal with such curiosities as a sake shop and a sparrow catcher for the entertainment and edification of those back home.
The pillow book makura no soshi is a personalised account of life at the japanese court by sei shonagon which she completed c. Jul 01, 2000 she was a ladyinwaiting in the service of the empress sadako, at the very end of the tenth century. Apr 20, 2017 the pillow book makura no soshi is a personalised account of life at the japanese court by sei shonagon which she completed c. Introduction sei shonagon s pillow book makura no soshi is the private journal of a ladyinwaiting to the empress of japan written during the 990s.
Even her personal name isnt known for suresei is a variation of the family name, kiyohara, and. Click to read more about the pillow book of sei shonagon by sei shonagon. This paper tackles the reception history of makura no soshi, with particular focus on the following question. In his commentary makura no soshi shunshosho tg f d4zf 1674, kitamura kigin 1lrtmi, for example, speculated that after teishis death, sei shonagon took. Sei shonagon, nada en quioto cara ao ano 966 e finada na mesma cidade en 1017 ou 1025, foi unha escritora e poeta xaponesa. The makura no soshi, or the pillow book as it is generally known in english, is a collection of personal reflections and anecdotes about life in the japanese royal court composed around the turn of the eleventh century by a woman known as sei shonagon. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. She is best known as the author of the pillow book makura no soshi, makura no soshi. She was a ladyinwaiting in the service of the empress sadako, at the very end of the tenth century. Media in category makura no soshi emaki the following 10 files are in this category, out of 10 total. The kana diary that most frequently mentions the common people is sei shonagons the pillow book makura no soshi. Sei shonagons makura no soshi the pillow book i never thought about the lists that is a fascinating way of looking at sei shonagon s writing. It always amazes me to remember that sei shonagon wrote and compiled not published this makura no soshi the pillow book more than one thousand years ago in the very early 11th century 1001 or 1002.
Or acquiring the second volume of a tale whose first volume one has enjoyed. The pillow book study guide from litcharts the creators. Appele aussi sei shonagon ki fb, sei shonagon sho f\ %p. Sei served her empress during the late heian period a particularly vibrant time for japanese arts and the beginning of japans feudal age and was a contemporary of. Worlding sei shonagon by valerie henitiuk overdrive. Introduction sei shonagons pillow book makura no soshi is the private journal of a ladyinwaiting to the empress of japan written during the 990s. Sei shonagon is in kioto, japan gebore aan intellektuele familie. Incidentally, the biggest rival to sei shonagons literary skill served the new empress shoshi.
This work focuses primarily on the salon of the empress teishi1 and the court of her time, and therefore its chief object is not to describe the common people in any systematic way, but nonethe. Makura no soshi japanese historical text initiative. She was an opinionated 11 th century japanese ladyinwaiting, and she wrote what has become the embodiment of japanese classical prose, the pillow book. In it she wrote about her world, in a voice so vividly alive that we find ourselves. Wikimedia commons bevat media in verband met sei shonagon.
Its opening section, which begins haru wa akebono, or spring, dawn, is arguably the single most famous passage in. The pillow book of sei shonagon is a fascinating, detailed account of japanese court life in the eleventh century. The book is full of humorous observations okashi written in the style of a diary, an approach known as zuihitsustyle rambling of which the pillow book was the first and greatest example. Displaying or inputting japanese characters requires software that can read and input japanese software.
Sei shonagons makura no soshi the pillow book and the poetics. Makura no soshi, murasaki shikibu nikki nihon koten bungaku taikei, tokyo. She was a contemporary and acquaintance of the wellknown courtesan murasaki shikibu, author of the japanese masterpiece the tale of genji. Jun 16, 2012 the makura no soshi, or the pillow book as it is generally known in english, is a collection of personal reflections and anecdotes about life in the japanese royal court composed around the turn of the eleventh century by a woman known as sei shonagon. In his commentary makura no soshi shunshosho tg f d4zf 1674, kitamura kigin 1lrtmi, for example, speculated that. Initiatrice des zuihitsu ou ecrits au fil du pinceau. The makura no soshi, or the pillow book as it is generally known in english, is a collection of personal reflections and anecdotes about life in the japanese royal court composed around the turn of the eleventh century by a woman known as sei shon. I call it a diary but the pillow book is so much more. Pillow book history, translation, and facts britannica. Pdf download the pillow book of sei shonagon classics pdf full ebook. Even her personal name isnt known for suresei is a variation of the family name, kiyohara, and shonagon might be a reference to a husbands. In this study, i address the issue of womens humour and laughter in heian japan, particularly as handled in sei shonagon s makura no soshi.
Little is known of seis biography beyond the experiences she records in the pillow book. Aug 08, 2016 pdf download the pillow book of sei shonagon classics pdf full ebook. Sei shonagona young courtesan of the heian periodkept a diary, which provides a highly personal account of the intrigues, dalliances, quirks, and habits of japans late tenthcentury elite. Whether the title was generic and whether sei shonagon herself used it is not known, but other diaries of the heian period 7941185 indicate that such journals may have been kept by both men and women in their sleeping quartershence. The pillow book study guide from litcharts the creators of.