Sei Shonagon

Author of "The Pillow Book," ranked with Murasaki Shikibu as one of the twin jewels of Heian literature.

Life

Family of poets

Sei Shonagon came from a family of poets. From c. 993 she served as a lady-in-waiting to Teishi, empress of Emperor Ichijo, and was known for her quick wit and her knowledge of Chinese learning.

Court lady-in-waiting

She recorded what she saw and heard of court life, and her impressions of nature and human affairs, in the essay collection "The Pillow Book." Its opening line, "In spring, it is the dawn," is widely quoted; known for its fresh, witty style, the work founded the Japanese tradition of the literary essay.

The Pillow Book

After Teishi's death she left the court, and little is known of her later life. She and Murasaki Shikibu served two different imperial consorts, and the two are often compared.

Legacy

The Pillow Book is the founding work of Japanese essay literature and, together with The Tale of Genji, is one of the twin pinnacles of Heian literature.

Major works & achievements

• "The Pillow Book"

Did you know? Murasaki Shikibu was quite critical of her in her diary, calling her "conceited and self-satisfied, showing off her Chinese characters everywhere."

Key dates

• 993Entered court to serve Empress Teishi (approx.)
• 1000Teishi died; "The Pillow Book" was completed around this time
• 1025Died (approx.)