Who was this person?
A lady-in-waiting of the mid-Heian court and author of the essay collection The Pillow Book. Serving Empress Teishi, consort of Emperor Ichijō, she recorded court events and the beauty of the seasons with sharp observation and lively prose. Her real name and exact dates are unknown (accounts differ).
| Name | Sei Shōnagon (清少納言) |
|---|---|
| Born–died | 966 – 1025 |
| Period | Heian period |
| Main achievements |
|
Born the daughter of the poet Kiyohara no Motosuke (birth year debated). Her great-grandfather Kiyohara no Fukayabu was also a famous poet. Her real name is unknown.
Around this time her father became governor of Suō (Yamaguchi), and she is thought to have spent some childhood years there. He was one of the compilers of the Gosenshū anthology; her feel for words grew in that household.
Around this time she married Tachibana no Norimitsu, and their son Norinaga was born the next year. They are said to have parted later, being ill-matched, yet she writes in The Pillow Book that they still called each other "brother" and "sister".
Her father, who even in old age had gone to serve as governor of Higo (Kumamoto), died at his post.
Around this time she began serving Teishi, consort of Emperor Ichijō. At first she was too shy to appear in daylight, it is said. Cherished by the bright, witty Teishi, her talent blossomed.
One snowy morning Teishi asked, "How is the snow on Xianglu Peak?" and she promptly rolled up the blind—a witty answer drawing on a poem by Bai Juyi that impressed everyone (year debated).
Teishi's father Fujiwara no Michitaka died, and the next year her brother Korechika was driven from the capital. Teishi took vows and her family's fortunes declined. Rumored to side with Michinaga, Sei Shōnagon withdrew home for a time.
The pieces she wrote while at home are said to have circulated and won acclaim. The Pillow Book tells that she wrote on paper given to her by Teishi. Before long she returned to Teishi's side.
Teishi died young after giving birth, and Sei Shōnagon left court service. The Pillow Book barely mentions the sorrows; it portrays the happy, brilliant days spent with Teishi.
"In spring, the dawn." The Pillow Book, vividly recording seasonal beauty, court life, and lists of things lovely and hateful, is thought to have taken shape by around this time.
She later married Fujiwara no Muneyo, and their daughter Koma no Myōbu is said to have served Empress Shōshi. In old age she reportedly lived near Higashiyama in Kyoto, but little is known. She is thought to have died around this time (debated).
A. A lady-in-waiting of the mid-Heian court and author of the essay collection The Pillow Book. Serving Empress Teishi, consort of Emperor Ichijō, she recorded court events and the beauty of the seasons with sharp observation and lively prose. Her real name and exact dates are unknown (accounts differ).
A. Period: Heian period. Born in 966, died in 1025.
A. An essay collection that opens "In spring, the dawn". It mixes the beauty of the seasons, court episodes and lists of "things that are…", and is counted among Japan’s three great essay classics.
See also: Wikipedia (ja) / Wikipedia (en) / Wikipedia (fr) / Wikipedia (zh) / Wikidata
Follow this life (autoplay)Sakanoue no TamuramaroSaichōKūkaiSugawara no MichizaneFujiwara no MichinagaMurasaki ShikibuFujiwara no YorimichiTaira no Kiyomori
People of the Heian period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.