Of course, we've long known this book's fame due to the formidable lady writer's witty observations, sense of humor, ancient traditions, etc. In a word, there are innumerable scholars and Japanophiles who have since written and studied on this unique book as one of the great literary works of Japan.
Surprisingly, I didn't expect to find another mentioned in this ancient work cited as follows: You'd think that when some fine lady who's surrounded by a bevy of gentlewomen plans to send a message to someone of particular distinction, she should safely assume that none of her ladies would write it in some dreadful chicken scrawl.
This suggests at least two points: 1 Chicken as household fowls have long been domesticated and observed regarding their lives, nature, habits, etc. In brief, reading this book is worth spending our time since we can learn how they lived, behaved and interacted in the court around a thousand years ago in Japan.
As such, I think, we simply can't help but admire the nostalgic glimpses brilliantly penned by one of the well-educated courtesans, a smart Japanese court lady named Sei Shonagon. View all 23 comments.
Aug 13, Akemi G rated it it was amazing Shelves: read-nonfiction , japanese-lit. Sei Shonagon is brilliant. She was a lady-in-waiting for Empress Teishi, the first empress of Emperor Ichijo. Ichijo loved her dearly, but when Teishi's father died prematurely, his younger brother, Fujiwara no Michinaga, rose to power, and Michinaga pushed his daughter, Shoshi, as Ichijo's additional empress.
Teishi stayed in His Majesty's palace the emperor could have multiple consorts anyway , but was distressed. Sei Shonagon tried to comfort Her Highness with her wit, which eventually resul Sei Shonagon is brilliant. Sei Shonagon tried to comfort Her Highness with her wit, which eventually resulted in this delightful collection of essays. You can sense Sei Shonagon's frustration in her sharp sense of humor. But then, this book is not about politics.
It's about the joy of life. With all the unreasonable things happening in life, the world is beautiful, and there are moments when we can truly celebrate it. Sei Shonagon values "okashi" delightful, enchanting, interesting as opposed to "aware" in The Tale of Genji written by her contemporary Murasaki Shikibu.
If you thought Genji was too watery with all the tears and morning dews, you might like this book better. Another major difference between the two is, of course, Genji is a giant novel whereas Pillow is a collection of short essays. Reading The Pillow Book is like reading your friend's FB updates--a friend who is witty, who is not afraid to say what she has to say, and who is fundamentally a good person.
Re the English translation I read this in the original Japanese. There are several English translations, each by a different translator. I have not examined any of this, but the one by Meredith McKinney might be good--I've heard good things about her translation of Kusamakura. The one from Tuttle has anachronistic cover art--this book was written around and the cover shows Edo to early Meiji style woman, perhaps from the 19th century--which raises a question how sound the translation might be.
Update I'm reading the translation by Ivan Morris. It's fair. However, note that he skips several chapters; so it's not a complete translation, and the chapter numbers don't match with the original. View all 7 comments. May 22, E. View 1 comment. Jun 03, Jenny Reading Envy rated it it was amazing Shelves: location-japan , league-extraordinary-dorks , read I didn't expect to like this.
But Sei Shonagon was blogging centuries before blogs existed. Her writings in her pillow book vary from lists of unpleasant things to descriptions of fashions to funny stories from the Japanese court life. The tone is a mixture of self-righteousness and wonder, which is why I kept thinking of Harriet the Spy. I learned a lot about Japanese culture at the time, almost by accident.
And the Morris translation is heavily footnoted. It is better to be dead than to be loved in the second or third place. Yes, I must be first. While daily life must have been a struggle as always, a bubble of court life grew up in Kyoto that produced art and literature among the best in the classical world. Within that bubble, the effete concentration on poetry, paper, perfume and parties gave rise to a society court society and its connected politica year old Courtesan Tells All or almost all The Heian period in Japan, that lasted around years, coming to an end in the s, is one of the most interesting in world history.
Within that bubble, the effete concentration on poetry, paper, perfume and parties gave rise to a society court society and its connected political houses that has perhaps never been equaled in its sensitive delicacy.
We are speaking about the same society that within the time frame of A. The pillow-book is a kind of diary laden with the random or sharp-tongued comments about court life by the author. There are several such books known, each by a different lady.
Because much of the content concerns literary allusions, puns, and witticisms unintelligible even to modern Japanese, the translator, the well-known Arthur Waley, has edited this work, cutting it considerably and putting explanatory comments in from time to time. Probably the right way to go. The picture that emerges is fascinating. She writes of things that annoy her, things that she likes, things that make her happy. She offers a list of dislikes and tells what kind of social faux pas people made.
The society there seemed not to be interested in any practical matter, even though they were extremely literate. Delicate expressions of love and descriptions of nature in that minimalist Japanese style covered sheets of unbelievably elaborate paper.
Having bad handwriting at that time was like farting at dinner. You could not escape ridicule or censure. She discusses the link between rain and romance, and tells about a toothache.
In fact the strongest impression I had was that here was a clever, witty gossip columnist writing for herself. She records how she was turned off by watching a bunch of workmen scarf down their lunches. That should go down well on Goodreads! This is a charming, if short, book that will attract anyone with an interest in unchanging human nature all over the world, throughout history and no doubt before.
As a picture of a vanished world, it is perfect. It is a tiny, delicate slice. I read an old edition that I bought in Impressively I found this translated book by Dr Ivan Morris interestingly enjoyable, informative and more in detail than the one by Dr Arthur Waley in the same title Tuttle, since it totally comprises topics followed by each translated text.
Unfortunately, this book is not the complete translation because you have to read it in another one by another publisher, that is, Oxford University Press and Columbia University Press, p. In the meantime, I think we should be content w Impressively I found this translated book by Dr Ivan Morris interestingly enjoyable, informative and more in detail than the one by Dr Arthur Waley in the same title Tuttle, since it totally comprises topics followed by each translated text.
In the meantime, I think we should be content with this fine rendering and these three extracts presented here are for you to try his English version: 1. As the light creeps over the hills, their outlines are dyed a faint read and wisps of purplish cloud trail over them. Depressing Things A dog howling in the daytime. A wickerwork fish-net in spring. A res plum-blossom dress in the Third or Fourth Months.
A lying-in room when the baby has died. A cold, empty brazier. An ox-driver who hates his oxen. A scholar whose wife has one girl child after another. Elegant Things A white coat worn over a violet waistcoat.
Shaved ice mixed with liana syrup and put it in a new silver bowl. Wistaria blossoms. Plum blossoms covered with snow. View all 17 comments. I preferred this memoir-like book less than its contemporary one "The Gossamer Years" Tuttle, translated by Edward Seidensticker.
Thus, its opening paragraph on page 23 and its subsequent To allow my readers to be familiar with his style from its first paragraph extracted, the first topics are presented for you to try.
It must really be very painful for his parents and friends. If he is seen anywhere with at all a decent-looking servant in attendance upon him, someone is sure to send for the fellow and ask him whether he can be in his senses, to wait upon such a master.
Furthermore, these are the following topics in which you may read as you like. View all 18 comments. It's always nice to find a classic that's entertaining; consider Don Quixote. It's even nicer when that classic can be read in ten minute increments just before bed, and I recommend that everyone do precisely that with The Pillow Book. There are plenty of novels out there, plenty of poetry collections, popular philosophy books, essay collections, lots of literary criticism, memoirs and so on.
This combines all of those things, and does all of them well. I could quote at great length, but won't. Here's a couple of bits that I enjoyed: Nothing in all the world could be worse than a man or woman who turns out to use words vulgarly What's astonishing is when someone produces a word from their private store without pausing to consider its nature.
Amen, Sei, Amen. I'd also like to recommend that everyone get this newer Penguin edition, translated by Meredith McKinney.
Even if you knew nothing of Heian Japan and I know very little , you'd still be able to enjoy the writing and wit thanks to McKinney's translation and notes.
A model of scholarship for the common reader. Sonagon also does not like people who are to assertive, certain coloured clothing, the embarrassment that comes from talking behind someones back and that person actually overhearing and off course: mosquitos. Also sometimes things get a bit more juicy or snappish and its like your reading an ancient and literary version of Sex and the City.
All this makes the book an interesting and remarkable easy read for a modern day reader, even though there is not really a coherent story, character development or an apotheosis. The way how she captures moments before they are gone forever, which is especially poignant because this Dutch translation is very carefully and lovingly annotated, giving much context on the historical events, including the fact that the empress Sonagan serves fell from grace and died quite young, is excellent.
What is overly apparent in the world of the medieval Japanese Imperial court is that people have too much time at hand. Court ceremonies, nightly encounters with lovers, Buddhist temple visits and lots of moving about between various palaces fill the days and years of Sonagon and her peers.
Poetry is used as a hidden language and comes back seemingly in every conversation. Everyone is looking to recite an appropriate poem for the circumstances at hand, be it in written or oral responses. The only modern day equivalent I could think of is how people on sites like Tumblr use internet memes, while I also had associations with Victorian plant language.
It gives an impression of a live not spend outside in the world but only known through books, which is probably correct given that women were often times hidden behind blinds or stately curtains even in the court itself.
Sonagon as a person is not very clearly pictured from her Pillowbook. Is she really a favourite of the empress and as witty and literary skilled as she tries to come across? In her defence, at times she does come across as very frank, for instance by admitting that she feels a pang of joy when something bad happens to someone she loathes and how nice it is to sometimes gossip. But in the end she does strike me as a lady who likes to portray herself in a positive manner, talking to us as readers in a way not unlike some modern day aunts during a dinner party with the rest of the family would do.
Overall an interesting read, especially since I am fond of Japanese culture, and enough to ponder about, without even the burden to seek a fitting poem for capturing the whole experience of reading the Pillowbook. Apr 19, Jennifer rated it liked it. I've never read a book quite like this one. It's not a "pick up and read in one sitting" kind of book.
But it does provide an interesting lens into late 10th, early 11th century Heian Japan told from the point of view of a gentle woman who tends to an Empress.
Moved to gwern. View all 4 comments. Sooooooooo good. I was immediately reminded of the diary of Samuel Pepys -- both high-ranking funct Sooooooooo good. I was immediately reminded of the diary of Samuel Pepys -- both high-ranking functionaries in the royal court, the same sense of immediacy, of daily life, the humor, the deft characterization and descriptions, etc. The word "Proustian" is almost certainly used too often, but her languid descriptions of flowers, romantic love, aristocratic society, etc.
Probably the most surreal moment, for me, was where she was writing about all the ponds she had visited -- yes, it sounds boring but holy crap, her lists of random things are so compelling -- and halfway through she writes: "Saruwasa Pond is a very special place, because the Emperor paid it a formal visit when he heard how one of the Palace Maidens had drowned herself there.
I picked it up recently and read it slowly and finished reading it yesterday. She served the Japanese empress of that time. The book is like a diary and shows a detailed description of court life of those times. In addition to anecdotes and experiences and stories, the book has lists.
Lots of lists. There are different kinds of lists in the book. Some are simple, like lists of mountains, rivers, gardens, forests. They are deceptively simple though. Because they all have poetic associations to classical Japanese and Chinese poetry or famous stories.
The second kind of list is descriptive. These lists are charming and make us smile and we can relate to them even after a thousand years from the time they were written. Some of the lists describe beautiful experiences and images and scenes. These lists are beautiful, and they bring a lot of joy and delight if we read them slowly and linger on. This third kind of list was my favourite. I will share some excerpts here from this kind of list. This is precisely the sort of moment when people compose poems.
Just after it's set, it's very moving to see how a reddish light lingers along the rim of the mountains, with pale yellow clouds trailing in the sky above. I loved reading them and dreaming about them. I am not sure why. They served rival empresses and maybe that was one reason. When I read the last line — "That seems to have been the moment when this book first became known — or so it is written" — I felt sad that our conversation was over.
Have you read 'The Pillow Book'? What do you think about it? Oct 06, M. I found this much more interesting than Murasaki Shikibu's work, whether it be her diary or her novel, The Tale of Genji. No, really. I honestly did not care much for Genji, or Shikibu's diary, and I found Sei Shonagon's pillow-book a much better window to life in the late 10th century Japanese Imperial Court.
Some of the material here might seem quite superficial, especially the lists, this is not a book I would recommend for just anyone, but its historical context is quite significant especially for an era where there are not many records left.
My only complaint about this book is that the illustrations in the appendix are quite small and somewhat simplistic, I feel that a few more pages could have been added for the benefit of making the illustrations larger, especially the ones showing the clothing of men and women of the court. Overall a valuable historical resource for people interested in this era. Shelves: japanese-authors , thinking-people-s-books , sip-don-t-gulp. A calming, fascinating and hugely enjoyable read.
I didn't know what to expect when I started this, but what I got was immensely satisfying. Volume 2 consists of 89 chapters. Volume 3 consists of chapters. Volume 4 consists of 32 chapters. Volume 5 might have been lost. It takes Ruisan form. It is an important cultural property. It was copied during the early Kamakura period and is considered to be the oldest of all the manuscripts of "The Pillow Book.
Among them, the Sakaibon group Gokogoninbon was separately collected in two volumes of "Gunshoruiju Japanese history book ," and three kinds of Sakaibon were collected in "Shinko Gunshoruiju library. However, in , when Jutaro TANAKA reevaluated the second class of Sankanbon, it came to be considered more important and was published more, being used as a textbook and read at school after the war.
Other existent manuscripts are seven chapters of "The Pillow Book Ekotoba story in pictures " made in the late Kamakura period, consisting of emaki a picture scroll with hakubyoga ink line painting , and Sankanbon manuscript seems to have been used for the notes.
The second-class Sankanbon contains more than independent chapters in total. It consists of various types of writing: 'chapters of Ruiju' of 'Monowazukushi enumerating the things in the same category ,' as represented by the lists of things like 'Insects,' 'Flowering trees,' 'Dispiriting things,' 'Endearingly lovely things,' and 'Chapters of Zuiso essay ,' which is an observation of daily life and nature in the seasons, and 'chapters of reminiscence chapters of a diary ' in which the author wrote about the life around Empress Teishi, whom she served in the Imperial Court.
However, some chapters are too obscure to be classified for example the first chapter, entitled, 'The best time in spring is dawn,' is generally classified into the chapters of Zuiso, but some people disagree. It was written in the plain vernacular using Hiragana the Japanese cursive syllabary , and most of the chapters were written in a witty style, but sometimes sentimental lamentation appears reflecting the fall of the Michitaka FUJIWARA's family and unhappiness gone through by her majesty Empress Teishi.
The author's sophisticated taste was in harmony with a keen observation on things, generating the intellectual aesthetic world of 'wokashi amusing or delightful ' in contrast with the emotional 'mono no aware pathos ' of " The Tale of Genji. Even in each chapter, various types of rich writing such as lists, essays or reminiscences are freely interwoven, like a flying horse soaring into the sky with a strand of associations called up one after another.
A mine of information Journal of Asian Studies The Pillow Book is one of the three most important works of its kind in Japanese literature, and Professor Morris has given it handsome treatment.
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland Gives all sorts of insights into the court life of the times, and into the worldly character and mentality of its author. It comes over extraordinarily well in this translation, and can rank with any other collection of court memoirs the world over. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies The liveliest and most endearing of Heian writers, and the one who gives the most intimate and vivid picture of life at court Its denizens emerge as real and never-to-be-forgotten people Morris belongs to the literary rather than the literal school of translators, and his talents are shown here at their best.
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