Additional information
by Sei Shonagon (Author), Arthur Waley (Translator)
The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon is a classic Japanese literature written by Sei Shonagon, a lady-in-waiting to Empress Teishi during the Heian period. The book is a collection of observations, musings, and anecdotes about court life, nature, customs, and people of the time. The book is divided into three sections, with the first section being the most famous. It includes lists of things that Sei Shonagon finds beautiful or annoying, descriptions of seasonal events and festivals, and accounts of her personal experiences and relationships. The second section focuses on poetry and includes examples of waka and tanka poetry, as well as discussions of poetic conventions and techniques. The third section is a collection of miscellaneous writings, including stories, essays, and letters.The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon is known for its vivid and detailed descriptions of life in the Heian court, as well as its humor and wit. It offers a unique glimpse into the culture and society of medieval Japan, and has influenced literature and culture both in Japan and around the world.996 A.D., with later revisions. The translation of the diaries of a court lady in tenth-century Japan, it is a collection of anecdotes, memories of court and religious ceremonies, character sketches, lists of things the author enjoyed or loathed, places that interested her, diary entries, descriptions of nature, pilgrimages, conversations, poetry exchanges--indeed, almost everything that made up daily life for the upper classes in Japan during the Heian period.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
