The Pillow Book of SEI Shonagon Sei Shonagon Arthur Waley 9781494027407 Books
Download As PDF : The Pillow Book of SEI Shonagon Sei Shonagon Arthur Waley 9781494027407 Books
This is a new release of the original 1928 edition.
The Pillow Book of SEI Shonagon Sei Shonagon Arthur Waley 9781494027407 Books
My review here is not of the book itself, but rather to alert readers that this is an ABRIDGED VERSION. It is not the complete Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon, but rather contains only a portion of the whole work. I wish this had been more clearly indicated in the product description. In any case, you should be aware that if you order this version you are not getting the whole thing.Product details
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The Pillow Book of SEI Shonagon Sei Shonagon Arthur Waley 9781494027407 Books Reviews
How recent can a life lived 1000 years ago seem to be? Sei Shonagon (c. 966–1017) wrote down her thoughts and observations while she was a lady-in-waiting to empress Teishi. Today those notes read as if one of us had written them down (also thanks to Meredith McKinney's translation) except for the strangeness of customs and the foreignness of living arrangements but this only adds to the adventure of reading the Pillow Book. Sei speaks to the reader in a familiar voice. She makes lists of pleasant things and those that are disagreeable. She likes everything that cries in the night, be it a bird or a cricket, but NOT babies. She finds women without interest who lead dull lives and rejoice in their petty little pseudo-pleasures despicable. She derides men who fall asleep and snore during a romantic visit at night. She loves a good sermon, as one would an interesting presentation, also for the fun of the outing to a temple, but complains about parking problems and the behavior of some carriage owners.
In Sei's world, what people wore, how they combined the colors of their clothing was very complicated and most important for men and women so we get detailed descriptions of who wore what and how he or she looked in it (there was a Bureau of Clothing in the imperial palace). She has strong opinion about style and taste but she hardly mentions facial features and body types. In the love affairs and romantic interests, it was taste and sensibility, not physical appearance, that were the focus. She sights that the man you love and the same man once you've lost all feelings for him seem like two completely different people. It was a joy to read Sei Shonagon's Pillow Book in Meredith McKinney's translation.
The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon is a fascinating look at Japanese court culture during the 11th century Heian period (794 to 1186).
While others may be more familiar with Murasaki Shikibu’s The Tale of Genji as an example of classic Japanese literature of the time, I chose The Pillow Book instead – I always lean towards bucking the trend and I was intrigued by what I had read of Sei Shonagon’s attention to detail, unflinching honesty, and acerbic wit in her quest for the perfect comeback.
According to Dr. Meredith McKinney, an expert in Japanese literature and translator of this edition, Sei Shonagon might have been born around 966 and the last known reference to her was in 1017. She was a member of the court of Empress Consort Teishi (Sadako), where she served as a gentlewoman or lady-in-waiting beginning around 993 until Teishi’s death in 1000.
While specific details about Sei Shonagon and her book are difficult to confirm, it is believed she completed the book around 1002. It is the oldest book on my classics list. There are several editions of the book; it has been copied and recopied multiple times. I read the Penguin Classics edition which includes an informative introduction written by Meredith McKinney and is full of notes throughout. Well-researched and thorough, it also includes appendices such as a glossary as well as explanations of colors and clothes, social statuses, and more.
The Pillow Book is akin to a diary; Sei Shonagon mostly tells us stories of her daily life, gossips about her peers, comments on fashion and the seasons. It provides a perspective on imperial culture in all its luxury, privilege, and poetry and is considered a masterpiece of Japanese literature. According to Sei Shonagon, the book was supposed to have been kept private but started to circulate among the court members when it was discovered after she accidentally left it out on a mat one day around 996.
I have never read a book quite like this before. While I enjoyed it for its unique content and perspective, it lacks the cohesion I was used to as it jumps around throughout time periods, thoughts, and miscellany. At times, Sei Shonagon uses the pages to list examples of seemingly arbitrary topics of her choice, sometimes as ordinary as naming peaks, plants, or bodies of water but at other times are more thoughtful.
Those who are interested in learning about this era of Japanese history or life would find this book compelling. I would also recommend this book to poetry lovers, as poetry was an integral part of court society during this period. One’s knowledge of poetry indicated their intellect, wit, and social standing; not only was one expected to know the greats but also to come up with original poetry on the spot. Communication between friends, colleagues, and lovers often took place via notes sent by messenger and these notes were often written in poetry, so one needed to be able to read, interpret, and create poems full of flirtation and puns for attention and glory. This was one of Sei Shonagon’s talents; she aimed to delight and surprise with her poetry and humor.
See the full review on my website.
I have always had an avid interest in anything to do with ancient Japanese culture. Their haiku, senryu and Tanka are my favorite poetry forms. I also love their literature but I had not read this famous book (The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon translated and edited by Ivan Morris) until recently. I purchased it on for a bargain price.
This very enlightening book came from Sei Shonagon who was a court lady in tenth-century Japan. It is actually a personal diary of a woman who explains all the things she likes and displeases her in the daily life of a court lady. She comments on a wide range of topics such as nature and the seasons, the flowers she likes, the importance of good manners, people she likes and hates, the behavior of servants, the correct behavior of lovers and numerous other topics. This book has real historical value because it covers the everyday life of people who are part of the royal family as well as the servants and mistresses of court life in tenth-century Japan.
What makes this book unique is that it chronicles the common everyday life in early Japan and shows the emphasis on good manners and proper dress and attitude was essential to all from the highest to the lowest. This 411 page paperback book also has some interesting illustrations showing the clothes and houses of this period.
If you are interested in early Japanese culture you should check out this book.
Rating 4 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author Zen Poetry Moments Haiku and senryu for special occasions).
My review here is not of the book itself, but rather to alert readers that this is an ABRIDGED VERSION. It is not the complete Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon, but rather contains only a portion of the whole work. I wish this had been more clearly indicated in the product description. In any case, you should be aware that if you order this version you are not getting the whole thing.
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