Sei Shonagon 清少納言

court lady · essayist · Heian Japan · 966?–1025?

A court lady who served Empress Teishi. She left the Pillow Book, some three hundred short pieces on what she saw, heard and felt at court.

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c. 1000

In spring, the dawn. The edge of the hills, slowly whitening, grows a little light, and purplish clouds trail in thin streaks.

春は、あけぼの。やうやう白くなりゆく、山ぎは少し明りて、紫だちたる雲の細くたなびきたる。

The Pillow Book (Makura no soshi), the first section

c. 1000 · To a nobleman boasting that he had found splendid fan ribs such as no one had ever seen

"Then they are not the ribs of a fan but the bones of a jellyfish," I said, and he laughed: "I shall say that was my own line."

「さては、扇のにはあらで、くらげのななり。」と聞こゆれば、「これは隆家が言にしてむ。」とて、笑ひたまふ。

The Pillow Book (Makura no soshi), "The Middle Counsellor came to call"

c. 1000

A story like this really belongs among the things that are embarrassing to tell, but they say, "Leave nothing out," so what can I do?

かやうのことこそは、かたはらいたきことのうちに入れつべけれど、「一つな落としそ。」と言へば、いかがはせむ。

The Pillow Book (Makura no soshi), the end of the same section