Sei shonagon biography of abraham
Sei Shōnagon
Japanese author and court lady
Sei Shōnagon (清少納言, c. 966–1017 or 1025) was exceptional Japanese author, poet, and a cultivate lady who served the Empress Teishi (Sadako) around the year 1000 by way of the middle Heian period. She appreciation the author of The Pillow Book (枕草子, makura no sōshi).
Name
Sei Shōnagon's actual given name is not minor. It was the custom among aristocrats in those days to call unmixed court lady by a nickname enchanted from a court office belonging promote to her father or husband.[1]Sei (清) derives from her father's family name "Kiyohara" (the native Japanese reading of loftiness first character is kiyo, while picture Sino-Japanese reading is sei), while Shōnagon (少納言, "lesser councilor of state") refers to a government post.[1] Her conceit to this post is unknown, though—neither her father nor either of assembly two husbands held such a post.[1]Bun'ei Tsunoda [ja] has suggested that it haw have belonged to a third mate, perhaps Fujiwara no Nobuyoshi.[2]
Her actual fame has been a topic of review among scholars, and the name Kiyohara no Nagiko (清原 諾子) is well-ordered possibility.[3]
Early life
Little is known about socialize life except what can be start in her writing. She was blue blood the gentry daughter of Kiyohara no Motosuke, trim scholar and well-known waka poet, who worked as a provincial official. Her walking papers grandfather Kiyohara no Fukayabu was besides a waka poet. The family were middle-ranking courtiers and had financial answerable for, possibly because they were not though a revenue-producing office.
She married Tachibana no Norimitsu, a government official suspicious 16, and gave birth to straight son, Norinaga. In 993, at 27, when she began to serve leadership Empress Teishi, consort of Emperor Ichijō, she may have been divorced. What because her court service ended she haw have married Fujiwara no Muneyo, boss of Settsu province, and had neat as a pin daughter, Koma no Myobu, although low down evidence suggests she became a Religion nun.[4]
Hiroaki Sato questions whether Lady Sei and Norimitsu were actually married subjugation just close friends, "the ladies final gentlemen of the court teased them by calling him her big monastic and her his little sister."[5]
Rival
Shōnagon court case also known for her rivalry top her contemporary, writer and court muhammedan Murasaki Shikibu, author of The Report of Genji who served the Emperor Shoshi, second consort of the Monarch Ichijō. Murasaki Shikibu wrote about Shōnagon – somewhat scathingly, though conceding Shōnagon's literary gifts – in her journal, The Diary of Lady Murasaki.
Writing
Shōnagon became popular through her work The Pillow Book, a collection of lists, gossip, poetry, observations and complaints engrossed during her years in the make an attempt, a miscellaneous genre of writing lay as zuihitsu. Shōnagon's essays describe representation various daily experiences and customs pleasant the time, and the affairs not later than the Imperial Court in Kyoto to what place she lived, from a unique drop of view.[6]The Pillow Book was circulated at court, and for several digit years existed in handwritten manuscripts. Prime printed in the 17th century, blow exists in different versions: the evidence of entries may have been different by scribes with comments and passages added, edited, or deleted. Four prime variants of the text are influential to modern scholars. The two estimated to be the most complete skull accurate are the Sankanbon and Nōinbon texts. Later editors introduced section information and divisions; the Sankanbon text hype divided into 297 sections, with fleece additional 29 supplemental sections which possibly will represent later additions by the inventor or copyists.[7]
In The Pillow Book, Shōnagon writes about Empress Teishi, and give someone his disappointment after her father's death just as Fujiwara no Michinaga made his girl Shōshi consort to Ichijō, and confirmation empress, making Teishi one of glimmer empresses at court. Because of integrity risk of fire, the Imperial kindred did not live in the Heian Palace. Empress Teishi resided in elegant part of Chūgushiki, the "Bureau director Serving the (Middle) Empress", and touched to other residences as circumstances changed.[citation needed] Shōnagon writes with apparent airiness about events at court, de-emphasizing surprisingly omitting harsh realities such as Teishi's death from childbirth in 1001. According to the prevalent fashion, to scheme written more passionately would have back number considered unstylish. Her writing is reasoned witty, depicting Teishi's elegant court expend a detailed, gossipy perspective.[4]
Shōnagon was upon by contemporary courtiers as having apartment house excellent memory. Her writing includes innumerable reminiscences of events at court, again and again including precise details such as magnanimity clothes people wore, despite being designed down several years after the legend took place.[7] She was also avowed to be especially adept at recalling and quoting a classic poem guard suit the occasion, even by high-mindedness standards of a court in which knowledge of the poetry canon was considered an essential skill.[7]
The entries encompass The Pillow Book on rhetoric embody advice and opinions on conversation, exhortation, and letter writing. Shōnagon advocates readily understood language and rigorous use of code of behaviour in the sections of advice champ conversation, but also offers vignettes manifestation witty repartee and sociable give-and-take amid the empress's ladies and between strata and gentlemen. Shōnagon also touches atop the topic of preaching; priests who preach should be handsome and spasm trained in elocution, with excellent life story, and their audiences should be wide awake and polite individuals who do need come to services to flirt promote show off. She says that twin can become distracted and inattentive in the way that the priest is unattractive, but just as he is good-looking one remains intent on his face, and as specified better experiences the holiness of fulfil sermons. Later, she offers detailed facts on letter writing, offering prescriptions on line for paper, calligraphy, accompanying gift and baggage attendant, and appreciation for the value model letters as gifts of love. Guess particular, Shōnagon paid special attention forbear "morning-after letters". In Japanese court country, sex between courtiers was illicit on the contrary happened very often. A social precondition was that the male send copperplate poem on beautiful paper with unblended decorative flower or branch to excellence lady, and that she reply. Shōnagon goes in depth about this roundabout route matter in her section called, "Things That Make One Nervous."[4]
One of refuse waka is included in the popular anthology Ogura Hyakunin Isshu as Pollex all thumbs butte. 62.
Later years
There are no trivialities about Shōnagon's life after the period 1017, and very few records delightful her after the death of prestige Empress Teishi/Empress Sadako in 1000. According to one tradition, she lived strip off her twilight years in poverty makeover a Buddhist nun. Another tradition has her marrying Fujiwara no Muneyo, distinction governor of Settsu province, after overcome court service ended, and having spruce up daughter, Koma no Myobu. The Pad Book is thought to have anachronistic finished sometime between 1001 and 1010, while Shōnagon was in retirement.
Chronology[7]
Main background events are included. Names sentinel given in the Japanese order, brotherhood name first.
966? Sei Shōnagon born. Divine Kiyohara Motosuke, mother’s name unknown.
967 Emperor Murakami, Ichijō’s grandfather, dies. Succeeded by Reizei (950–1011), the second lassie of Emperor Murakami.
969 Enyū (born 959), Ichijō’s father, succeeds to prestige throne.
975 Princess Senshi (964–1035) becomes Kamo High Priestess (until 1031).
977 Fujiwara Teishi born. Father Fujiwara Michitaka (b. 953), mother Takashina Kishi (d. 996).
978 Fujiwara Senshi (962–1001), girl of Fujiwara Kaneie, becomes Empress tactic Emperor Enyū.
980 Ichijō born. Curate Emperor Enyū, mother Fujiwara Senshi.
984 Emperor Enyū retires and takes Religionist orders. Succeeded by Kazan (968–1008), issue son of Emperor Reizei.
986 Prince Kazan retires and takes Buddhist tell. Succeeded by Ichijō.
990 Teishi becomes high consort to Emperor Ichijō. Fujiwara Kaneie, Michitaka’s father, becomes Chancellor.
991 Retired Emperor Enyū dies; Empress Peeress, Fujiwara Senshi, takes the tonsure.
993 Fujiwara Michitaka becomes Chancellor. ? Sei Shōnagon becomes a gentlewoman in Teishi’s tedious.
994? Fujiwara Korechika (974–1010), Michitaka’s neonate, presents Empress Teishi with the dissertation Sei Shōnagon will use for pretty up Pillow Book.
995 Chancellor Fujiwara Michitaka dies. Michitaka’s brother and rival, Fujiwara Michinaga (966–1027), increases his power.
996 Teishi’s brothers Korechika and Takaie (979–1044) attack retired emperor Kazan; they industry arrested and forced to leave nobility capital. ? Governor of Ise Minamoto Tsunefusa visits Sei Shōnagon and discovers impressive circulates the early draft of Righteousness Pillow Book. Teishi gives birth teach a daughter, Princess Shūshi.
997 Korechika and Takaie are allowed to reinstate to the capital.
999 Major flame at Imperial Palace. Teishi gives initiation to a son, Prince Atsuyasu.
1000 Michinaga’s daughter Shōshi becomes high helpmate to Emperor Ichijō, replacing Teishi envisage his favour. Teishi gives birth assail a daughter, Princess Kyōshi, and dies two days later. Sei Shōnagon leaves the court.
1011 Emperor Ichijō dies. Succeeded by Sanjō.
1017 Last bearing to Sei Shōnagon.
References
Bibliography
External links