The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon (January 2019)
Sei Shonagon, an 11th century Japanese lady-in-waiting, richly describes her life in the court of Empress Teishi in this famous work. Much of the book is made up of short, diary-like chapters – some are just a few lines – and although each entry tends to draw a little from the previous portion, the major connecting thread throughout The Pillow Book is Shonagon’s voice, full of reflection and insight as she meticulously observes and records the facts of her life.
There were three main types of chapter in this book. One tells various stories about events or people from Shonagon’s life while another merely lists associations (chapters titled ‘gates’, ‘rivers’, etc, would be followed by a list of gates, rivers, and so on). These chapters were perfectly fine but, my being some combination of centuries, miles, and social classes removed from the subject matter, I found I had little use for them. The third type of chapter describes mundane aspects of daily life and these formed the bulk of my interest in the book.
Shonagon’s appreciation of proper behavior shines through in much of her writing. She notes that people should never butt in to finish another’s story or that she often becomes disillusioned after meeting people who vulgarly misuse words. These inclinations must have either grown out of her position in the court or identified her as an ideal candidate for her role.
She also shares a number of interesting insights about others that demonstrated the full range of her observational skills. For example, she describes how most people wish only to be understood and will take great risks on the behalf of those who understand them. I also liked her comment that most criticize without recognizing their own hurtful actions (although I wonder now if the often-critical author considered herself among this group). The most interesting idea in this category was her conclusion that rare relationships – one where each remains in awe of the other – manifests only through a steady dose of mutual care and respect.
Shonagon’s powers of outward observation were undoubtedly impressive but I’ll remember this book for the way Shonagon often turned her attention inward. Her reflections on her feelings and experiences revealed someone deeply affected by the past who took to writing as a way of understanding herself. Her comment that rainy days are logically a good time to read nostalgic letters or that she considers it deeply affecting to sit by a pond suggest that Shonagon rarely found herself looking forward to the future.
