Victor A. Espinoza
March 30, 2021
HIST 3334
Primary Source Analysis 2
Sei Shonagon wrote a combination anecdotes, poems, and observations during the Heian
period of Japan. She was a gentlewoman of the court. With this primary source, we have insight
of this society such as education, fashion, religion, and the government proceedings of this time.
The gentlewomen in this society had education but limited to things like poetry, writing
and calligraphy. To some extent, also history since some poems are ancient. But when compared
to scholarship like the Chinese Civil Service exam, women fall short. Sei Shonagon in anecdote
20 titled “The sliding panels that close off the north-east corner”, we see how gentlewomen
were expected to have knowledge on classical Japanese poetry. She mentions a moment when all
the gentlewomen were required to spontaneously write the oldest poem that comes to mind and
the empress references a book of poems. She wrote, “Some of us had copied out the Kokinshū
many times, and should really have known it all by heart” (20). Kokinshu was a collection of
poems that experienced poets often referenced and gentlewomen memorized. Some were
rigorously quizzed by this book. In the same anecdote, the Emperor consulted the High Consorts
Quarters and lasted hours asking her to recite each poem without making a mistake. Also,
women like Sei Shonagon were special. In anecdote 5 she mentions a reference of the Chinese
Classics about Yu Dingguo and the large gate. Gentlewomen had calligraphy, and poetry as their
type of education but it is unclear if peasant women were also well experienced in poetry writing
and the Kokinshu.
Moving on, Sei Shonagon had a keen eye on fashion. She was observant on the colors,
floral patterns, and the layers of clothing that people would wear. In anecdote 83 titled “Splendid
Things”, she writes about how some can wear a special color according to their rank. “A
Chamberlain of the sixth rank. He’s a quite splendid sight in those special green robes he’s
allowed to wear, and he can wear damask, which even a high-ranking young nobleman is
forbidden” (85). Certain colors, styles, and fabrics such as the damask were specific to certain
court members. Also, she mentions a Chinese styled clothing that shows the Chinese influence of
this society. “Captain Third Rank Michitaka . . . dressed in a Chinese-style cloak of lavender silk
gauze, with lavender brocade gathered trousers . . . and a shift of brilliant stiff white silk beneath
the cloak” (35). Again, here she writes not only about clothing but how the color has meaning in
the court. Clothing represented prestige and an important role of court life.
In section 22 titled “Dispiriting things”, Sei Shonagon writes about certain things that
bring despair to one’s heart which furthermore brings insight of this society. First, while the
gentlewoman can read and write poetry, scholarship is limited to men. She wrote, “A scholar
whose wife has a string of daughters” (23). This is insinuating that only men can be scholars and
that perhaps there was a tradition in which scholarship would stay in the family. Thus, it is
dispiriting because there is no son to follow the father’s path in scholarship.
Second, this section briefly talks about the proceedings of an exorcist priest that “comes
to quell a spirit” but fails and falls asleep (24). The writer mentions how upsetting this is but
nonetheless it provides information as to how people in this time would address medical or
health problems. If a member of a family has fallen ill, they believed that an evil spirit was the
one causing this. This society believes in spirits that can torment people and would consult
priests to quell the problem. This sounds similar to the Chinese beliefs that spirits and ancestors
can torment you.
Third, we have some information regarding some government positions. Sei Shonagon
wrote how it was dispiriting when a man fails to receive a post in the Appointments List. Also
mentioned in section 177 titled “People who feel smug”, receiving a post in the Appointments
List was highly prized. Government officials would receive posts as promotions in certain time
periods. Once your post expires, you are basically out of luck unless you receive a new posting.
There was also some competition to get a post in the Appointments List. Those who made it
where prestigious and held a higher rank in society. Throughout the book we see titles such as
Emperor, Chamberlains, court nobles, Provincial Governors, Grand Counselor and Consultants
each are ranked. Women also had ranks such as empress, and chief gentlewoman.
Moving on, Sei Shonagon writes about priests and temples throughout the Pillow Book.
She gives her opinion on how exorcists priests have distasteful life for having long dreadful
hours in the temple. They are constrained in their diet and have to fast for religious services. She
also goes on to write in depth about her experiences when she visits the temples in various
pilgrimages and the proceedings that were held for sutra ceremonies. Section 115 titled “it is
delightful to be on a retreat” describes her experiences such as the offerings and the chanting of
sutras from the monks and how the pilgrims were coming and going by. Since Sei Shonagon
went on many pilgrimages, one can argue that pilgrimages were an important part in court life.
In addition, Buddhism is the dominant religion of this society. Aside from her
pilgrimages, Buddhist teachings such as rebirth and bodhisattvas are well mentioned. In one of
her anecdotes, after the dog Okinamaro was believed to have died, she states “I wonder what he
will be reborn as next time” (13). This confirms that she believes in rebirth, which is entrenched
in this society. Furthermore, the symbolism of the lotus flower in Buddhism is explicitly
mentioned when she writes, “The lotus is a symbol of the Buddhist truth . . . used as offerings to
the Buddha, and the seeds are strung into rosaries that have the power to help you attain paradise
if you pray with them” (58). Through Sei Shonagon’s writings, one can argue that this society
had Buddhism as their dominant religion.
What I found interesting was that this society had an island that was used for banishing
unwanted dogs. Sei Shonagon mentioned how the Emperor gave orders to “give Okinamaro a
thorough beating and banish him to dog island” (12). This indeed sounds like animal cruelty in
contemporary times, especially the exact distasteful moment when Okinamaro received a brutal
beating that left him limping. An island specifically for stray dogs has me intrigued. Why didn’t
they use this land for a better purpose such as agriculture? Perhaps the island wasn’t suitable for
those things.
In conclusion, with the writings of Sei Shonagon, we have insight on this society’s
fashion, education, religion and government. Fashion played an important role for court life and
Sei writes with detail the colors and the patterns of each fabric. Gentlewomen were educated in
the book of poems called Kokinshu and calligraphy but cannot be scholars. Government officials
anxiously waited for the Appointments List and ranks existed in the court. Finally, Buddhism
was the dominant religion of this society since Sei Shonagon writes on her pilgrimages and
temple proceedings with the court.