28 The Tale of Genji The compilation of Collection of Ancient and Modern Poems (Kokinshuu) took place nearly one hundred years after the composition of the Iroha Song. Another hundred years later, The Pillow Book of Sei Shounagon (Makura no Soushi) and The Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari) came into existence. In the field of poetry, Collection of Ancient and Modern Poems (Kokinshuu) occupied the highest place for the next thousand years. Similarly in the field of literature, The Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari) came to carry the greatest prestige, rivaled only by The Pillow Book of Sei Shounagon (Makura no Soushi). The Pillow Book was the product of Sei Shounagon. Her name "Sei" came from her last name "Kiyohara 清原," in which the Chinese character 清 could be read "kito" in Japanese rendering, and "sei" in Chinese rendering. This house, known for generations for its literary genius, descended from Prince Toneri, the son of Emperor Tenmu (r. 673-686). (an omission) Sei Shounagon served as a lady-in-waiting for the Empress of Emperor Ichijou (r. 986-1011). The Pillow Book (Makura no Soushi) is neither a dialy nor a novel, but a collection of essays. Written sporadically over a period of a few years, it was probably completed during the Chouho era (999-1004). (an omission) Sei Shounagon's contemporary was her literary rival Lady Murasaki (Murasaki Shikibu). Lady Murasaki's fater was was Fujiwara no Tametoki. He served for a long time as Secretary in the Ministry of Ceremonial, so he wished to be appointed a Governor of a province. His request was answered in the first month of the second year of Choutoku (996), but the appointment turned out to be the Governor of Awaji, a small island in the Inland Sea. Disappointed, Fujiwara no Tametoki sent a petition to Emperor Ichijou. The Emperor took pity on him, so at the last moment the appointment was changed to the Province of Echizen (Fukui Prefecture). Fujiwara no Tametoki was most touched by this. When he went to the provincial capital of Echizen (Takefu city), his daughter Lady Murasaki accompanied him. Though she was a girl, her aptitude surpassed that of her brother Nobunori. According to The Diary of Lady Murasaki (Murasaki Shikibu Nikki), when Nobunori took lessons in Recors of the Historian (Shiki) the Chinese classic, she listened on the side and learned it faster than Nobunori. This prompted her father to lament: "I wish she were a boy." She was eighteen or nineteen years old when she went to Echizen Province, the only time she left Kyouto. When her father was nekt appointed Covernor of Echigo Provinc e (Niigata prefecture) her brother Nobunori accompained him. Lady Murasaki stayed in Kyouto, and eventually married Fujiwara no Nobutaka. (an omission) Lady Murasaki's husband died after three years of marriage. She spent several years in solitude, and then she was appointed as a lady-in-waiting of Empress of Emperor Ichijou, who was later called Joutoumon-in. The Tale of Gengi (Genji Monogatari) seems to have been written during the years she spent alone. Thus when she went to the palace, Emperor Ichijou heard about it and he had someone read it to him. He then commented: "The author must have read Chronicles of Japan (Nihon Shoki). What a talent for story-telling." This won her a nickname in the palace, "The Lady of Nihongi," where Nihongi refers to Chronicled of Japan (Nihon Shoki). This episode is recorded in her Diary (Murasaki Shikibu Nikki). The Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari) is a story of a handsome prince known by the name of Hikaru Genji, and his life-long encounters with many women. Genji was originally a member of the imperial family, but later became a lay aristocrat and was given the family name "Genji." There are 54 volumes. It is astounding enough that she persisted through these volumes, but they also display beautiful style. (an omission) The most revered English literary figure is Shakespeare.(an omission) Now Shakespeare was born in 1564, and passed away in 1616. Lady Murasaki's time was some 600 years before that. A singular German literary giant is Goethe, the author of Faust. Goethe was born in 1749, and passed away in 1832, again 800 years after Lady Murasaki's time. (Rest omitted)

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