Sei Shonagon
(c. tenth century A.D.)

Sei Shonagon was the gifted Japanese author of The Pillow Book, which is considered to be one of the best works of Japanese prose. A well-educated woman of upper-class birth, she served at the court of the Empress Sadako. During this time, she wrote the 185 segments that together comprise her literary success. The Pillow Book is significant in its ability to impart valuable knowledge about a history full of traditional court rites and political experiences of long ago.

Little is known of her life, but much can be gauged of Shonagon's character from her work. The Pillow Book is a compilation of witty anecdotes, descriptive observations, and personal reflections that prove Shonagon to be a perceptive woman of sharp intellect. However, she is also portrayed as judgmental, treating those of less fortunate circumstance disdainfully in contrast with the respect she held for members of the imperial family.

Nevertheless, Shonagon's vibrant style and beautiful imagery, in addition to the valuable documentation that her work provides, fortify her prominent place in literary history.

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