Since this site is dedicated in part to illuminating ideas and work by, for and about women, I thought I might shed some light on a writer who was a sharp and unapologetic chronicler during an enlightened era of art, literature and culture.
Foreshadowing Candace Bushnell and a wealth of web-loggers (bloggers), Sei Shonagon (Sei) was a court lady to Empress Sadako of Japan during the Heian period which lasted from 794-1885. Sei was a prolific chronicler of everyday life. These observances constitute The Pillow Book, which conceptually inspired a film by Peter Greenaway.
Sei’s writings are composed of lists of such wonderful subjects as Hateful Things, which today might be an interesting companion to Martha Stewart’s “good things,” bleh. I kid. I love Martha. In this section she writes of lovers and morning afters, bad manners and ill-fitting attire. This passage is endlessly quotable so I’ve selected a few that inspired in myself a particularly slow, ongoing head-nod of recognition, ‘you said it grrrrl.’
An admirer has come on a clandestine visit, but a dog catches sight of him and starts barking. One feels like killing the beast.
A certain gentleman whom one does not want to see visits one at home or in the Palace, and one pretends to be asleep. But a maid comes to tell one and shakes one awake, with a look on her face that says, “What a sleepyhead!” Very hateful.
One is in the middle of a story when someone butts in and tries to show that he is the only clever person in the room. Such a person is hateful, and so, indeed, is anyone, child or adult, who tries to push himself forward.
The sound of dogs when they bark for a long time in chorus is ominous and hateful.
And finally, my favorite,
Sometimes one greatly dislikes a person for no particular reason-and then that person goes and does something hateful.
