The Pillow Book (Makura no Soshi) is a personalised account of life at the Japanese court by Sei Shonagon which she completed c. 1002 CE during the Heian Period. The book is full of humorous observations (okashi) written in the style of a diary, an approach known as zuihitsu-style ('rambling') of which The Pillow Book was the first and greatest example.
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Definition
Timeline
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794 - 1185The Heian Period in ancient Japan.
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c. 1002Sei Shonagon completes The Pillow Book, a Japanese classic describing court life during the Heian Period.
