The Pillow Book

by

Sei Shonagon

The Pillow Book: Sections 78–82 Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
The following year, Empress Teishi moves to another part of the palace complex. Sei temporarily stays behind in the old quarters. After receiving several messages from Tadanobu, she meets with him, feeling sorry that despite the beautiful scene—Tadanobu is dressed magnificently, and the plum trees are in bloom—Sei is merely an “aging woman well past her prime,” dressed in drab mourning clothes.
Though not explicitly stated in The Pillow Book, based on historical context the reader can infer that Empress Teishi’s father, Michitaka, had just died—hence Sei’s mourning clothes. Incidentally, Teishi’s father’s death accounts for her move, as she would now be out of favor at court.
Themes
Romance and Official Duty Theme Icon
That night, Sei goes to attend Empress Teishi. The other ladies are arguing, weighing the relative merits of various fictional heroes and eager for Sei to weigh in. Their conversation shifts to curiosity about Sei’s encounter with Tadanobu—everyone wants to hear the details. They tease Sei about the fact that only she would notice “the very threads and stitches” of Tadanobu’s outfit.
The other ladies clearly hold Sei in high regard, soliciting her opinion and admiring her attention to detail when it comes to subjects of continual interest like clothing.
Themes
Romance and Official Duty Theme Icon
When someone returns home on a visit, there’s often gossip and criticism. Sei isn’t usually bothered by this, since she’s “not exactly renowned for [her] modesty and prudence.” One day, Norimitsu comes visiting and says that the Captain Consultant has been demanding to know Sei’s whereabouts, but that Norimitsu refrained from telling him by stuffing seaweed in his mouth. Days later, Sei receives a desperate note from Norimitsu, who’s still under pressure to reveal Sei’s whereabouts and wants to know what he should do. Sei sends back a piece of seaweed. Later, Norimitsu comes back, not having understood the message. In disgust, Sei writes a poem explaining it, which Norimitsu refuses to read. At this point, their friendly relationship begins to sour.
Sei is self-aware when it comes to her reputation, and she’s confident in herself—meaning that she has less patience with those who aren’t as clever as she is. She’s especially frustrated with Norimitsu’s failure to keep up with her poetic references—perhaps a clue as to why their earlier marriage unraveled.
Themes
Poetry and Social Relationships Theme Icon
Romance and Official Duty Theme Icon
One day, during a Continuous Sutra Reading, Sei hears a strange voice asking if there are offerings available. When she goes to look, she sees an aging nun in dirty clothes. The nun has a surprisingly elegant voice. Sei pities the woman’s reduced circumstances, yet dislikes her apparent pretension. She puts together a bundle of rice cakes and snacks for the nun, at which point the nun becomes cheerful and chatty.
Buddhist nuns would often beg for meals and alms around the palace. Ever alert to class distinctions, Sei perceives from the nun’s voice that she probably came from an upper-class background, and Sei both pities and resents the nun for appearing in the otherwise elegant festival environment.
Themes
Court Life vs. Common Life Theme Icon
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A group of gentlewomen sits around and questions the nun, who replies with jokes and suggestive songs. The Empress finds the nun off-putting, so the ladies shoo the poor woman away with a new gown. But from now on, the nun begins frequenting the palace grounds, still wearing her old, filthy gown. Around the same time, a “more refined beggar nun” appears at the palace, who abases herself respectfully and weeps with gratitude when given gifts. The other nun stops showing up so often.
The new nun behaves in a way that Sei deems more appropriate for a beggar nun. In contrast, the other nun makes everyone uncomfortable by pushing the boundaries of pious behavior.
Themes
Court Life vs. Common Life Theme Icon
That winter, there is a huge snowfall. The ladies order the servants and groundsmen to create a massive snow mountain in the garden. After it’s completed, the Empress has everyone guess how long the snow mountain will last. Most guess that it won’t last for more than a week or two, but Sei guesses that it will remain until the middle of the following month, and she stubbornly stands by this. She even prays fervently to the Kannon of White Mountain that the snow won’t melt.
White Mountain is a sacred mountain known for its perpetual snow, and on its summit is a shrine to Kannon, the Bodhisattva of Mercy. Even in this trivial game, Sei wants to please the Empress and also achieve the satisfaction of winning with an enduring snow mountain.
Themes
Aesthetic Beauty, Delight, and Cultural Tradition Theme Icon
The snow mountain lingers into the following month, but to Sei’s disappointment, the Empress retires to the imperial palace, so the household won’t be around to see what becomes of it. Before they leave, Sei bribes a gardener with food and promises of gifts, charging him to watch over the snow mountain in their absence. While away, Sei continues to obsess over the snow mountain’s survival. It lasts until the day before mid-month, and Sei eagerly anticipates composing a celebratory poem for Her Majesty. But when she sends a servant to gather a box of snow from the mountain, she learns that it has been demolished on the Empress’s orders. The Empress nevertheless thinks Sei is very clever and asks to hear the poem she’s been composing, but Sei sulkily refuses.
Sei turns the snow mountain context into a pretext for a poetic composition, as most things in the court setting can be, and plans to present her victory in an aesthetically pleasing way. The destruction of the mountain is a disappointment to her primarily for this reason, not simply because it means she loses the game.
Themes
Poetry and Social Relationships Theme Icon
Aesthetic Beauty, Delight, and Cultural Tradition Theme Icon