Kayla Geitzler

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Shady lady Sei Shonagon has inspired generations of artists with her diary, her Pillow Book. For centuries it was copied by hand and passed from reader to reader until publication for the time in the 1600s--600 years after Shonagon made her last entry.

Full of beautiful poetry and prose, this book has become a lifetime companion for many. When I teach excerpts of the Pillow Book on a writing course or in a workshop, no one asks why Sei Shonagon is relevant today or to them. This is pretty exceptional, as the customs of Heian Japan take the concept of the past as a foreign country to a whole new level.

So, what has made the Pillow Book such a beloved volume for 1000 years? Captivating writing notwithstanding, Sei Shonagon's authenticity, whether kind or catty, is easily relatable. Her intelligence, and the mystery of her personal life add to the allure of her writing.

The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon is one of my very favourite books. I have been reading this enlightening, cheeky and moving diary for more than half my life now. Everytime I share Shonagon, she inspires others. So, I teach a creative journaling and writing wellness workshop based on the Pillow Book. We explore everything that makes her Pillow Book rich and unique.

What is a Pillow Book? In ancient Japan, many used hollow wood blocks, padded with fabric as their pillows. Women of priveleged classes kept their makura no soshi, their diaries, inside them.

Sei Shonagon's world is so richly detailed and beautifully written, but that's not all. She can be one catty B. But I love that about her!

I am so grateful for translation and those passionate individuals who dedicate what is often years of their time so that readers can visit worlds, like Sei Shonagon's, that would otherwise be incredibly difficult to access. Here's to translators!!