Murasaki Shikibu facts for kids
Murasaki Shikibu (born around 973, died around 1014 or 1025) was a Japanese writer and poet. She worked as a lady-in-waiting (a female attendant at a royal court) for the Empress in the Heian period (794 to 1185). Murasaki Shikibu is famous for writing The Tale of Genji, which many people consider one of the world's first novels. She wrote it in Japanese between about 1000 and 1012. Her real name is not known, but some believe it might have been Fujiwara no Kaoriko. "Murasaki Shikibu" is a descriptive name given to her later.
During the Heian period, girls were usually not taught Chinese, which was the language used for government. However, Murasaki grew up in her smart father's home and learned Chinese very well. She got married in her twenties and had a daughter. Her husband died two years later. It's not clear when she started writing The Tale of Genji, but it was likely while she was married or soon after her husband passed away. Around 1005, she was asked to serve Empress Shōshi at the Imperial court. This was probably because she was known as a great writer. She kept writing while working at court, adding details from court life to her book. After five or six years, she left the court. Murasaki also wrote The Diary of Lady Murasaki and a collection of poems. Her book, The Tale of Genji, became very popular quickly. It is still seen as a very important work of Japanese literature. Japanese artists have been illustrating her stories since the 1200s.
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Murasaki Shikibu's Early Life
Murasaki Shikibu was born around 973 in Heian-kyō, which is now Kyoto, Japan. She belonged to the northern Fujiwara clan. This powerful family often controlled politics by having their daughters marry into the imperial family. By the time Murasaki was born, her family branch had lost some power. They were in the middle ranks of the Heian nobility, often serving as governors in different areas.
Even though her family's status had changed, they were known for being very literary. Both her great-grandfather and grandfather were famous poets. Her father, Fujiwara no Tametoki, was a respected scholar of Chinese writings and poetry. His own poems were collected in books. Murasaki's mother was also from the Fujiwara clan. Murasaki had a brother and at least one sister.
In the Heian era, people's names were different from today. A court lady's name often came from a male relative's title. "Shikibu" came from the Ministry of Ceremonials, where Murasaki's father worked. "Murasaki" means "violet" and might have been given to her at court. This name was also used for a main character in her book, Genji.
Murasaki lived in her father's house in Kyoto with her younger brother. Their mother died when they were young. Murasaki also had half-siblings.
During Murasaki's time, Japan was becoming more separate from China. The Japanese language was developing its own writing system called kana. This system used simpler characters based on Chinese ones. Men still wrote formally in Chinese, but kana became the language for personal writing and for noblewomen. This helped create unique Japanese stories and poems.
Murasaki's brother learned Chinese for his future government job. Murasaki, living in the same house, also learned classical Chinese and became very good at it. She wrote in her diary that her father often said, "What a pity she was not born a man!" because she was so smart. She studied Chinese literature with her brother. She probably also learned music, calligraphy (beautiful writing), and Japanese poetry. Her education was unusual because women were not expected to be educated in Chinese. Murasaki knew that some people saw her as "pretentious" or "difficult."
Murasaki Shikibu's Marriage
Noblewomen in the Heian period lived very private lives. They could only talk to men who were close family. Murasaki's poems show she spent time with women but had little contact with men other than her father and brother. She often exchanged poems with other women. Unlike most noblewomen, she did not marry right after puberty. She stayed in her father's house until her mid-twenties or early thirties.
In 996, Murasaki went with her father when he was sent to work as a governor in Echizen Province. This was unusual for a noblewoman to travel so far. She returned to Kyoto around 998 and married Fujiwara no Nobutaka, a friend of her father's. He was much older and a distant cousin. He worked at the Ministry of Ceremonials and was known for his fancy clothes and dancing. He was in his late forties when they married and had other wives and children. He was popular at court and had many romantic relationships. Murasaki likely stayed in her father's house, and her husband would visit her there. Nobutaka was probably quite wealthy. Some scholars say their marriage was happy, while others think Murasaki's poems show she was not entirely pleased with him.
Their daughter, Kenshi, was born in 999. Two years later, Nobutaka died during a sickness. As a married woman, Murasaki would have had servants to help with the house and her daughter. This gave her time to read. She enjoyed reading stories like The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. Scholars think she might have started writing The Tale of Genji before her husband died. She definitely wrote after she became a widow, perhaps while she was sad. In her diary, she wrote about feeling "depressed and confused" after her husband's death.
A legend says that Murasaki went to Ishiyama-dera temple near Lake Biwa. There, she was inspired to write The Tale of Genji one August night while looking at the moon. While scholars don't think this story is true, Japanese artists often show her at Ishiyama Temple looking at the moon. She may have been asked to write the story. Murasaki would share new chapters of Genji with friends, who would copy them and share them further. This way, her story became known, and she became famous as a writer.
When she was in her early to mid-thirties, she became a lady-in-waiting at court. This was likely because of her fame as an author. Her diary shows she exchanged poems with Fujiwara no Michinaga after her husband died. Michinaga probably wanted Murasaki at court to help educate his daughter, Shōshi.
Life at Court
Heian culture and court life were at their best in the early 1000s. Kyoto's population grew, and the nobles became more isolated at the Imperial Palace. Courtiers were very refined and focused on art and details of court life. They showed feelings through beautiful textiles, perfumes, calligraphy, and poetry. Women at court had long hair, whitened skin, and blackened teeth. They enjoyed writing poetry and keeping diaries. The literature written by Heian court women is considered some of the earliest and best in Japan.
Rival Courts and Women Writers
In 995, Michinaga's two brothers died, leaving an important government position open. Michinaga quickly gained power. Four years later, Michinaga sent his oldest daughter, Shōshi, to Emperor Ichijō's court when she was about 12. A year later, Michinaga had Shōshi named Empress, even though Emperor Ichijō already had an Empress, Teishi. This was unusual. About five years later, Michinaga brought Murasaki to Shōshi's court to be a companion and teacher.
High-ranking women lived privately at court. Their marriages were used to gain political power for their families. Michinaga used this to gain influence over the emperor. Some women had a lot of influence, often through competitive gatherings called salons. Michinaga likely wanted Shōshi to have talented women like Murasaki around her to create a strong salon.
Shōshi was about 16 to 19 years old when Murasaki joined her court. Shōshi was a serious young woman. She gathered talented women writers around her, like Izumi Shikibu and Akazome Emon. Murasaki's diary shows some rivalry among the women. She wrote that Izumi Shikibu was a good letter writer but not a true poet.
Sei Shōnagon, who wrote The Pillow Book, had served Empress Teishi. It's possible Murasaki was brought to Shōshi's court to be a rival to Shōnagon. Teishi died before Murasaki joined Shōshi's court, so they didn't work together. But Murasaki knew about Shōnagon and was influenced by her. Shōnagon's The Pillow Book might have been written to show how great Teishi's court was. Michinaga might have brought Murasaki to Shōshi to show that Shōshi's court had equally or better educated women.
The two writers were very different. Shōnagon was witty and outspoken. Murasaki was quiet and sensitive. Murasaki's diary entries suggest they might not have gotten along. Murasaki wrote that Shōnagon "thought herself so clever" and used too many Chinese characters in her writing. Murasaki pretended not to know Chinese, seeing it as showy.
"The Lady of the Chronicles"
Even though Chinese was less popular in the late Heian era, Chinese poems were still liked. Murasaki taught Chinese to Shōshi, who was interested in Chinese art and poems. When Shōshi became Empress, she had screens decorated with Chinese writing in her rooms. This caused anger because written Chinese was seen as a language for men, not for women's areas. Studying Chinese was thought to be unladylike. Murasaki, with her unusual Chinese education, was one of the few women who could teach Shōshi. Murasaki kept these lessons secret. She wrote in her diary, "I have thought it best to say nothing about the matter to anybody."
Murasaki probably got the nickname "The Lady of the Chronicles" for teaching Shōshi Chinese literature. A lady-in-waiting who didn't like Murasaki accused her of showing off her Chinese knowledge. This happened after parts of Genji were read aloud to the Emperor, and someone said the author was very educated. Murasaki wrote in her diary, "How utterly ridiculous! Would I, who hesitate to reveal my learning to my women at home, ever think of doing so at court?" Even though the nickname was meant to be mean, Murasaki might have been secretly pleased.
The attitude toward Chinese was confusing. In Empress Teishi's court, Chinese was shown off as a sign of power. But in Shōshi's court, there was a lot of dislike for the language. This might have been because Japanese culture was becoming more important. This dislike might have made Murasaki hide her knowledge of Chinese. Unlike Shōnagon, who was showy and open about her Chinese knowledge, Murasaki seemed humble. This attitude might have impressed Michinaga. Even though Murasaki used Chinese in her writing, she publicly said she didn't know it well. This was a good attitude during a time when Japanese culture was growing.
Murasaki seemed unhappy with court life and was often quiet and serious. She didn't seem to join poetry competitions often. She exchanged few poems or letters with other women at court. In her diary, Murasaki gives the impression that she disliked court life, the other ladies-in-waiting, and the parties. However, she became close friends with a lady-in-waiting named Lady Saishō. She also wrote that she loved "to see the snow here" in winter.
Some scholars think Murasaki might have been bored in Shōshi's court. She might have preferred to serve Lady Senshi, whose household seemed less strict. Murasaki wrote about Shōshi's court, saying it had "a reputation for extreme dullness."
Murasaki didn't like the men at court, thinking they were foolish. However, some scholars believe she had a romantic relationship with Michinaga. He certainly pursued her. She wrote to him in a poem, "You have neither read my book, nor won my love." In her diary, she wrote about avoiding Michinaga's advances. One night, he even snuck into her room and took a newly written chapter of Genji. But Michinaga's support was important for her to keep writing. Murasaki described court events in her diary, like grand ceremonies, complex courtships, and the birth of Shōshi's two sons.
Murasaki probably enjoyed writing alone. She felt she didn't fit in with the court's general atmosphere. She wrote, "I am wrapped up in the study of ancient stories... living all the time in a poetical world of my own scarcely realizing the existence of other people... But when they get to know me, they find to their extreme surprise that I am kind and gentle."
Rank was important in Heian court society. Murasaki felt her family branch was humble. She wrote that this made life at court "a continual torment to me." A court position did raise her social standing. More importantly, it gave her more experiences to write about. Her experiences at court are clearly seen in the chapters of Genji she wrote after joining Shōshi. The name Murasaki was probably given to her at a court dinner in 1008. The poet Fujiwara no Kintō asked about the "Young Murasaki," referring to the character in Genji. This was a compliment to her as an author.
Later Life and Death
When Emperor Ichijō died in 1011, Shōshi left the Imperial Palace. She moved to a Fujiwara mansion in Biwa. Murasaki likely went with her, as she was recorded there with Shōshi in 1013.
Murasaki may have died in 1014. Her father quickly returned to Kyoto from his job that year, possibly because she had died. Most scholars agree that Murasaki Shikibu died in 1014, making her 41 years old. However, some believe she might have lived with Shōshi until as late as 1025.
Murasaki's brother Nobunori died around 1011. This, along with his daughter's death, might have caused her father to quit his job and become a monk. He died in 1029. Murasaki's daughter became a wet nurse (a woman who breastfeeds and cares for another's child) for the future Emperor Go-Reizei in 1025. She later became a famous poet named Daini no Sanmi.
Murasaki Shikibu's Works
Three works are believed to be written by Murasaki: The Tale of Genji, The Diary of Lady Murasaki, and Poetic Memoirs, a collection of 128 poems. Her writing is important because it shows how Japanese writing developed. Before the 800s, Japanese texts were written using Chinese characters. A big step forward was the development of kana in the mid-to late 800s. This was a true Japanese writing system. Japanese authors then began to write stories (monogatari) and poetic journals (Nikki Bungaku) in their own language. Genji, written in kana, is considered the most important work of that time.
Diary and Poetry
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Murasaki started her diary after she began working at Shōshi's court. Most of what we know about her and her time at court comes from this diary. It covers the period from about 1008 to 1010. The diary has long descriptions, some of which might have been letters. They talk about her relationships with other ladies-in-waiting, Michinaga's personality, the birth of Shōshi's sons, and how she wrote Genji. She also described giving new chapters to calligraphers to copy. Like other court diaries, Murasaki's diary spends half its pages on the birth of Shōshi's son, Emperor Go-Ichijō. This event was very important to Michinaga.
Poetic Memoirs is a collection of 128 poems. The original collection is lost. Poems were usually copied and shared. Some poems seem to be for a lover, possibly her husband before he died. But she might have just followed tradition and written simple love poems. The collection includes details about her life. She mentions a sister who died, her trip to Echizen province with her father, and that she wrote poems for Shōshi. Murasaki's poems were published in 1206.
The Tale of Genji
Murasaki is most famous for The Tale of Genji. It is a very long novel, about 1100 pages and 54 chapters. It is thought to have taken her ten years to finish. The first chapters might have been written for a private supporter during her marriage or after her husband died. She kept writing while at court and probably finished it while still serving Shōshi. She needed support to write such a long book. Michinaga gave her expensive paper and ink, and also provided calligraphers. The first handwritten books were probably put together by ladies-in-waiting.
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The Tale of Genji is considered the "supreme work of Japanese fiction." Murasaki combined different writing styles, including court diaries and earlier Japanese stories. She mixed formal Chinese style with everyday topics, which gave her a unique voice. Genji tells a story, using a narrator. But Murasaki developed this type of story far beyond what it had been before. The story of "shining prince" Genji is set in the late 800s to early 900s. Murasaki removed the fairy tale and fantasy parts often found in earlier stories.
The main ideas in Genji are common for the time. They include "the sadness of human existence" (mono no aware). This term is used over a thousand times in Genji. Some think Murasaki might have created an ideal escape from court life, which she didn't enjoy, through Prince Genji. In Prince Genji, she created a talented, handsome, and kind main character. Genji gives a look into the Heian period. For example, love affairs were common, even though women usually stayed hidden behind screens or curtains.
The Tale of Genji is popular because it talks about universal human feelings. It shows "the impossibility of lasting happiness in love" and the importance of being kind to others. Prince Genji sees the inner beauty of each woman he loves and understands how fragile life is. This makes him a hero. The story was very popular. Emperor Ichijō had it read to him, even though it was written in Japanese. By 1021, all the chapters were finished, and the book was sought after even in distant areas.
Murasaki Shikibu's Legacy
Murasaki's importance and influence have grown since her time. She and other Heian women writers helped develop Japanese into a written language. Her writing was required reading for court poets as early as the 1100s. Scholars began to study her work. Within 100 years of her death, she was seen as a classic writer. In the 1600s, people were encouraged to read her books. In 1673, Kumazawa Banzan said her writing was valuable for showing feelings.
The Tale of Genji was copied and illustrated in many ways soon after Murasaki died. The Genji Monogatari Emaki is a handscroll from the late Heian era (1100s). It has four scrolls, 19 paintings, and 20 sheets of beautiful writing. These illustrations are from between 1110 and 1120.
In the 1600s, women were seen as more virtuous if they knew literature. This led to a demand for items inspired by Murasaki or Genji, called genji-e. Dowry sets (gifts a bride brings to her marriage) decorated with scenes from Genji became popular for noblewomen. By the 1700s, they symbolized a successful marriage.
Murasaki became a popular subject for paintings. She is often shown at her desk in Ishiyama Temple, looking at the moon for ideas. Artists like Tosa Mitsuoki painted her in the 1600s. The Tale of Genji became a favorite subject for Japanese ukiyo-e (woodblock print) artists for centuries. Artists like Hiroshige and Kitagawa Utamaro illustrated different versions of the novel. At first, Genji art was a symbol of court culture. But by the middle of the Edo period, mass-produced ukiyo-e prints made the illustrations available to common people.
The Tale of Genji has been many things to many people over a thousand years. It has been shown in many ways: illustrated handscrolls, screen paintings, woodblock prints, films, comics, and manga.
The Tale of Genji is still a classic. Murasaki is seen as a writer who speaks to universal human feelings with a timeless voice. Japan has not seen another genius like her. Her characters and their problems are still relatable today. In the 1920s, when an English translation was published, people compared Genji to works by famous writers like Jane Austen and William Shakespeare. Murasaki captured the essence of the Heian court. Like Shakespeare, her work has been studied and written about a lot.
Kyoto had a year-long celebration in 2008 for the 1000th anniversary of Genji. There were poetry competitions and visits to the Tale of Genji Museum. Women dressed in traditional 12-layer Heian court robes. Murasaki and her work have inspired museum exhibits and Genji manga stories. The back of the Japanese 2000 yen note features her and The Tale of Genji. A plant with purple berries has even been named after her.
A Genji Album from 1510 is kept at Harvard University. It has 54 paintings and 54 sheets of beautiful writing.
Gallery
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A scene from The Tale of Genji called "Royal Outing," showing court life in the late 1500s.
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An ukiyo-e print by Hiroshige (1852) showing an indoor court scene from The Tale of Genji.
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Murasaki Shikibu talking with five male court poets in this 1795 woodcut.
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Murasaki Shikibu writing The Tale of Genji, by Yashima Gakutei (1786–1868).
See also
In Spanish: Murasaki Shikibu para niños
