THE PILLOW BOOK

NOTES 1. The famous opening words of The Pillow Book constitute an elliptical sentence. Their literal meaning is “As for spring the dawn”, but some predicate like “is the most beautiful time of the day” must be understood. The same applies to the opening phrases of each of the four paragraphs in this section.

2. See App. I. New Year’s Day was, and still is, an occasion for paying one’s respects to the Emperor and to other superiors (W.S.P., p. I67). It also marked an increase in one’s own age, thus corresponding in some ways to the Western birthday.

3. The Festival of Young Herbs was one of the seven national festivals listed in the code of 718 (see App. I). Derived from Han China, it had been observed at the Japanese Court since the reign of Emperor Saga in the early ninth century. The “seven herbs” (parsley, borage, etc.) were plucked and made into a gruel which was supposed to ward off evil spirits and to protect one’s health throughout the year. In the Palace a bowl of this gruel was ceremoniously presented to the Emperor (see W.S.P., p. 169).

4. Normally the grounds near the Palace were kept clear of plants, weeds, etc.; but at this time of the year it was possible to find “young herbs”, since they were hidden by the snow. (In this translation Palace with a capital P invariably refers to the Imperial Palace in Heian Kyo, App. 3c.)

5. The Festival of the Blue Horses was an annual ceremony in which twenty-one horses from the Imperial stables were paraded before the Emperor in the great courtyard in front of the Ceremonial Palace. (See App. 1.) The custom, which had existed in ancient China, was imported to Japan early in the eighth century. Originally the horses were steel grey (hence the name “blue”); but, since such horses were very rare and since white was the colour of purity in Shinto ritual, they were replaced in the early tenth century by white horses.

6. The Central Gate: refers to the Taiken Mon, the main eastern gate of the Greater Imperial Palace. A huge wooden cross-beam was fixed on the ground and joined the two main pillars of the gate.

7. Senior courtier: a gentleman of the Fourth or Fifth Rank who had the privilege of waiting in attendance on the Emperor in the Senior Courtiers” Chamber; in certain special cases gentlemen of the Sixth Rank were also accorded this privilege (see note 86) and they too were known as senior courtiers.

For ranks and offices see App. 2 and W.S.P., pp. 78-80. “Left Division” is an abbreviation of” Outer Palace Guards, Left Division”, one of the Imperial Guards regiments in charge of the out.er gates of the Palace and also responsible for patrolling the Palace grounds.

Their guard-house was on the route of the Blue Horse procession.

8. On the eighth day of the First Month presents of silk and brocade were given to the Imperial Princesses, and many of the Court ladies were promoted in rank. All those who had been so favoured went to present their formal thanks to the emperor.