Murasaki Shikibu

c. 973 – c. 1014 · exact dates unknown^[1][2]

Literature

Fun Facts About Murasaki Shikibu

• Murasaki Shikibu's real name is unknown. "Shikibu" refers to the ministry where her father worked, and "Murasaki" may come from the heroine of her own Tale of Genji.^[1]
• As a girl, Murasaki learned classical Chinese by listening to her brother's lessons. Her father lamented: "What a pity she was not born a man!"^[1]
• In her diary, Murasaki called fellow writer Sei Shōnagon, author of The Pillow Book, "dreadfully conceited."^[1]
• At court, Murasaki secretly taught Empress Shōshi classical Chinese, at a time when written Chinese was considered the language of men.^[1]
• Her powerful patron Fujiwara no Michinaga once sneaked into Murasaki's room and stole a newly written chapter of The Tale of Genji.^[1]
• According to legend, Murasaki was inspired to write The Tale of Genji at Ishiyama Temple while looking at the Moon, though scholars dismiss the story.^[1]
• Murasaki Shikibu wrote The Tale of Genji in Japan about 60 years before William the Conqueror invaded England.^[1][2][3][4]
• Murasaki Shikibu was alive at the same time as Avicenna — their lives overlapped for about 34 years (c. 980–c. 1014).^[1][2][5][6]

Murasaki Shikibu , or Shijo , was a Japanese novelist, poet and lady-in-waiting at the Imperial court in the Heian period. She was best known as the author of The Tale of Genji, widely considered to be one of the world's first novels, written in Japanese between about 1000 and 1012. Murasaki Shikibu is a descriptive name; her personal name is unknown, but she may have been Fujiwara no Kaoruko (藤原香子), who was mentioned in a 1007 court diary as an imperial lady-in-waiting.^[1]

Contemporaries

Avicenna

34 yr overlap

Questions About Murasaki Shikibu

When was Murasaki Shikibu born?

Murasaki Shikibu was born about 973 and died about 1014. The exact dates are not known.

What was Murasaki Shikibu known for?

Murasaki Shikibu was known for: Author of The Tale of Genji. Murasaki Shikibu , or Shijo , was a Japanese novelist, poet and lady-in-waiting at the Imperial court in the Heian period. She was best known as the author of The Tale of Genji, widely considered to be one of the world's first novels, written in Japanese between about 1000 and 1012. Murasaki Shikibu is a descriptive name; her personal name is unknown, but she may have been Fujiwara no Kaoruko (藤原香子), who was mentioned in a 1007 court diary as an imperial lady-in-waiting.

Who was alive at the same time as Murasaki Shikibu?

Murasaki Shikibu's closest contemporary was Avicenna. Their lives overlapped for 34 years.