Kojiki

Response paper 2 In the Pillow book, I find that most themes are talk about aristocratic life, custom and apparel. Personally, I think the Heian court was like aristocrats-ruled class society, at the same time, it is also peaceful and harmonious period. In “To Make a Beloved Son a Priest”, it is talk a little bit about people attitude toward religion who only want to take advantage of priest. In “The Cat Who Lived in the Palace”, it talks about cat (Lady Myobu) and dog (Okinamaro)’s story. In fact, I think the main point of the story is the different between aristocratism and plebeianism distinctly. In Heian period, every emperor’s wife wants to bear a boy. Because their children will have big chance to be next emperor. How can girl or woman live in aristocratic' I think the answer is “education”. First people must study penmanship. Next people must learn to play the seven-string zither better than anyone else. Then these high-quality women will have a chance to marry with emperor. When people live in aristocratism, they also need pay attention to etiquette and apparel. In “When I First Went into Waiting”, we can find that Her Majesty’s round brazier made of shen wood and decorated with pear-skin lacquer. In days of abstinence, Her Majesty wears a robe of white Chinese damask. These details can make me feel more class character in Heian period. However, it is not suffocating in this society. For instance, no doubt these same ladies, who talked so casually to Lord Korechika, had been just as embarrassed as Sei Shonagon was when they first came into waiting but had little by little become used to court society until their shyness had naturally disappeared. Meanwhile, in “Awkward Things” and “Adorable Things” we can find the diverting, beatific and harmonious society in Heian Period. In this material, it does not talk about Sei Shonagon’s emotional life and her child. Personally I am very interested in the reason why Japanese, at the time, were so fond of wearing Chinese clothes like Chinese jackets and Chinese damask. What is the relationship between Japan and China during that time？