Murasaki Shikibu

Murasaki Shikibu (紫式部, 'Lady Murasaki'; c. 973 – c. 1014 or 1025) was a Japanese novelist, poet and lady-in-waiting at the Imperial court in the Heian period. She is 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.
Her personal name is unknown, but she may have been Fujiwara no Kaoriko (藤原香子), who was mentioned as an imperial lady-in-waiting.
One of her poem was included as No.57 in Fujiwara no Teika's Hyakunin Isshu.
== Appearance ==
Murasaki is depicted as a lady with long blonde hair that traditionally extended past her hips down to her feet and blue eyes, with traditional makeup. She is often seen wearing a traditional kimono similar to a junihitoe with a violet robe, the color associated with her name.
== Personality ==
Murasaki is described as intelligent, educated, with a quiet and often introverted personality. In her view, others saw her as "pretentious, awkward, difficult to approach, prickly, too fond of her tales, haughty, prone to versifying, disdainful, cantankerous and scornful". Kinto describes her as a talented woman who is depressed, or "despondent".
== Relationships ==
* Murasaki is also known for her rivalry with Sei Shonagon. She wrote about Shonagon – somewhat scathingly, despite acknowledging Shonagon's literary talent – in her diary, The Diary of Lady Murasaki.
* Her daughter was Daini no San'mi, the author of the poem No.58 in Hyakunin Isshu.