Her common surname refers to her position as a "minor counselor" in the royal court.
Her common surname refers to her position as a "minor counselor" in the royal court. The daughter of the poet Kiyohara Motosuke, she served there for about a decade at the turn of last millennium under both Emperor Ichijo and Empress Sadako. Such experiences as "Annoying things" and "Things which distract in moments of boredom" form the bulk of a collection of over 320 short essays translated into English by Arthur Waley and Ivan Morris. For ten points, name this bitter rival of Lady Murasaki, the Japanese courtesan who authored the Pillow Book.
Her common surname refers to her position as a "minor counselor" in the royal court.
Sei {Shonagon}