Sei-Syonagon - Notes at the Bedside (Full version). Quotes from the book “Notes at the Bedside” by Sei-Syonagon

“In spring there is dawn.

The edges of the mountains are becoming whiter, now they are slightly illuminated with light. Clouds touched with purple spread in thin ribbons across the sky.

In summer it is night.

There are no words, it is beautiful during the moonlight, but even the moonless darkness is pleasing to the eyes when countless fireflies rush past each other. Even if one or two fireflies flicker dimly in the dark, it's still amazing. Even in the rain it is incredibly beautiful.

In autumn it is twilight.

The setting sun, casting bright rays, is approaching the battlements of the mountains. Crows, in threes, fours, twos, hurry to their nests - what sad charm! But it’s even sadder in my soul when a line of people stretch across the sky wild geese, quite small in appearance. The sun will set, and everything is full of inexpressible sadness: the sound of the wind, the ringing of cicadas...

In winter - early morning.

Fresh snow, needless to say, is beautiful, white-white frost too, but a frosty morning without snow is wonderful. They hurriedly light the fire, bring in glowing coals - this is how you feel winter! By noon the cold subsides, and the fire in the round brazier goes out under a layer of ash, that’s what’s bad!..”

The work belongs to the Prose genre. It was published in 2007 by Eksmo Publishing House. The book is part of the "Foreign Classics" series. On our website you can download the book “Notes at the Headboard” in fb2, rtf, epub, pdf, txt format or read online. The book's rating is 4.34 out of 5. Here, before reading, you can also turn to reviews from readers who are already familiar with the book and find out their opinion. In our partner's online store you can buy and read the book in paper form.

“In spring there is dawn.
The edges of the mountains are becoming whiter, now they are slightly illuminated with light. Clouds touched with purple spread in thin ribbons across the sky.
In summer it is night.
There are no words, it is beautiful during the moonlight, but even the moonless darkness is pleasing to the eyes when countless fireflies rush past each other. Even if one or two fireflies flicker dimly in the dark, it's still amazing. Even in the rain it is incredibly beautiful.
In autumn it is twilight.
The setting sun, casting bright rays, is approaching the battlements of the mountains. Crows, in threes, fours, twos, hurry to their nests - what sad charm! But it’s even sadder in my soul when a line of wild geese, very small in appearance, stretch across the sky. The sun will set, and everything is full of inexpressible sadness: the sound of the wind, the ringing of cicadas...
In winter - early morning.
Fresh snow, needless to say, is beautiful, white-white frost too, but a frosty morning without snow is wonderful. They hurriedly light the fire, bring in glowing coals - this is how you feel winter! By noon the cold subsides, and the fire in the round brazier goes out under a layer of ash, that’s what’s bad!..”

Notes at the head Sei-Shonagon

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Title: Notes at the Headboard

About the book “Notes at the Bedside” by Sei-Syonagon

When a person first sees the title of the book “Notes at the Bedside” by Sei Shonagon, a picture immediately emerges in his head in which a stately Japanese man, dressed in a European style, creates this creation in his office, reflecting on life, on Japanese culture, on the West and other things. But in fact, Sei Shonagon is a court lady and a well-known writer in the 10th and early 11th centuries. Her work is a collection of ironic notes, aphoristic passages, landscape notes and descriptions of the peculiarities of life of that time. Oddly enough, but in its literary farm, verbal sophistication and psychological accuracy, the book is not inferior to the works of famous writers of the Land of the Rising Sun.

People often begin to read “Notes from the Bedside” with some caution and uncertainty, because they are concerned about the cultural and temporal gap between the narrator and the reader. But, oddly enough, it is really easy to perceive the story described in the work, because the translation is done very beautifully and with high quality, so it’s worth putting aside all worries and starting to get acquainted with the “pearl” of classical Japanese literature.

Sei Shonagon has created the necessary atmosphere in her work, allowing her to imagine a beautiful and sophisticated girl in a kimono, who shares far from childish thoughts, and her sonorous voice is music to the ears. Many of the emotions that the heroine experiences in “Notes at the Bedside” are familiar to contemporaries, but the sublime and beautiful style that conveys even the most mundane everyday moments cannot but captivate.

Although the book is relatively easy to read, it is quite difficult to get through it in one sitting. Still, the writer talks about ten years of her life, and it’s really not easy to absorb this huge layer of information without breaks and rest. One thing is for sure, this diary will become a real outlet for book lovers, because the creation is so unique and extraordinary that it will allow you to take a break from European, in every sense, literature and enjoy the subtle Asian facets of verbal beauty.

It is worth noting that “Notes at the Bedside” can hardly be called a book for a wide audience, because it contains many Japanese words, historical moments that are not particularly clear to the average person, and other components of truly Japanese culture. Be that as it may, the work will leave a pleasant impression and confidence that the East is truly a delicate matter.

On our website about books you can download the site for free without registration or read online book“Notes at the Bedside” by Sei-Syonagon in epub, fb2, txt, rtf, pdf formats for iPad, iPhone, Android and Kindle. The book will give you a lot of pleasant moments and real pleasure from reading. You can buy the full version from our partner. Also, here you will find last news from the literary world, learn the biography of your favorite authors. For beginning writers there is a separate section with useful tips and recommendations, interesting articles, thanks to which you yourself can try your hand at literary crafts.

Quotes from the book “Notes at the Bedside” by Sei-Syonagon

Many people like to praise what others find bad, and, conversely, belittle what they usually admire. This is the true reason for flattering judgments!

What can we say about friendship between a man and a woman! Even between women, unbreakable good agreement is rarely maintained, despite all the vows of eternal friendship.

Something for which you gradually lose zeal.
Preparing for what is yet to come.

Will at least one person say that cherry blossoms are familiar to him because they bloom every year?

In any ugly thing you can notice something attractive... But in a beautiful thing - alas! - repulsive.

Pretenders. They seem more open-hearted than people who have nothing to hide.

A strange thing is the heart, how easily it is agitated!

It would seem like little work to say a few kind words, and how rarely do you hear them!

Download the book “Notes at the Bedside” for free by Sei-Syonagon

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Sei-Shonagon

NOTES AT THE HEADBOARD

(Full version)

1. In spring - dawn

In spring - dawn.

The edges of the mountains are becoming whiter, now they are slightly illuminated with light. Clouds touched with purple spread in thin ribbons across the sky.

In summer it is night.

There are no words, it is beautiful during the moonlight, but even the moonless darkness is pleasing to the eyes when countless fireflies rush past each other. Even if one or two fireflies flicker dimly in the dark, it's still amazing. Even in the rain it is incredibly beautiful.

In autumn it is twilight.

The setting sun, casting bright rays, is approaching the battlements of the mountains. Crows, in threes, fours, twos, hurry to their nests - what sad charm! But it’s even sadder in my soul when a line of wild geese, very small in appearance, stretch across the sky. The sun will set, and everything is full of inexpressible sadness: the sound of the wind, the ringing of cicadas...

In winter - early morning.

Fresh snow, needless to say, is beautiful, white-white frost too, but a frosty morning without snow is wonderful. They hurriedly light the fire, bring in glowing coals - this is how you feel winter! By noon, the cold subsides, and the fire in the round brazier goes out under a layer of ash, that’s what’s bad!

2. Seasons

Each season has its own special charm in the cycle of seasons. The first moon, the third and fourth, the fifth moon, the seventh moon, the eighth and ninth, the eleventh and twelfth are good.

The whole year is wonderful - from beginning to end.

3. New Year's festivities

On the first day of the New Year, the cleared sky turns blue joyfully, and a light spring haze transforms everything around.

Every single person in festive clothes, solemnly, with an enlightened heart, congratulates their sovereign and wishes happiness to each other. A magnificent sight!

On the seventh day of the year, shoots of young grasses are collected from thawed areas. How thickly they sprout, how freshly and brightly they turn green, even where you usually don’t see them, inside the palace fence!

On this day, noble ladies of the capital come to the palace in elegantly decorated carriages to watch the procession of the “White Horses”. Here one of the carriages rolled through the Middle Gate. The cart was abandoned on the threshold. Women bump heads. Hair combs fall and break... Cheerful laughter is heard.

I remember the first time I went to watch the White Horses procession.

Outside the gates, near the guardhouse of the Left Guard, courtiers crowded. They took bows from the bodyguards accompanying the procession and began to scare the horses with the ringing of the bowstring.

From my carriage, I could only see a lattice fence in the distance, in front of the palace. Maids and chambermaids scurried past her every now and then.

“What lucky girls! - I thought. - How freely they walk here, in the highest monastery beyond the nine gates. This is business as usual for them!”

But in reality the courtyards there are cramped. The bodyguards from the ceremonial retinue passed so close to me that even the spots on their faces were visible. The whitewash was applied unevenly, as if snow had melted in places and dark earth had appeared...

The horses behaved restlessly and reared up. Involuntarily, I hid from fear in the depths of the carriage and saw nothing else.

On the eighth day of the New Year there is great excitement. The loud sound of carriages is heard: the ladies are in a hurry to express their gratitude to the sovereign.

The fifteenth day is a holiday when, according to custom, the sovereign is presented with the “Full Moon Food”.

In noble houses, all the servants - both older, respectable ladies, and young ones - hiding the stirrer for the festive dish behind their backs, try to slap each other, looking over their shoulders, so as not to get hit themselves. They look the most funny! Suddenly bang! Someone didn't protect himself, it's all fun! But the little mouthful, understandably, is annoyed.

The young son-in-law, who has only recently begun visiting his wife at her parents’ house, is preparing to leave for the palace on the morning of the fifteenth day. Women are guarding this moment. One of them hid in the far corner. In any home there is one that is the first to poke around everywhere. But others, looking back at her, begin to giggle.

Shh, be quiet! - she waves her hand at them. And only the young lady, as if not noticing anything, remains unperturbed.

Oh, I need to take this! - a woman jumps out from an ambush, as if by chance runs up to the young mistress, pats her on the back with a stirrer and instantly disappears. Everyone bursts into laughter.

Mister son-in-law also smiles good-naturedly, he is not offended, and the young lady didn’t even flinch, and only her face turns slightly pink, it’s lovely!

It happens that women not only hit each other with a stirrer, but also hit a man.

Another will cry and in anger begin to passionately reproach and scold the offender:

She must have done it out of spite...

Even in the palace of the sovereign there is a cheerful commotion and strict etiquette is violated.

A funny turmoil also occurs on days when new appointments are awaited.

Even if it snows, even if the roads are covered in ice, a crowd of fourth and fifth rank officials with petitions in their hands will still flock to the imperial palace. The young people look cheerful, they are full of the brightest hopes. Old men, white with gray hair, wander to the chambers of the ladies of the court in search of patronage and fervently praise their own wisdom and other virtues.

How do they know that the young mockers will then mercilessly imitate and make fun of them?

Please put in a good word for me, sir. And the empress too, I beg you! - they ask.

It would be good if their hopes came true, but how could one not feel sorry for someone who failed!

4. On the third day of the third moon...

On the third day of the third moon, the sun shines brightly and calmly in a clear sky. The flowers on the peach trees are beginning to open.

Willow trees are inexpressibly beautiful at this time. The buds on them are like tight silkworm cocoons. But the leaves will bloom - and the end of the charm. How beautiful is the long branch of cherry blossoms in a large vase. And near this flowering branch sits, talking with the ladies, a noble guest, perhaps the elder brother of the empress herself, in a “cherry-colored” caftan on top of other multi-colored clothes... A wonderful picture!

5. The time of the fourth moon is wonderful...

The time of the fourth moon is wonderful during the Kamo festival. The ceremonial kaftans of the noblest dignitaries and the highest courtiers differ from each other only in the shade of purple, darker or lighter. Everyone's underwear is made of white raw silk. It's so cool!

The sparse foliage on the trees turns young green. And somehow you can’t help but admire the clear sky, not hidden by either the spring haze or the fogs of autumn. And in the evening and at night, when light clouds roll in, somewhere in the distance the cuckoo’s cry lurks, so vague and quiet, as if you imagine it... But how it excites your heart!

The closer the holiday, the more often servants run back and forth, carrying in their hands carelessly wrapped in paper rolls of silk in the color “green leaf mixed with fallen leaf” or “indigo and purple.” More often than usual, dresses of fancy colors catch your eye: with a bright border along the hem, motley or striped.

The young girls - participants in the solemn procession - have already managed to wash and comb their hair, but have not yet thrown off their wrinkled, worn dresses. Others' clothes are in complete disarray. Every now and then they shout in alarm: “The sandals don’t have enough ties!”, “We need new soles for the shoes!” - and they run around busily, beside themselves with impatience: will the long-awaited day come soon?

But everything is ready! The restless ones, who usually skip, now step forward slowly and importantly, like a bonze at the head of a prayer procession. The girls' festive outfit transformed them so much!

Mothers, aunts, older sisters, dressed in ceremonial style, each befitting their rank, accompany the girls on their journey. A brilliant procession!

Some people have been striving for years to obtain the court rank of Kuro'do, but it is not so easy. Only on the day of the holiday are they allowed to wear light green clothes with a yellow tint, as if they were real kurodo. Oh, if only I could never part with this robe! But, alas, the efforts are in vain: fabric that is not woven with patterns looks poor and inconspicuous.

6. It happens that people call the same thing...

It happens that people call the same thing by different names. The words are different, but the meaning is the same. Speech by a Buddhist monk. Man's speech. Woman's speech.

Common people love to add extra syllables to words.

Few words are wonderful.

7. Give your beloved son to become a monk

To give your beloved son to become a monk, how sad it is for the heart! People will look at him like he is an emotionless piece of wood.

The monk eats tasteless Lenten food, he suffers hunger, and lacks sleep. Youth strives for everything that life is rich in, but as soon as a monk casually glances at a woman, he is severely reproached for even such a small thing.

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