Sarashina Nikki: A Bridge to the Heian Period With Sarashina Nikki, one has a portal to one of the greatest era of Japanese history, a time of high culture and art. Lady Sarashina’s memoir, Sarashina Nikki, supplies a crucial lens for viewing the Heian period. Specifically, the work provides a historical glimpse into the life of an aristocrat. Presented throughout Sarashina Nikki is a recount of Lady Sarashina’s experience as an aristocrat -- she embarks on pilgrimages to distant lands and takes service at the Court. Additionally, further indicative of Sarashina Nikki’s historical value, the work highlights the influence of Buddhism during the Heian period, aspects of Buddhist practices are threaded throughout the work. For these reason --
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Lady Sarashina’s memoir serves as a time-machine to the Heian Period, an aristocratic dominated society where the “rule of taste” sometimes prevailed over the rule of law. This contrast in how rules of aesthetic dictated societal norm and status is illustrated throughout Sarashina Nikki. For example, during Lady Sarashina’s journey from Kazusa to the Capital she takes a particular interest in a group of girls’ hair. Lady Sarashina describes their hair as being “extremely long, hung beautifully over their foreheads” and further adds that their fair complexions made them look “attractive enough to serve as waiting-women” (Morris 47). Evident in Lady Sarashina’s words is how one’s aesthetic played a significant role social hierarchy. In this particular example, it appears fair skin and long, beautiful hair was associated with those of the aristocrats. Another illustration of the aesthetic driven society of the Heian period appears mid-way through the text. Lady Sarashina describes an incident where she is called to service at the imperial court. She states there were “some forty ladies in attendance, all wearing dark red robes of glossed silk over white under robes” (Morris 85). In this particular cases, all the females are dressed in a similar manner in effort to be aligned with social …show more content…
From the text, it appears Buddhism, in the eyes of those in the Heian period, was as a means of obtaining additional power or elevating one’s social status; this is indicative in the words of Lady Sarashina’s brother. In regards to the Purification ceremony at the Capital city, he states one would be “a laughingstock for generations to come” (Morris 98) if they do not attend the ceremony. Further adding, “people are coming all the way from the country to see it” (Morris 98) as his reasoning for why one should attend the ceremony.
A Buddhist practice that is highlighted throughout the Sarashina Nikki was religious pilgrimages, often one’s journey would be to a local temple in a distant land. Once there, individuals were expected to perform ceremonic acts such as the burning of incense or chanting of prayers. Evident from Sarashina Nikki, pilgrimages were also considered as a means of obtaining wealth and power.
Now I really begun to regret having wasted so much time on my silly fancies, and I bitterly reproached myself for not having accompanied Mother and Father on their pilgrimages. My position had greatly improved, both in social standing and in material wealth […] The time had come, I told myself, to think about preparing for my life in the world to come. Toward the end of the Eleventh Month I set out on a pilgrimage to
Lady Sarashina’s memoir serves as a time-machine to the Heian Period, an aristocratic dominated society where the “rule of taste” sometimes prevailed over the rule of law. This contrast in how rules of aesthetic dictated societal norm and status is illustrated throughout Sarashina Nikki. For example, during Lady Sarashina’s journey from Kazusa to the Capital she takes a particular interest in a group of girls’ hair. Lady Sarashina describes their hair as being “extremely long, hung beautifully over their foreheads” and further adds that their fair complexions made them look “attractive enough to serve as waiting-women” (Morris 47). Evident in Lady Sarashina’s words is how one’s aesthetic played a significant role social hierarchy. In this particular example, it appears fair skin and long, beautiful hair was associated with those of the aristocrats. Another illustration of the aesthetic driven society of the Heian period appears mid-way through the text. Lady Sarashina describes an incident where she is called to service at the imperial court. She states there were “some forty ladies in attendance, all wearing dark red robes of glossed silk over white under robes” (Morris 85). In this particular cases, all the females are dressed in a similar manner in effort to be aligned with social …show more content…
From the text, it appears Buddhism, in the eyes of those in the Heian period, was as a means of obtaining additional power or elevating one’s social status; this is indicative in the words of Lady Sarashina’s brother. In regards to the Purification ceremony at the Capital city, he states one would be “a laughingstock for generations to come” (Morris 98) if they do not attend the ceremony. Further adding, “people are coming all the way from the country to see it” (Morris 98) as his reasoning for why one should attend the ceremony.
A Buddhist practice that is highlighted throughout the Sarashina Nikki was religious pilgrimages, often one’s journey would be to a local temple in a distant land. Once there, individuals were expected to perform ceremonic acts such as the burning of incense or chanting of prayers. Evident from Sarashina Nikki, pilgrimages were also considered as a means of obtaining wealth and power.
Now I really begun to regret having wasted so much time on my silly fancies, and I bitterly reproached myself for not having accompanied Mother and Father on their pilgrimages. My position had greatly improved, both in social standing and in material wealth […] The time had come, I told myself, to think about preparing for my life in the world to come. Toward the end of the Eleventh Month I set out on a pilgrimage to