清少納言

Yesterday I continued learning about the many things that Sei Shonagon 清少納言 (966 - 1017) hated. One of them was the manner displayed by the Japanese men in a drinking party. They shouted while drinking, they poke fingers into their mouths. Those who had beards, stroked them with hands. They kept on asking others to drink. When they were drunk, they still asked one and other to continue. They trembled their bodies, shook their heads, wore funny faces, and together they sang some childish songs. They were supposed to be well-bred people yet they had such bad manners. Sei Shonagon felt it resentful when she saw the scene. Another thing that she hated was while one was in bed thinking of sleeping, a small mosquito appeared. It showed its presence by flying near one's face. It was so close that one's body could feel the wind generated by the flapping wings. It was extremely hateful, according to Sei Shonagon. Both stories give us a glimpse of the daily life of some Japanese one thousand years ago.