Sei Shonagon (c. 966-1017) was a Japanese author and a court lady who served the Empress Teishi (Empress Sadako) around the year 1000 during the middle Heian period, and is best known as the author of The Pillow Book 'Makura no Soshi'. She achieved fame through her work The Pillow Book, a collection of lists, gossip, poetry, observations, complaints and anything else she found of interest during her years in the court. Her writing depicts the court of the young Empress as full of an elegant and merry atmosphere.