Ivan Morris's definitive and widely acclaimed portrait of the ceremonious and melancholy world of ancient Japan.UsingThe Tale of Genjiand other major literary works from Japan's Heian period as a frame of reference,The World of the Shining Princerecreates an era when women set the cultural tone. Focusing on the world of the emperor's courta world deeply admired by Virginia Woolf, among othersrenowned scholar of Japanese history and literature Ivan Morris explores the politics, society, religious life, and superstitions of the period.Offering readers detailed portrayals of the daily lives of courtiers, the cult of beauty they espoused, and the intricate relations between the men and women of the age,The World of the Shining Princehas been a cornerstone text on ancient Japan for half a century