Childhood/ Early Adult Life
In 978, Murasaki Shikibu was born into a lesser branch of the Fujiwara clan. This clan earned control of much of the Japanese government through marriage between the 9th and 12th centuries. However, Murasaki Shikibu was not the famous author’s original name. She didn't leave her birth name, which was a common thing for female authors to do. Murasaki literally translates to “purple” in Japanese, and is also the name for the main heroine in The Tale of Genji. Shikibu most likely refers to a post her father, Fujiwara Tamatoki, once had, as “Bureau of Ceremonial”. Fujiwara Tamatoki was an official, poet, and provincial governor. He taught Murasaki Chinese and Buddhist beliefs, though these subjects were not usually taught to girls. When she was about 20, Murasaki married Fujiwara Nobutaka, a distant cousin, and had one daughter. Unfortunately, her husband passed away, 2 years after the marriage.