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Korechika
Tadanobu’s title is Secretary Captain. At one point, he spreads “baseless and ridiculous rumors” about Sei, though he later tries to make amends with her by sending a poem. They even seem to have a flirtatious dynamic at one point. Tadanobu is particularly skilled at poetry recitation, prompting jealousy from Nobukata.
Fujiwara Tadanobu Quotes in The Pillow Book
The The Pillow Book quotes below are all either spoken by Fujiwara Tadanobu or refer to Fujiwara Tadanobu. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Sections 72–77 Quotes
There was nothing in [the letter] to justify my nervousness. He had written the line from Bo Juyi, ‘You are there in the flowering capital, beneath the Council Chamber’s brocade curtains’, and added, ‘How should it end, tell me?’
‘What on earth shall I do?’ I wondered. ‘If Her Majesty were here I’d most certainly show this to her. It would look bad to parade the fact that I know the next line by writing it in my poor Chinese characters.’ […]
[S]o I seized a piece of dead charcoal from the brazier and simply wrote at the end of his letter, in Japanese script,
Who will come visiting this grass-thatched hut?
The messenger duly carried it off, but there was no response.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
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Explanation and Analysis:
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Fujiwara Tadanobu Character Timeline in The Pillow Book
The timeline below shows where the character Fujiwara Tadanobu appears in The Pillow Book. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Sections 72–77
At one point, Secretary Captain Tadanobu hears “certain baseless and ridiculous rumours” that are being spread about Sei, and he begins...
(full context)
...what happened last night, he looks “shamefaced.” He explains that many people were gathered in Tadanobu’s room after they got Sei’s message. They declared her a “clever rogue” and spent the...
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...He breathlessly repeats the whole story, grateful that Sei gave such a clever response to Tadanobu, since if she’d failed, it would have reflected poorly on him as “elder brother.” He...
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Sections 78–82
...palace complex. Sei temporarily stays behind in the old quarters. After receiving several messages from Tadanobu, she meets with him, feeling sorry that despite the beautiful scene—Tadanobu is dressed magnificently, and...
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...eager for Sei to weigh in. Their conversation shifts to curiosity about Sei’s encounter with Tadanobu—everyone wants to hear the details. They tease Sei about the fact that only she would...
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Sections 120–129
...and the preacher, Seihan, draws tears even from the young people with his sermons. Afterward, Tadanobu recites an especially moving Chinese poem. Tadanobu often teases Sei about their relationship—why can’t they...
(full context)
Sections 154–159
One day, Consultant Captain Tadanobu came for a visit, along with Captain Nobukata and Junior Counsellor Michikata. Sei is impressed...
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After Tadanobu is promoted, Sei misses him. Nobukata tries to convince her that he’s just as good...
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Sections 187–221
...rustlings of different people’s clothes. The delicate blend of incense is also elegantly intriguing. Captain Tadanobu’s subtle blend of incense would linger long after he visited.
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