▁and ▁an ▁ep istol ary ▁section . ▁Set ▁at ▁the ▁imperial ▁court ▁in ▁Ky oto , ▁it ▁opens ▁with ▁these ▁words : ▁" As ▁aut umn ▁adv ances , ▁the ▁T such im ik ado ▁m ansion ▁looks ▁un utter ably ▁beautiful . ▁Every ▁branch ▁on ▁every ▁tree ▁by ▁the ▁lake ▁and ▁each ▁tu ft ▁of ▁grass ▁on ▁the ▁banks ▁of ▁the ▁stream ▁takes ▁on ▁its ▁own ▁particular ▁color , ▁which ▁is ▁then ▁intens ified ▁by ▁the ▁evening ▁light ." ▁ ▁The ▁opening ▁v ign ettes ▁are ▁followed ▁by ▁short ▁accounts ▁of ▁the ▁events ▁surrounding ▁Sh ō sh i ' s ▁pre gn ancy . ▁She ▁begins ▁with ▁a ▁description ▁of ▁the ▁Em press ' s ▁removal ▁from ▁the ▁Imperial ▁palace ▁to ▁her ▁father ' s ▁house , ▁the ▁various ▁celebr ations ▁and ▁rit uals ▁that ▁took ▁place ▁during ▁the ▁pre gn ancy , ▁and ▁the ▁event ual ▁child b irth ▁with ▁its ▁associated ▁r ites ▁in ▁celebr ation ▁of ▁the ▁successful ▁delivery ▁of ▁a ▁male ▁he ir . ▁These ▁pass ages ▁include ▁specific ▁read ings ▁of ▁s ut ras ▁and ▁other ▁Buddh ist ▁rit uals ▁associated ▁with ▁child b irth . ▁ ▁Several ▁pass ages ▁account ▁Mur as aki ' s ▁diss atisf action ▁with ▁court ▁life . ▁She ▁describes ▁feelings ▁of ▁hel pl ess ness , ▁her ▁sense ▁of ▁in ade qu acy ▁compared ▁to ▁higher - rank ed ▁Fu ji w ara ▁cl an ▁relatives ▁and ▁cour ti ers , ▁and ▁the ▁per vas ive ▁l onel iness ▁after ▁her