Murasaki Shikibu was a Japanese writer, poet, and lady-in-waiting during the Heian period. She was born around 973 into the northern Fujiwara clan, a family with literary prestige but diminished political influence. Her father, Fujiwara no Tametoki, was a scholar and minor official, and her mother came from the same noble lineage. Although women were traditionally barred from studying Chinese, the scholarly language of government, Murasaki exhibited a strong aptitude for it and learned despite societal restrictions. She married in her mid-to-late twenties and had a daughter, Daini no Sanmi, before her husband's early death. Likely beginning The Tale of Genji during or shortly after her marriage, she gained recognition for her literary talent, leading to an invitation to serve as a lady-in-waiting to Empress Shoshi around 1005. She continued writing while at court, weaving courtly life into her work. After several years, she retired with the empress to the Lake Biwa region. Scholars dispute her death date, with estimates ranging from 1014 to 1025. Besides Genji, she wrote The Diary of Lady Murasaki and poetry, leaving a lasting influence on Japanese literature and courtly culture.