A portrait of the court culture of the ancient emperors of Japan. This book is divided into subject chapters covering such themes as politics, religion, the cult of beauty and the the Tale of Genji' for easy reference. Appendices and genealogical tables on the Heian period are included. The World of the Shining Prince, Ivan Morris's widely acclaimed portrait of the ceremonious, inbred, melancholy world of ancient Japan, has been a standard in cultural studies for nearly thirty years. Using as a frame of reference The Tale of Genji and other major literary works'