 To give Shōshi prestige and to make her competitive in a court that valued education and learning, Michinaga sought talented, educated and interesting ladies-in-waiting to build a salon to rival that of Teishi and Seishi (daughter of Emperor Murakami).Michinaga invited Murasaki Shikibu, author of "The Tale of Genji", to Shōshi's court, where she joined Izumi Shikibu and Akazome Emon.At Teishi's court as lady-in-waiting was writer Sei Shōnagon, author of The "Pillow Book".