[1] At this period emperors held little power, holding a nominal position for rituals, and often too young to make decisions.

As historian Donald Shively explains, "Michinaga shocked even his admirers by arranging for the unprecedented appointment of Teishi (or Sadako) and Shōshi as concurrent empresses of the same emperor, Teishi holding the usual title of "Lustrous Heir-bearer" kōgō and Shōshi that of "Inner Palatine" (chūgū), a toponymically derived equivalent coined for the occasion".

Japanese literature scholar Arthur Waley describes Shōshi as a serious young lady based on a passage from Murasaki who wrote in her diary: "As the years go by Her Majesty is beginning to acquire more experience of life, and no longer judges others by the same rigid standards as before; but meanwhile her Court has gained a reputation for extreme dullness, and is shunned by all who can manage to avoid it".

[10] Moreover, Murasaki describes advice Shōshi gave to her ladies-in-waiting to avoid appearing too flirtatious: Her Majesty does indeed still constantly warn us that it is a great mistake to go too far, 'for a single slip may bring very unpleasant consequences,' and so on, in the old style; but she now also begs us not to reject advances in such a way as to hurt people's feelings.

Unfortunately, habits of long standing are not so easily changed; moreover, now that the Empress's exceedingly stylish brothers bring so many of their young courtier-friends to amuse themselves at her house, we have in self-defence been obliged to become more virtuous than ever'.

[9][11] With her first son Atsuhira, Shōshi had a difficult birth; to appease evil spirits she underwent a ritual head shaving, although only a lock of hair was cut.

[12] This ritual was considered to have been a minor ordination, or jukai into Buddhism, for the purpose of receiving divine protection when her life, and that of her unborn infant, was at risk.

[11] In her diary, Murasaki described the clothing of one woman in attendance, "Her mantle had five cuffs of white lined with dark red, and her crimson gown was of beaten silk".

[3] When Ichijō abdicated in 1011 and died soon after,[15] Shōshi's eldest son, the future Emperor Go-Ichijō, was named crown prince.

[3] At that time Shōshi retired from the Imperial Palace to live in a Fujiwara mansion in the Lake Biwa region, most likely accompanied by Murasaki.

This was done at a lavish ceremony, at a place decorated with gold-leafed illustrated folding screens, priceless gifts were displayed, and courtiers, dressed in sumptuous costumes, were in attendance.