"The tale of Genji" by Murasaki Shikibu is a classic work of Japanese literature written in the early 11th century. Often considered the world's first novel, it depicts the lives of high courtiers during the Heian period. The story follows Hikaru Genji, the emperor's son demoted to commoner status, through his romantic encounters and later years. The narrative continues with his descendants, weaving together hundreds of characters across multiple generations in this monumental work of court life and forbidden love. (This is an automatically generated summary.)