In traditionalJapanese aesthetics,wabi-sabi (侘び寂び) centers on the acceptance oftransience and imperfection.[2] It is often described as the appreciation of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete".[3] It is prevalent in many forms of Japanese art.[4][5]
Wabi-sabi combines two interrelated concepts:wabi (侘) andsabi (寂). According to theStanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy,wabi may be translated as "subdued, austere beauty", andsabi as "rusticpatina".[6]Wabi-sabi derives from theBuddhist teaching of thethree marks of existence (三法印,sanbōin), which includeimpermanence (無常,mujō),suffering (苦,ku), andemptiness or absence of self-nature (空,kū).[7]
Characteristics ofwabi-sabi aesthetics and principles includeasymmetry, roughness,simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty,intimacy, and the appreciation of natural objects and the forces of nature.
Wabi-sabi has been described as "the most conspicuous and characteristic feature of what we think of as traditional Japanese beauty. It occupies roughly the same position in the Japanesepantheon of aesthetic values as do theGreek ideals ofbeauty and perfection in the West."[3] Andrew Juniper writes that, "If an object or expression can bring about, within us, a sense of serene melancholy and a spiritual longing, then that object could be said to bewabi-sabi."[8] According to Richard Powell, "Wabi-sabi nurtures all that is authentic by acknowledging three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect."[9]
When considering an English translation of the wordswabi andsabi, Juniper explains that "they have been used to express a vast range of ideas and emotions, and so their meanings are more open to personal interpretation than almost any other word in the Japanese vocabulary." As a result, attempts to translatewabi-sabi directly may obscure the ambiguity essential to its meaning.[8]
After centuries of incorporating artistic and Buddhist influences from China,wabi-sabi evolved into a distinctly Japanese ideal. Over time, the meanings ofwabi andsabi became more lighthearted and hopeful. Around 700 years ago, particularly among the Japanese nobility, understanding emptiness and imperfection came to be regarded as a first step towardsatori orenlightenment. In contemporary Japan,wabi-sabi is often summarized as "wisdom in natural simplicity". In art books, it is typically defined as "flawed beauty".[10] Works in thewabi-sabi style often emphasize process, with the piece understood as ultimately incomplete.[11]
From a design or engineering perspective,wabi may refer to the imperfect quality of an object resulting from inherent limitations in design and manufacture, especially under changing or unpredictable conditions. In this context,sabi could relate to impermanent reliability or the object's finite lifespan. This interpretation is further reflected in a phonological and etymological connection with the Japanese wordsabi (錆,lit. 'to rust'). Although thekanji for "rust" differ fromsabi (寂) inwabi-sabi, the original spoken term (from pre-kanjiyamato-kotoba) is believed to have been the same.[12][13]
Wabi andsabi both convey feelings of desolation and solitude. WithinMahayana Buddhism, these can be considered positive traits, representing release from the material world and the possibility oftranscendence to a simpler life. As Mahayana philosophy emphasizes direct experience over verbal explanation,wabi-sabi may be best understood in a non-verbal, experiential way.
Althoughwabi andsabi have religious origins, their usage in contemporary Japanese language is often informal, consistent with thesyncretic nature ofJapanese spiritual practice.
Wabi-sabi has roots inZen Buddhism. It began to shape Japanese culture when the Zen priestMurata Jukō (村田珠光, 1423–1502) modified thetea ceremony.[14] He introduced simple, rough wooden and clay instruments in place of the gold, jade, and porcelain then popular in the Chinese-style tea service. About one hundred years later, the tea masterSen no Rikyū (千利休, 1522 to 21 April 1591) introducedwabi-sabi to the nobility through his design of theteahouse. "He constructed a teahouse with a door so low that even the emperor would have to bow in order to enter, reminding everyone of the importance of humility before tradition, mystery, and spirit."[14]
At first, something that exhibitedwabi-sabi qualities could only be discovered. It could be "found in the simple dwellings of the farmers that dotted the landscape, epitomized in neglected stone lanterns overgrown with moss or in simple bowls and other household utensils used by the common folk."[15] However, toward the end of the late medieval period, the ruling class began using these aesthetic values to intentionally create "tea ceremony utensils, handicrafts, tea ceremony rooms and cottages, homes, gardens, even food and sweets, and above all manners and etiquette."[15]
Many forms ofJapanese art have been influenced by Zen and Mahayana philosophy over the past thousand years. The contemplation and acceptance of imperfection, as well as the awareness of constantflux andimpermanence, have been particularly important to Japanese arts andculture.[8] Accordingly, many Japanese art forms can be seen to encapsulate and exemplify the ideals ofwabi-sabi.[8]
Japanese gardens began as simple open spaces intended to attract kami, or spirits. During the Kamakura period, Zen ideals began to influence Japanese garden design.[8] Temple gardens were arranged with large rocks and other natural materials to formKaresansui, or Zen rock gardens. "Their designs imbued the gardens with a sense of the surreal and beckoned viewers to forget themselves and become immersed in the seas of gravel and the forests of moss. By loosening the rigid sense of perception, the actual scales of the garden became irrelevant and the viewers were able to then perceive the huge landscapes deep within themselves."[8]
Due to the tea garden's close relationship with the tea ceremony, "the tea garden became one of the richest expressions of wabi sabi."[8] These small gardens typically incorporated elements ofwabi-sabi design. They were meant to invite interpretation and place the visitor in a contemplative state, preparing them to take part in the tea ceremony.[8]
Japanese poetry such astanka andhaiku is typically very short and focuses on the defining attributes of a scene. "By withholding verbose descriptions, the poem entices the reader to actively participate in the fulfillment of its meaning and, as with the Zen gardens, to become an active participant in the creative process."[8] One of the most famous Japanese poets,Bashō, was credited with establishingsabi as a definitive emotive force in haiku. Many of his works, like otherwabi-sabi expressions, avoid sentimentality or superfluous adjectives, instead presenting the "devastating imagery of solitude."[8]
As the preference for simplicity and modesty grew, Zen masters came to view ornate Chinese ceramics as overly decorative and ostentatious.[16] Japanese potters began to explore freer expressions of beauty, moving away from uniformity and symmetry. New kiln technologies introduced varied colors, forms, and textures, allowing the creation of pieces that were unique and nonuniform. A particular type of firing was favored for its natural, unpredictable effects and its contribution to organicash glazes—considered a clear embodiment ofwabi-sabi.[16]
One example is the white raku bowlMount Fuji (Shiroraku-Chawan, Fujisan), made byHon'ami Kōetsu (本阿弥 光悦; 1558 – 27 February 1637), which has been designated a national treasure by the Japanese government.[16]
Kintsugi, a technique that uses gold lacquer to repair broken pottery, is also regarded as an expression ofwabi-sabi.[8]
Sen no Rikyū rejected the ornaterikka style popular at the time, disliking its rigid formalism and elaborate Chinese vases. Instead, he used simple vessels to display flowers, known aschabana, in his tea ceremonies.[8] Rather than selecting impressive or cultivated blooms, he preferred wildflowers. "Ikebana, like the gardens, uses a living medium in the creative process, and it is this ingredient of life that brings a unique feel to flower arrangements."[8]
Ikebana then became an important part of the tea ceremony, and the flowers were treated with great respect.[8] "When a tea-master has arranged a flower to his satisfaction he will place it on thetokonoma, the place of honour in a Japanese room. It rests there like an enthroned prince, and the guests or disciples on entering the room will salute it with a profound bow before making their addresses to the host."[17]
Other traditional expressions ofwabi-sabi include:
Wabi-sabi has been employed in the Western world across a variety of contexts, including the arts, technology, media, and mental health.
Many Western designers, writers, poets, and artists have incorporatedwabi-sabi ideals into their work to varying degrees. Some treat the concept as central to their practice, while others use it more selectively.
autumn twilight:
the wreath on the door
lifts in the wind
During the 1990s, the concept was adopted by computer software developers and used in contexts such asagile programming andwiki platforms. It described the acceptance of ongoing imperfection in software development produced through iterative methods.[21]
Wabi-sabi has also been cited in mental health contexts as a helpful concept for reducingperfectionist thinking.[22]
In 2009,Marcel Theroux presentedIn Search of Wabi Sabi onBBC Four as part of itsHidden Japan programming season. He traveled throughout Japan attempting to understand the aesthetic preferences of its people.
In "King of the Hill" Season 7 Episode 6,Bobby Hill enters a rose contest and talks about wabi sabi when choosing the rose he wanted to enter into the contest. He also brings up how the Liberty Bell and the mole onCindy Crawford's face were also examples of wabi sabi to convince his fatherHank to enter his rose to the contest. Hank, however, chooses a rose that fit the contest guidelines more. At the same contest, after being forced to pluck a bruised petal, Hank also attempts to explain Wabi Sabi to the judge, only to fail and lose the contest. As he and Bobby plant the roses in the front yard at the end of the episode, Hank mentions to Bobby he's got a "lot of Wabi Sabi."
Elements ofJapanese architecture | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Styles |
| |||||||||
| Types of building |
| |||||||||
| Roof styles | ||||||||||
| Structural and spatial | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
| Rooms | ||||||||||
| Furnishings | ||||||||||
| Partitions | ||||||||||
| Outdoor objects | ||||||||||
| Measurements | ||||||||||
| Organizations | ||||||||||
| Related topics |
| |||||||||
