Wabi (侘)1 refers to the ‘rustic beauty’ and this pertains to the things that have the ability retain the elegant charm despite the flaws or imperfections present on its surface. The Kanji character for wabi symbolizes ‘isolation’ through visual perspective; an object that is marred yet, it was because of the marred quality of the object that makes it beautiful and appealing even to the discerning eyes of the viewer. On the other hand, the character for sabi (寂)2 pertains to the intrinsic meanings of the object, such as its history. In this way, the concept of sabi can be explained as to how the rustic appearance of the object is aligned with the history or the period it came from. In other words, the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi means the appreciation of flawed beauty marked with aging and isolation.3
The premises of the wabi-sabi philosophy can be explained in terms of visual aspects. For example, a painting made from the Edo period made by Kanou Tanyuu titled, Jizō Bosatsu Playing a Flute dated in the 17th century was a silk scroll painting depicting a Jizo bodhisattva playing a flute dressed in long flowing white robes. He was pictured flying on top of the clouds while his face mirrored his serene looking personality as he gazes below the earth from the heavens. According to the legend, he was the guardian of the children.
______________________________________________
The Kanji for Wabi roughly translates to the English words which means as ‘melancholy’ and ‘noble.’ However, these interpretations on the words were based on the Onyomi readings of the character. In actuality, the notion of Wabi is abstract and remains open for interpretations in terms of visual and cultural aspects.
The meaning of the Sabi in Kanji also remains vague; however, it correlates to the age of the objects; in this paper, the age refers to its history. In other words, the Sabi refers to the process of aging which contributes to the appreciation of the object in its natural marred form.
Graham Parkes, “Japanese Aesthetics”, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, last modified 2005, accessed April 22, 2016, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/japanese-aesthetics/#3.
The simplicity of the execution of flowing lines, bold, and relaxed; while the figure remains pure without colorings except for a small hints of chiaroscuro created by blending of dark and light pigments and a yellow ochre paint to add a color to the work.4 Applying the philosophy of wabi-sabi, Kanou’s painting provides elegance in terms of incompleteness, especially seen on the absence of colors. In this aspect, the wabi refers to the state of incomplete while the sabi corresponds with the historical properties of the object that despite its incompleteness, the object’s history fills the gap by telling its audience the history of the time period when it was created. In accordance with the Zen aesthetics, the function of the scroll is meant to be used as a decorative element particularly as a wall hanging on the tokonoma (床の間) or alcove of the tea rooms known as chashitsu (茶). The alcove is merely a small blank spot within the tea rooms reserved for hanging artworks such as calligraphy or kakemono (掛物). The wabi-sabi relates to this function since the scroll’s simplicity is akin to the emptiness and imperfection of the tea rooms due to the absence of gaudy architectural designs.
Furthermore, another example of an object that mirrors this philosophy is the Shino Tea Bowl from the Momoyama period. The object was a ceramic glazed with traces of bluish pigments, possibly the tea bowl was decorated with images of a Japanese house and a bridge. The simplicity of the design was the archetype of the Sengoku period designs with their preference for something functional and at the same time rustic and simple in appearance.
________________________
Kanou Tanyuu, “Jizo Bosatsu Playing a Flute Edo Period (1615–1868)”, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accessed April 22, 2016, http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/53010.
The tea bowl has minimal circular cracks and chipping on the surface as a result of age; however, it was the age of the cup and the history that envelops it gives the object is distinct beauty knowing that people from that time period from a different culture had a different perception of beauty which was opposite of the ones commonly patronized in Europe.5 The concept of wabi philosophy in this tea bowl refers to the presence of dents and small cracks throughout the surface of the tea bowl, and it was because of this slight imperfections that makes the object an example of a rustic elegance derived from the simple appreciation of naturalness that everything in the nature does not conform to the perfection without having any single flaws. Meanwhile, the notion of sabi in this bowl presents the object as a product of Japan’s tumultuous history; in this case, the appreciation for visual elegance can be attained not only by accepting its flaws but also knowing the roots on how the tea bowl got its craggy appearance. It was because of the turmoil of the Sengoku period and the Zen philosophy that influenced the creation of this object that prides itself more on its functionality rather than visual appearance.
In comparison, both the Momoyama tea bowl and the Jizo silk scroll follows the aesthetic of wabi due to their state of incompleteness; the tea bowl and the absence of further glazing to cover up the dents and the irregular shape while the silk scroll’s lackluster properties makes it a void, an two-dimensional image meant only for aesthetic representation of the bodhisattva in the tea rooms. These objects also follow the concept of the sabi in regards to the historical references connected on them. The dents and cracks of the tea bowl as well as the incomplete iconography of the Kanou’s silk scroll was synonymous to the Edo period’s heightened appraisal of the Zen culture in a way that they welcomed more the imperfections in the art rather than rejecting it. However, the two pieces contrasts each other due to the following reasons: the Jizo scroll was a two-dimensional object and stationary in one place; meaning that the concept of wabi-sabi remains to be appreciated only in one place such as the alcove of the tea room. Meanwhile, the Momoyama tea bowl was three dimensional provides an opportunity for everyone drinking tea to appreciate its rustic beauty in fullest form due to its mobility and wholeness; the concept of wabi-sabi can be appreciated everywhere since it can be brought and used from one place to another; distributed from person to another person. As a conclusion, the two objects namely the Jizo silk scroll and the Momoyama tea bowl exemplifies the Japanese aesthetic perspective of embracing imperfections since it goes according to the way of saying ‘less is more beautiful’ and the everyday appreciation for the naturalness in regards to simple living.
_____________________________________
“Shino Teabowl with Bridge and House, Known As “Bridge Of The Gods” Shinkyō Momoyama Period (1573–1615)”, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accessed April 22, 2016, http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/53002.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Parkes, Graham. “Japanese Aesthetics”. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Last modified 2005. Accessed April 22, 2016. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/japanese-aesthetics/#3.
“Shino Teabowl With Bridge And House, Known As “Bridge Of The Gods” Shinkyō Momoyama Period (1573–1615)”. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accessed April 22, 2016. http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/53002.
Tanyu, Kano. “Jizō Bosatsu Playing a Flute Edo Period (1615–1868)”. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accessed April 22, 2016. http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/53010.
