Beauty and it's Seasons

Blog #10 - Bigaku, Kisetsu, Otogibanashi, and Wabi-Sabi

There are numerous "standards" of beauty in today's world, the most prevalent being outward appearance. One of the ways of going about this is through clothing. The Japanese sense of beauty, however, is more than just clothing-deep. As far as clothing goes, the Japanese have adopted a more rational sense of clothing, abandoning, but not completely, the art of the kimono. Wafuku, or original Japanese clothing, is decreasing as yofuku, or Western clothing, is increasing. Western styles of clothing are now completely natural due to the Japanese's want to become Westernized. Hogaku, or traditional Japanese music, is decreasing as well. Younger children going to school learn piano, violin, or guitar, but rarely study the traditional instruments like the koto, shamisen, or shakuhachi, a flute that is blown into from one end.

Although these traditions are dying out, albeit slowly, they are still prevalent in various ceremonies, omiai, or dinners at higher class restaurants; the kimono also being a higher class garb.

Being an art major, I can fully appreciate the tradition of Japanese art. Hokusai's The Great Wave off Kanagawa, is one of my favorite pieces. A traditional woodblock print with ink. "Japanese art focuses not on what is logically considered beautiful, but on what people feel is beautiful". This is a true expression of art. A common theme in Japanese art, which I see mainly as prints, include cherry blossoms and the representation of the seasons and weather.


Much like the United States, Japan has four distinct seasons; summer, fall, winter, and spring, but there is also a rainy season known as tsuyu. Because of this rainy seasons and for how long it has been occurring, it was embraced as an agricultural tool. Due to the wetness of the ground, rice could be easily grown, and still is. Also, because of the damper conditions, houses are raised and are also airier inside, reducing the felt humidity. Various foods are also eaten during different seasons. Probably why I crave a hot dog in the summer and chicken soup in the winter. A popular activity is hanamari, or flower-viewing. When cherry blossoms bloom, people will actually go outside to view them and bring along bento boxes, or lunches.

A popular way of passing traditions down are folktales. Much like Greek mythology, these tales often teach lessons, morals, or ways of life but also reflect the cultural norms. "When people read folktales they become connected to the history, traditions, and spirit of their culture.". These folk tales demonstrate the Japanese sense of emotional beauty, known as aware.

When analyzed as two separate entities, wabi and sabi, wabi is both an aesthetic and moral principle, where as sabi is designated to the beauty of silence, going back to chinmoku. The wabi-sabi principle is all about simplicity, as seen in Japanese architecture. It's focused on the true Zen Buddhism ways of empty space and quiet subdued colors. It is truly an elegance that is seen in no other culture.

Reflection:

I think that to say you're from a certain culture means to follow the ways of life, whether it be the footd you eat, your internal morals, or what you practice in everyday life. Why am I an American? It could just be because I vote but I attribute my culture to being able to express myself freely, follow my dreams (very cliche), and drink beer on Sunday.