What is Wabi-Sabi_tadao Ando

4/11/2015 WhatIsWabiSabi?

http://www.nobleharbor.com/tea/chado/WhatIsWabiSabi.htm 1/5

WHATISWABISABI?TheJapaneseviewoflifeembracedasimpleaesthetic

thatgrewstrongerasinessentialswereeliminatedandtrimmedaway.

architectTadaoAndo

Pareddowntoitsbarestessence,wabisabiistheJapaneseartoffindingbeautyinimperfectionandprofundityinnature,ofacceptingthenaturalcycleofgrowth,decay,anddeath.It'ssimple,slow,andunclutteredanditreveresauthenticityaboveall.Wabisabiisfleamarkets,notwarehousestoresagedwood,notPergoricepaper,notglass.Itcelebratescracksandcrevicesandalltheothermarksthattime,weather,andlovinguseleavebehind.Itremindsusthatweareallbuttransientbeingsonthisplanetthatourbodiesaswellasthematerialworldaroundusareintheprocessofreturningtothedustfromwhichwecame.Throughwabisabi,welearntoembraceliverspots,rust,andfrayededges,andthemarchoftimetheyrepresent.

Wabisabiisunderplayedandmodest,thekindofquiet,undeclaredbeautythatwaitspatientlytobediscovered.It'safragmentaryglimpse:thebranchrepresentingtheentiretree,shojiscreensfilteringthesun,themoon90percentobscuredbehindaribbonofcloud.It'sarichlymellowbeautythat'sstrikingbutnotobvious,thatyoucanimaginehavingaroundyouforalong,longtimeKatherineHepburnversusMarilynMonroe.FortheJapanese,it'sthedifferencebetweenkireimerely"pretty"andomoshiroi,theinterestingnessthatkickssomethingintotherealmofbeautiful.(Omoshiroiliterallymeans"whitefaced,"butitsmeaningsrangefromfascinatingtofantastic.)It'sthepeacefoundinamossgarden,themustysmellofgeraniums,theastringenttasteofpowderedgreentea.MyfavoriteJapanesephrasefordescribingwabisabiis"natsukashiifurusato,"oranoldmemoryofmyhometown.(ThisisaprevalentmindsetinJapanthesedays,aspeopleborninmajorurbanareassuchasTokyoandOsakawaxnostalgicovergrandparents'countryhousesthatperhapsneverwere.Theycaneven"rent"grandparentswholiveinprototypicalcountryhousesandspendtheweekendthere.)

DaisetzT.Suzuki,whowasoneofJapan'sforemostEnglishspeakingauthoritiesonZenBuddhismandoneofthefirstscholarstointerpretJapanesecultureforWesterners,describedwabisabias"anactiveaestheticalappreciationofpoverty."HewasreferringtopovertynotasweintheWestinterpret(andfear)itbutinthemoreromanticsenseofremovingthehugeweightofmaterialconcernsfromourlives."Wabiistobesatisfiedwithalittlehut,aroomoftwoorthreetatamimats,likethelogcabinofThoreau,"hewrote,"andwithadishofvegetablespickedintheneighboringfields,andperhapstobelisteningtothepatteringofagentlespringrainfall."

InJapan,thereisamarkeddifferencebetweenaThoreaulikewabibito(wabiperson),whoisfreeinhisheart,andamakotonohinjin,amoreDickensiancharacterwhosepoorcircumstancesmakehimdesperateandpitiful.TheabilitytomakedowithlessisreveredIheardsomeonerefertoawabibitoasapersonwhocouldmakesomethingcompleteoutofeightpartswhenmostofuswoulduseten.ForusintheWest,thismightmeanchoosingasmallerhouseorasmallercar,orjustasameansofgettingstartedrefusingtosupersizeourfries.

Thewordswabiandsabiwerenotalwayslinked,althoughthey'vebeentogetherforsuchalongtimethatmanypeople(includingD.T.Suzuki)usetheminterchangeably.OneteateacherItalkedwithbeggedmenottousethephrasewabisabibecauseshebelievesthemarriagedilutestheirseparateidentitiesateamasterinKyotolaughedandsaidthey're



throwntogetherbecauseitsoundscatchy,kindoflikePingPong.Infact,thetwowordsdohavedistinctmeanings,althoughmostpeopledon'tfullyagreeonwhattheymightbe.

Wabistemsfromtherootwa,whichreferstoharmony,peace,tranquillity,andbalance.Generallyspeaking,wabihadtheoriginalmeaningofsad,desolate,andlonely,butpoeticallyithascometomeansimple,unmaterialistic,humblebychoice,andintunewithnature.Someonewhoisperfectlyherselfandnevercravestobeanythingelsewouldbedescribedaswabi.SixteenthcenturyteamasterJoodescribedawabiteamanassomeonewhofeelsnodissatisfactioneventhoughheownsnoChineseutensilswithwhichtoconducttea.Acommonphraseusedinconjunctionwithwabiis"thejoyofthelittlemonkinhiswindtornrobe."AwabipersonepitomizesZen,whichistosay,heorsheiscontentwithverylittlefreefromgreed,indolence,andangerandunderstandsthewisdomofrocksandgrasshoppers.

Untilthefourteenthcentury,whenJapanesesocietycametoadmiremonksandhermitsfortheirspiritualasceticism,wabiwasapejorativetermusedtodescribecheerless,miserableoutcasts.Eventoday,undertonesofdesolationandabandonmentclingtotheword,sometimesusedtodescribethehelplessfeelingyouhavewhenwaitingforyourlover.Italsocarriesahintofdissatisfactioninitsunderhandedcriticismofgaudandostentationthedefiningmarkoftherulingclasseswhenwabisuki(atasteforallthingswabi)explodedinthesixteenthcentury.Inacountryruledbywarlordswhowereexpectedtobeconspicuousconsumers,wabibecameknownas"theaestheticofthepeople"thelifestyleoftheeverdaysamurai,whohadlittleinthewayofmaterialcomforts.

Sabibyitselfmeans"thebloomoftime."Itconnotesnaturalprogressiontarnish,hoariness,rusttheextinguishedglossofthatwhichoncesparkled.It'stheunderstandingthatbeautyisfleeting.Theword'smeaninghaschangedovertime,fromitsancientdefinition,"tobedesolate,"tothemoreneutral"togrowold."Bythethirteenthcentury,sabi'smeaninghadevolvedintotakingpleasureinthingsthatwereoldandfaded.Aproverbemerged:"Timeiskindtothings,butunkindtoman."

Sabithingscarrytheburdenoftheiryearswithdignityandgrace:thechillymottledsurfaceofanoxidizedsilverbowl,theyieldinggrayofweatheredwood,theelegantwitheringofabereftautumnbough.Anoldcarleftinafieldtorust,asittransformsfromaneyesoreintoapartofthelandscape,couldbeconsideredAmerica'scontributiontotheevolutionofsabi.Anabandonedbarn,asitcollapsesinonitself,holdsthismystique.

There'sanachingpoetryinthingsthatcarrythispatina,andittranscendstheJapanese.WeAmericansareineffablydrawntooldEuropeantownswiththeircrookedcobblestonestreetsandchippingplaster,toplacesbattlescarredwithhistorymuchdeeperthanourown.Weseeksabiinantiquesandeventrytomanufactureitindistressedfurnishings.Truesabicannotbeacquired,however.Itisagiftoftime.

Sonowwehavewabi,whichishumbleandsimple,andsabi,whichisrustyandweathered.Andwe'vethrownthesetermstogetherintoaphrasethatrollsoffthetonguelikePingPong.Doesthatmean,then,thatthewabisabihouseisfullofthingsthatarehumble,plain,rusty,andweathered?That'stheeasyanswer.Theamalgamationofwabiandsabiinpractice,however,takesonmuchmoredepth.

Inhomedecor,wabisabiinspiresaminimalismthatcelebratesthehumanratherthanthemachine.Possessionsarepareddown,andpareddownagain,untilonlythosethatarenecessaryfortheirutilityorbeauty(andideallyboth)areleft.Whatmakesthecut?Itemsthatyoubothadmireandlovetouse,likethosehandcrankeggbeatersthatstillworkjustfine.Thingsthatresonatewiththespiritoftheirmakers'handsandhearts:thechairyourgrandfathermade,yoursixyearold'slumpypottery,anafghanyouknittedyourself(outof



handspunsheep'swool,perhaps).Piecesofyourownhistory:sepiatonedancestralphotos,babyshoes,theNancyDrewmysteriesyoureadoverandoveragainasakid.

Wabisabiinteriorstendtobemuted,dimlylit,andshadowygivingtheroomsanenveloping,womblikefeeling.Naturalmaterialsthatarevulnerabletoweathering,warping,shrinking,cracking,andpeelinglendanairofperishability.Thepaletteisdrawnfrombrowns,blacks,grays,earthygreens,andrusts.Thisimpliesalackoffreedombutactuallyaffordsanopportunityforinnovationandcreativity.InJapan,kimonoscomeinahundreddifferentshadesofgray.Yousimplyhavetohoneyourvision

soyoucansee,andfeel,themall.

WABI,NOTSLOBBY

Wabisabicanbeexploitedinallsortsofways,andoneofthemosttemptingistouseitasanexcusetoshrugoffanunmadebed,anunsweptfloor,orasoiledsofa."Oh,that.Well,that'sjustwabisabi."Mynineyearoldson,Stacey,lovesthistactic.

Howtemptingitmightbetoletthesplitrunningdownthesofacushionseamcontinueonitsmerryway,callingitwabisabi.TospendSaturdayafternoonatthemoviesandletthedustsettleintotherugs:wabisabi.Tobuyfiveextraminutesofsleepeverymorningbynotmakingthebedasawabisabistatement,ofcourse.Andhowdoyouknowwhenyou'vegonetoofarwhenyou'vecrossedoverfromsimple,serene,andrustictoUberdistress?

Asolidyellowlineseparatestatteredandshabby,dustanddirtfromsomethingworthyofveneration.Wabisabiisnevermessyorslovenly.Wornthingstakeontheirmagiconlyinsettingswhereit'scleartheydon'tharborbugsorgrime.Onesensesthatthey'vesurvivedtobearthemarksoftimepreciselybecausethey'vebeensowellcaredforthroughouttheyears.Eventhemostrareandexpensiveofantiqueswillneverplaywellinahousethat'sclutteredordirty.

Cleanlinessimpliesrespect.Bothancientandmodernteamastersteachthateventhepoorestwabiteapersonshouldalwaysusefreshgreenbambooutensilsandnewwhiteclothsforwipingtheteabowl.Intea,thehost'scleanlinessisconsideredaclearindicatorofhisstateofmindandhisdevotiontothewayoftea.ChanoyuIchieshu,ateatextbookpublishedin1956,evengoessofarastoadvisegueststolookintothehost'stoiletiftheywishtounderstandhisspiritualtraining.

I'mdefinitelynotadvocatingthisextreme.Infact,I'mmortifiedatthethoughtofanyonejudgingmeonthestateofmyowntoilets.Buttheteamasters'pointisvalid:Spacesthathavebeenthoroughlyandlovinglycleanedareultimatelymorewelcoming.Whenthebedisneatlymade,theromanceofafrayedquiltblossoms.Thecharacterimpartedbyawoodfloor'sknotsandcrevicesshinesthroughwhenthecrumbsaresweptaway.Ascrubbedbutfadedkilim,thrownoverasofathat'sseenonetoomanystains,transformsitintoanirresistibleplacetorest.

Wabisabi'srootslieinZenBuddhism,whichwasbroughtfromChinatoJapanbyEisai,atwelfthcenturymonk.Zen,withitsprinciplesofvastemptinessandnothingholy,stressesausterity,communionwithnature,andaboveall,reverenceforeverydaylifeastherealpathtoenlightenment.Toreachenlightenment,Zenmonkslivedascetic,oftenisolatedlivesandsatforlongperiodsofconcentratedmeditation.

Tohelphisfellowmonksstayawakeduringtheseexcruciatingmeditationsessions,Eisaitaughtthemhowtoprocesstealeavesintoahotdrink.OnceEisaiwasgone,though,teatookonaverydifferentlifeofitsown.Aroundthefourteenthcentury,theupperclasses



developedelaborateritualsinvolvingtea.Largetearoomswerebuiltinanostentatiousstyleknownasshoin,withnumerousChinesehangingscrollsandaformalarrangementoftablesforflowervasesandincenseburners.TeapractitionersprovedtheirwealthandstatusthroughtheircollectionsofelegantChinesestyleteautensilsduringthreedayweekenderswhereuptoonehundredcupsofteaaswellasfoodandsakewereserved.

ThenalongcameMurataShuko,aninfluentialteamasterwhoalsohappenedtobeaZenmonk.Inaradicalfashiondeparture,Shukobeganusingunderstated,locallyproducedutensilsduringhisteagatherings.Saying"itisgoodtotieapraisedhorsetoastrawthatchedhouse,"hecombinedrough,plainwareswithfamedChineseutensils,andthestrikingcontrastmadebothlookmoreinteresting.Shuko'ssuccessor,Joo,wasevenmorecriticalofmenwhosezealforrareorfamedutensilswastheirmainmotivationforconductingtea.Joobeganusingeverydayitemssuchasthementsu,awoodenpilgrim'seatingbowl,asawastewatercontainer,andaShigarakionioke,astonewarebucketusedinsilkdyeing,asawaterjar.HebroughtunadornedceladonandKoreanpeasantwaresintothetearoom.

ItwasJoo'sdiscipleSennoRikyu,however,whoiswidelycreditedwithestablishingthequiet,simpleceremonythatmadeitpossibleforeveryonenotjustthewealthytopracticetea.InthesixteenthcenturythebeginningofanageofpeacefollowingseverallongcenturiesofcivilwarinJapangaudinesswasalltherage,andRikyu'steabecameanoasisofquiet,simpletaste.HeservedteainbowlsmadebyanonymousKoreanpottersandindigenousJapanesecraftsmen,themostfamousofwhicharetheRakufamily'sstyle.Hecreatedtinyteahuts(oneandahalftatamimats,asopposedtothefourandonehalftoeighteenmatroomsthathadbeenthenorm)basedonthetraditionalfarmer'shutofroughmudwalls,athatchedroof,andorganicallyshapedexposedwoodstructuralelements.Thehutincludedanijiriguchi,alowentrywaythatforcedgueststobowandexperiencehumilityastheyentered.Rikyumadesomeofhisownutensilsofunlacqueredbamboo(ascommonascrabgrassinJapan,butnowadaysaRikyuoriginalisworthasmuchasaLeonardodaVincipainting),andhearrangedflowerssimplyandnaturallyinbamboovases(shakuhachi)andbaskets.Rikyu'sceremonybecameknownaswabichado(chadomeans"thewayoftea"),anditenduresinJapantothisday.

WeWesternerstendtoscratchourheadsatthethoughtoffourhoursspentsittingonourknees,participatinginanelaborateritualduringwhichacharcoalfireisbuilt,amealofseasonaldelicaciesisservedwithsake,onebowlofgreenteaismadeandsharedamongtheguests,andthenindividualbowlsoffrothythinteaaremadebywhiskinghotwaterandmatcha.Whatmostofusdon'trealize,however,isthatteaembodiessomuchofthebeautythatmakesupJapaneseculture.Totrulyunderstandtea,youmustalsostudypoetry,art,literature,architecture,legacy,andhistory.Teapractitionersareaccomplishedintheartsofflowers,finecuisine,andperhapsmostimportantetiquette(sarei).Andthefourprinciplesofteaharmony(wa),respect(kei),purity(sei),andtranquillity(jaku)couldofcoursebethemeanstoanygoodlife.

Tea,initscurrentform,wasbornoutofamedievalsocietyrifewithterriblewarfare,yetthesamuraiwerewillingtosetasidetheirrankandtheirswordstobecomeequalswithinthetearoom.Theroom'sdesignisdeliberatelysimpleandcleanit'smeanttobeasanctuary."Inthisthatchedhutthereoughtnottobeaspeckofdustofanykindbothmasterandvisitorsareexpectedtobeontermsofabsolutesinceritynoordinarymeasuresofproportionoretiquetteorconventionalismaretobefollowed,"declaresNanboroku,oneofmostancientandimportanttextbooksontea."Afireismade,waterisboiled,andteaisservedthisisallthatisneededhere,nootherworldlyconsiderationsaretointrude."Assoonasweenterthetearoom,we'reaskedtoshakeoffourwoesandworriesandconnectwithothers,"faceharmonious,wordsloving."

"Teabringspeopletogetherinanonthreateningplacetoescapethemodernworld,then



theycangobackoutandtakethatwiththem,"GaryCadwallader,anAmericanbornteamasterwhoteachesattheUrasenkeCenterinKyoto,explainedtome.ItseemstomethatweAmericanswholackthetimeorthedesiretolearnteacouldtaketheessenceofthatstatementandapplyittoourownlives.

"Ifafriendvisitsyou,makehimtea,wishhimwelcomewarmlywithhospitality,"Joo,oneofJapan'searliestteamasters,wrote."Setsomeflowersandmakehimfeelcomfortable."ThisisembodiedinacommonJapanesephrase,"shazakissa,"whichtranslates,"Well,sitdownandhavesometea."Whatifweadoptedthatphraseandlearnedtosayitmoreoftenwhenthekidsgethomefromschool(beforetherushtohockeyandballet),whenourneighborstopsby,whenwefeelourannoyancelevelwithourspousestartingtorise?Ifwejustallowedourselvestostopforamoment,sitdowntogether,andshareacupoftea,whatmightthatmomentbring?

Inlearningtea,we'reconstantlyremindedthateverymeetingisaonceinalifetimeoccasiontoenjoygoodcompany,beautifulart,andacupoftea.Weneverknowwhatmighthappentomorrow,orevenlatertoday.Stoppingwhateveritisthat'ssoimportant(dishes,billpaying,workdeadlines)toshareconversationandacupofteawithsomeoneyouloveormightloveisaneasyopportunitytopromotepeace.Itisfromthisplaceofpeace,harmony,andfellowshipthatthetruewabisabispiritemerges.

Wabisabiisnotadecorating"style"butratheramindset.There'snolistofruleswecan'thangcrystalsormoveourbedsandwaitforpeacetobefallus.Creatingawabisabihomeisthedirectresultofdevelopingourwabigokoro,orwabimindandheart:livingmodestly,learningtobesatisfiedwithlifeasitcanbeoncewestripawaytheunnecessary,livinginthemoment.Yousee?Simpleasthat.

Thisistoughinanyculture,ofcourse,butdarnednearimpossibleinourown.InAmericawe'replieddailywithsalespitchesthatwillhelpusimproveourselves,ourcircumstances,ourhomes.Wecanhavethewhitestteeth,thecleanestcarpets,andthebiggestSUVmoneycanbuy.Allofthisfliesinthefaceofwabigokoro,asdescribedinRikyu'ssacredteatext,Nanporoku."Aluxurioushouseandthetasteofdelicaciesareonlypleasuresofthemundaneworld,"hewrote."Itisenoughifthehousedoesnotleakandthefoodkeepshungeraway.ThisistheteachingoftheBuddhathetruemeaningofchado."

ThisisunAmerican.Orisit?Ibelievethereexistsinallofusalongingforsomethingdeeperthanthewhitestteeth,sparklingfloors,andeightcylinders.Whatifwecouldlearntobecontentwithourlives,exactlyastheyaretoday?It'saloftythought...butonethat'scertainlyworthentertaining.

Youcanstartcultivatingthismindsetinsmallways,takingalessonfromtea.Inlearningtoconducttea,we'retaughttohandleeveryutensil,fromthebamboowaterscooptotheteabowl,asifitwereprecious,withthesamerespectandcarewewouldusetohandlearareantique.Youcandothesamethingwiththeitemsyouuseeveryday.

Youcanalsoreadmore...byreadingthewonderfulbookthiscamefrom:"thewabisabihouse,theJapaneseartofimperfectbeauty"www.wabisabihouse.combyRobynGriggsLawrence.Robyn'sbookputsitinperspective,usingevocativedescriptionsofmoderndesignsusingsalvagedmaterialsand(local?)artisanwares.Allinallauniqueinsightintoatruewayoflife.

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What is Wabi-Sabi_tadao Ando