| Mono no aware: the Japanese beauty aesthetic | | | | Meaning literally "a sensitivity to things," mono no |
| Meaning literally "a sensitivity to things," mono no | | | | aware is a concept describing the essence of |
| aware is a concept describing the essence of | | | | Japanese culture, invented by the Japanese literary |
| Japanese culture, invented by the Japanese literary | | | | and linguistic scholar scholar Motoori Norinaga in the |
| and linguistic scholar scholar Motoori Norinaga in the | | | | eighteenth century, and remains the central artistic |
| eighteenth century, and remains the central artistic | | | | imperative in Japan to this day. The phrase is derived |
| imperative in Japan to this day. The phrase is derived | | | | from the word aware, which in Heian Japan meant |
| from the word *aware*, which in Heian Japan meant | | | | sensitivity or sadness, and the word mono, meaning |
| sensitivity or sadness, and the word mono, meaning | | | | things, and describes beauty as an awareness of the |
| things, and describes beauty as an awareness of the | | | | transience of all things, and a gentle sadness at their |
| transience of all things, and a gentle sadness at their | | | | passing. It can also be translated as the "ah-ness" of |
| passing. It can also be translated as the "ah-ness" of | | | | things, of life, and love. |
| things, of life, and love. | | | | Mono no aware gave name to an aesthetic that |
| Mono no aware gave name to an aesthetic that | | | | already existed in Japanese art, music and poetry, |
| already existed in Japanese art, music and poetry, | | | | the source of which can be traced directly to the |
| the source of which can be traced directly to the | | | | introduction of Zen Buddhism in the twelfth century, |
| introduction of Zen Buddhism in the twelfth century, | | | | a spiritual philosophy and practise which profoundly |
| a spiritual philosophy and practise which profoundly | | | | influenced all aspects of Japanese culture, but |
| influenced all aspects of Japanese culture, but | | | | especially art and religion. The fleeting nature of |
| especially art and religion. The fleeting nature of | | | | beauty described by mono no aware derives from |
| beauty described by mono no aware derives from | | | | the three states of existence in Buddhist philosophy: |
| the three states of existence in Buddhist philosophy: | | | | unsatisfactoriness, impersonality, and most |
| unsatisfactoriness, impersonality, and most | | | | importantly in this context, impermanence. |
| importantly in this context, impermanence. | | | | According to mono no aware, a falling or wilting |
| According to mono no aware, a falling or wilting | | | | autumn flower is more beautiful than one in full |
| autumn flower is more beautiful than one in full | | | | bloom; a fading sound more beautiful than one clearly |
| bloom; a fading sound more beautiful than one clearly | | | | heard; the moon partially clouded more appealing than |
| heard; the moon partially clouded more appealing than | | | | full. The sakura or cherry blossom tree is the epitome |
| full. The sakura or cherry blossom tree is the epitome | | | | of this conception of beauty; the flowers of the |
| of this conception of beauty; the flowers of the | | | | most famous variety, somei yoshino, nearly pure |
| most famous variety, somei yoshino, nearly pure | | | | white tinged with a subtle pale pink, bloom and then |
| white tinged with a subtle pale pink, bloom and then | | | | fall within a single week. The subject of a thousand |
| fall within a single week. The subject of a thousand | | | | poems and a national icon, the cherry blossom tree |
| poems and a national icon, the cherry blossom tree | | | | embodies beauty as a transient experience. |
| embodies beauty as a transient experience. | | | | Mono no aware states that beauty is a subjective |
| Mono no aware states that beauty is a subjective | | | | rather than objective experience, a state of being |
| rather than objective experience, a state of being | | | | ultimately internal rather than external. Based largely |
| ultimately internal rather than external. Based largely | | | | upon classical Greek ideals, beauty in the West is |
| upon classical Greek ideals, beauty in the West is | | | | sought in the ultimate perfection of an external |
| sought in the ultimate perfection of an external | | | | object: a sublime painting, perfect sculpture or |
| object: a sublime painting, perfect sculpture or | | | | intricate musical composition; a beauty that could be |
| intricate musical composition; a beauty that could be | | | | said to be only skin deep. The Japanese ideal sees |
| said to be only skin deep. The Japanese ideal sees | | | | beauty instead as an experience of the heart and |
| beauty instead as an experience of the heart and | | | | soul, a feeling for and appreciation of objects or |
| soul, a feeling for and appreciation of objects or | | | | artwork--most commonly nature or the depiction |
| artwork--most commonly nature or the depiction | | | | of--in a pristine, untouched state. |
| of--in a pristine, untouched state. | | | | An appreciation of beauty as a state which does not |
| An appreciation of beauty as a state which does not | | | | last and cannot be grasped is not the same as |
| last and cannot be grasped is not the same as | | | | nihilism, and can better be understood in relation to |
| nihilism, and can better be understood in relation to | | | | Zen Buddhism's philosophy of earthly transcendence: |
| Zen Buddhism's philosophy of earthly transcendence: | | | | a spiritual longing for that which is infinite and |
| a spiritual longing for that which is infinite and | | | | eternal--the source of all worldly beauty. As the |
| eternal--the source of all worldly beauty. As the | | | | monk Sotoba wrote in Zenrin Kushū (Poetry of |
| monk Sotoba wrote in *Zenrin Kushū* (Poetry | | | | the Zenrin Temple), Zen does not regard nothingness |
| of the Zenrin Temple), Zen does not regard | | | | as a state of absence, but rather the affirmation of |
| nothingness as a state of absence, but rather the | | | | an unseen that exists behind empty space: |
| affirmation of an unseen that exists behind empty | | | | "Everything exists in emptiness: flowers, the moon in |
| space: "Everything exists in emptiness: flowers, the | | | | the sky, beautiful scenery." |
| moon in the sky, beautiful scenery." | | | | With its roots in Zen Buddhism, mono no aware is |
| With its roots in Zen Buddhism, *mono no aware* is | | | | bears some relation to the non-dualism of Indian |
| bears some relation to the non-dualism of Indian | | | | philosophy, as related in the following story about |
| philosophy, as related in the following story about | | | | Swami Vivekananda by Sri Chinmoy: |
| Swami Vivekananda by Sri Chinmoy: | | | | "Beauty," says [Vivekananda], "is not external, but |
| *"Beauty," says [Vivekananda], "is not external, but | | | | already in the mind." Here we are reminded of what |
| already in the mind." Here we are reminded of what | | | | his spiritual daughter Nivedita wrote about her Master. |
| his spiritual daughter Nivedita wrote about her Master. | | | | "It was dark when we approached Sicily, and against |
| "It was dark when we approached Sicily, and against | | | | the sunset sky, Etna was in slight eruption. As we |
| the sunset sky, Etna was in slight eruption. As we | | | | entered the straits of Messina, the moon rose, and I |
| entered the straits of Messina, the moon rose, and I | | | | walked up and down the deck beside the Swami, |
| walked up and down the deck beside the Swami, | | | | while he dwelt on the fact that beauty is not |
| while he dwelt on the fact that beauty is not | | | | external, but already in the mind. On one side |
| external, but already in the mind. On one side | | | | frowned the dark crags of the Italian coast, on the |
| frowned the dark crags of the Italian coast, on the | | | | other, the island was touched with silver light. 'Messina |
| other, the island was touched with silver light. 'Messina | | | | must thank me,' he said; 'it is I who give her all her |
| must thank me,' he said; 'it is I who give her all her | | | | beauty.'" Truly, in the absence of appreciation, beauty |
| beauty.'" Truly, in the absence of appreciation, beauty | | | | is not beauty at all. And beauty is worthy of its name |
| is not beauty at all. And beauty is worthy of its name | | | | only when it has been appreciated. |
| only when it has been appreciated.* | | | | The founder of mono no aware, Motoori Norinaga |
| The founder of *mono no aware*, Motoori Norinaga | | | | (1730-1801), was the pre-eminent scholar of the |
| (1730-1801), was the pre-eminent scholar of the | | | | Kokugakushu movement, a nationalist movement |
| Kokugakushu movement, a nationalist movement | | | | which sought to remove all outside influences from |
| which sought to remove all outside influences from | | | | Japanese culture. Kokugakushu was enormously |
| Japanese culture. Kokugakushu was enormously | | | | influential in art, poetry, music and philosophy, and |
| influential in art, poetry, music and philosophy, and | | | | responsible for the revival during the Tokugawa |
| responsible for the revival during the Tokugawa | | | | period of the Shinto religion. Contradictorily, the |
| period of the Shinto religion. Contradictorily, the | | | | influence of Buddhist ideas and practises upon art and |
| influence of Buddhist ideas and practises upon art and | | | | even Shintoism itself was so great that, although |
| even Shintoism itself was so great that, although | | | | Buddhism is technically an outside influence, it was by |
| Buddhism is technically an outside influence, it was by | | | | this point unable to be extricated. |
| this point unable to be extricated. | | | | |