If you read this blog, you have probably heard the word "Wabi-Sabi" before. Can you explain what the word means? An aesthetic sense that finds beauty in things that are old and have deteriorated over time? Did you know that Wabi and Sabi are actually two words with different meanings?
Origin of Wabi Sabi
The concept of "wabi" itself is an ancient Japanese sense, as mentioned in the 7th century Japanese poetry collection Manyoshu (The Anthology of Myriad Leaves). Wabi-sabi is inseparable from the culture of the Japanese tea ceremony. The style of tea ceremony known as wabicha was created by tea masters Murata Juko (1423-1502) and was later systematized by Takeno Shoko (1502-1555) and Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591). The tea ceremony culture of the time tended to value expensive and ornate objects. In contrast, the aesthetic style of our contemporary image of Wabi Sabi, called Wabicha, is one that removes to the bare minimum the simple utensils and decorations used in daily life.
Sabi stands for the sense of beauty
Sabi is one of the representative beauties of classical Japanese art. It is the sense of charm from something old, quiet, and withered. As a sense of appreciating eternity and loneliness, it was valued across genres, including Japanese poetries like Waka and Renga, and Chanoyu (Japanese tea ceremony). Things in this world rust, stain, and chip over time. Rather than viewing these changes as deterioration, the various and unique beauties created by these changes are expressed as Sabi.
Wabi stands for the mindset to appreciate Sabi
Wabi, in short, is the idea of a clean and simple life, seeking spiritual fulfillment and beauty in the midst of simplicity.
Wabi originally meant "to be sad or distressed at not being able to do what one wants. Since the Muromachi period (1333-1573), the word has come to have a positive meaning and content of accepting a situation that is not going one's way, such as disappointment or poverty, and actively trying to find comfort in it. It is a word that expresses the spiritual richness of not being pessimistic about one's situation, but rather enjoying it.
Everything in nature is in transition. No one thing stays in the same state. Japanese, who have lived with nature, have found beauty in the transience of things that change. Wabi-sabi is the aesthetic sense that lies at the heart of Japanese culture. Take a moment to experience ZESSEE's artwork made with natural materials.
Author
Kaoru Kuribayashi
ZESSEE Co-Founder
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