Principles of Japanese Aesthetics in Donald Keene's Works - Assignment Example

Japanese Literature How are Donald Keenes 4 principles of Japanese aesthetics – suggestion, irregularity simplicity and perishability exemplified by works other that essay in idleness? Introduction The popularity of Essays in Idleness began when it was written way back 1330 – 1332. It is considered timeless because it is relevant and charming the way it was written during the chaotic time of Japans Literary history. In the midst of turbulent years in the conflict between the family of Go-Daigo and Hojo family, Kenko writing down everything and every idea that comes to his mind randomly whether it is ridiculous, irrational or absurd ideas. This resulted to essays, short in length, and some comprises of only 3 sentences and these short ideas resulted to a friendly and subjective style. Kenko is very faithful to his belief, Buddhism. His prerogative of being in solitude, the topics and the themes he uses in his writing reflects his faithfulness to his Buddhist belief. When Kenko reaches the age 41 in 1324, after the death of Emperor Go-Uda he became a Buddhist priest. Unlike the rest of the Buddhist priests who live as a monk in a monastery, Kenko lived in the city. He did some Buddhist doctrine and some of the Buddhist belief reflected in his essays. He is also open to the idea that while living in the material world, life must be enriched with beauty. Principles of Japanese Aesthetics Essays in Idleness are consisting 243 sections in no particular order, no systematic in presentation and no philosophy. Kenko follows the zuihitsu tradition of writing where in the writer may skip from one topic to another, no directions to be followed, and free association. No matter if the ideas are conflicting, the concern for beauty is important. Essays in Idleness is not popular until the seventeenth century only until it became a classic when the essay become popular and contributed to the aesthetic preferences in the centuries that follows. Four characteristics have been chosen by Donald Keene from Kenko’s work, suggestion, irregularity, simplicity, and perishability. Although all these characteristics are not applicable to all the generations, it is possible that these could be a starting point in the examination of the Japanese aesthetics and in the search for beauty. Suggestion Section 137 of Essay in Idleness shows the most revealing writing in the principle of suggestion by Kenko. In the Japanese aesthetics of suggestions, the beginnings and ends represent a straight contradiction to the Western idea having a focal point on the climatic moment. The enjoyment of people during blossoms in full bloom is also the same as those people who are enjoying the opened buds and fallen flower petals. One of the main point of the Japanese by this is that what important for them is how to take things positively and how to make use of it in a good imagination to have a beautiful life. The principle of suggestion further emphasize that there is happiness and beauty in the extreme part of life. Japanese also carries suggestion for over a longer period of time in their paintings. The painters use the black ink because they believe in the power of suggestion and could represent mountains in only few strokes of the brush or a stroke that would suggest a bamboo stalk. Irregularity Section 82 of Essays in Idleness, Kenko explains the irregularity. In search for beauty in life, Japanese shows special or extra ordinary outlook in the appreciation for incompleteness and irregularity. In Japanese poetry, there is no definite number of lines per verses, 3 for haiku and 5 for tanka while he standard style that is used by the rest of the world is four line stanza. The love of Japanese for irregularity is more even evident when it comes to their flower arrangements whether in a vase or in the garden. Japanese ancestors during their time never showed happiness and contentment in geometrical precision of some famous gardens. A Japanese art also shows irregularities like that of the Ryoan-ji which is a product of philosophical system. With regard to irregularities Keene expresses and I quote, “the Sistine Chapel is magnificent, but it asks our admiration rather than our participation; the 15 stones of the Ryoan-ji, irregular in shape and position, allow us to participate in the creation of the garden.” (Keene, D., 1998). Simplicity Section 10 of the essay tackles the importance of simplicity. Kenko is strongly pointing out that beauty and happiness can truly be found in simplicity. For Kenko, highly curved woods, orderly and well groomed garden or any luxurious decorations and things are not appealing. Kenko must have been regarding this to the Westerners and rich countries. It is said that worldly things are not important for the wise people in search for happiness and this is claim to be true even during the ancient days where rich wise men are very rare. The Japanese tea ceremony is one of the best examples to illustrate Japanese love for simplicity. Perishability This is the last among the 4 qualities and probably the most unwanted and not believed by the Westerners who used to build big statues that symbolizes their memories of existence. The general crowd in the world used to establish endurance while the Japanese believe in impermanency. Kenko strongly believed that impermanence is a necessary element in beauty and in writing. Japanese have the belief that everything passed, from things to human being and what matters is to find the happiness and beauty and how to pass this on to the next generations. Conclussion In the modern days of Japan, considering that it is one of the most develop countries at the present, countless of unusual things can be seen from lights to the scream of the modern sound system, aesthetics preferences survive from the past. As keen reflected and believe that the Japanese aesthetics past is not dead. All these aesthetics have been a part of art that is produce each year, and the principle, suggestion, irregularity, simplicity, and perishability are not forgotten, it is still exist right in the middle of modernization. References Keene, Donald. "Japanese Aesthetics." The Pleasures of Japanese Literature. New York: Columbia University, 1988. (P. 154 – 163) Read More