Wabi-sabi
"[6] Wabi-sabi is derived from the Buddhist teaching of the three marks of existence (三法印, sanbōin), specifically impermanence (無常, mujō), suffering (苦, ku) and emptiness or absence of self-nature (空, kū).
[11] From an engineering or design point of view, wabi may be interpreted as the imperfect quality of any object, due to inevitable limitations in design and construction/manufacture especially with respect to unpredictable or changing usage conditions; in this instance, sabi could be interpreted as the aspect of imperfect reliability, or the limited mortality of any object, hence the phonological and etymological connection with the Japanese word sabi (錆, lit.
Wabi-sabi can change the student's perception of the world to the extent that a chip or crack in a vase makes it more interesting and gives the object greater meditative value.
[15] He introduced simple, rough, wooden and clay instruments to replace the gold, jade, and porcelain of the Chinese style tea service that was popular at the time.
About one hundred years later, the tea master Sen no Rikyū (千利休, 1522 – April 21, 1591) introduced wabi-sabi to the royalty with his design of the teahouse.
"He constructed a teahouse with a door so low that even the emperor would have to bow in order to enter, reminding everyone of the importance of humility before tradition, mystery, and spirit.
"Their designs imbued the gardens with a sense of the surreal and beckoned viewers to forget themselves and become immersed in the seas of gravel and the forests of moss.
By loosening the rigid sense of perception, the actual scales of the garden became irrelevant and the viewers were able to then perceive the huge landscapes deep within themselves.
These potters used a specific kind of firing which was thought to produce the best ceramics due to the part played by nature and the organic ash glazes, a clear embodiment of wabi-sabi.
[17] For example: Hon'ami Kōetsu's (本阿弥 光悦; 1558 – 27 February 1637) white raku bowl called "Mount Fuji" (Shiroraku-Chawan, Fujisan) listed as a national treasure by the Japanese government.
"Ikebana, like the gardens, uses a living medium in the creative process, and it is this ingredient of life that brings a unique feel to flower arrangements.
It rests there like an enthroned prince, and the guests or disciples on entering the room will salute it with a profound bow before making their addresses to the host.
"[18] Honkyoku (the traditional shakuhachi (bamboo flute) music of wandering Zen monks) A contemporary Japanese exploration of the concept of wabi-sabi can be found in the influential essay In Praise of Shadows by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki.
Many Western designers, writers, poets and artists have utilised wabi-sabi ideals within their work to varying degrees, with some considering the concept a key component of their art, and others using it only minimally.
