June 08, 2020

In Praise of Shadows: Understanding the Japanese Philosophy, Artwork, Architecture, and Everyday Lifestyle Through the Portrait of Unique Aesthetic of Shadows

12 minutes

In the East, shadows connote a ‘weak light’. They can be generated either when light is insufficient, or when something is blocking the light. For example, shadows are cast during the time when the sun sets or the twilight fades. Shadows also emerge from the overhang of a roof baking in the sun. That’s how shadows are perceived in Japanese aesthetics, as obscure and perceptual. It’s like looking through a semi-transparent veil, we can’t see clearly, but the vagueness is what makes it enchanting.

Japan is mountainous and surrounded by the sea, so it enjoys both a unique and natural scenery. There you can find misty snowy mountains, steamy hot springs, and splendid cloud-like cherry blossoms. You can also see the ever-changing waves in the ocean that create a mystical mirage. The Japanese love nature, and they have developed a sensitivity for the beautiful yet capricious natural environment that they live in. They incorporate the aesthetics of shadows and obscurity into every aspect of their lives. Such an aesthetic view is well presented in this poetic essay, In Praise of Shadows, where this attitude is supported by the author’s detailed description of life.

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