The aesthetics of Wabi in the work Thousand Cranes by Kawabata Yasunari

Abstract

Wabi is one of significant aesthetic categories that embody the essence of Japanese beauty. Wabi finds expression in various art forms, including the Tea ceremony, architecture, fine arts, and literature. The history of Wabi is closely intertwined with shifts in aesthetic thought and practice in Japanese art and everyday life in Japan. Kawabata Yasunari, the first Japanese writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1968, was deeply influenced by the spirit of Wabi, which he masterfully conveyed in his works, particularly in Thousand Cranes, one of the three Nobel prize-winning works. In previous studies on Thousand Cranes in Vietnam, the focus has primarily been on exploring themes such as mono no aware, sexuality, and existentialism. Surprisingly, there has been a lack of research discussing Wabi as the central theme of this work. This article gives a basic overview of Wabi, and then from the perspective of Wabi aesthetics, we approach the work Thousand Cranes by Kawabata Yasunari, which mourns the decline of the Tea ceremony, an important form of art rooted in the core spirit of Wabi. The article utilizes the theory of Wabi to elucidate the reasons behind the decadence of the Tea ceremony depicted in Thousand Cranes. Additionally, we also explore the presence of Wabi's beauty throughout the work.