Praise of Teni ( Japanese я 翳 翳 讃) is an essay by the famous Japanese writer Junichiro Tanizaki . First published in 1933. The essay is a complete exposition of the aesthetic views of Tanizaki, his interpretation of the question of what beauty is in its relation to man.
| Praise the shadow | |
|---|---|
| 陰 翳 礼 讃 | |
| Genre | essay |
| Author | Junichiro Tanizaki |
| Original language | Japanese |
| Date of writing | 1933 |
| Date of first publication | |
Contents
The essay consists of 16 sections. Consideration of Japanese aesthetics occurs without exception of those changes that took place in Japan at the end of the 19th century in connection with the restoration of Meiji . Tanizaki uses the metaphors of “light” and “shadow” to compare modern European and Japanese cultures, their “spirit of foundations” (component no seishin) [1] . European culture, in its quest for progress, is presented as a culture that is in constant search of light and clarity, while subtle and subdued forms of oriental art and literature are perceived by Tanizaki as a representation of shadow and subtlety, closely connected with the traditional Japanese concept of sabi . In addition to the contrast of light and shadow, Tanizaki adds layered tones of different varieties of shadows and their intensity to give greater expressiveness to various products, such as gold embroidery, patina. It is important to describe the dignity of unpolished surfaces traditionally used in Japanese life and art (for example, wood), as opposed to glossy, shiny coatings that, when combined, according to Tanizaki, violate harmony.
The text presents the writer's thoughts on Japanese architecture and its elements, crafts, food, cosmetics, and decorative and applied art. Tanizaki explores the use of space in buildings, the problems of Japanese housing construction in modern technical conditions.
One of the most important topics raised by Tanizaki is the problem of the relationship of cultures of East and West, urgent for Japan at the beginning of the 20th century, the topic of choosing the path of development of Japan as a civilization.
Housebuilding
Tanizaki, based on his own experience and the experience of a friend, understands the intricacies associated with the construction and internal structure of a Japanese house. The focus is on parts of the house that combine “light” and “darkness” in one house: lighting, heating and shoji . The author connects the difficulties of arrangement with an attempt to combine the traditional Japanese way of life, his household attributes and Japanese taste with the practicality that came from Europe.
Japanese restrooms
This section describes the toilets of the temples in Kyoto and Nara, contrasting with the Japanese tea house and Western ceramics. According to Tanizaki, “of all the buildings of the Japanese type, the latrine most satisfies the poetic taste” [1] , because the Japanese latrines are designed in such a way that they can relax with their souls. This is associated with the location (Japanese latrines are located far from the main part of the house, the lavatory and the main part of the house are connected only by a corridor), with the surrounding area (often the latrines are located “somewhere in the shade of plantations, among the aromas of foliage and moss” [1] ) and with the internal structure of the restroom (wood as a building material, twilight, a window with a view of the sky or the garden, mandatory cleanliness and silence). All this, according to the author, tunes to a dreamy mood, makes it possible to admire the blue sky, green foliage, the moon. In her attitude to the design of latrines, Tanizaki does not see anything reprehensible and believes that the attitude of the Japanese towards this institution is "much more reasonable and incomparably more aesthetically pleasing," compared to Europeans who consider the latrine to be an unclean place and "avoid even mentioning this word in society."
Japan as a distinctive technical culture
Comparing modern Western lighting (electric lamps, stoves) with traditional paper lanterns, Tanizaki raises the question of the independent development of Japan in science, technology, art, literature. The first criticism of adaptation to Western achievements and imitation of them sounds. The author delves into criticism of adopted achievements that are not adapted to Japanese needs. Tanizaki stands for independent Japanese development, with the help of which the Japanese could stick to their path, continue the almost thousand-year tradition and reveal their own special, original world.
Value
"Praise of the Shadow" is considered a classic work on Japanese aesthetics, after the publication that brought its author "considerable literary fame not only among his Japanese countrymen" [2] . In his work, Tanizaki says "not only the need to combine the incompatible and not combine the incongruous, whether it is about home decoration or the forms of art, but also about the correct relationship between the past and the present, eastern and western" [1] . The influence of the work “Praise of the Shadow” is noted in modern environmental aesthetics, especially in the works of authors from Japan (for example, Yuriko Saito , Kenichi Sasaki).
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 Junichiro Tanizaki. Praise the shadow. - St. Petersburg: The ABC of Classic, 2001. - ISBN 5-352-00030-3 .
- ↑ Nikolai Fedorenko. Japanese records. - Soviet writer, 1966. - S. 126. - 416 p.