What is Wabi-sabi?

For those unfamiliar with it, wabi-sabi sounds like a spicy Japanese condiment.

In the simplest terms however, wabi-sabi is a frame of thought. It is an essential part of the Japanese aesthetic. It is a way of looking at things that acknowledges transience and imperfection. This frame of thought strives to find beauty in all things; particularly the flaws and marks of time and care and nature.

Wabi-sabi is rooted in Buddhism, particularly the Buddhist teachings on the three marks of existence: impermanence, suffering, and emptiness. This is at the heart of the traditional Japanese concept of beauty. It emphasizes authenticity by embracing three simple facts of life: nothing is eternal, everything is incomplete, and nothing is perfect. The acceptance of the impermanence and imperfection of all things is a step towards a simpler life, and eventually, liberation from the material world.

There is no direct translation for the term wabi-sabi. Taken separately though, wabi refers to the isolation and loneliness of living alone in nature. A Western analogy to wabi would be the freedom and austerity described in Henry David Thoreau’s book, Walden. It connotes a simplicity or rustic elegance that can refer to both natural and man-made objects. Sabi, on the other hand, is a reference to the ravages of age. It is sometimes translated as “withered,” “chill,” or “the bloom of time.” Sabi is a reference to the progression of time; to rust and tarnish.

The beauty articulated by wabi-sabi can be seen in poetic forms such as the haiku, and many styles of Japanese pottery, such as Hagi ware, which has a rough, simple style and uses irregular or asymmetrical shapes. A rough western articulation of wabi-sabi would be the concept of shabby chic, which embraces an object’s age flaws as part of its beauty. It is incorrect to describe wabi-sabi as a design or decorating style. It is a mindset; a way of life. Wabi-sabi is about seeing and embracing beauty, wherever it may be found.