The more you strip away, the deeper the beauty becomes – the philosophy of wabi left behind by Sen no Rikyu
"The more you strip away, the more beautiful it becomes -- the philosophy of 'wabi' left behind by Sen no Rikyu"
Sen no Rikyu (1522–1591) was a man who elevated the tea ceremony from a perfected method to a way of life. His perfected style of tea, wabi-cha, was a departure from the worship of opulent Chinese goods and embodied the idea that beauty lies in simplicity.
Rikyu's tea room is only one and a half tatami mats in size. Passing through the nijiriguchi (small opening), one is transported to a place of equality that transcends the tranquil state. The quietude of the room, the moss-covered garden, and the alcove with only calligraphy hanging there—all of these are expressions of his aesthetic sense that values "white space" and "imperfection."
He preferred simple, distorted tea bowls such as Kuroraku and Ido tea bowls. He believed that it was not perfection, but rather the imperfections and blemishes that held the "lingering rhythm of the heart."
Rikyu once said, "Those above should be treated with courtesy, and those below should be treated with integrity, so that no mistakes are made." This is a paradoxical aesthetic that establishes balance within the tea room by treating those with high pretensions roughly and those with low pretensions with courtesy.
Wabi is the richness found in lack. Suki is the art of leisure as the pinnacle of one's passion. Rikyu fused these two and transformed the tea ceremony into a place for spiritual training.
Rikyu's aesthetic continues to live on in modern times, with minimalism, sustainable living, and brand philosophy all creating deeper meaning by focusing not on what is added, but on what is reduced.
The beauty of wabi lies in tranquility. The spirit of suki lies in play. Sen no Rikyu's legacy is not just the tea ceremony.