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‘Shibui’ – Concept of Japanese Elegance and Simplicity
Shibui渋い is a Japanese concept that has evolved and acquired various meanings over time. It can be used to describe a person but also to describe an artistic performance or an object. Most often it has a positive slant, evoking a discreet, unadorned beauty, marked by a sense of restraint.
It can be said that something shibui or shibusa is governed by seven elements: its simplicity, implicit meaning, modesty, naturalness, everydayness, imperfection and silence.
The complexity of this Japanese concept lies in its ambivalence of oscillating between astringency and refined beauty.
When used as a noun, shibusa渋さ refers to the intrinsically fine enriched appearance or experience saving on form, lines and also effort and producing a timeless tranquility. Something that is shibusa includes very essential qualities, for example:
“Shibui” objects appear simple overall, yet include subtle details, such as their texture, that balance simplicity with complexity . This balance ensures that one does not tire of a shibui object, but rather constantly finds new meanings and enriched beauty that causes its aesthetic value to grow over the years. Something shibui walks a fine line between contrasting aesthetic concepts such as elegant and harsh or spontaneous and restrained.
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Shibusa should not be confused with wabi sabi. Although many wabi sabi objects are shibui , not all shibui objects are wabi sabi . Wabi sabi objects can be more fussy and sometimes intentionally exaggerate imperfections to the point of appearing artificial. Shibui objects are not necessarily imperfect or asymmetrical, although they may include these qualities.
The term originated in the Muromachi Period (1336-1573) as shibushi , which originally referred to a sour or astringent taste, such as that of an unripe persimmon. Shibui still maintains that literal meaning and is still the antonym of amai (甘い), which means ‘sweet’.
However, in the early Edo Period (1615-1868), the term gradually began to refer to pleasing aesthetics . Edo people expressed their tastes by using this term to refer to anything, from song to fashion and craftsmanship, that was beautiful for being discreet or for being precisely what it should be and not being elaborate. Essentially, the aesthetic ideal of shibumi seeks events, performances, people or objects that are beautiful in a direct and simple way, without ostentation and very minimalist.