THE DYNAMICS OF CHANGES IN AESTHETIC LIKES IN JAPANESE CULTURE

Abstract

This article explores the evolution of aesthetic preferences in Japanese culture over time. Through examining the influence of Zen Buddhism, Shintoism, and cultural interactions with China, the article traces the shift in Japanese aesthetics from an appreciation of impermanence and melancholy beauty to a more subtle and understated sense of elegance and refinement. Mono-no аvare was characterized by sensitivity to the impermanence of life, glorifying the beauty of fleeting moments and emphasizing the emotional response to these moments. This concept was refined and expanded with the advent of yugen, who personified an appreciation of the subtleties of experience and reverence for the unknown. This was a departure from the more direct emotional expression of mono-no avare, as yugen encouraged the audience to interpret the work for themselves. The concept of wabi-sabi celebrated the beauty of imperfection and asymmetry and highly valued the beauty of the natural world, emphasizing the importance of simplicity and understated elegance and rejecting the ostentatious display of wealth or power. Together, these aesthetic concepts represent the changing aesthetic preferences of Japanese people throughout history and reflect a deep commitment to understanding beauty as something impermanent and natural. Although these concepts remain relevant today, the changing technological landscape and the influence of Western culture have led to a shift in Japanese aesthetic tastes.