MONO NO AWARE (Moe-no no Ah-wah-ray) – The Japanese Way of Pleasuring in the Brevity of Life!

How the Fragility of Life Can

Sharpen Your Sensual, Intellectual

& Spiritual Enjoyment!

Boyé Lafayette De Mente

One of the special elements of Japanese culture is the tradition of creating both environments and occasions for communing with the fragility of life—an element that adds enormously to the recognition of this fragility and makes people more inclined to enjoy the years they have.

One of the most memorable afternoons I have spent in Japan was in a traditional ryokan (rio-kahn), inn, situated on the slope of a gorge on picturesque Izu Peninsula southwest of Tokyo. It was a Sunday afternoon. I was alone, and it was raining—not a heavy rain but a light, steady rain that was close to being a mist. I was sitting on the balcony of my room, looking out over the gorge, waiting for a friend to arrive.

As I sat there I began to experience what the Japanese call mono no aware (moe-no no ah-wah-ray)—a Buddhist concept that includes being very conscious of the ephemeral nature of man, his struggle in the face of great odds and the inevitability of his downfall and disappearance.

This aspect of Japan’s culture, developed between 700 and 1200 A.D. was based on the acute recognition of the impermanence of all things—an element that was enhanced by the code of the samurai which required them to be ready to give up their lives at a moment’s notice—resulting in their lives being compared to cherry blossoms...beautiful but fragile to the extreme and subject to being wafted away by the slightest breeze.

This culture of impermanence was especially reflected in the haiku and tanka poetry of the era, as well as in the such great literary works as Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji), a novel about the intrigues and loves of an imperial prince (usually regarded as the world’s first novel) written in the early 11th century by Murasaki Shikibu, a lady in the Imperial Court in Kyoto; and Heike Monogatari (The Tale of the Heike), compiled by a blind monk named Kakuichi in 1371.

The opening lines of Heike Monogatari, which depicts an epic struggle between the Taira and Minamoto clans for the control of Japan in the 12th century, say more about the human condition than many philosophical tomes:

“The sound of the Gion Shôja [temple] bells echoes the impermanence of all things; the color of the sâla flowers reveals the truth that the prosperous must decline. The proud do not endure, they are like a dream on a spring night; the mighty fall at last; they are as dust before the wind.”

The culture of Japan reflected this theme in many ways, resulting in the Japanese developing an extensive vocabulary that expressed this inherent sadness of life.

While mono no aware means something like “indulging one’s self in grief,” neither this phrase nor any of the other key words were actually used in sad situations. Instead they referred to a gentle melancholy view of the fragility and preciousness of life that included an element of subdued pleasure.

The annual custom of celebrating the short life of cherry blossoms is the largest of Japan’s mono no aware rituals. It reminds them to take the time and find ways enjoy life while you can because it will soon be gone.

My spending a quiet afternoon entranced by the natural beauty of the setting as it was being cleansed and renewed by rain was another of the mono no aware practices that are dear to the hearts of the Japanese. Still another way is to engage in “forest bathing”—spending time in an isolated forest, letting the sights, sounds and vibrations of the trees wash over you.

There is also an element of mono no aware in most of Japan’s classic art and craft designs, from kitchen utensils to the kimono wore by older men and women. The famous Tea Ceremony is a pure mono no aware ritual.

Knowledge of this cultural element makes it possible for one to appreciate more fully the distinctive essence of things Japanese—the elements that make them Japanese.

This factor is one of the unspoken and generally un-described things that makes the traditional aspects of life in Japan so sensually, intellectually, and spiritually attractive to everyone, including foreigners who are sensitive to the realities of life, including its brevity.
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Copyright © 2007 by Boyé Lafayette De Mente

For a detailed and definitive discourse on aspects of Japanese culture see the author’s book, ELEMENTS OF JAPANESE DESIGN—Understanding & Using Japan’s Classic Wabi-Sabi-Shibui Concepts; The Japanese Have a Word for It!; JAPAN UNMASKED—The Character & Culture of the Japanese; and SEX & THE JAPANESE—The Sensual Side of Japan. To see a full list of his books on Japan, China and Korea, see his personal website at: http://www.phoenixbookspublishers.com/, and/or Amazon.com and other online booksellers.

Gambatte! (Gahm-baht-tay!) – A Japanese Word that Everyone Should Know

Japan’s Do-or-Die-Trying Cultural Syndrome!

Boyé Lafayette De Mente

Japan’s famed feudal era samurai warriors left their imprint on the culture of the country in every aspect and area of Japanese thought and behavior—an imprint that still today is discernible in the character and personality of the Japanese.

In the exclusive and elite samurai class male children from the age of six or seven were trained in the necessary mental and physical discipline to commit a painful form of suicide (as adults from the age of 15) when ordered to do so by their lords, to be courageous in battle well beyond the norm for soldiers, to carefully groom themselves every morning before going out in public, to master a number of martial arts, and to be extraordinarily diligent in everything else they set out to do.

As the centuries passed (the samurai class developed in the 12th century and lasted until the early 1870s), the training style and mindset of the samurai gradually seeped into the attitudes and behavior of the common people, resulting in the typical Japanese being extraordinarily concerned about appearance, extraordinarily diligent about learning the skills of their particular trade (or activity of any kind), to continuously trying to improve themselves, and to refusing to accept failure.

This mindset led to the extraordinary importance and use of the word ganbaru (gahn-bah-ruu), which means to persevere, to persist, to never give up (also sometimes written in English letters as gambaru / gahm-bah-ruu). At all times in all things that were demanding to any degree, the Japanese were continuously admonished and encouraged to gambatte! (gahm-baht-tay!)—to do their best; to not give up no matter what the odds.

The concept of gambaru-ing eventually became so deeply embedded in the psyche of the Japanese that it was equated with being a true or real Japanese. In military situations in particular not persevering to the very last breath of life was considered seriously shameful to the whole country.

Still today gambatte and gambarimasho (gahm-bah-ree-mah-show!) – Let’s do our absolute best! – are two of the most used words in the vocabulary of the Japanese. They are used in work situations, in sports, in games of any kind, in learning any kind of skill, and especially in any kind of competitive activity. [In recent times Olympic athletes have been threatened with death when they failed to win their event.]

I do not recommend that other people adopt this extreme approach to cultural training and day-to-day behavior, but some of them could definitely benefit from a heavy dose of it. And if businesspeople, diplomats and others who deal with Japan are not familiar with this aspect of Japanese culture they are likely to be seriously disadvantaged.
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Copyright © 2007 by Boyé Lafayette De Mente

For definite essays on several hundred other key Japanese “cultural code words,” see the author’s books: The Japanese Have a Word for It [McGraw-Hill] and Japan’s Cultural Code Words [Tuttle Publishing]. Also see his: KATA – The Key to Understanding & Dealing with the Japanese and Japan Unmasked: The Character & Culture of the Japanese; The Japanese Samurai Code and Samurai Strategies…all available from Amazon.com, other online booksellers and major retail outlets. For a complete list of his books, go to: http://www.phoenixbookspublishers.com/.

Bōnen Kai (Bohh-nane Kie): A Japanese Word Everyone Should Know!

A Year-End Party to “Forget Bad Things”

Boyé Lafayette De Mente

Most cultures have created one or more ways for settling disputes and bad feelings among families, friends and co-workers without resorting to physical or emotional violence.

These different ways range from apologies of one kind or another, giving gifts to the “injured” party, having a third person make the apology or deliver the gift, and so on.

In the United States and Europe the routine rise of friction and conflicts between people eventually gave birth to the modern-day practice of “anger management,” counseling and various other forms of psychology.

But the Japanese came up with the most innovative and interesting method of helping people get rid of the anger and resentment that typically builds up against the people around them, particularly their co-workers.

This Japanese invention is known as Bōnen Kai (Bohh-nane Kie). Bō means “to forget.” Nen means “year,” and kai means an assembly, a gathering, a meeting, or a party. In other words, a Bōnen Kai is party to forget the year.

In the latter part of December most smaller Japanese companies and sections and departments in larger firms and organizations sponsor Bōnen Kai for their employees that are aimed at helping them get rid of any bad feelings against their fellow employees and managers they may have developed during the year just ending.

These “forget the year parties” use the lubricating and loosening affects of alcoholic drinks and food to wash away bad feelings and restore or instill feelings of friendship, goodwill and a cooperative spirit among employees.

The purpose of the annual Bōnen Kai is, of course, to wipe the “feelings slate” clean so that employees can begin the New Year with a renewed spirit of camaraderie that is vital to a well-functioning group of people.

Having attended many Bōnen Kai over the decades, I can attest to their efficacy in reducing and eliminating bad feelings among co-workers, and highly recommend that this innovative and interesting cultural custom be adopted worldwide.
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Copyright © 2007 by Boyé Lafayette De Mente

For definite essays on several hundred other key Japanese “cultural code words,” see the authors books: The Japanese Have a Word for It [McGraw-Hill] and Japan’s Cultural Code Words [Tuttle Publishing]. Also see his: KATA – The Key to Understanding & Dealing with the Japanese and Japan Unmasked: The Character & Culture of the Japanese…all available from Amazon.com, other online booksellers and major retail outlets. For a complete list of his books, go to: http://www.phoenixbookspublishers.com/.