Full transcript
0:00The essay in praise of shadows was first
0:02published in Japan in 1933 and was
0:05authored by the Japanese writer
0:07Junichiro Tanazaki. His literary career
0:10encompassed a vast range of topics
0:12including the cultural ramifications of
0:14World War II sexuality and family life.
0:18Tanazaki was particularly fascinated by
0:21the contrast between Japanese and
0:23Western culture. He received Japan's
0:25imperial prize in literature in 1949 and
0:29produced novels, short stories, essays,
0:32plays and novellis. His collected
0:34writings in Japanese span 30 volumes.
0:38This particular work serves as a
0:40meditation on the aesthetic significance
0:42of shadows in Japan, tracing their
0:45presence from architecture and theater
0:47to everyday objects and cuisine.
0:49Tanazaki emphasizes the allure of
0:52traditional Japanese culture which
0:54thrives in dialogue with darkness in
0:57contrast to western ideals of progress
0:59that demand illumination and seek to
1:01expune shadows. Tanazaki opens by
1:05considering the predicament of a
1:06traditional architect attempting to
1:08construct a house in a purely Japanese
1:10style which often clashes with the
1:12wires, pipes, and functional elements
1:15embedded in even the simplest modern
1:17conveniences such as telephones or
1:19heating systems. From this point, he
1:22guides readers through a meandering
1:24exploration of historical and
1:26contemporary examples that exemplify a
1:29distinctly Japanese aesthetic
1:31sensibility. Although these preferences
1:33have been long established, he warns
1:35they face extinction due to
1:37western-driven modernization and Japan's
1:39aspiration to emulate America. One of
1:42his earliest illustrations concerns
1:44toilets, which in traditional Japanese
1:46architecture are dimly lit, immaculate
1:50spaces that provide spiritual repose. He
1:53laments that western tendencies toward
1:55white tiles and intense lighting strip
1:58these spaces of their poetic quality.
2:00This reflection leads into a broader
2:03consideration of how Japanese
2:05civilization might have evolved
2:07differently without Western
2:08interference. Tanazaki is concerned with
2:11maintaining tools and practices that
2:13harmonize with the character of each
2:15culture. For instance, a uniquely
2:18Japanese fountain pen designed for
2:20Japanese paper which absorbs light
2:22rather than rejecting it as Western
2:24paper does. This line of thought extends
2:27to a critique of the West's fascination
2:29with brilliance reflected in polished
2:32silver and sparkling diamonds in
2:35contrast with Japan's preference for
2:37imperfect crystals with opaque veins and
2:40tin objects whose beauty emerges as they
2:42darken over time. He further contrasts
2:45western Gothic cathedrals which reach
2:47skyward with lofty roofs against
2:50Japanese temples with low heavy tiled
2:53roofs that create deep shadows and
2:55obscure entrances and walls. Yet
2:57Tanazaki's argument is more than a
3:00simple aesthetic comparison. He frames
3:02these differences historically tied to
3:05lived experience. Japanese ancestors
3:08compelled to inhabit dim interiors
3:11developed an appreciation for shadows
3:13and incorporated their play into
3:15cultural creation. For Tanazaki, the
3:19serenity of shadows is quintessentially
3:21Japanese, offering a pause from light in
3:24which one experiences a profound
3:26stillness and sense of time suspended.
3:30He continues to elaborate his case
3:32through other cultural forms. Gold, for
3:35instance, is not merely decorative, but
3:38also reflects light, serving as
3:40illumination in darkened spaces. In
3:42theater, he favors styles that embrace
3:45actors natural skin tones over stark
3:47white makeup, which harmonizes with the
3:49nuanced shading of costumes and connects
3:52to the lived experience of past
3:54generations. Ultimately, Tanazaki
3:57attributes divergences and taste between
3:59Japan and the West to contrasting
4:02cultural attitudes toward change.
4:04Japanese sensibilities accommodate and
4:06appreciate the existing environment,
4:09embracing darkness, whereas progressive
4:11Western culture relentlessly seeks to
4:14improve and brighten, obliterating
4:16shadows in the process. He expresses
4:19particular concern that Japan
4:21increasingly mirrors the West, famously
4:24noting that Japan wastes more electric
4:27light than all Western countries except
4:29America. Throughout the essay, he
4:32observes that artificial illumination
4:34diminishes countless experiences,
4:37spoiling the poetry of the toilet,
4:39garishing theater costumes, or erasing
4:42the singular beauty of camel darkness
4:44once found in tea houses and
4:46restaurants. Tanazaki concludes with a
4:49plea for the preservation of shadowed
4:51beauty in literature, even if it
4:53disappears elsewhere. In the face of
4:56inevitable modernization, he wishes for
4:58at least one mansion where we can turn
5:01off the electric lights and see what it
5:03is like without them. Thank you for
5:05watching. If you enjoy this video, leave
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