“White” In The Design-The Japanese Minimalist Aesthetic Research

Japan after experienced the World War II, only used amazing thirty years passed through the recovery period, growth period and development period. During this time, design technologies and concepts took-off rapidly. And opened up an Oriental mysticism development path. Due to long and narrow island residential environment, Japanese have to develop the imagination of spaces use to extreme, With emphasis on historical heritages, preserve regional characteristics, Finally formed an unique design style.Japanese style is continuation and development of Oriental history, philosophy and aesthetics. Long-term influenced by Chinese cultures and base on itself cultural heritages, For these reasons, Design from the gene penetrating refined, concise and elegant sense. Japanese aesthetics also reflects Zen ideology and environmental awareness, Designers have been exploring how to use minimize resources and most simple way to create an impressive beauty. Therefore, Japanese designs left people a quiet, solemn, rigorous, clear impression. Different from Nordic designs, Japanese designs like kind of “pure white”, often regarded as colorless, on one hand absorbing other colors quietly, on the other hand show to world in most dazzling, purest way.“White” non refers to color, It's way to exploring the entity of “White”, seeking concept of “White” which created Japanese aesthetic. “Wabi-Sabi” and “Wa Kei Sei Jyaku”, this two main factors contribute to “White”, certain extent has close related with Japanese Zen and tea ceremony.“Wabi-Sabi” is reflection of quiet, mysterious elegance in Japanese culture. Craftsmen in Japan only use natural materials to produce implements and uphold conscience to conform materials nature and rarely camouflage, more is show the materials venation and texture truthfully, To shape an extension object spirit. For color treatment, also as far as possible to show natural colors. Because of texture itself extremely concise elements, So without much technologies and thick colors, Could be create implements within a modest, spontaneous beauty. “Wabi-Sabi” is exactly reflecting appreciate and respect to the law of nature in above-mentioned methods.“Wa Kei Sei Jyaku” originated from the Japanese tea ceremony, is reflection of Zen. “Wa” refers to the doctrine of mean, it's a treatment between host and guest in ceremony originally, In a few words, Peace is above everything. And extended to harmony relationship between people, people and objects, human and environment, Japanese aesthetics emphasizes asymmetric, unbalanced harmonious beauty; “Kei” means honest and respect, Tea ceremony pay particular attention to “Once in a lifetime”, In the ceremony, hold attitude of only once in a lifetime, so that, have to cherish ceremony, banquet, objects, people during gathering time, which derived humble outlook of life. “Sei” contains meaning of clean and tidy. Tea ceremony as a symbol of high-grade, the minimalist, hidden style, makes many arts and crafts to followed and refined this kind of style in techniques to perform. “Jyaku” means not artificial and simplicity, by use of emptiness mood to be eternal.“White” could be equal with concepts like “Unadorned”, “Simple”, which involved Asian cultures and many countries customs, sublimated and with purity way to expression, “White” emphasizes realm of indifferent, quiet, Respected self-cultivation, Anatta philosophy, With natural, simple and unadorned lifestyle has been sought after around the world.Japanese designs which supported by “White” showing a calm and quiet beauty, Different from Mies Van der Rohe advocated: “Less is more” concise and rational beauty, Western countries represent art, culture, logic, freedom and independence; Japan represent details, sense, material and behavior. Transform complicate into simple, keep functions and inherent qualities of product, And purify and simplify appearance, These techniques can be seen on both ancient and current design works of Japan.This thesis attempts to analyze the mysterious “White” aesthetics in historical culture, formation stages and concrete typification aspects, Hope that people could get a further understanding of “Frigidity” Japanese designs.