Shuzo Kuki (author)

Hello, this is Shoji Shimura from Atelier Shimura.
This time, we will be bringing you the second part of Kuki Shuzo's "The Structure of 'iki'."
In the previous part, we explained the three triggers that make up the internal structure of "iki": "courage," "courage," and "resignation."
In this second part, we will explore how these philosophical concepts are embodied in real-life artistic expression, specifically the "patterns" and "colors" of kimonos, while unraveling Kuki Shuzo's arguments.

Shuzo Kuki (author) "The Structure of 'Iki'"
Publisher: Kodansha (2003)

【table of contents】
1. Introduction
2. The inclusive structure of “iki”
3. The extensional structure of “iki”
4. Natural expressions of "iki"
5. Artistic Expression of "Iki"
6 Conclusion

1. The aesthetic sense that resides in stripes

First, let's look at the expression of shape, stripes, a familiar pattern used in kimonos.
According to Kuki, this seemingly simple striped pattern reflects an aesthetic sense that is deeply connected to the structure of "iki," or in other words, the "philosophy of duality."

・"Fawning" as a parallel line
Kuki believed that the stripes represent the essence of "coquetry," the first trigger of "iki." The essence of coquetry is maintaining a tense relationship with the opposite sex, neither too close nor too far. Expressed geometrically, this is like "parallel lines" that are forever close together but never intersect.
If the lines cross, it means that the two people have merged, and the sense of distance (tension) that is characteristic of flirtation disappears. Conversely, if they are too far apart, the relationship is lost.
Therefore, Kuki concluded that the parallel lines that never intersect are the visual expression of coquetry, and that the "stripes" that embody this are the most "lively" pattern.

“Among geometric shapes, no other figure better expresses duality (the coquettish ‘neither too close nor too far’ that is the basis of ‘iki’) than parallel lines. Parallel lines that continue forever but never intersect are the purest visualization of this duality, and it is no coincidence that stripes are considered to be ‘iki’ patterns.”

・Vertical stripes are better than horizontal stripes
Furthermore, Kuki argues that even when the stripes are the same, "vertical stripes are more 'iki' than horizontal stripes." This is closely related to the balance between "resignation" and "courage," which are components of "iki."

Horizontal stripes: Visually create a sense of width and suggest a state of being solid and stable. This is the heaviness and attachment that Iki hates the most, and lacks refined lightness.

Vertical stripes: These are lines that run smoothly from the sky to the ground. Kuki saw in them the gentle lightness of rain (drizzle) that falls without defying gravity, and the lightness of willows. This represents a state of resignation, of not being attached to fate or reality.

In other words, the parallel lines of the stripes maintain a coquettish attitude (duality) that is neither too close nor too far apart, while the vertical shapes within them convey a sense of unattached resignation (lightness), and the sharpness of the lines that never intersect asserts courage (spirit).

The perfect balance of these three elements was considered the ultimate "iki" for townspeople in the Edo period.
In fact, if we look at the evolution of kimono patterns, horizontal stripes were the norm until the Horeki era (mid-18th century), but after the Meiwa era, vertical stripes became overwhelmingly mainstream during the Bunka and Bunsei eras (early 19th century). Kuki sees this change in taste not as a mere transition of fashion, but as a historical process in which the aesthetic sense of "iki" was perfected in the city of Edo.

2. Vibrant Colors—Forty-eight Browns and One Hundred Grays

Next, let's look at how to express iki through color.

In the late Edo period, the term "Shijuu Hatcha Hyaku Nezumi" (48 Teas, 100 Grays) was coined, and countless variations of brown and gray were created and loved.
The background to this was the Edo shogunate's "ban on luxury." In order to maintain social hierarchy, townspeople were forbidden to use gaudy primary colors, gold, or silver. However, people turned this restriction to their advantage, finding infinite variations in the subdued colors that were permitted, such as gray, brown, and indigo, and imbuing this with the aesthetic sense of "iki."

Kuki argues that to express "iki" through color, it should never be flashy, but resides in subdued hues. The following three color systems are typical examples:

1. Gray (Nezumiiro) - The process towards "nothingness"
Gray is an achromatic color with infinite gradations between white and black. If vibrant, vibrant colors represent worldly reality, gray, with its fading color, suggests "nothingness." For this reason, gray is the color that best expresses "resignation" and freedom from attachment to this world, as well as the Buddhist sense of impermanence.

② Brown - Subdued sexiness
Brown is a darker, less vibrant version of vibrant warm colors like red and yellow.
Kuki interpreted this as "coquetry tinged with resignation." The original gaiety (coquetry) is suppressed and smoked by the negative element of black (resignation). This refined, "sophisticated sexiness" is the true essence of brown.

3. Blue (indigo/cool colors) – Ideal for afterimages
Cool colors such as blue, green, and purple are also considered to be "iki" colors. Here, Kuki develops his own color theory called "negative afterimage."
When we stare at a bright, real-life color (an object of allure) such as red or yellow, and then close our eyes or look at a white wall, the complementary colors, blue or green, appear faintly. This is a negative afterimage.

Kuki believed that "lively" colors were not the vivid colors that existed in reality, but rather "colors as afterimages" that remained in the mind after the stimulus had passed, or colors that were like illusions.
Once the attachment to reality (red) fades, a cool blue suddenly appears in the mind. It can be said to be the color of a refined soul, a highly sophisticated fusion of "resignation" and "coquetry."

3. The "Iki" Way of Life: The Japanese Way of Existence

Finally, I will summarize what kind of "way of life" "iki" as an aesthetic category suggests.
Kuki defined "iki" as a way of life for townspeople that is inseparable from the idealism of Bushido (courage) and the unrealism of Buddhism (resignation). His philosophy can be summarized as follows:

"Iki is when the "coquetry" that has given you "resignation" due to fate, and you live freely with "courage."

"Resignation" is the act of calmly facing and accepting your inescapable fate (impermanence).
A seductive "coquettish attitude" that places oneself in a tense relationship with others.
And "courage" to not be drowned in fate or love, but to stick to one's own will and pride.
These three elements are not separate, but dynamically unified, and this is the "iki" way of life that the Japanese have achieved.

・As a self-disclosure of ethnic existence
The reason why Kuki Shuzo was able to analyze "iki" so meticulously was that he encountered the philosopher Martin Heidegger while studying in Europe and was deeply influenced by his ideas.

He focused on the uniquely Japanese aesthetic of "iki" as a clue to the Japanese people questioning their own existence. Clarifying the structure of "iki" was a grand philosophical challenge that went beyond the framework of mere aesthetics and attempted to help the Japanese people understand themselves (self-disclosure).

Conclusion

Dyeing and weaving artist Shimura Fukumi also frequently speaks about the "structure of iki." In particular, she says of "48 Teas and 100 Mushrooms," "These were not special colors for special occasions, but the everyday colors of the common people. In other words, it was the common people who truly understood and loved the spirit of iki."

The world of "iki" that Kuki Shuzo philosophically explained was not only found in books, but was also certainly alive and well in the lives and handicrafts of ordinary people in Japan in the past.

Over the course of three sessions, we talked about Kuki Shuzo's "The Structure of 'iki'."
Thank you for watching until the end this time as well.

This is a reading guide by Shoji Shimura (CEO of Atelier Shimura).
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