The following is from Mr. SekiHei's serial column on the front page of the monthly magazine Hanada, which was released on the 26th.
It is a must-read not only for Japanese citizens but also for people around the world.
An "Incredible Japan" Different from China and Korea (Culture Part 2)
Continuing from the previous article in this series, I will examine the differences between Japan and China in terms of culture and the characteristics of Japanese culture as the cultural part of the theme "Japan as seen from the perspective of differences with China and Korea.
This time, I will focus on "beauty" in culture.
The pursuit of beauty and the expression of beauty are significant themes in the cultures of all peoples.
However, as a native of China, I believe that the pursuit and expression of beauty occupy a crucial position in Japanese culture and that no other people possess such a delicate sense of beauty and love of beauty as the Japanese people.
Robert Fortune, a British botanist who came to Japan at the end of the Edo period, in his famous book, "Exploring Japan at the End of the Edo Period: Edo and Peking," reports on the "love of flowers" witnessed among ordinary Japanese people in Edo as follows.
"When I passed by tiny houses, farmhouses, and huts in the suburbs of Edo, I saw small gardens in front of the places with a few plants and flowers of the Japanese taste. One of the most striking characteristics of the Japanese people is their natural love of flowers, even among the lower classes. They take great pleasure in growing a few of their favorite plants as a diversion."
Based on these observations, Fortune famously commented on the Japanese national character.
If the love of flowers is proof of the high level of human culture, the Japanese people seem far superior to our country's people.
It is a solid surprise for those of us living in modern times that Fortune, who came from the civilized nation of England, praised the "flower-loving" Japanese of the Edo period so highly. But, as Fortune pointed out, the "love of flowers" (i.e., the love of beauty in one aspect) is a characteristic of the Japanese national character and an indication of the high cultural level of Japanese.
This article continues.
