Interdisciplinary Essay Countdown: Three Weeks

With the interdisciplinary essay exam coming up, I found last Friday’s lab very helpful because it was a good way to refresh the guidelines and format. Having the chance to see an essay from HUMN 2001 allowed me to get a sense of the amount of detail and knowledge that are necessary to earn a high mark. Last year, I had thought that the interdisciplinary essay was supposed to be concise and right to the point but after some clarification and then further reinforcement from Friday’s lab, I feel like I have a better understanding of the level of cultural knowledge that needs to be expressed in the essay.

At this point, all of the material that we have covered seems a bit overwhelming but I will begin organizing my notes and mapping out some possible essay ideas. We have covered China, Japan, and Baroque, with Neoclassicism and Romanticism coming up in the next two weeks. These cultures each have their own period concepts and my next task is to find a way to create connections between the literature, art, and music to the period concepts within each culture. My mistake last year was a lack of preparation for the essays. I felt disorganized and did not take enough time to prepare. If I can get a sense of which concepts I would like to focus on, I can begin finding the pieces that will exemplify them. I am hoping to maintain a clear line of thought and maintain it throughout the entire essay, so my choice of literature, art, and music pieces will be crucial.

As for mapping out an essay, I am thinking of focusing Japanese culture and its ideas of simplification and closeness to nature. There is an emphasis on valuing the concept of the Way, accepting the natural course of things, and the meaningfulness of simplification within the culture’s pieces. The Great Wave embodies these concepts and because we spent time analyzing it and connecting it to concepts in class, I think I would have an ample amount of information to use. The simple narrative of The Tale of Genji, and the song, Sakura, are prime examples of the power of simplicity. While these pieces may be simple and do not contain a lot of ornamentation, they exemplify the cultural values. I am still trying to figure out a question that will tie it all together, and I would like to focus on the idea of simplicity and how a minimal amount of material can create a maximum effect.

Word Count: 423

"Mimosa in falling rain..."

While listening to the shakuhachi flute performance, the melodies were delicate yet poignant at times. It included the aesthetics of Japanese performance such as the concepts of stillness and motion, action and inaction, contemplation and application, and “wabi,” also known as simplicity. The Japanese culture emphasizes minimal use of material for maximum effect. The simplicity reflected the concept of “ma,” because of the meaningful silence, timing of space, and space between notes. Essentially, the silence spoke for itself in great volumes. Because “ma” was present, “wabi” was also another concept that was included in the interpretation of the performance. Instead of heavy ornamentation and complex melodies, there is beauty within simplicity. A main aspect of Japanese music performance is its meditative purposes. It serves as a practice for breathing, being in the moment, finding the spiritual center, tranquility, and staying focused.

The Zen calligraphy pieces followed along similar themes with the depictions of simplicity and balance. There is a balance within the surface because of the medium’s brush stroke and the texture of the paper. Within the rapidness, energy, and physicality of laying down the strokes, there must be balance to make the strokes perfect. In the pieces with circles, the stroke defines the interior, which is an empty space of mass. The symbolism of circles and emptiness represent balance, unity, and simplicity. There is a presence of “wabi,” the beauty of simplicity, and “sabi,” which is solitude. The idea of meditation also reappears in the Zen calligraphy because in order to create these strokes, the mind must be emptied of all clutter and it is all up to the material, surface, and the artist’s hand. The artist must be balanced, focused, and be in the moment.

The Basho haiku that we read during the Zen lab was “Xi Shi’s drooping eyelids:/mimosa in falling rain/at Kisakata./Shining on sand/transported by pilgrims—/pure light of the moon.” The paradox of simple yet abstract is present within the poem. The content of the poem is abstract because of ideas such as the pilgrims being able to transport the light of the moon. The form of the pattern along with the fairly simple words conveys simplicity. The concept of “Yugen” is a poetic principle that describes profound mystery, depth, darkness, beauty, elegance, and sadness, and it can be seen within the poem. Everything from the mimosa in falling rain to the pure light of the moon leave the interpretations open for the reader. The tranquility of the image being depicted creates a sense of mystery and quiet beauty.

Word Count: 424