The image evokes a modern sense of Kacho Fugetsu (Beauties of Nature)Masanao Taniguchi's work
The other day, when I wrote the column "Why paintings of animals and plants fit easily into daily life," I briefly touched upon the terms "Kacho Fugetsu" and "Setsu Getsu Ka."
However, I realized I only had a vague understanding of them, so this time I decided to research these two terms more thoroughly.
Kacho Fugetsu is a term that expresses the beauty of nature.
Flowers, birds, wind, and moon—all are natural elements that have stirred human hearts since ancient times.
The vividness of flowers.
The presence of birds.
The movement of the wind.
The light of the moon.
When listed like this, the term Kacho Fugetsu seems to describe not just nature, but also the atmosphere of the moment and the passage of seasons.
Even today, we say "to appreciate Kacho Fugetsu," which seems to encapsulate the very feeling of enjoying the beauty of nature. The Kojien dictionary also defines it as "beautiful natural scenery" and "the enjoyment of elegant tastes."
On the other hand, Setsu Getsu Ka also expresses the beauty of nature.
It combines the three words snow, moon, and flower, specifically referring to winter snow, autumn moon, and spring flowers.
Both Kacho Fugetsu and Setsu Getsu Ka include "flower" and "moon."
However, the impressions they convey are slightly different.
Kacho Fugetsu has birds and blowing wind.
There is movement, and a sense of the scenery expanding.
In contrast, Setsu Getsu Ka feels like a more serene beauty.
The whiteness of snow, the light of the moon, the presence of flowers.
It seems to be a term for slowly savoring each individual beauty.
For example, Kacho Fugetsu might be closer to the feeling one gets when encountering an expansive outdoor landscape.
Setsu Getsu Ka, I feel, is closer to the feeling of quietly gazing at a tranquil garden or a night scene.
Both terms describe the beauty of nature, but Kacho Fugetsu has a sense of expanse, while Setsu Getsu Ka has a calm, subdued charm.
Thinking of it this way makes the differences a bit clearer.
There's also a slight connection to the "wabi-sabi" column I wrote the other day.
However, Kacho Fugetsu and Setsu Getsu Ka are not the same as wabi-sabi.
If Kacho Fugetsu and Setsu Getsu Ka are terms for simply appreciating the beauty of nature, then wabi-sabi seems closer to a sensibility that turns one's attention to things that are more understated, simple, or slightly aged.
For example,
Enjoying the beauty of full-blooming flowers, a bright moon, and seasonal landscapes as they are
= Kacho Fugetsu / Setsu Getsu Ka
Turning one's heart to flowers at their decline, a garden on a cloudy day, well-used pottery, or quiet empty spaces
= Wabi-sabi
It might be easier to understand if you perceive them as such differences.
Of course, they cannot be neatly separated, and there are overlaps.
Kacho Fugetsu and Setsu Getsu Ka.
Both are ancient terms that express the feeling of being moved by the beauty of nature.
However, the reason they don't feel old even when read today might be because they encompass not only nature itself but also the human heart when observing it.
If you pause and look at your everyday scenery, it might appear different than before.
I think these words teach us such a sensation.
[Please also see the related column]
