Wabi-Sabi: Finding Beauty in Imperfect Things

Full script

Read the whole talk.

All slides in one place. Read it through once, then practice slide by slide.

1. 01Wabi-Sabi

   Good evening, everyone. My grandmother has a tea bowl with a crack that was repaired long ago. As a child, I thought it was ugly. Now, it's my favorite object in her house. Tonight, I'll try to explain the Japanese idea behind that feeling: wabi-sabi.

   大家晚安。我奶奶有一個很久以前修補過裂痕的茶碗。小時候，我覺得它很醜。現在，它是她家裡我最喜歡的東西。今晚，我想試著說明這種感覺背後的日本概念：侘寂。

2. 02A Difficult Word to Translate

   Wabi-sabi is hard to translate. There isn't one English word for it. In simple terms, it means finding beauty in things that are imperfect, simple, and not permanent.

   侘寂很難翻譯。英文裡沒有一個單字可以表達它。簡單來說，它的意思是在不完美、簡樸、不會永遠存在的事物中找到美。

3. 03Wabi: Quiet Simplicity

   The first part, wabi, is often connected to quiet simplicity: a plain room, a simple meal, or a calm life without too many things.

   第一個部分「侘」，通常和安靜的簡樸有關：一個樸素的房間、一頓簡單的餐點，或是一種沒有太多東西的平靜生活。

4. 04Sabi: The Beauty of Age

   The second part, sabi, is often connected to the beauty of age: an old wooden door, moss on a stone, or the soft color of a well-used tea cup. These things show that time has passed.

   第二個部分「寂」，通常和歲月的美有關：一扇老舊的木門、石頭上的青苔，或是一個用了很久的茶杯那柔和的顏色。這些東西都顯示出時間的流逝。

5. 05Examples in Daily Life

   You can see wabi-sabi in many places: handmade pottery with uneven shapes, falling autumn leaves, or a repaired bowl like my grandmother's. The imperfection is part of the beauty, not something to hide.

   你可以在很多地方看到侘寂：形狀不規則的手作陶器、飄落的秋葉，或是像我奶奶那樣修補過的碗。不完美是美的一部分，不是需要藏起來的東西。

6. 06A Contrast With Perfection

   This idea feels very different from much of modern life. Online, we see perfect photos, perfect bodies, and perfect homes. Wabi-sabi suggests another way of seeing: that something can be beautiful because it is imperfect.

   這個概念和現代生活的很多部分非常不一樣。在網路上，我們看到的是完美的照片、完美的身材和完美的家。侘寂提供了另一種看待事物的方式：一樣東西可以因為不完美而美麗。

7. 07What It Means to Me

   For me, wabi-sabi has become a way to be kinder to myself. I don't need to be perfect, and I don't need to replace things just because they're old. Like my grandmother's bowl, a few cracks can tell a story.

   對我來說，侘寂已經變成一種對自己更溫柔的方式。我不需要完美，也不需要只因為東西舊了就換掉它。就像我奶奶的碗一樣，幾道裂痕也能訴說一個故事。

8. 08Conclusion

   To sum up, wabi-sabi is the idea that simple, old, and imperfect things can be beautiful. The next time you see a crack or a scratch, try looking at it with wabi-sabi eyes. Thank you.

   總結來說，侘寂是一種想法：簡樸、老舊、不完美的東西也可以很美。下次你看到裂痕或刮痕的時候，試著用侘寂的眼光去看它吧。謝謝大家。