Life is brittle, and unforeseen circumstances might occasionally ruin our hopes and goals. How can we find hope and healing? One way is to adopt a variety of ideologies and views, which can save us from the situation.
The ancient Japanese technique known as “Kintsugi” involves repairing broken pottery pieces using a lacquer infused with precious metals such as gold, silver, or platinum. Rather than throwing away broken pottery, the pieces are painstakingly repaired over several months, highlighting any cracks in the material rather than trying to hide the damage.
Translating as “golden joinery,” the technique—also written Kintsugi—is the intriguing Japanese art of rejoining and mending a shattered ceramic object using lacquer and metal. It is also known as “golden repair” or Kintsukuroi. Unlike other creative restoration methods, this procedure does not care if the repairs are visible or not.
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Similar to the simple Wabi-Cha style of the Japanese tea ceremony, Kintsugi emerged as a direct reaction to Chinese aesthetics, where ceramics were typically fixed with metal staples. According to Japanese historical records, Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1436–1490), the 8th Ashikaga Shogun, had a treasured tea bowl sent to China for repairs and returned with metal staples that he found disagreeable. It is said that he gave the command to find a replacement, which is how kintsugi came to be.
Kintsugi is a component of the Japanese philosophy of accepting our imperfections as human beings and the transience of existence. It’s all about embracing flaws. It provides a way of living. Kintsugi shows us that we may overcome hardship and create something durable and beautiful in life. Kintsugi demonstrates to us that we may grow stronger, accept our flaws, and recover from our wounds over time. Kintsugi serves as a reminder that despite our challenges, we can all capable of reframing and discover purpose in life. There is a way ahead even when everything in our frail lives breaks apart. It is possible to be at peace with our flaws and our existence.
