Seami on the Art of the Nō
The principal figure in the development of the Nō was Seami (or Zeami) Motokiyo (1363–1443). He was the author of most of the Nō plays which are still performed, including three of the four given in this volume. In addition to the plays, he wrote a number of critical works on the Nō in which he described the aesthetic principles underlying his art. The language he used, perhaps necessarily so, is at times obscure, and offers special problems in translation. This was due in part to the influence of Zen Buddhism, with its emphasis on intuitive understanding: this Zen influence is particularly apparent in the first selection given here. The word yūgen, with which the second selection is concerned, had a primary meaning of “mystery” and, however used, generally retains something of the sense of a mysterious power. Seami gave to this word the meaning of the chief aesthetic principle of the Nō.
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The One Mind Linking All Powers
Sometimes spectators of the Nō say that the moments of “no action” are the most enjoyable. This is one of the actor’s secret arts. Dancing and singing, movements on the stage, and the different types of miming are all acts performed by the body. Moments of “no action” occur in between. When we examine why such moments without action are enjoyable, we find that it is due to the underlying spiritual strength of the actor which unremittingly holds the attention. He does not relax the tension when the dancing or singing comes to an
