An interesting socio-anthropological discussion in today's entry: a division between East and West you've probably haven't noticed before (unless you've read my previous entry on a very similar matter), and it has to do with numbers (oh no, screams everyone). Calma. Its much more easier than you think. First off, a question:

How many plates/cups/forks/knives come in a standard set?

If you answered six, then you're correct. How about coffee cups? Six too? It would be if you lived in the West. It wouldn't, at least, in premodern Japan. Not surprisingly, a premodern society (ie before the Great Wars) is a telling piece of a nation's history and culture. Because in Japan you would have five. And thats not the only example.

Whats interesting about all this is that odd numbers are surprisingly in use in Japanese society. A popular child's festival in early spring invites all children ages 3, 5, and 7 in what is known in Japanese as "shichi go san" (literally "seven five three"). A tea ceremony room ("chashitsu") has 4 and a half floor boards (made of straw and called the "tatimi", roughly the squared perimeter of size of a man). Haiku, Japanese poetry at its finest, uses verses with 7, 5 and 7 "syallbles" in each line. Horyuji, the world's oldest wooden structure built in the 8th century and located in Nara prefecture of Japan, was built in accordance with Chinese blueprints, one that had symmetry as its focal point. Upon the completion of the temple, however, the Japanese added one small temple in the south-west corner of the site, thus disrupting what one would see as a perfect harmony of balance. The main temple, with an intricate structure of sloping slates with floors upon another, has three floors altogether. Similarly, other temples have five such floors.

Western society, if I may make a generalisation of a sort, favours symmetry and even-ness to an unimaginable extent. Versailles doesn't have one end of the castle protuded crudely from the other, nor does the garden in front of the castle present even a small leaf askew. Beauty is seen in symmetry, just as small children who were tested found people whose faces were symmetrical more attractive than people without (Denzel Washington being an example). Buildings are symmetrical, and Western hospitals have no qualms about a fourth floor. The Japanese do, most notably because the number 4 can also mean "death", but it could be because of more subtle reasons.

Why would this be the case for Japan (and other Asian countries, except for China, which sees odd numbers as an evil omen) ? Is there some mentality that things that are not symmetrical and not even is preferable over another? Regardless of mentality, it is undoubtedly true that such oddities exist in Japan to this day. Some people explain that the Japanese favour a more "natural" and thus less "sharp" and precise way of things (as in the case of nature, when many things have five of a sort, like five petals in a flower and such). A typical example is that even numbers are divisible with no remainders, while odd numbers have a remainder, a part waiting to be completed, but will never be able to be physically accomplished. For all know that dividing 3 by 7 will get a number that, despite its repetition, will never (theoretically) end. Others suggest that odd numbers are circular (because of its repetition) and thus it represents a cycle, of which one is a part of. Japanese society stresses quite a deal the fact that there is no individual (even to this day). Rather, a person is part of another group of people, which is why a person is to have such respect for an elder, and teamwork has so few difficulties in Japan.

In fact, showing respect to a Japanese elder is not done by "Your Majesty" or "Your Highness" in the sense that the elder is elevated in status beyond their actual place with flattering words. Rather, you lower your own status (in effect by saying that you are nothing) which grants the most respect in Japan. It is in the same case when someone asks a Japanese lady if she is good at playing the piano. Rather than say "I'm good and I'm sure you'll enjoy listening if you can come to my concert next week", she would say "Oh, I'm not too good; besides I'm too shy to play". A Westerner would take her at her word; a Japanese listener would automatically realise that that humble gesture was the real sign that she is truly a good player.

In any case, I thought that the subtle difference between Western and Eastern society was interesting to highlight. While perhaps some of you might visit Japan and other Asian countries in the future, it would be even more interesting to take part in noticing such divisions, one that makes discovering foreign cultures all the more interesting. I for one prefer symmetry and see it more satisfying to the eye than something slightly askew. Akin to wanting to readjust a crooked painting. But while this may sound like a hasty five-minute generalisation made on a crowded subway ride, I am please to inform you all that I am not the first to come up with this realisation. I rarely ever am. lol.

So-so day today, especially since I got my SAT results back. For a first time taker of the evil test, I guess a 1310 isn't too bad is it? Well I hope to do better next time, especially with a 680 in math. I get my long-waited mp3 player tommorow! I just hope I don't come home only to realise it doesn't fit in my computer's USB port. I'd be really sad then, and you'll be notified of my dissapointment by an absence of post tommorow. Going back to today's discussion, today's Mute Point verdict is: "there's beauty in difference".

Written on Friday, May 14 at 7:44 PM