Zen Culture

"Zen Culture" by Thomas Hoover is a study of Zen's profound impact on Japanese artistic and cultural landscape. Penned in the latter part of the 20th century, the book journeys through how Zen ideology has seeped into the very fabric of Japan, coloring not just time-honored art forms but also shaping contemporary design, buildings, and routine living. Hoover shows how Zen treasures direct understanding instead of just thinking about things, fitting into many parts of Japanese thinking and culture. Hoover begins by pointing out that Zen artworks are both modern and timeless, making them still relevant to today's art. Ceramic art, writing, architecture, and performances show shades of modern art styles, where Zen helps one find beauty in basic things and flaws, in both artworks and regular things one does.