The experience of ÄܘS (²Ô¨²µ²¹°ì³Ü, noh theater) is difficult to describe. When you see this ancient Japanese performance art ¡ª masked deities and demons, slow and arrhythmic chanting, fiercely clattering dances that suddenly come to a halt ¡ª the first word that might come to mind is ²»Ë¼×h (fushigi). This common word refers to things that are mysterious and unknowable, strange and incomprehensible, illogical or even a little upsetting.
In noh, this ²»Ë¼×h¤Ê¸Ð¤¸ (fushigina kanji, mysterious feeling) may arise from the genre¡¯s deep sense of ÓÄÐþ (²â¨±²µ±ð²Ô): a mysterious profundity and subtle elegance that defines much of noh¡¯s aesthetic.
Once you move past the confusion and mystery, other feelings may surface. As strange beings dance and romp across the stage to the hum of the chorus and the piercing flute, you may feel ˆRµ¹ (²¹³Ù³Ù¨), a sense of being overwhelmed by the performance¡¯s intensity. At other times, you may feel ¹²¸Ð (°ì²â¨°ì²¹²Ô), an empathy for the characters on stage as they struggle and suffer.
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