“Beauty cries out in a high-pitched voice like a crane. Its sound echoes through the heavens and earth, then vanishes instantly.”
- January 14, 1925 – November 25, 1970
- Born in Japan
- Novelist, playwright, critic, political activist
- He became a representative figure of postwar Japanese literature, and was highly acclaimed both at home and abroad. He pursued his own unique aesthetic with themes of beauty and death, and ultimately committed seppuku at a Self-Defense Forces garrison. His life, which combined literature with action, continues to have a strong influence today.
Japanese
「美は鶴のように甲高く鳴く。その声が天地に谺してたちまち消える。」
English
“Beauty cries out in a high-pitched voice like a crane. Its sound echoes through the heavens and earth, then vanishes instantly.”
Explanation
In this quote, Mishima uses the image of a crane’s cry to describe beauty, emphasizing its loud, sharp presence. The crane, known for its piercing call, serves as a symbol of beauty that is both attention-grabbing and transitory. The cry of the crane is not a soft murmur but a striking sound that is immediately felt and heard, yet it is also brief—it vanishes as quickly as it appears. This mirrors Mishima’s view that beauty is often something that arrives suddenly, commands attention, and then disappears, leaving a fleeting impression on the world.
The reference to the echo in the heavens and earth further emphasizes the temporary nature of beauty. The echo represents a momentary resonance, a brief reverberation that seems to fill the entire world, yet fades away almost as soon as it is heard. This reflects Mishima’s broader theme of the ephemeral nature of beauty and the ungraspable quality of aesthetic perfection. Beauty, in this context, is not something to be possessed or held onto; it is something that appears, briefly makes its mark, and then disappears, leaving only a memory of its existence.
In a modern context, this quote can be interpreted as a reflection on how beauty in today’s world is often perceived as something transitory and fleeting, especially in the context of social media and pop culture. Trends and aesthetic ideals often emerge with a loud bang, only to fade away just as quickly, leaving little lasting impact. Mishima’s words invite us to reflect on the impermanence of beauty and the elusiveness of aesthetic ideals, urging us to recognize that while beauty may capture our attention momentarily, it is ultimately a temporary experience, one that vanishes as quickly as it appears.
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