凯瑟琳·马丁科　雨佳/译

Minimalism refers to an ongoing quest to pare down ones belongings to what is essential. This concept has gained popularity in recent years， likely in reaction to the rampant consumerism of the past decades. Houses have become so clogged with surplus goods that its hard to feel comfortable and relaxed at home， and the time required to maintain these belongings is considerable. People are eager for another way of living.

极简主义是指不断削减自己的物品以期达到只剩必需品。这个概念近年来越来越受欢迎，似乎是对泛滥几十年的消费主义的回应。冗余的物品将屋子塞得满满当当，使人很难在家里感到舒适和放松，而且还要花大量时间去维护保养。人们开始渴望另一种生活方式。

It can be helpful to look to other cultures for guidance. Philosophies of minimalism have long existed in places like Japan and Scandinavia， where products are designed to be both attractive and functional， and the ownership of physical goods is understood to be an investment， a responsibility， and even a burden at times， not just a status symbol.

向其他文化取经可能会有所收获。极简主义哲学在日本和斯堪的纳维亚半岛等地早已存在。那些地方的产品设计既有吸引力又很实用，人们不仅仅将拥有实物当作身份的象征，还将其视作投资和责任，有时甚至视作负担。

We can learn a lot from these other minimalist traditions and be inspired by them. The following examples remind us that were not alone， that were in fact choosing to participate in age-old concepts that have proven over centuries to boost ones quality of life.

我们可以从其他地区的极简主义传统中学到很多东西并获得启发。下面的例子提醒我们，我们并不孤单。事实上，我们是在选择奉行一些古老的观念——几百年来，它们已被证明能够提高生活质量。

Japan is the established leader when it comes to minimalism. There， the philosophy is rooted in Zen Buddhism， which encourages followers not to become overly attached to material possessions and to focus on happiness and mindfulness. The Japanese have several words that they use to describe aspects of minimalism within their culture.

日本是公认的极简主义领导者。那里的极简哲学源于禅宗，鼓励信众不要过度执着于物质财富，而是要专注于幸福和正念。日本人会用几个词描述极简主义在日本文化中的种种体现。

Mottainai is a Japanese phrase that translates as a call to “waste nothing！” It is used as a reminder not to squander resources because they are limited on Earth and to use what you have with a sense of gratitude. Mottainai urges people to find ways to reuse and repurpose items to delay sending them to landfill. The phrase is sometimes summed up as being equivalent to the American three Rs—“reduce， reuse， recycle”—with an added fourth R， “respect.”

日語短语Mottainai意思是呼吁人们“别浪费任何东西！”。它被用来提醒不要浪费资源，因为地球资源有限，应当怀着感激之情使用你所拥有的东西。Mottainai敦促人们想方设法重复使用和重新利用物品，从而推迟把它们送到垃圾场。有时，这个短语被总结为相当于美国的3R原则——reduce（减少）、reuse（再利用）、recycle（再循环）——再加上第四个R，respect（尊重）。

Even in Japan houses can get cluttered， which is why a new word， “danshari，” has become popular in recent years. Each syllable means something different： “Dan” is to refuse， “sha” is to discard， “ri” is to separate. Put together， these describe the process of decluttering ones home and making a conscious decision to withdraw from a consumerist mindset.

即使在日本，屋子也会变得乱糟糟，这就是danshari（断舍离）一词近年流行起来的原因。每个音节的含义都不相同——dan（断）是拒绝，sha（舍）是丢弃，ri（离）是分离。几个音节合在一起，描述了一个人清理家中杂物并有意识摆脱消费主义心态的过程。

Francine Jay writes for the Miss Minimalist blog： “Danshari refers not just to physical clutter， but also to mental and emotional clutter. It holds the promise that once youve disposed of the excess and the unnecessary， youll have the space， time， and freedom to live more fully.”

弗朗辛·杰伊为“极简主义小姐”博客写道：“断舍离不仅针对物质上的混乱，也针对精神和情感上的混乱。只要遵循这个原则，一旦处理掉多余的和不必要的东西，你就会有空间、时间和自由来让生活更充实。”

Minimalism is prominent in Scandinavia， as well where furniture and architecture are known for their sleek， simple designs. One curious concept is “dostadning”， also known as “Swedish death cleaning”. This refers to the act of removing excess belongings from ones home as one ages， so that family members dont have to contend with them later.

极简主义在斯堪的纳维亚半岛也很流行。那里的家具和建筑以其时尚简约的设计而闻名。有个新奇的概念叫作dostadning，也被称为“瑞典式死亡清理”。这是指随着人日渐衰老，将多余的物品从家中移走，以免亡故后家人为遗物所累。

Its an unusual version of minimalism， one that focuses more on the long-term impact of belongings， rather than striving to create a minimalist space in which to live， but it refreshingly acknowledges the burden that material possessions can create and the long life they live， even once their initial owners have passed on.

这种极简主义很不寻常，它更关注物品的长期影响，而不是努力创造一个极简的生活空间。但令人耳目一新的是，它承认物质财富可能成为负累且会长久存在，即使物品最初的主人已经亡故。

A Swedish woman named Margareta Magnusson， who says shes somewhere between 80 and 100， wrote a book called “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning： How to free yourself and your family from a lifetime of clutter.” She says the first rule is “to speak of it always.” Tell others about your intent to declutter and they will hold you accountable.

一位名叫玛加丽塔·芒努松的瑞典老奶奶（她说自己的年纪在80岁到100岁之间）写过一本书，名为《瑞典式死亡清理的温柔艺术：如何让自己和家人摆脱一生的凌乱》。她说，第一条准则就是“总是说起它”。告诉别人你整理的意图，他们就会让你全权处理。

Minimalism exists in additional forms in other countries and cultures. To name a few， theres France that is known for its “less is more” approach to fashion， with Coco Chanel famously saying， “Before you leave the house， look in the mirror and take one thing off.” The Quakers have their Testimony of Simplicity， which encourages followers to avoid fancy clothing and other belongings， as it distracts from God and service to others. The concept of “devara kaadu”， practiced in regions of southern India， rejects synthetic products and urges adherents to live simply， using homemade products made with natural ingredients.

其他國家和文化中存在不同形式的极简主义。以下仅举几例。法国以其“少即是多”的时尚观念闻名，可可·香奈儿的名言就说：“离开家之前，照照镜子，取下一件衣饰。”贵格会则有“以简朴为证”，敦促信徒远离奢华的衣物，因为那会分散对上帝和为他人服务的注意力。印度南部地区奉行的devara kaadu理念则拒绝合成产品，敦促信徒简单生活，使用以天然成分制成的自制产品。

As you can see， minimalism is an ancient， rich， and valuable tradition. Hopefully it will get there as people realize the environmental and emotional drain that is modern-day consumerism.

如你所见，极简主义是一种古老、丰富且有价值的传统。当人们意识到现代消费主义对环境和情感的消耗时，但愿极简主义能够取而代之。

（译者单位：复旦大学）