sharawadgi

== English == === Alternative forms === Sharawadgi, sharawaggi === Etymology === Possibly from the Japanese shara'aji or share'aji (洒落味、しゃれ味). The word was first published 1690 in a work by English statesman and essayist Sir William Temple, 1st Baronet (1628–1699) (see quotation), who claimed it was of Chinese origin, but scholars agree that this is incorrect. Temple following his own enthusiasm for China, took the literary model of introducing "the Chineses" [sic] as his spokesmen. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌʃa.ɹəˈwa.dʒi/ Hyphenation: sha‧ra‧wad‧gi === Noun === sharawadgi (uncountable) (historical or obsolete) A style of landscape gardening or architecture in which rigid lines and symmetry are avoided in favour of an organic appearance. [from 1690.] 1690, William Temple, “Upon the Gardens of Epicurus; or of Gardening in the Year 1685”, in Miscellanea: In Four Essays. I. Upon Ancient and Modern Learning. II. Upon the Gardens of Epicurus. III. Upon Heroick Virtue. IV. Upon Poetry, London: Printed by T. M. for Ri[chard] and Ra[lph] Simpson, at the sign of the harp in St. Pauls-Church-Yard, OCLC 643613891, page 58; republished as Miscellanea. The Second Part. In Four Essays. I. Upon Antient and Modern Learning. II. Upon the Gardens of Epicurus. III. Upon Heroick Virtue. IV. Upon Poetry, 5th edition, London: Printed for Ri[chard] Simpson at the Three Trouts, and Ra[lph] Simpson at the Harp in St. Paul's Church-Yard, 1705, OCLC 476085354, pages 129–130: Among us, the Beauty of Building and Planting is placed chiefly in ſome certain Proportions, Symmetries, or Uniformities; our Walks and our Trees ranged ſo, as to anſwer one another, and at exact Distances. The Chineſes ſcorn this way of Planting, […] their greateſt Reach of Imagination, is employed in contriving Figures, where the Beauty ſhall be great, and ſtrike the Eye, but without any Order or Diſpoſition of Parts, that ſhall be commonly or eaſily obſerv'd. And though we have hardly any Notion of this ſort of Beauty, yet they have a particular Word to expreſs it; and where they find it hit their Eye at firſt Sight, they ſay the Sharawadgi is fine or is admirable, or any ſuch Expreſſion of Eſteem. === References === === Further reading === sharawadgi on Wikipedia.Wikipedia