"The Notch", number 147 of 188 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

Today's miniature hinges on the taking up of a traditional craft from a different culture and how some aspects of this transmission are misappropriated. The example used is the one where Korean potters notched the bottoms of their seconds and there apprentices liked this practice so much that they notched even the best of their work.

Speaking of craft and cross cultural messaging, I am interested in the knife making skills of Joel Bukiewicz, a Brooklyn based writer turned knife maker. In the short video below he talks about how some of the best cutlery today comes from Japan. I feel he is too modest and has refined the art of cutlery and added cultural flares that would be sacrilegious in Japan. Namely the colorful handles.

Below is a repost the video from a few days ago and an added second.