Abstract

Mu is one of the most important topics of Zeami's theory of Noh. It means a kind of excellence whose characters are; it has no tangible charm that makes deep impression; it cannot be performed intentionally; and it is attained only by a prominent actor after lifelong learning. It has been supposed that the Buddhist thought, especially Zen, had a great impact upon Zeami's mu. Yet how Zeami's own way of thinking and its metamorphosis influenced the generation of the idea of mu is still to be investigated. When Zeami contrived the new style of acting, senu-hima , he might have found a clue to thinking out mu. However, that style lacks the important element of mu; it does not transcend the dualistic relationship between mu and yu. In this regard, Zeami's musical theory is worth consideration. According to Zeami, a prominent actor can sing a sound which cannot be determined whether it belongs to umon or to mumon. This non-dualistic character of Zeami's musical theory can be seen as a origin of his idea of mu