Eastern Concepts Research Articles

‘Eastern Poems’ by P. Kulish at Crossroads of Asian Mysticism and European Romanticism

The paper considers the main Panteleimon Kulish’s epic poems “Marusia Bohuslavka”, “Baida, Prince Vyshnevetskyi”, “Muhammad and Hadiza” with the focus on their oriental background. The idea of the eastern orientation of P. Kulish originates from the works of V. Shchurat, V. Ivashkiv and others. The main attention is drawn to the fact that Kulish was considerably acquainted with eastern cultures and religious systems (especially those of Near East and Middle East which he had to know as a translator of Bible) and often used eastern concepts in his philosophic and literary works. The researcher traces the influence of different factors in Kulish’s ‘Eastern poems’ at the levels of ideology and imagery. The analysis reveals that the main sources of the author’s creative ideas were the eastern religious mystical systems (such as Islam, Sufi sm) as well as European Romantic works, in particular those by Lord Byron and P. B. Shelley, that were created under the same influence of the eastern philosophic doctrines and philosophy of Spinoza. This content was most vividly embodied in Kulish’s ‘cordocentric’ doctrine contrasting with ‘ratiocentric’ European philosophies. The emphasis on the concept of the heart and emotional sphere is most eloquent and obvious in the image of Woman that is interpreted as the eastern category of eternal femininity. The eastern focus is also noticeable at the thematic level (the concepts of Truth, Love, and Eternity). The main poetical peculiarities of the analyzed works are found in the mystical thinking and belief in the sacred power of the Word. Thus the language of the poems is very allegoric, enigmatic, and mysterious; it rather veils the main meaning than reveals it. So it results in double meaning or multiplicity of interpretations and demands reading the poems with a search for a certain code or cipher for decoding the author’s imagery and parabolic content. That is why the poems leave the impression of paradoxical thinking and remain difficult for understanding which relate them to the works by Lord Byron and P. B. Shelley (“Revolt of Islam”). Probably this combination of Asian mysticism and European philosophies was the main reason why some critics accused Kulish of being ‘non-synthetic’ personality (S. Yefremov). But oriental focus reveals the new way for understanding and interpreting the poems by Kulish, as well as his philosophic doctrine and personal position in life.

Translating the Biblical Hebrew Word Nephesh in Light of New Research

In this paper, the translation of the Biblical Hebrew word nephesh is discussed in light of new research. The starting point for the paper is a 1976 article in The Bible Translator that discusses the translation of nephesh based on the idea that it is a monistic entity referring to human beings as such. It is shown that this view was most representative for the exegetical consensus of the time of the article. However, a fair amount of new research points out new directions for interpreting nephesh as an entity or essence that was perceived as being separable from the body. This is also confirmed by research on cognate ancient Near Eastern concepts. It is argued that this should affect our way of translating the word nephesh.

Equanimity: The somatization of a moral sentiment from the eighteenth to late twentieth century.

Over the past 40 years, mindfulness-based therapies (MBTs) have gained a reputation among the biomedical community for their ability to contribute to health, mental capital, and human flourishing. Recently, however, critical mindfulness scholars have questioned the moral import of MBTs, claiming that, in modernizing meditation, they strip Buddhist practices of their ethical and soteriological content. Inspired by Harrington and Dunne's (2015, p. 630) recent call to historicize this present discontent, I offer an account for this perceived "de-ethicization" of mindfulness, locating it in a long history of changes in the ontological infrastructures supporting moral reasoning from the eighteenth century onwards. Through the example of equanimity-a virtue that has been a part of Western and Eastern character ethics and theories of flourishing from the ancient period to the modern age-I show how, from the eighteenth century, research in the natural sciences on nervous diseases, stress, and relaxation, provided a frame for rethinking moral equanimity as a somatic experience of physiological calm. This transformation reaches its peak in the late twentieth century in research on mindfulness, which builds upon that tradition by folding into its ambit Eastern conceptions of equanimity as well. Insofar as modern MBTs continue to somatize moral virtues, I argue that they raise questions about the degree to which they are conducive to human flourishing and well-being, as opposed to the related but narrower notions of health and mental capital.

Aktualność wschodnich koncepcji Jerzego Giedroycia

<p>Jerzy Giedroyc wydawał miesięcznik „Kultura” w latach 1947–2000 w Maisons Laffitte pod Paryżem. Stopniowo „Kultura” stawała się specyficznym ośrodkiem politycznym opartym na publicystyce takich autorów, jak: Juliusz Mieroszewski, Bohdan Osadczuk, Leopold Unger. Mieroszewski był twórcą tzw. koncepcji wschodniej, zakładającej dobrosąsiedzkie stosunki suwerennej Polski z niepodległymi państwami: Ukrainą, Litwą, Białorusią, które wyłonią się wskutek rozpadu ZSRR. Koncepcja ta zrodziła się już w latach 50. XX wieku, a termin ULB został użyty po raz pierwszy w 1973 roku. Oddziaływanie przez publicystykę polegało na przekonaniu opinii publicznej do racjonalizacji sporów historycznych i uznania aspiracji niepodległościowych narodów tworzących w przeszłości Rzeczpospolitą. Po przemianach geopolitycznych i ustrojowych w Europie u schyłku XX wieku uznano, że koncepcja wschodnia „Kultury” ma wymiar aktualny i może stanowić podstawę działań politycznych. Polska jako lider tych zmian przejmowała funkcję orędownika Ukrainy w Unii Europejskiej. Splot okoliczności wewnętrznych (walka polityczna w Ukrainie) i zewnętrznych (przemiany w UE, zmiana priorytetów) spowodował, że Ukraina nie została członkiem UE, mimo zweryfikowanego potencjału społecznego. Koncepcja wschodnia „Kultury” stanowiła jednak mocną przesłankę za uznaniem niepodległości Ukrainy i wsparciem podczas pomarańczowej rewolucji. Dwutorowe działania Giedroycia w sferze kształtowania poglądów politycznych i zmiany stereotypów spowodowały, że bardzo dobrze funkcjonuje współpraca naukowa, kulturalna i społeczna. Rozwija się współpraca w regionach pogranicznych. Fundacje i organizacje pozarządowe prowadzą wspólne inicjatywy na rzecz społeczeństwa obywatelskiego.</p>

Ma as a Space–Time Concept of Becoming: Karl-Heinz Klopf’s Tower House (2013)

This article explores the abstract space–time concept of ma through analysis and interpretation of Austrian artist Karl-Heinz Klopf’s film Tower House (2013). The film is based on an extraordinary house built in Tokyo in 1966 and designed by architect Takamitsu Azuma. Moving between film theory, Eastern mysticism, cognitive psychology, narrative theory, and the phenomenology and ontology of space and time, the main hypothesis is that Klopf uses special film techniques that demonstrate, augment and construct ma. It is argued that this process can also be understood through Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari’s philosophy as a space–time concept in a continuous process of becoming. How does Klopf augment a philosophy of living and logic of architectural space in the filmmaking methodology of Tower House based on the Eastern concept of ma? How can we further understand this using Deleuze and Guattari’s understanding of becoming? Which new frameworks bring the annexation of Deleuzian and Guattarian philosophy to Klopf’s artistic visualization and interpretation of architecture and philosophy of living in Tower House? How do these help us understand a space of tolerance as an ontological concept?

They Called it a Boom: Nation Building in Coronado, California in 1888

In the wake of the Southern California land boom of the 1880’s, two Midwestern businessmen, Elisha S. Babcock and H.L. Story purchased all of Coronado and North Island,California in December 1885 with dreams of creating the premier resort destination in Californiafor Eastern elites. After incorporating into the Coronado Beach Company, they embarked on a publicity campaign facilitated by the local ​Coronado Evening Mercury​ and the very rails thatmade the land boom possible, netting enormous profits from lot auctions drowning inmiddle-class spectacle. This entire endeavor was contingent on the production of Coronado as athriving, sophisticated metropolis, with both cultural continuity with Eastern elite society andopportunity for advancement into middle-class whiteness. This project locates the cooperative construction of Coronado’s image between the Coronado Beach Company and the local presswithin the larger American project of incorporating the West into the nation through thecontinuation of established Eastern conceptions of gender, race, and class, resting on theideology of Anglo, middle-class male dominance.

Tematy polsko-ukraińskie Bohdana Osadczuka w paryskiej „Kulturze”

The paper aims to revise the journalistic and political work of Bohdan Osadczuk in the Paris Kultura periodical in order to celebrate his ninetieth birthday. Osadczuk (a.k.a. BEO, J. Czarnomorskyj) formally started cooperation with Jerzy Giedroyæ’s periodical in 1952 finishing it when the monthly was closed in 2000. Taking into consideration the diversity of literary genres employed by Osadczuk one can evidence how important his articles and reviews were, especially those published after 1990. The political changes that affected Poland and Ukraine formed a turning point in Osadczuk’s writing, confirming that he had returned to his role of a chronicler, which characterized him over the time of his involvement with the periodical. This co-author of ‘the eastern concept’ discussed Polish-Ukrainian issues in over a hundred journalistic texts published in the first decade following the ‘fall of the peoples’, and devoted to the symptoms of normalization in Polish-Ukrainian relations and the negative consequences of ignorance concerning mutual prejudices. Osadczuk also recorded his impressions from visits to Ukraine, concentrating on social and cultural matters. He was the last reviewer of the policies of the presidents L. Krawczuk and L. Kuczma. The paper constitutes a review of the issues discussed in B. Osadczuk’s journalism.

Analysis of Middle Eastern Refugee Kinetics and Concept of Hijrah under Daesh


 
 
 The theory of Post-structuralism, parts its way from traditional Neo- Realist and Neo-Liberalist theories on the notion of state as a rational actor. The reason for this departure is that this concept discards and marginalizes others, such as non-state and trans-state actors and those persecuted by their own state such as refugees. Turmoil in Middle East has created a crucial situation surrounding refugees’ issue. As per UNHCR there are almost 4.8 Million registered Syrian refugees, the total number of refugees around the globe is much higher. Besides others, Islamic State or ISIS has been instrumental in displacing such large swaths of population out of their homes. On one hand ISIS has made the stay of locals untenable creating millions of refugees, and on the other hand, they are inviting foreign fighters to move to Syria through a more traditional Islamic concept of Hijrah (literal meanings migration). These two groups (refugees and migrants) crisscross each other on spatiotemporally variable pathways as they embark on a complex and opaque social landscape. There is a need to study the kinetics of these groups based on the ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors as theorized by Kunz in his theory of refugees and through the analysis of identifiable and identical set of discourses in contemporary refugee studies.
 
 

Eastern/Western conceptions of the “Good Teacher” and the construction of difference in teacher education

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the recertification process of internationally educated teachers (IETs) in British Columbia (BC). In order to teach in Canada IETs have to go through a recertification process. The recertification process varies between provinces and is a full-time training process, following an assessment of IETs’ foreign credentials. Through interviews with IETs and professionals, I explored the prevalent conceptions of the “good teacher” in one IET recertification program. I argue that while Western-Eastern conceptions of the “good teacher” differ, they could complement and strengthen each other, particularly in the multicultural space of BC. Yet in the recertification process, Eastern conceptions of the “good teacher” were viewed as deficient, and thus, spaces for IETs to bring their experiences and voices to bear on reconstructing their professional identity in Canada were closed down.

Consciousness development for the learning organization

PurposeThis paper presents a philosophical and practical discussion of the role of development of consciousness for realization of a learning organization. Consciousness is the capacity to know, the capacity to learn. As the knower is, so is the knowledge. Development of consciousness can lead to more profound and holistic learning and enable organizations to flourish.Design/methodology/approachModels of the potential range of consciousness development from Western and Eastern psychology are discussed. Research regarding the Transcendental Meditation technique and its effects on mental development, brain functioning and managerial performance is reviewed.FindingsThe Transcendental Meditation technique leads to improved performance on multiple measures of intelligence, brain integration and exceptional levels of psychological maturity. Results of this technique in business settings have included growth of leadership behaviors, big-picture awareness, enhanced team problem-solving and high levels of trust.Practical implicationsThis paper discusses a research-based approach for enhancing learning capabilities – seeing systems, collaborating across boundaries and creating desired futures – through the development of consciousness.Originality/valueLearning in organizational studies has generally been explored in terms of concepts from Western behavioral sciences. This paper brings out a philosophical perspective as well as practical technologies, which links Western and Eastern concepts regarding consciousness and learning.

Competitive dynamics: Eastern roots, Western growth

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to bridge the understanding of apparent dichotomies such as East and West, philosophy and social sciences, and antiquity and modernity, and to continue the vibrant expansion of competitive dynamics study into the realm of East-West theoretical fusion.Design/methodology/approachThe author looks to classical Chinese philosophy to discover the origins and nature of competitive dynamics. The paper develops the premise that the foundational thrusts of this contemporary Western management topic spring from ancient Eastern conceptions of duality, relativity, and time.FindingsResearch inroads are made along two paths. First, the paper traces the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of competitive dynamics to Eastern thinking. Then by bridging what have customarily been perceived as fundamentally different paradigms, it reveals, in a new light, empirical findings in this strategy subfield.Research limitations/implicationsLinking Western management science, and specifically the study of competitive dynamics, to classical Eastern philosophy raises new research questions in the areas of international management and management education as well as competitive dynamics. In the latter, the paper suggests opportunities for exploring connections between traditional Chinese concepts and contemporary organizational and competition research issues, including competitive and cooperative relationships at the industry level. Future research may also investigate the fundamental differences and similarities between Eastern and Western philosophies, and their implications for competitive strategies.Originality/valueFrom a relatively obscure corner of business academia, competitive dynamics now occupies a distinct place in strategic management research and is a topic of intense interest to scholars in a variety of disciplines. The usual view is that competitive dynamics fits squarely in the spectrum of social sciences, an organically home-grown area of Western study. This paper examines the topic from a distinctly different angle – through the lens of ancient Eastern philosophy – to discern deeper a deeper meaning and wider application.

Educational philosophy – East, West, and beyond: A reading and discussion of Xueji (學記)

This article analyzes Xueji (學記) and discusses some of the myths and facts in Western perceptions of Chinese educational practice. It also looks at the similarities and contrasts between Eastern and Western conceptions of teaching and learning. A careful study of Xueji (學記) will help in understanding some common Western misunderstandings and misperceptions of Chinese pedagogic practices, in particular, the views that Chinese educational practices and ideas are authoritarian, encourage obedience to authority over individual inquiry, promote memorization over comprehension, and are non-individualized to the point of encouraging uniformity over diversity. A better understanding of the classical Chinese approach to learning and teaching will foster a deeper understanding of the nature of pedagogic practices. Such an understanding will enable us to make a better assessment of the similarities and differences between Chinese and Western conceptions of learning and teaching with a view to sharing ideas from both cultural and philosophical perspectives. Throughout the discussion, this article will seek insights for teaching and learning today in a global context.

Role of the Nasogastric Tube and Lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum) in Palliative Care

Decision-making on behalf of an incapacitated patient at the end of life is a complex process, particularly in family-centric societies. The situation is more complex when attempts are made to accommodate Eastern concepts of end-of-life care with more conventional Western approaches. In this case report of an incapacitated 74-year-old Singaporean man of Malay descent with relapsed Stage 4 diffuse large B cell lymphoma who was without an established lasting power of attorney, we highlight the difficult deliberations that ensue when the patient's family, acting as his proxy, elected to administer lingzhi through his nasogastric tube (NGT). Focusing on the questions pertaining to end-of-life decision-making in Asia, we consider the issues surrounding the use of NGT and lingzhi in palliative care (PC) and the implementation of NGT for administering lingzhi in a PC setting, particularly in light of a dearth of data on such treatment measures among PC patients.

Real Images Flow: Mullā Sadrā Meets Film-Philosophy

The eastern Islamic concept of the imaginal realm, which explains how supra-sensory realities present themselves to imaginative perception, can enrich the imagination of film-philosophy. The imaginal realm, in Arabic ‘alam al-mithal, world of images, or ‘alam al-khayal, imaginative world, is part of a triadic ontology of sensible, imaginal, and intelligible realms. Diverging from roots shared with Western thought in the concept of the imaginative faculty, the Islamic imaginal realm is supra-individual and more real than matter. The imaginal realm is a radically pro-image concept, affirming the importance of poetry, art, and images in motion. As developed by the Persian philosopher Sadr al-Dîn Muhammad al-Shîrâzî, known as Mullâ Sadrâ (1571–1640), the imaginal realm flows and intensifies, in a process philosophy we may fruitfully compare with Spinoza, Leibniz, and Whitehead. I sketch the genealogy of the imaginal realm and compare it to contemporary Western film-philosophy. I suggest how this transcendental concept can be made immanent. Finally, I draw from contemporary Muslim thinkers, such as Mohammed Arkoun, who ground a visionary collective politics in the imaginal realm. My central example, the documentary The Lebanese Rocket Society (2012) by Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joriege, exemplifies film's imaginal powers.

Organization and Positive Psychology with Diversity

Positive Psychology - a ground breaking study of what makes us feel good, function well and flourish. Pearson (2006) has remarked that Positive side of human nature has been of long – standing interest of both philosophers and psychologists, but it is only recently that the positive side of human behaviour has attracted serious and more widespread empirical study. We intend to familiarize with the Literature and professional associations’ findings and also understand the comprehensive perspectives of Positive Psychology with gender diversity as applied in the changing world of work. The subject matter here is of high intrinsic interest as the dynamics include an amalgamation of western and eastern Concepts of wellbeing. An effort is made to recognize and provide a basis for social change in education, work, families and societies in particular for they are the institutions where individuals assumes happiness lies in. The issues and questions addressed have been largely unexamined especially at the workplace, our material affluence is dramatically rising, measures of our psychological wellbeing are declining. The development of Positive Psychology is connected to the broader culture which it is a part, to the apparent paradox of this country. There needs to be progress in the rationalization of the workplace and the Management by tradition has to yield to Management by scientific observation and measurement. To be successful in other words, a Scientific Organizational Psychology needs to take the mental structure of the worker as seriously as it takes the Mechanics of work.

Divine Presence in Ancient Near Eastern Temples

AbstractThis article addresses ancient Near Eastern conceptions of divine presence in the realm of the temple, considering evidence from Egypt, Mesopotamia, Hittite Anatolia, and Syria‐Palestine. It analyzes the perceived religious function of ancient Near Eastern temples, cult images, the installation and maintenance of divine presence, as well as the complicated relationship between the deity and its cult image and between a deity's various cult images.

Pentecostal Experience: An Ecumenical Encounter by Peter D. Neumann, and: Pneumatology and the Christian-Buddhist Dialogue: Does the Spirit Blow through the Middle Way? by Amos Yong, and: The Holy Spirit and Ch’i (Qi): A Chiological Approach to Pneumatology by Koo Dong Yun (review)

Peter D. Neumann, Pentecostal Experience: An Ecumenical Encounter. Princeton Theological Monograph Series 187. Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2012. Pp. 373. $42.00, paper. Amos Yong, Pneumatology and the Christian-Buddhist Dialogue: Does the Spirit Blow through the Middle Way? Studies in Systematic Theology 11. Leiden and Boston, MA: Brill, 2012. Pp. 301. $182.00. Koo Dong Yun, The Holy Spirit and Ch'i (Qi): A Chiological Approach to Pneumatology. Princeton Theological Monograph Series 180. Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications (Wipf & Stock), 2012. Pp. 169. $22.00, paper. The recent renaissance in pneumatology alongside a rapidly growing interest in interreligious dialogue in Christian theology has presented a genuine opportunity for Pentecostal and Charismatic theologians who are eager to contribute to a discipline that has long been suspicious of non-Catholic and non-Mainline Protestant theologians. These books by Neumann, Yong, and Yun are best understood in this contextual situation, as all three aspire to demonstrate the distinct value that Pentecostal and Charismatic voices can contribute to the wider field of Christian theology via potential intersections between pneumatology and the theological issues surrounding religious diversity. While there are many differences among these texts, they share a common general entry point into this theological conversation. With varying emphases, all three authors argue that the delicate balancing act between absolute exclusivism and erasing the differences of others has typically led to a deadend for much of contemporary Christian theology and that this balance can be perfected by grounding any Christian theology of religious diversity upon an understanding of the Holy Spirit. While Neumann briefly touches on the topic of religious diversity beyond Christianity, his scope is the narrowest of the three texts. He seeks primarily to demonstrate the value of Pentecostal theology in the Christian ecumenical conversation--no small undertaking, as Pentecostal thought has long been pushed to the periphery of Christian discussions on ecumenicity. Relying on the metaphor of aging, Neumann argues that, while earlier Pentecostal theological models of God, scripture, and experience reflected an adolescent state of mind, more recent theologians in the traditions have helped Pentecostal thought mature to fit better the norms of modern rationality. He makes his case by constructively surveying three contemporary Pentecostal theologians--Frank D. Macchia, Simon K. H. Chan, and Amos Yong--to demonstrate that the leaders in Pentecostal theology have moderated earlier, more radical Pentecostal views of the believer's relationship with God. They have reconceptualized this Pentecostal view by emphasizing that, while believers' experiences with the Holy Spirit are direct, they are also still mediated through contextual interpretation through reason, tradition, culture, and scripture. The astute reader will notice the mainline Protestant influence (the Wesleyan Quadrilateral) on this reconstruction, and Neumann devotes a significant portion of the text to comparing Macchia, Chan, and Yong to Mainline Protestant and Catholic theologians from Jurgen Moltmann to Yves Congar. He does an excellent job of demonstrating that this conversation can and should go both ways and that Pentecostal theologians have a great deal to contribute to Christian thought on the Holy Spirit and beyond. The Holy Spirit and Ch'i (Qi) is Yun's first book since his important 2003 comparative survey, Baptism in the Holy Spirit. These texts share much in common, both methodologically and topically. Trying to avoid the pitfalls of both exclusivism and inclusivism, Yun searches for a theological alternative to the question of religious diversity by reinterpreting pneumatology through the Eastern conceptions of ch'i (spirit). Within these conceptions, Yun discovers a useful distinction between the formal presence of the spirit (sangjeok), which is universally present in all cultures, and the material aspect of the spirit (muljeok), which is revealed in particular people, events, and features. …

Validation of Chinese and English versions of the Holistic Well-being Scale in patients with cancer.

The study aims to examine the psychometric properties of the Holistic Well-Being Scale (HWS), a new instrument developed on the Eastern concepts of affliction, and equanimity in a new sample involving patients with cancer. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 300 patients with cancer in Singapore. The patients completed the HWS, WHO-5 Well-Being Index (WHO-5), and Hospital Anxiety and Depressions Scale (HADS). Thirty-two patients participated in the 2-week retest. Mixed findings were obtained from the original seven-factor model in our sample: six factors had acceptable internal reliabilities (Cronbach's α; range, 0.657-0.809), and construct validities were partially supported. Factor analysis suggested three factors: Blissful-self (α = 0.874), Disturbed-self (α = 0.885) and Embittered-others (α = 0.709). The novel factors demonstrated good test-retest reliability (ICC; range, 0.894-0.930) and construct validities, which were shown by significant correlations with HADS and WHO-5 in the predicted directions. The present study is the first step taken to validate a scale that is essential in the development of culturally appropriate psychosocial interventions to support and promote personal well-being of cancer patients. The findings suggest that the three-factor model may be more applicable to the Singapore context, but it does not necessarily invalidate the original HWS. The results were discussed in terms of the meaning of the original HWS factors and cultural differences in coping behaviors between Singapore and Hong Kong, though both are Asian countries. The HWS could be further tested in other Asian populations as achieving holistic well-being is a common goal for patients in many cultures.

West Meets East: New Concepts and Theories

Management scholarship has grown tremendously over the past 60 years. Most of our paradigms originated from North America in the 1950s to the 1980s, inspired by the empirical phenomena and cultural, philosophical, and research traditions of the time. Here following, we highlight the contextual differences between the East and the West in terms of institutions, philosophies, and cultural values and how they are manifest in contemporary management practices. Inspired by theory development in management studies over time, we offer insights into the conditions facilitating new theories, and how these might apply to emergent theories from the East. We discuss the contributions of the six papers included in this special research forum as exemplars of integrating Eastern concepts and contexts to enrich existing management theories. We highlight the difficulty with testing Eastern constructs as distinct from Western ones by discussing the properties of equivalence, salience, and infusion in constructs. We provide directions for future research and encourage an agentic view to creating new theories and paradigms.

무정형 패션에 대한 동·서양의 시각 비교

This study deals with formlessness designs that indicate a variety of related shapes between the human body and clothes depending on the 2D shape of fabric rather than a cubic and clear shape of fabric proportional to the human body. There have been formlessness fashion designs since the 1980s; however, there has been no attempts to define the concept of formlessness fashion designs. This study focuses on how formlessness clothing was named for clothes with no specific shape due to recognizing the body as a flat surface as referred in various prior studies and how a formlessness design is expressed. This study reviews formlessness designs from the viewpoint of eastern concepts as well as from the viewpoint of ancient Greek clothes to understand how eastern and western designers approached formlessness designs. We also simultaneously utilize a literature research and a case study of actual work. The scope of the research focuses on the case of female clothing starting from the 1980s when the formlessness trend first appeared.