These quotes are taken out of a good book on bonsais. The book is "Bonsai Masterclass" by Peter Chan, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. New York, 1988. Mind you this is a book about trees, but I believe the same principles could be applied to bonsai reefs.
Aesthetic principles of bonsai
"As an art form, it has certain basic aesthetic principles which can be analyzed and studied. These principles are based on the aesthetic guidelines which shape all Chinese and Japanese art."
"There are two fundamental principles which permeate Chinese and Japanese art and culture: the concepts of "wabi" and "sabi."
"Wabi implies poverty, simplicity and contentment; sabi, entails loneliness, solitude, some deliberate antique imperfection, and the absence of over-sophistication. Interwoven with these attributes are the innate qualities of a love of nature, preference for imbalance and asymmetry, avoidance of abstraction, intellectualism, and praticality."
"In addition to wabi and sabi, there are seven other charateristics which are regarded as expressive of Zen in a work of art, and which link the concepts of wabi and sabi. These are: asymmetry, simplicity, austere sublimity, naturalness, subtle profundity, freedom from attachment, and tranquility. While any one or more of these qualities may predominate in a particular work of art, all should be present to some degree, and should create a perfect harmony which characterizes that work."