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The Japanese Tea Ceremony: Tea as a Way of Life
The Kabuto Mon entrance to the Urasenke Konnichi-an, in Teranouchi-Agaru, Ogawa, Kamigyo-Ku, Kyoto City, Japan.
A parable of tea master Sen-no-Rikyu (16th century).
Sen-no-Rikyu built a garden enclosed by a tall hedge that blocked the view of the sea. The client was unhappy - until he bent to wash his hands in the water basin. The sea then became visible in a gap between the hedges and the client smiled. As the tea master had hoped, the client realized the intent behind the design. His mind made the connection between the water in the basin and the great ocean and thus between himself and infinite universe.
Murata Jukoh established the foundation for the Tea ceremony. Murata developed the heart of host to humbly receive guests as an expression of oneself in Zen. This emphasized serenity and simplicity (wabi and sabi).
During the regency of Prince Shotoku, Buddhist monks brought Tea from China. In the 12th century, the original way of drinking Matcha (powdered green tea) was brought by Eisai (1141-1215), who studied Zen Buddhism. Tea was viewed as medicine and a part of experiencing Zen. Murata Shuko (1422-1502) developed a new style as Soan-cha, which was performed in the small room with few people. Sen Rikyu (1522-1591) succeeded Takeno Jo-ou and he developed his tea as Wabi-cha. Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598) in the 16th century studied tea under Rikyu.
A Japanese cup of tea is more than is implied by the name for the ceremony - Cha No Yu (hot water for tea). It is a quiet interlude during which host and guests strive for spiritual refreshment and harmony with the universe. The Japanese Tea Ceremony captures all the elements of Japanese philosophy and artistic beauty, and interweaves four principles - harmony (with people and nature), respect (for others), purity (of heart and mind), and tranquillity.
In every small task the detail is significant .
A full tea, or Chaji, involves a meal and the serving of two different types of tea and can last for four hours. For each occasion, the flowers, vase, wall hangings, and tea wares are chosen carefully to suit the event, the time of year, and the desired atmosphere.
When guests arrive, they are not greeted at the door by their host or hostess, but are guided through a series of open doors to a waiting room. They are served a small porcelain cup of hot water taken from a kettle in the tearoom as a foretaste of the water to be used in the tea making. They then make their way quietly and calmly into the garden and are met halfway at a gate by the host or hostess, who greets them with a bow. This gentle passage through the garden represents a breaking of ties with the everyday world and allows a clarifying of the senses through the enjoyment of the sound of trickling water and birdsong, and the visual pleasure of trees and blossoms. There is a stone lantern to light the path when evening falls. The guests pause to cleanse their hands and mouth with water from a stone basin of running water.
Rikyū, under the name Sen Sōeki or by his tea name Hōsensai (Chamei (茶名, tea name), is considered the founder of the Sansenke, or three main schools of tea ceremony: Urasenke, Omotesenke and Mushanokōjisenke.
posted by Message from Japan on Thursday, October 04, 2007