Japanese tea ceremony
The Japanese tea ceremony is a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of, powdered green tea, the procedure of which is called.
The term "Japanese tea ceremony" does not exist in the Japanese language. In Japanese the term is Sadō or Chadō, which literally translated means "tea way" and places the emphasis on the Tao. The English term "Teaism" was coined by Okakura Kakuzō to describe the unique worldview associated with Japanese way of tea as opposed to focusing just on the presentation aspect, which came across to the first western observers as ceremonial in nature.
In the 1500s, Sen no Rikyū revolutionized Japanese tea culture, essentially perfecting what is now known as the Japanese tea ceremony and elevating it to the status of an art form. He redefined the rules of the tea house, tea garden, utensils, and procedures of the tea ceremony with his own interpretation, introduced a much smaller and rustic, distorted ceramic tea bowls specifically for the tea ceremony, and perfected the tea ceremony based on the aesthetic sense of.
Sen no Rikyū's great-grandchildren founded the Omotesenke, Urasenke, and Mushakōjisenke schools of tea ceremony, and the tea ceremony spread not only to and the samurai class but also to the general public, leading to the establishment of various tea ceremony schools that continue to this day.
Zen Buddhism was a primary influence in the development of the culture of Japanese tea. Shinto has also greatly influenced the Japanese tea ceremony. For example, the practice of purifying one's hands and mouth before practicing the tea ceremony is influenced by the Shinto purification ritual of. The architectural style of the chashitsu and the gate that serves as the boundary between the tea garden and the secular world have been influenced by Shinto shrine architecture and the.
Much less commonly, Japanese tea practice uses leaf tea, primarily, a practice known as.
Tea gatherings are classified as either an informal tea gathering or a formal tea gathering. A is a relatively simple course of hospitality that includes, thin tea, and perhaps a light meal. A is a much more formal gathering, usually including a full-course meal followed by confections, thick tea, and thin tea. A may last up to four hours.
History
The first documented evidence of tea in Japan dates to the 9th century. It is found in an entry in the having to do with the Buddhist monk Eichū, who had brought some tea back to Japan on his return from Tang China. The entry states that Eichū personally prepared and served to Emperor Saga, who was on an excursion in Karasaki in 815. By imperial order in 816, tea plantations began to be cultivated in the Kinki region of Japan. However, the interest in tea in Japan faded after this.In China, tea had already been known, according to legend, for more than three thousand years. The form of tea popular in China in Eichū's time was – tea compressed into a nugget in the same manner as the tea is today. This then would be ground in a mortar, and the resulting ground tea mixed together with various other herbs and flavourings. The custom of drinking tea, first for medicinal, and then largely for pleasurable reasons, was already widespread throughout China. In the early 9th century, Chinese author Lu Yu wrote The Classic of Tea, a treatise on tea focusing on its cultivation and preparation. Lu Yu's life had been heavily influenced by Buddhism, particularly the Zen–Chán Buddhist school. His ideas would have a strong influence in the development of the Japanese tea.
Around the end of the 12th century, the style of tea preparation called, in which powdered was placed into a bowl, hot water added, and the tea and hot water whipped together, was introduced to Japan by Buddhist monk Eisai on his return from China. He also took tea seeds back with him, which eventually produced tea that was considered to be the most superb quality in all of Japan. This powdered green tea was first used in religious rituals in Buddhist monasteries. By the 13th century, when the Kamakura shogunate ruled the nation and tea and the luxuries associated with it became a kind of status symbol among the warrior class, there arose parties wherein contestants could win extravagant prizes for guessing the best quality tea – that was grown in Kyoto, deriving from the seeds that Eisai brought from China.
The next major period in Japanese history was the Muromachi period, pointing to the rise of Kitayama Culture, centered around the cultural world of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and his villa in the northern hills of Kyoto, and later during this period, the rise of Higashiyama culture, centered around the elegant cultural world of Ashikaga Yoshimasa and his retirement villa in the eastern hills of Kyoto. This period, approximately 1336 to 1573, saw the budding of what is generally regarded as Japanese traditional culture as it is known today.
The use of Japanese tea developed as a "transformative practice" and began to evolve its own aesthetic, in particular that of principles. represents the inner, or spiritual, experiences of human lives. Its original meaning indicated quiet or sober refinement, or subdued taste "characterized by humility, restraint, simplicity, naturalism, profundity, imperfection, and asymmetry" and "emphasizes simple, unadorned objects and architectural space, and celebrates the mellow beauty that time and care impart to materials."
, on the other hand, represents the outer, or material side of life. Originally, it meant "worn", "weathered", or "decayed". Particularly among the nobility, understanding emptiness was considered the most effective means to spiritual awakening, while embracing imperfection was honoured as a reminder to cherish one's unpolished and unfinished nature – considered to be the first step to, or enlightenment.
Central are the concepts of omotenashi, which revolves around hospitality.
Murata Jukō is known in history as an early developer of tea as a spiritual practice. He studied Zen under the monk Ikkyū, who revitalized Zen in the 15th century, and this is considered to have influenced his concept of.
By the 16th century, tea drinking had spread to all levels of society in Japan. Sen no Rikyū and his work Southern Record, perhaps the best-known – and still revered – historical figure in tea, followed his master Takeno Jōō's concept of, a philosophy that each meeting should be treasured, for it can never be reproduced. His teachings perfected many newly developed forms in architecture and gardens, art, and the full development of the "way of tea". The principles he set forward – harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility – are still central to tea.
Sen no Rikyū was the leading teamaster of the regent Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who greatly supported him in codifying and spreading the way of tea, also as a means of solidifying his own political power. Hideyoshi's tastes were influenced by his teamaster, but nevertheless he also had his own ideas to cement his power such as constructing the Golden Tea Room and hosting the Grand Kitano Tea Ceremony in 1587. The symbiotic relationship between politics and tea was at its height. However, it was increasingly at odds with the rustic and simple aesthetics continuously advertised by his tea master, which the regent increasingly saw as a threat to cementing his own power and position, and their once close relationship began to suffer.
In 1590, one of the leading disciples of Rikyu, Yamanoue Sōji, was brutally executed on orders of the regent. One year later the regent ordered his teamaster to commit ritual suicide. The way of tea was never so closely intertwined with politics before or after. After the death of Rikyū, essentially three schools descended from him to continue the tradition. The way of tea continued to spread throughout the country and later developed not only from the court and samurai class, but also towards the townspeople. Many schools of Japanese tea ceremony have evolved through the long history of and are active today.
Venues
Japanese tea ceremonies are typically conducted in specially constructed spaces or rooms designed for the purpose of tea ceremony. While a purpose-built -floored room is considered the ideal venue, any place where the necessary implements for the making and serving of the tea can be set out and where the host can make the tea in the presence of the seated guest can be used as a venue for tea. For instance, a tea gathering can be held picnic-style in the outdoors, known as. For this occasion a red parasol called is used.A purpose-built room designed for the style of tea is called a, and is ideally 4.5- in floor area. A purpose-built typically has a low ceiling, a hearth built into the floor, an alcove for hanging scrolls and placing other decorative objects, and separate entrances for host and guests. It also has an attached preparation area known as a.
A 4.5-mat room is considered standard, but smaller and larger rooms are also used. Building materials and decorations are deliberately simple and rustic in style tea rooms. can also refer to free-standing buildings for tea. Known in English as tea houses, such structures may contain several tea rooms of different sizes and styles, dressing and waiting rooms, and other amenities, and be surrounded by a tea garden called a.
Seasons
Seasonality and the changing of the seasons are considered important for enjoyment of tea and tea ceremony. Traditionally, tea practitioners divide the year into two main seasons: the sunken hearth season, constituting the colder months, and the brazier season, constituting the warmer months.For each season, there are variations in the performed and utensils and other equipment used. Ideally, the configuration of the in a 4.5 mat room changes with the season as well.
During the sunken hearth season, the Chajin opens the sunken hearth in the middle of the tea room. Water is heated using the sunken hearth. The sunken hearth is the only form of heat in the room during the winter. During the brazier season, water is heated in a raised brazier. The weather determines the exact time to use the sunken hearth or brazier. During the time of year when the brazier does not provide enough heat to the room for the guests to be warm, but the hearth was too warm, the Chajin could cover the hearth with the lid, and put the brazier on top of it.
The location of the hearth or brazier is the biggest change between seasons, however, there are many other changes that are made, such as the incense, utensils, and clothing worn. During the winter, a type of incense known as Neriko, a type of incense that is formed into pellets, is used. Jin or Byakudan are used in the summer, and during the end of spring or the beginning of autumn, the Chajin puts out Kokukobei or Umegako. Guests drink tea from a more cylindrical style of bowl in the winter to keep in heat, and use a flat bowl in the summer to release heat. Different designs are depicted on the tea bowl based on the season. During the summer, participants wear a kimono made up of one layer to ensure that it is not too hot. However, outside the summer, participants wear a double-layered kimono so they will be warmer.