A tea leaf observance is n’t your average afternoon tea company . There are n’t any scones or Mad Hatters . Rather , a tea ceremony is a solemn , symbolic and profound affaire . Many Asian countries practice some sort of tea observance , but perhaps the most famed variant is the one performed in Japan . When you attend to a Nipponese tea leaf ceremonial , you ’re taking part in a historical custom , one that allows you to seek nirvana and search for beaut and peace in our hectic domain .
Camellia sinensis observance are governed by a concept known asichgio ichie , or one clip , one meeting . Even though the same series of tasks is performed at every tea ceremonial , there is an knowingness of the fact that every moment that the host and guests spend together is a unique one that ca n’t be twin . Understanding this concept force participants to slow down and center on each second , appreciating it for its distinctiveness , and it also wedge the emcee to put on a special , meaningful event .
Long before the guests arrive , the host of the ceremony is voiceless at work on a to - do list that would make Martha Stewart tingle . The host must devise a theme for the consequence , such as an appreciation for sunrise or sunset or an awareness of the changing of the seasons . To accentuate this theme , the host selects a calligraphy scroll and produce blossom arrangements that will accent the tearoom . teashop are traditionally accede through a garden , so in addition to clean the way , the host must also tend and clean the garden . One of the most difficult tasks might be choose the utensils that will be used to serve the tea since there is a wide regalia of bowls that are made specifically for these ceremonies . Depending on the eccentric of observance , a meal must be prepared , and of course the finest tea leaf must be pimp . In other words , the tea ceremony emcee must be a master of many Japanese arts , from penmanship to ceramic , and tea masters study for decades to stage one issue .
What happens once the client come ? We ’ll delve further into the tea leaf ceremonial next .
Tea Ceremony Steps
Tea ceremonies unremarkably take piazza in a teashop , and traditional tea parlour are located in tearoom set in a garden . Traversing the garden is an important step for Guest of the tea ceremonial occasion ; this time allows them to set their intentions for the ceremonial occasion and leave the everyday reality behind . The server has an supporter who guides guests through the garden , which includes a plosive at a pee basin to wash their hands . Before arriving at the teashop , the guest must elect a " head guest " who will be the one to communicate direct with the host . Tearooms commonly have smaller doors that pressure guests to bow to enter ; this step signifies that all are equal within the tearoom .
The host meets his guest with a bow . Upon arrive , node will see the roll and flower pick out by the host ; the floor will be report with tatami , or interweave mats that serve as units of measuring . Each tatami measures approximately 6 feet by 3 feet ( 0.91 meters by 1.82 meters ) and a traditional teahouse is 4.5 tatami , which think the space is quite small and intimate . In a traditional observance , guests will be wearing kimonos , and they will sit or kneel on the tatami . First , they will observe their host perform a oxford grey observance , a especial method of build the fire that will heat the water for tea .
There are two ways the ceremony could proceed following the work with the charcoal . In a chaji , which lasts about 3 to 4 hours , the host will do a formal repast of several courses and then do tea ; a chakai , on the other hand , does n’t include a repast but but the tea . But whether there is a repast or not , guest are serve small Henry Sweet which prepare their roof of the mouth for the tea .
Next , it is time for the host to make tea , which is done with very precise , choreographed movement . The host heat up the water over the fervency and pick the prick and utensil . First , the host fix a thick afternoon tea by adding a little bit of H2O to several scoops of powdery green Camellia sinensis and whisking the ingredient together . The result is almost spread - similar , and the gustatory modality is quite acrid . The host passes the bowl in which the teatime was assorted to the head node , who turn the bowl three time before sip . The mind guest then pass over the bowl and passes it to the next guest , and it continue to exit until all guests have had some tea . During this clock time , the caput client will call into question the host about the utensils and bowl used during this part of the ceremonial occasion ; many of these pawn will have a farsighted and storied history .
After the dense Camellia sinensis , the host will make a flimsy tea , which is the liquid version that we ’re intimate with . The host will append more piddle and the tea will be serve in single cup . Once these guest have finished their teatime , the observance is over . Little talking , other than the discussion of the Camellia sinensis ceremonial occasion legal instrument , takes place . Instead , both host and guests use the ceremony as a time to try on to live in full in the minute , meditating on these ritualise actions and appreciating the aesthetics of the room and the ceremony .
History of the Tea Ceremony
Tea come to Japan from China in the 9th century . Though the Chinese had long prize teatime for medicinal purposes , Buddhist monks in the nation realized that consuming the beverage help them stay alert during recollective stretch of meditation . They make pass this summit along to Japanese monks who inspect , and as afternoon tea became stock in Japanese monasteries , it also became popular with elite members of Japanese society , such as emperors , aristocrats and warriors . From the ninth to the 15th century , two different case of tea ceremonial emerged – a simple one performed by the monastic and an elaborated one enjoyed by the nobility . The latter ceremony could last for days , as aristocrat and rulers presented heaps , even hundred , of cups of tea leaf for their guests to taste while they enjoyed dancing carrying into action , lavish banquets and athletic competitions .
In the 15th and sixteenth century , three man shaped the style of the teatime observance as we have intercourse it today . The first was Murata Shuko ( 1423 - 1502 ) , who was scandalize by the ostentatious nature of the ceremonies hosted by the elite . He had studied Zen Buddhism and wanted the afternoon tea observance to be simpler and more aligned with Zen notion . Zen Buddhists hold that everyday activities can head to enlightenment , and Shuko believe that by serving Camellia sinensis in a measured , studied manner , the great unwashed could better prize the world around them .
Shuko ’s mission was carry on by Takena Joo ( 1502 - 1555 ) , who reclaimed the tea ceremony from the upper socio-economic class by establishing tearooms that were simple and undecorated , so that guests could concentre more fully on the task of tea . Joo ’s adherent , Sen no Rikyu ( 1522 - 1591 ) , was in all probability the most influential of the three man . Rikyu believe that tea ceremonial occasion must demo the aesthetic of wabi , which refers to a variety of spiritual poorness , because by emptying themselves , people could find fulfillment with something greater . Rather than indulging in extravagance , tea leaf ceremony participant should seek simpleness . They should strive for awareness of the natural mankind and find beauty in imperfectness .
to boot , Rikyu take there were four principles of tea : harmony , obedience , purity and serenity . Every movement within a tearoom on the part of the host and the guests is in service of process of inhabit these principles – the legion should peck utensils that are harmonious with a given radical , and guests must show esteem by plow the utensil with tending . Purity is accomplish by entrust the secular world behind and rivet on this special ceremony – tranquillity is considered come-at-able after the first three principles are met .
When Rikyu died , his three great - grandsons founded three different school of tea leaf . The tea observance has acquire slimly under the tea masters from these schooltime , but traditionalist keep on to practice process tea as Rikyu did . Rikyu also had huge shock on tea ceremony sets and utensils , which we ’ll talk over next .
Tea Ceremony Sets
In the first few centuries that teatime ceremonies were practiced in Japan , the participant used tea sets and utensil from China ; after all , that ’s where the practice of serve up tea originated . When teatime ceremonies were the favor activeness of the nobleness , many people essay out expensive pieces from China . show off these extravagant tea set became one of the main understanding for hosting a tea leaf ceremony , and guests would spend hour looking at the fancy pieces . Many of these extraordinary pieces are now in museum .
One of Sen no Rikyu ’s influence on the practice of afternoon tea was doing out with these extraneous and detailed teatime sets . Rikyu preferred very simple-minded and rustic pieces from Japan , and if they had some variety of fault , then so much the honorable – trying to see peach in the mere and the imperfect was one of Rikyu ’s goals throughout his work with the tea ceremony . Today there are many craftsman in Japan that have studied the kind of ceremonial occasion utensils that Rikyu used , and people can visit their studios to probe the process of make ceramic bowls .
host a Camellia sinensis ceremony require an vast amount of utensil and shaft , and there ’s no shortage of craftsman and manufacturers who provide the equipment . accumulator could likely spend the rest of their lives acquiring tea sets without ever lacking for something to purchase . But for the role of this article , we ’ll cover just a few of the basics that are necessary for a tea leaf ceremony . Depending on the time of year , hosts require a ro or a furo ; a ro is a subside hearth that is used in the winter , and a furo is a brasier , or a pan that is used in the summer months on an open fire . The ro and the furo ply the heat for boil the water for the tea .
The kama , or timpani , would be placed atop the ro or furo , full of piss from the mizusashi , or water jug . As the water heat up , the observance host would apply additional water to wash the tea roll , called a chawan . The boniface would then take the light-green afternoon tea from the usuki , the tea container , using a chashaku , or tea leaf scoop . The host adds the powdered tea to the chawan , and then supply the stewing water with the hishaku , or ladle . Then , the emcee would take the chasen , a bamboo whisk broom , to stir the tea , which he would then present to the Guest . Throughout the ceremonial , several types of napkins and houseclean cloths would also be used .
Those are the primary part of the tea set that would be required to host a Camellia sinensis observance . Next we ’ll consider some other information you necessitate to know before hosting such an event .
Tips for Hosting a Tea Ceremony
Sen no Rikyu , the man who so influenced the traditional tea ceremonial , once offered seven rules for hosts of the ceremony :
According to caption , Sen no Rikyu once explained these rules to one of his bookman , and the scholarly person , confuse by the easiness of these rules , claimed that anyone could do these things . Sen no Rikyu state the pupil that if any person could be found who obeyed these rule dead , then that soul would become Sen no Rikyu ’s master – and Sen no Rikyu would study under him .
If you ’d like to host a tea leaf ceremony , you should consider Sen no Rikyu ’s rule as well as his belief that they are deceptively simple . However , even if you give way in fulfilling all of the rules , your tea ceremonial occasion can be successful so long as you stay , at all time , conscious of these road map . The tea observance is meant to be a time - out from the world , one in which both hosts and invitee can rivet solely on modest labor and seek Age of Reason and peace in their completion . In hold a tea observance , you should be aware of all the decisions you make and action you take . Do n’t pick up a ladle without being aware of what you ’re doing and centralize on only that ; remember that tea observance are signify to have a sense of ichgio ichie , or one prison term , one meeting , so allow yourself to be in full present during this cherished fourth dimension . By finding beauty in the progressive and in the mundane , you will follow nigher to fulfilling Sen no Rikyu ’s rule .
Many people study for decade in parliamentary law to host a tea ceremonial occasion , so if you ’d like to host one , you would probably find it beneficial to spend some extra time reading about the subject ; you could get depart with the links and articles that follow .
