Over the long centuries of isolation from the rest of the world, amazing things have appeared in Japan: ikebana, bonsai, origami, sumo, kabuki, manga and much more. It is logical to assume that when it comes to tea in Japan, things are not so simple.
Green tea is drunk all over the world today, but the Japanese do it in a very special way, starting with the production of special teas and ending with special tea drinking traditions. The Japanese tea ceremony (sado or cha-no-yu) cannot be described in gastronomic terms. This is art, contemplation and reflection, a way to achieve harmony with the world and knowledge of the laws of the universe. Even if we leave aside the complex Japanese tea ceremony, a lot can be said about the types of traditional Japanese tea and how to drink it.
The first thing that catches your eye when studying Japanese tea varieties is that they are all green, unfermented. There are few varieties of tea in Japan, and they are all very individual, unlike each other or anything else in the world. The names of Japanese teas are fascinating: matcha, sencha, genmaicha, gyekuro, hojicha, bancha, uji, tamaryokucha and kukicha. Most of these names cannot be found on the shelves of tea shops outside of Japan. The only exception is sencha - the easiest variety to prepare and the taste closest to Europeans.
So, Sencha - basic Japanese tea, on which many other Japanese teas are based. In fact, sencha is ordinary green tea that does not require special knowledge and skills in preparation. All green tea lovers will definitely like it. Like any tea, sencha can be of high quality or not. You should not draw conclusions about this tea after trying sencha of unknown production. A good sencha consists of flat and long fragile tea leaves of a fresh green color with a herbal aroma. Even high-grade sencha contains large amounts of powder or “tea dust.” When brewed, sencha gives an infusion of a very bright and vibrant green color, so it should be drunk from transparent or white cups. The aroma and taste of sencha is soft, at the same time fresh and slightly sweet and velvety. Sencha contains a large amount of caffeine and vitamins C and B2. This tea invigorates and cleanses the body.
Preparing sencha is simple, but you may not succeed the first time. It would seem difficult: warm up the kettle, add the tea leaves, add water, remembering that the water should not be boiling, and leave for a while... However, it is impossible to give universal recommendations about the amount of dry tea leaves, water temperature and time of infusion, because the quality tea and water are always different. Tea brews worse in hard water because its active substances cannot dissolve completely. For green (and in general all) teas there is a universal rule: the more delicate the tea and softer the water, the lower the water temperature should be and the shorter the infusion time. The brewing time for sencha is no more than a minute. This means that all the tea from the teapot should be poured into cups or into a separate container no later than a minute later. If you over-expose, the tea will be bitter; if you under-expose, the taste will not be rich enough. Sencha is the only Japanese tea that almost does not change its taste and smell during the second and subsequent brewings. Other Japanese teas cannot be brewed several times. When brewing each new tea for the first time, it is recommended to take a small amount of tea and steep it for a very short time. If the taste and aroma seem weak, leave the second brew longer, and next time increase the amount of tea. The indicator of a properly brewed sencha is thick foam. If it is not there, it means that the water is too hot, cold, hard, or the tea itself leaves much to be desired.
Gyokuro tea(also known as “precious dew” or “jade drops”) is essentially the highest grade of sencha. It is very rich in aromatic oils, vitamins, minerals, caffeine and other useful and pleasant things for humans. It’s not for nothing that gyokuro is called the “king of teas” and “the tea of geniuses” - it lifts the mood and stimulates mental activity. In taste and aroma, gyokuro is reminiscent of sencha, but with light, almost imperceptible shades. The color of dry tea varies from bright green to golden brown depending on the area and weather at the time of growth and harvest. To preserve the delicate taste and aroma of this tea, the water should be cooled to 50C. Hotter water will destroy all the beauty of the tea.
Matcha- powdered, the most complex Japanese tea. It was invented in China in the 10th century and came to Japan only in the 12th century. Having been forgotten in its homeland, powdered tea has become a cultural heritage of Japan. It is used for the classic Japanese tea ceremony. The difficulties with matcha tea begin even before the leaves are harvested. A few weeks before harvest, tea bushes are covered to protect the leaves from direct sunlight. This enriches the tea leaves with amino acids and makes the drink sweeter. When the collected leaves are rolled and dried, gyokuro tea is obtained. When the leaves are dried, then the stems and veins are removed and ground with stone millstones, the result is matcha, a bright green powder with a consistency similar to talc. High grade matcha has a sweet taste and deep aroma. For this tea, the most delicate top leaves are collected, giving a bright color and the maximum amount of nutrients.
During the Japanese tea ceremony, matcha is whisked into a foam with a small amount of water. You can prepare this tea using a more familiar technology - by brewing. The peculiarity of this type of tea is that all the substances contained in the tea leaf enter the human body entirely - in the form of an opaque drink. Matcha is a concentrate of tea leaves. The taste of this tea is very fresh, but slightly bitter. Matcha can be combined with other types of tea, adding freshness to their taste and aroma. Matcha, which is not of the highest quality, can be added to a variety of dishes from rice, noodles and tempura to chocolate and traditional Japanese sweets.
Tamaryokucha- high quality rolled tea. To prepare it, tea leaves are steamed or fried. Tamaryokucha is rich in vitamins and contains little caffeine. This tea has a berry flavor with an almond aftertaste and a citrus-herbal aroma.
Genmaicha is a combination of sencha with fried puffed brown rice. This mixture gives a cloudy light brown color to the infusion and a rich tea-rice aroma with hints of seeds and fish. Genmaicha tastes and feels like soup. After drinking the tea, you can eat rice. This dish is a great alternative to dinner or breakfast for those on a diet. In Japan, genmaichu is drunk to combat hunger without burdening the stomach. This tea contains a large amount of vitamin B1 and a small amount of caffeine.
Hodzic- This is baked sencha. This tea is made from not the highest grade sencha, which is roasted until a specific roasted aroma appears. The tea leaves in this tea are brown and shiny, not as smooth as in senche. Hojicha is brewed by regular infusion for no longer than a minute. The color of the infusion is very similar to weakly brewed black tea. Hodzhicha does not have subtle shades of aroma and taste. This is a simple tea to quench your thirst or wash down your meal. Other teas characterized as low quality sencha are bancha and kukicha. These simple teas are made from large, coarse leaves harvested late in the season. In such tea it is easy to see the cuttings and twigs, which is not surprising - after all, these are the simplest and cheapest of Japanese teas, not intended for export.
Japan is a country of amazing traditions and culinary masterpieces that delight tourists all over the world. One of the most fascinating features of this culture is the Japanese tea ceremony. This is the real art of making and drinking tea, a beautiful ritual that you must see at least once in your life. The tea ceremony in Japan has become a part of life, a tradition established in ancient times, but preserved to this day. Therefore, it attracts those who want to touch one of the most valuable rituals of this country.
The history of the tea ceremony dates back to the Middle Ages. Tea appeared in Japan in the 8th century. It is believed that it was brought by Buddhist monks or travelers. Tea was grown on the territory of the monastery and presented to Buddha. It was used during meditation and religious events. It was Buddhist priests who originated the traditions of the tea ceremony in Japan.
Tournaments began to be held to guess the best varieties of this drink. Tea meetings were held among ordinary people, where they tried to understand the aesthetics of this process. The tea ceremony itself was invented by Murat Dzyuko. He added philosophy and sign language to this art. These were attempts to escape from the bustle of the world to peace and silence.
The Japanese tea ceremony is not just a technology for preparing and drinking tea. There are many components that should accompany this ritual. The tea house for the ceremony, according to the founders, was supposed to be a small peasant hut with a thatched roof. Later it was improved by followers of the teaching. The art of the tea ceremony in Japan involves the use of special ceramic dishes made by local craftsmen.
Around the tea house there is a garden created according to certain principles. Etiquette was also developed for ceremony participants, topics and nature of conversations, which should be relaxed and create an atmosphere of peace and detachment. A stone path leads to the tea house. There are many stones covered with moss and lanterns around. The garden is dominated by cypress trees, evergreen shrubs, pine trees and bamboo. Everything should evoke thoughts of detachment and calm.
This is one of the important elements of the ceremony. The house consisted of one small room. The door was a narrow entrance no more than 60 centimeters in height and width. One of the principles of the ritual assumes the equality of all those entering, and everyone must bend upon entering, regardless of position. Such an entrance did not allow weapons to be brought into the house, and all swords remained outside. There is no place for worldly vanity inside, everything is beautiful here.
The main component of the structure is a niche where there is a scroll with paintings, an incense burner and a bouquet of flowers. This niche is located opposite the entrance and immediately attracts attention. Several windows of different sizes allow just enough light to enter to provide optimal illumination. Through them you can admire the beauty of the garden.
Every year the sequence of actions and behavior became improved. Entering the tea garden, guests were immersed in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility, leaving all problems outside the gates. Before entering the house, it is customary to take off your shoes and leave them at the doorstep. In complete silence, everyone enters and sits down, imbued with the silence and beauty of the attributes. After some time, the host of the ceremony comes out and, having bowed to the guests, sits down opposite, near the hearth.
The tea ceremony in Japan is a leisurely ritual that helps you relax and meditate. To carry it out, special objects are used - real works of art. The main accessories are: a tea box, a wooden spoon and a cup. A pot of water hangs over the fire. Each item has a certain aesthetic and philosophical meaning. This is not just a ritual - these are principles, comprehension of the great meaning of life. Therefore, all attributes are of great importance.
The host of the ceremony should pour green tea into a cup and pour boiling water over it. All gestures should be leisurely, without fuss. Then the mass is whipped with clear movements using a bamboo whisk. The tea powder should completely dissolve and turn into foam. All this time, guests watch the process and listen to the rhythmic movements. Next, the cup is passed to the most honored guest, and he takes the first sip, sipping the tea. Everything is done slowly, without disturbing the general peace.
The cup is then given back to the host of the ceremony. After this, it is passed from hand to hand so that each participant can feel the structure and warmth of the clay surface. Then a leisurely conversation began. We should have talked about the beauty of the scroll and bouquet located in the niche, and about the properties of the bowl for drinking tea. Problems and daily affairs remain outside the tea house and garden. The whole ceremony takes place in three stages. The first is eating. This is followed by drinking thick tea, that is, the ritual described above. Then comes drinking liquid tea.
The tea ceremony in Japan has four basic principles. They were formulated by the founder, Murat Dzyuko. The first principle is harmony (“va”). It must be present in movements and thoughts. The second is the reverence (“kei”) that accompanies the entire ceremony.
The third principle is purity (“sei”) of actions and thoughts. The last thing is peace and quiet (“seki”). The tea ceremony in Japan is held in silence, a calm atmosphere, where nothing disturbs the measured flow of life. Silence and peace also imply enlightened solitude.
The most important goal of any tea ceremony is to achieve harmony. Participants must detach themselves from earthly problems, worries and thoughts. During the ceremony there is no distinction between people and their origins. Everything comes together and harmony is achieved. This is the basis of the entire culture of this country. Harmony of thoughts not related to everyday difficulties. Participants talk about beauty, things related to the ceremony itself, and achieve unity in their desires, actions and thoughts. This is the purpose and meaning of holding such events.
This principle is based on showing tolerance and respect towards the older generation or other participants in the ceremony. It also underlies the upbringing that is instilled in the Japanese from childhood. Therefore, in this country the level of veneration for older people, senior in rank and age, is the highest. Participants in the ritual must control their sensations and feelings and be tactful towards other people sitting in the tea house.
This principle implies mental and physical purity. The intentions of each participant must be the brightest. There should be no evil or selfish intentions. Participants must be clean in both spirit and body. According to beliefs, such people will have good health and many benefits.
The last principle implies complete peace of mind and peace. Each guest should calmly perceive the entire ceremony, with restraint and without irritation. The tea ceremony, photos of which will leave the best memories, was created to unite people and lead them to peace and tranquility. During the ritual, a friendly atmosphere, polite and tactful attitude between all participants is maintained.
The host of the ceremony is in charge of selecting the guests. The most important thing for him is to determine the most honorable participant. This person must know the traditions of the tea ceremony and all the rules for its implementation. The main guest is an example for the rest of the participants.
He is notified of the ceremony at least a week in advance. After this, he gives his consent or refuses to participate in this action. The main guest, together with the host, is involved in selecting the remaining participants. The organizer of the ceremony sends him a list from which five people must be selected, or discusses this issue in a personal meeting. Once ceremony participants have been selected, invitations are sent to everyone. Today, the telephone is used for these purposes. Previously, everything was much more complex and more sophisticated. In response, each guest was obliged to personally visit the organizer of the holiday or send him a letter of gratitude.
Clothing for this ritual is selected depending on the type of event. For formal occasions, men wear a silk kimono. On top of it is a black cape with a white sign painted on it. Wide trousers (hakama) and a white belt (tabi) are also worn. The requirements for women's clothing are more stringent. The main one is modesty of clothing. It should not be bright or provocative colors. Ceremony participants usually bring napkins with them. They must be placed behind the lapel of the kimono. They should also have a small and a large scarf and a pointed wooden stick. These are the necessary accessories for carrying out.
The tea ceremony, a photo of which can be seen in this article, is divided into six types. The ceremony, performed by moonlight, ends no later than four o'clock in the morning. Powdered tea is brewed during tea drinking. It must be very strong. The ritual, performed at sunrise, ends no later than six o'clock in the morning. There is a morning tea ceremony in Japan. Briefly, this is tea drinking after six in the morning.
The afternoon ritual is carried out after one o'clock in the afternoon. The only food they serve here is cakes. At six o'clock in the evening the evening ceremony begins. There is also a special ceremony that is performed on special occasions. For example, in honor of some memorable event. The most common is the afternoon ceremony. Each ritual has its own characteristics. They are not noticeable to the average person, but experts feel the subtle nuances of various ceremonies.
Separately, it should be said about the tea that is used for tea events. In addition to dishes, furnishings, and participants, the main component of the entire ritual is tea. It was originally delivered from China. Over time, the Japanese learned to cultivate and grow their own varieties of tea. Their difference from a drink of Chinese, Indian or Ceylon origin is very significant. Therefore, for this ceremony, you should choose only tea grown in this country. This is how the tea ceremony takes place in Japan, the photos of which make you want to attend this event. But it is best to see this ritual in reality and feel all its beauty and harmony.
“Tyanoyu is the worship of beauty in the gray light of everyday life.”
Senno Soeki, famous tea master (1522-1591)
The Japanese tea tradition - extremely interesting and original, in many ways different from the Chinese, but having common roots with it - originated in the 7th century. in the wake of the spread of Buddhism, but over time and under the influence of national characteristics it formed into a completely unique cultural phenomenon.
THE ORIGIN OF THE JAPANESE TEA RITUAL
The earliest mention of tea is contained in the historical chronicles of the Nara era (710-794). Emperor Shomu, who declared himself “The Servant of the Three Treasures - Buddha, Law and the Buddhist Community,” in 729 invited a hundred monks to his palace in Nara to read the Mahaprajna Paramita Sutra, and the meeting ended with a general tea party. During his reign, Confucian models of rank and etiquette, the Chinese calendar were adopted, court chronicles were compiled according to the Chinese model, and a network of trade roads was created. Monasteries and temples appeared in every province kokubunji, 国分寺, and in the capital Todai-ji a 16-meter statue of Buddha was erected. And as an integral element of the monastic way of life, following the preaching and formation of monastic communities, tea also came to Japan.
At first it was imported from China in considerable quantities; in 798, a tea tax was even introduced. But already in 805, the monk Saicho planted the first tea garden at the Enryaku-ji monastery near Kyoto, at the foot of Mount Hiei, and in 815, Emperor Saga issued a decree ordering the cultivation of tea bushes in the provinces surrounding the capital of Heian, and the harvest to be supplied annually to the yard.
in the photo: Enryaku-ji Temple, where Japan's first tea garden was founded
SPREADING THE TEA RITUAL
The spread of the tea ritual is associated with the name of the patriarch of the Rinzai school, a monk named Eisai. Having been educated at one of the most influential monasteries in Japanese history, the Enryaku-ji Temple (延暦寺), he went to China, where he became acquainted with the teachings of the Linji school (Rinzai in Japanese) and, returning to his homeland, began to preach a new type of religious practice for the Japanese. Strictly speaking, this was an original understanding of the basic ideas of Buddhism, enriched with elements of other faiths, specific psychotechniques and cultural trends. The monks of the Tendai school declared him a heretic and achieved a ban on his preaching, but a year later he founded the first Zen monastery in Japan, Shofukuji, in the city of Hakata.
in the photo: the tea garden on Mount Sephurisan, one of the three places where the first tea plants were planted
From China, Eisai brought not only a new denomination, but also seeds of tea bushes, which were successfully grown in three places, which later became iconic. In 1214, he wrote “Notes on Drinking Tea to Nourish Life,” 喫茶養生記, where he systematized the knowledge about tea obtained in China and his own conclusions.
“The elixir that sustains life at the end of time. It is born from mountains and valleys where immortal spirits live. We humans drink it, and it prolongs our lives."- this is how Eisai begins his essay. Among the reasons for the “weakening” of the Japanese in the age of “the end of Dharma,” Eisai names the lack of “bitter taste” that nourishes the heart. Tea party like " external art", complements treatment methods " inner art" - techniques of mudras, prayers and meditations.
in the photo: monk Eisai, medieval image
Eisai's tea business was continued by his student Möe (Koben, 1173-1232), a monk from the Takayama-dera temple in the town of Taganoo near Kyoto. According to legend, Eisai gave his student a Chinese bowl with five tea seeds, which he successfully grew. For a long time, tea from the garden in Taganoo was considered the standard, receiving the name honty or moto no cha, true tea, and in this sense was opposed to other varieties, cunning. With the help of tea, Möe fought against the “three poisons” during meditation: drowsiness, absent-mindedness and incorrect body posture. The monk's metal pot listed the 10 benefits of tea: no harm with regular use - divine protection of the Buddhas - mercy towards the younger ones - harmony of the five organs - life extension - overcoming the demon of sleep - liberation from desires - deliverance from diseases - protection of the Shinto gods - calm and self-control in the face of death.
in the photo: monk Möe, 13th century scroll
The monk Dogen, who, like Eisai, visited China, also made a great contribution to the tradition of the tea ritual. In 1247 he compiled “Eihei Singi”, “The Pure Commandments of Eihei Monastery”, where it is mentioned for the first time cha-no-yu,"hot tea drink" , the ritual offering of tea to the Buddha before the start of the reading of the sutra, which over time came to mean the classical Japanese tea ceremony.
The close connection between Zen Buddhism and tea is reflected in the famous Ch'an gong-an公案, better known by their Japanese name . A koan is a short story, like an anecdote, whose purpose is to wean the listener from discursive thinking, to give impetus to thought in an unexpected direction, and ideally to gain enlightenment for a short time.
One of the most famous is the tea koan of the mentor Zhaozhou (778-897). One day Zhaozhou asked a monk who had just arrived at the monastery, “Have you been here before?” When he answered that he was, the mentor said: “Go have tea!” The mentor asked another monk with a similar question, who replied that he had never been here before. However, the mentor said: “Go and have tea!” Later, when the abbot of the monastery asked Zhaozhou to explain why both monks were given the same answer, he exclaimed: “Abbot!” And hearing in response “Yes, mentor?” - said: “Go have tea!”
in the photo: "Notes on drinking tea to prolong life"
TEA CONTESTS
By the beginning of the Kamakura period (1185 - 1333), tea was already grown in many places, and its own culture of its production had fully developed. The technology was similar to the Sung: tea leaves were steamed, ground into a paste and baked into briquettes. Before use, matcha was ground into the finest powder, which was sifted, poured with boiling water and whipped into foam. This method of consumption has survived to this day in the classic Japanese tea ceremony. As for the regions, tea from the Uji region in Yamashiro province was especially valued, as well as tea grown in the tea gardens of Mori, Kawashita, Asahi, Iwai, Okunoyama, and Umoji. Tea from Mori and Kawashita was supplied to the imperial palace.
in the photo: Uji plantations near Kyoto
Although officially the supreme power in the state belonged to the emperor, and his court retained a certain influence, they lost their dominant position - the emperor was forced to agree with the decisions of the shogunate in everything. The spirit of the samurai class penetrated all spheres of public life in Japan, and feudal strife never ceased. Estate owners built castles that surrounded trading markets and artisans' quarters.
in the photo: Gifu Castle, built in the 13th century
During the short respites between battles, the warriors relaxed in style. One of the secular entertainments was monoawase (“matching things to their names”) - competition games during which it was necessary to indicate the author of a particular poem, painting, correct names of flowers, aromatic mixtures or sea shells. Tea also becomes the subject of such competitions - by analogy with the Chinese “tea competitions” dou-cha. During that's it guests were asked to determine which water (river, well or spring water) was used for the drink, and also to distinguish hon-cha, "true" tea from Taganoo, among several hee-cha, “untrue” teas.
in the photo: tea party, medieval scroll
The competitions took on the character of gambling, because the winner who scored the most points received a larger sum of money or was awarded prizes, the variety and originality of which were refined by the organizers - gold-encrusted swords, kimonos, fabrics, incense, tiger skin bags, etc. Before the competition, food was served fish and poultry dishes with sweet, sour, bitter and savory fruits, as well as sake.
The competition venue was pavilions specially equipped for this purpose on the territory of castles. These were luxurious receptions, during which guests also walked along the paths of the garden, admiring the “caressing landscape.” The treatise “Communication while Drinking Tea” by the monk Gen-e (1269-1350) describes the competitions that took place in a two-story building. The tea room was located on the second floor, with windows on all four sides offering a magnificent view of the garden. Inside the room was decorated with paintings by Chinese masters, incense burners and vases of flowers, and candles were burning. On a table covered with gold brocade, there were jars of powdered tea of various varieties. There were exotic sweets on the shelves of the western wall, a screen against the northern wall, and a board with gifts nearby. Guests arrived dressed in satin, embroidered with brocade, so that they resembled “a thousand shining Buddhas,” and sat on benches covered with the skins of lions and leopards. The owner's son served sweets to the guests, and the servant boy served tea cups with crushed tea. Then the owner’s son, holding a vessel with hot water in his left hand and a whisk in his right, prepared tea for each participant in the competition. The ceremony was performed in a strictly hierarchical order, starting with the most respected guest.
in the photo: tea pavilion
Along with “competitions,” “tea meetings” became widespread, clack. For example, “tea when sweating” has been popular for a long time. rinkan-no cha-no yu. Participants sat in large barrels of hot water, furo, where they warmed up until sweat began to stream from their faces, and drank tea. The atmosphere of such events was also distinguished by its sophistication: steam mixed with the aroma of incense, the barrels were surrounded by screens, the ceiling of the pavilion was decorated with flowers, and scrolls with paintings and calligraphy hung on the walls.
The meal was popular among ordinary townspeople syuhantya, with drinking tea and sake, which Buddhist monks arranged for informal communication with lay people. Tea was used during such meetings go away, “running of clouds” - inexpensive tea, generously diluted with boiling water. You could also drink a cup of tea at the city gates, not far from a Buddhist or Shinto shrine - according to the principle ippuku-issen,"one sip - one coin."
TEA PARTY IN THE LIVING ROOM
In the 15th century Buddhism entered the daily life of townspeople. In the houses of wealthy laymen, which had previously been functionally used only as bedrooms, niches appeared - , 床の間, an obligatory element of the monastic cell, where scrolls with sayings of the sages, poetry or paintings, as well as flower arrangements were placed. Thus, the “tea party in the living room” appears, shin no cha.
in the photo: Tokonoma
In 1473, a political crisis forced the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa to relinquish power in favor of his son Yoshihisa. He retired from business and settled in a luxurious estate on Mount Higashiyama, gathered around him actors, musicians, artists, writers, florists, masters of park art (and before that, the shogun actively collected valuable art objects) - and indulged in entertainment. The increased concentration of creative potential, collected at one time in the same place, went down in history as the “Higashiyama culture.” The most important element of the “Higashiyama culture” is considered to be the arrangement of flowers in a vase, tatebana or rikka, “standing flowers,” the ancestor of which was Ikenobo Senkei, as well as the art of selecting incense. Both become elements of the tea ceremony.
in the photo: Ginkakuji Silver Pavilion, built for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa
This is what the Notes of Yamanoue Soji say about this. “One day in late autumn, in the evening, on the eve of waiting for the Moon, having caught sadness in the rustling of the caterpillars, calling Noami (adviser), the gentleman discussed with him the chapter about a rainy night from “The Tale of Genji.” When they talked about the poems of waka and renga, about admiring the moon and admiring flowers, a small bow and folding a fan, about balls, about guessing herbs and guessing insects, about holding various amusements and about the affairs of the past, the gentleman deigned to ask: “All the entertainments known from time immemorial.” have already transferred. Winter is already coming, and it is not good for an old body to go falconry, making its way through the snowy mountains. Is there any other unusual fun?” It is not difficult to guess that tea became this fun.
The creators of the new tea ritual were advisors - dobosyu Shogun Yoshimasa on cultural issues - Noami (1397-1471), his son Geyami (1431-1485) and grandson Soami (d. 1525). Tea parties were held on the premises kaisho(“meeting place”) with an area of 18-24 sq.m. The tokonoma niche contained paintings by famous masters of Chinese painting of the Song era. “Three shells” were placed on the floor of the tokonoma in front of the paintings: an incense burner (koro), a candlestick (shokudai) and a flower vase (kebe, the second most important center of the interior). On the tigaidan shelves next to the tokonoma were tea cups, jugs and antique curiosities from China. During tea drinking, Chinese tenmoku cups were used (they were brought to the islands by Buddhist monks from the Tianmu Monastery). Laymen who did not hold high positions came to tea in ordinary clothes, monks were required to wear a cassock with a cape, aristocrats - in white wide pants and a cape. Shogun Yoshimasa came to the tea party in a hunting suit. The method of preparing tea was the same as at “tea competitions” - powdered tea was poured into a cup, boiling water was poured over it, whisked and drunk.
For a long time, China was a kind of “cultural donor” for Japan. Under the influence of mainland ideas, a centralized Chinese-style state emerged on the Japanese islands, crafts, culture and art were borrowed and developed. Chinese characters formed the basis of Japanese writing. The tea culture of the Tang Dynasty was perceived by the Japanese as a perfect example to follow, however, as their own tradition was formed, both the subject environment and the very spirit of the tea ceremony underwent significant changes.
in the photo: "rabbit fur" tea bowl, Song Dynasty
MURATA SHUKO
The next stage in the development of the classical Japanese tea ceremony cha-no-yu associated with the name of Murata Juko (1423 - 1502), known as Shuko. He first spoke about the tea ritual as an action that has deep spiritual content, the purpose of which is “cleansing the mind and heart.” The strictly systematized tea drinking ritual he introduced helped to identify the special qualities of tea, on the one hand, and, through the proper behavior of the participants, to achieve optimal conditions for its influence, on the other. We can confidently call him the patriarch of the Japanese Way of Tea, Tjado.
Shuko filled the tea action wabi bitches, “love for the artless.” Bitches- love, attachment to something. Word wabi- a noun formed from a verb vabiru, “live alone,” “be in a miserable state,” “sad,” “mourn.” In the context of tea performance, this means that external simplicity reflects the internal nobility and spirituality of the tea master - at the same time “enlightened”, “creative” and “skillful”. True beauty, according to wabi aesthetics, is hidden in things that have unfinished, asymmetrical shapes. The most capacious characteristic of the concept wabi contained in “Notes on Zen Tea”, “Zentyaroku”: “If in unfreedom the thoughts of unfreedom are not born, in need the thoughts of insufficiency do not arise, in discord the thoughts that nothing is going well do not arise, you will comprehend wabi. If you think about lack of freedom as lack of freedom, in times of need you regret the lack, and in times of discord you complain about what is not going well, then you have not comprehended wabi and are truly a poor person!”
in the photo: Murata Juko (Shuko) and Takeno Juo
Syuko spent tea parties in the house - sukiya, reminiscent of a hermit's hut. In terms of size, Shuko's tea room exactly corresponded to the monastic cell, the length and width of one jo (3.03 m), i.e., a total area of four and a half tatami. According to contemporaries, “in a cramped room, like the inside of a vessel, he acquired the same degree of peace and detachment that he would have had if he were in a spacious hall.”
In a famous letter to his devoted student Furuichi, Harima Shuko noted: " The tea room should be decorated with flowers enough to make the room look good. When it comes to incense, don't smoke in a way that draws too much attention to yourself. Utensils should be selected according to age. The movements of the participants should be calm and natural. Having taken their seats, the host and guests direct their hearts to each other, without diverting attention to outsiders. This is the most important condition of the tea ceremony."
By analogy with the “four noble truths of Buddhism,” Murata Shuko formulated the “four noble truths of the Way of tea”: Harmony (和 - “Wa”), Respect (敬 - “Kei”), Purity (清 - “Sei”) and Tranquility (寂 - “Jaku”).
« Harmony“implies the attunement of tea party participants, when all those present become some kind of internally homogeneous whole.
« Respect" is a universal principle present in all religious teachings.
« Purity" Since ancient times, the Japanese have paid exceptional attention to the cleanliness of the body; cleansing has become one of the main ritual actions in Shintoism. Passage of tea party participants , rinsing the mouth and washing the hands before entering the tea room replicates the ceremony of cleansing the hands and mouth with water before entering a Shinto shrine. In Buddhist understanding, the true meaning of wabi is “revealing the pure nature of the Buddha.”
« Peace" Participation in the tea ceremony represents an ascent through the levels of “peace” - from the relative (calmness of thoughts, movements, view of the environment, etc.) to the absolute, when liberation comes from one’s own “I” and from attachments to everything earthly (wealth, sensual pleasures, etc.).
Murata Shuko had many students, and the Shimogyo district, where he lived in recent years, became the center of the tea business in the capital. However, soon after the master left, the tea ceremony became overly ritualized to the detriment of spiritual fulfillment. Tea party participants began to be strictly distinguished by social status and place in the administrative hierarchy. In accordance with this, tea utensils were chosen, and topics on which guests could talk were determined. The samurai were supposed to talk about horses, falconry, arrows and bows, while the conversation with the monks was mainly about the time of year. If there was a painting hanging in the tokonoma and there were flowers, then first they looked at the flowers - they are a sign of the season, and then - they looked at the painting. However, if particularly valuable utensils were used in the tea ceremony, then they were considered first of all. If utensils were used that the owner showed to the guests for the first time, then they examined them first, even if they were not of particular value. Approaching the niche, they knelt in front of it, spreading their arms slightly to the sides. When decorating a niche, the following order was followed: first they hung a picture, and then they put flowers in a vase, and one of the guests placed a particularly beautiful branch with a flower in the vase.
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TEA AND SAKE
The original contribution of the Zen clergy to the development of the tea ceremony was the treatise “Syutaron” (1576) or “Discourses on Sake and Tea.” The author of this work was Ranshuku Genshu (d. 1580), who sanctified Oda Nobunaga's conversion to Zen at Otsushinji Temple. In the late 70s, Ranshuku became the 53rd abbot of the Myoshinji Temple in Kyoto and a few months before his death received from the emperor these, “purple robes”, a symbol of belonging to the circle of the highest hierarchs of the Buddhist church. The Discourses are written in Chinese; the author knew Chinese classics and Buddhist texts very well, which indicates his high education.
The treatise begins with a meeting scene between two people on a warm spring afternoon. One, sitting on a mat among flowers, drinks sake, the other, sitting on a bench under a pine tree, drinks tea. The author calls the sake lover boyukun, “the gentleman who forgets sorrows,” and the tea devotee - dekihansi, “the husband who washes away worries.” Both nicknames have Chinese origins. In the “History of the Jin Dynasty” (“Jin-shu”) there is a phrase: “Only with the help of wine can you forget your sorrows, and you won’t get sick from it.” And in “Additions to the History of the Tang State” (“Tango Shibu”) Li Zhao quotes the words of the ruler of the kingdom of Lu: “A hot decoction that washes away worries and illnesses, called tea.”
The "discourse" is a dialogue between the "lord" and the "husband" about the properties of wine and tea, with the tea drinker unconditionally condemning sake. As arguments against sake, the “husband who washes away worries” cites the answer of Maudgalyayana, one of the closest disciples of Buddha Shakyamuni, because of what offense the man took the form of a demon: “The wine that this man was addicted to in a previous life is to blame for this, and which threw him off head down in the subsequent rebirth! Wine, the “husband” continues, leads a person to thirty-six losses. Because of wine, people lose both the Celestial Empire, if they are kings, and their lives. “The Lord Who Forgets Sorrows,” while defending the virtues of sake, also appeals to the Buddha, who called the wine “sweet dew” and “good medicine,” and to the bodhisattvas, for whom it personified “great virtue.” To which the “husband” stated that Buddhas, great bodhisattvas and famous monks acquired supernatural abilities thanks to tea.
The dispute in this spirit continued for a long time, but in the end both sides summed up their conclusion. “The Lord who forgets sorrows” said: “A wine star shines in the sky, wine springs flow from the ground. People live on earth under the sky, and they should appreciate wine (...) Kings, princes, and military leaders rule the country with the help of wine. Warriors, peasants, artisans, and merchants master the art of relaxation with the help of wine. Those who have no wives, those who have no husbands, orphans and homeless people, use wine like a broom to sweep away sorrows.” The “husband who washes away worries”, in turn, answered with no less passion: “It’s not the same with my tea! From the capital to the barbarian lands, those who do not like tea—whether small or large—are not human. They say about tea: “Unsurpassed”, “Having a special meaning”, “Limitless”. And let them point to milk and cream, they cannot compare with tea. What can we say about sake!”
"Reflections on Sake and Tea" ends with the appearance of a "gentleman taking a walk." He summarizes: “There is no threat to the Celestial Empire now, the state is following its Path, it’s a wonderful time of year. And the two old men started a useless conversation. And although one can argue endlessly, it is impossible to list the merits of sake and it is impossible to determine the merits of tea. I often drink sake and also drink tea. And which of these things is better or worse? Listen, two old men, to my poem:
Clouds float calmly over the pine trees,
There is a light fog above the flowers.
And I say: “These are the two best things in the Middle Kingdom.
After all, sake is sake, and tea is tea!”
Ranshuku's work expresses the classic concept of pairing wine and tea: first sake, which intoxicates, then tea, which sobers. “Discourses on Sake and Tea” enjoyed enormous popularity over the following centuries, and was commented on and expanded upon.
TAKENO JO
In the story about the formation of the Japanese tea tradition, one cannot help but mention such a great tea master of the Middle Ages as Takeno Joo (1502 - 1555) from the city of Sakai. In his youth, he received an excellent secular education, studied versification in Kyoto from Swndjo-Nishi Sanetaka, a courtier of three emperors, and was a teacher of versification, but then he singled out the tea ceremony from all the arts and became a master in it. At the age of thirty, he became a monk, and therefore received the name Joo, under which he entered the history of Japanese culture.
A talented writer and poet, Joo likened the tea ceremony to the process of creating a renga - a chain poem composed by a group of participants. Each of the authors of the renga, having his own handwriting, must capture the “mood of the heart” (kokoro) of his predecessor in the previous link and obey the general rhythm of the poetic chain. Likewise, in the process of drinking tea, a resonance of hearts arises in all participants, the nature of the Buddha is revealed, and individual differences disappear.
Takeno Joo's financial situation made it possible to acquire very rare and expensive items. However, towards the end of his life, the Master’s aesthetic tastes underwent significant changes. In the diary of Imai Sokyu, a student of Joo, there is an entry about the master’s last tea party on the 2nd day of the 9th Moon in 1555. In the tokonoma, he “saw an irogami (a rectangular colored strip of cardboard) with a poem by Fujiwara Teika. There also stood a metal vase, without any decorations, with a daffodil. Above the fireplace, set into the floor, as is customary in a peasant house, a cauldron in which water was boiling hung on a thin chain.” Joo's favorite items back then were a wooden jug for fresh water, a bowl for draining water, and a bamboo stand for the lid of the cauldron. The last Joo ceremony took place according to the canonical ritual: gathering of guests in the tea room, meal, break and tea drinking itself. Yamanoue Soji notes: “Joyo passed away (i.e. died) at fifty-four years of age. He died when the tea ceremony blossomed into its true form.”
THE WAY OF THE WARRIOR AND TEA
During the Sengoku period (XV-XVII centuries) in the life of Japanese society, various descriptions of the proper behavior of a warrior in times of war and peace, compiled by outstanding representatives of samurai houses and less significant individuals, known to us as “Bushido” or “Way of the Warrior,” acquired a special role. The samurai's code of honor was based on unquestioning loyalty to the feudal lord, recognition of military affairs as the only occupation worthy of a samurai, suicide in cases where honor was disgraced, the prohibition of lies and attachment to money. The most famous canons of that time are “Budoseshinshu” or “Parting words to those entering the Path of the Warrior” by Daidoji Yuzan and “Hagakure” or “Hidden in the Leaves” by Yamamoto Tsunetomo, which embodied the special spirit of Japan, traditional ideas about the chivalry of the old samurai class. Regarding the tea ceremony, the Budoseshinshu says the following:
“Although bushido requires strength and power first and foremost, to possess only this means to be nothing more than a crude samurai. Therefore, a samurai must know how to read and write, if he has time, learn poetry and the tea ceremony. If he does not study, he will not be able to comprehend the causes of things, both past and present. And no matter how experienced and wise he may be, he will certainly someday find himself in great difficulty if he does not have enough knowledge. For by understanding the affairs of your own country and of foreign lands, taking into account the principles of time, place and rank, and following the best, you will not commit great errors in calculations. Therefore I say that a samurai must be diligent in his studies. But if he makes poor use of his knowledge, becomes self-confident and looks down on the illiterate, if he worships everything foreign and thinks that nothing good exists except Chinese, if he is so prejudiced that he does not understand that something can happen in the present time and not suitable for Japan, no matter how good it may seem, then I will say: his knowledge is far from perfect. He must study with this in mind.
Posing is a long-standing custom of our country. Great warriors of all times wrote poetry, and even the lowest vassal tried to compose a clumsy line from time to time. But the one who does only this and neglects everyday duties becomes soft in soul and body, loses all his fighting qualities and looks like a court samurai. Especially if you get carried away with short hai-ku poems, so fashionable in our time, you can easily become lively in conversation, witty and dapper even among silent and reserved comrades. Although this may be considered cute in society, especially in modern times, it should be avoided by a samurai.
Then, as for the tea ceremony, since the time of the shoguns of Kyoto it has been an entertainment of the military class, and even if you are not very fond of it, you can be invited to participate in it and be the guest of noble people, so at least you should know how to enter properly tea room, how to examine its decoration and monitor the preparation of tea, how to eat dishes and drink tea. To gain knowledge about the tea ceremony, you should take several lessons from a Tea Master. In addition, in the tea room it is good to enjoy relaxation and tranquility, for there is no boasting and luxury in it, so even in the houses of rich people and officials you will find simple thatched huts with wooden supports and bamboo rafters, with simple artless lattice windows, bamboo curtains, gate and entrance. Cups and other utensils are also devoid of exquisite ornaments, their forms are clean and restrained. They are completely free from the corruption of everyday life. I believe that this spirit, if followed, contributes to the comprehension of the Warrior's Path. Therefore, it is a very good idea to prepare a special place for the tea ceremony. You can even use paintings by current artists, simple tea utensils and a clay teapot - this is inexpensive and corresponds to the ascetic style of the tea ceremony. But in all things the simple tends to turn into the complex, and the desire for luxury makes itself felt. So, if you see someone’s Asiya teapot, you become ashamed of your clay one, and soon you begin to wish that all the utensils were expensive. Then you shop around to see where things are cheaper and become an expert, so you can buy a good thing for a low price. Then, when you see a beautiful thing in someone’s house, you begin to beg the owner for it or offer to exchange it, of course, so that the benefit remains with you. Such behavior is no better than that of a simple shopkeeper or merchant and dishonors the Way of the Warrior. This is a big mistake, and rather than practicing such a tea ceremony, it is better not to know anything about it at all and remain in the dark even about how to drink tea. For it is preferable to appear rude than to discredit the greatness of Bushido.”
in the photo: Ido Kizaemon cup, national treasure of Japan
MASTER OF TEA
In the 16th century The center of the tea business in Japan became the city of Sakai, one of the largest port cities of that time. It was there that the concept of cha-jin, “tea man”, was born, behind which stands the idea of a person of high moral culture and spiritual nobility, the first professional cha-no yu-sha or cha-no yu-mono, “tea masters” appeared, who earned their living life and as teachers of fine arts.. The tea ceremony went beyond the walls of monasteries and feudal castles. In the houses of wealthy citizens, special houses were set aside for tea parties - chashitsu, built like the tea houses of Joo and Shuko, but adjacent to the building from the side of the internal garden (in the part of the house that faced the street there was a shop or office).
in the photo: Tengoku Ken tea pavilion
The tea ceremony began with the ritual of inviting the “Guest” to whom the “Host” sent a letter. The guest responded with a message of gratitude, to which the owner sent a second letter indicating the day and hour appointed for tea drinking. And again the guest responded with a letter of gratitude. At the appointed hour, the guest in formal clothes approached the tea house, where the owner was already waiting for him at the gate. Walking through the garden along the stone paths , the guest approached the tea house, where he left his fan and weapon (a battle fan in those days was a multifunctional item that warriors wore on their belts along with a sword). The servant handed the guest a headscarf and hat. In the room, the guest first slowly examined the painting placed in , and after that the hearth, the cauldron hanging above it and the utensils standing on the shelves - Daisu, making sure to pick up the objects lying on them. Then the guest was served light snacks (usually soup and dishes with vegetables) and sake. Before the meal, the guest always praised the food he brought.
After the meal, the guest went out into the garden, washed his hands, rinsed his mouth and rested. At this time, the owner was preparing the utensils, changing the scrolls in the niche and inviting the guest to inspect them. After the inspection, the guest went out to the gallery, took a fan, returned to the tea room, sat down and put the fan at his side. The fan should not be used until the tea party was over.
First the owner cooked whoa(thick tea) and then usu-cha(thin tea). The first was drunk in complete silence, and during the second a conversation began, the topic of which was set by the tea utensils. If the conversation did not go well, they talked about the weather, “about the wind, rain, flowers and the moon.” Conducting a conversation during tea drinking had to be studied for two years, since it demonstrated the qualifications of a tea master.
Returning home, the guest sent the owner a letter of gratitude “for what his heart felt in everything - in the headscarf, sake, tea, snacks, soup and rare things.”
Then, in the second half of the 16th century. "tea ceremony - politics" appears, cha-no-yu seido. This was the time of the unification of the country under the rule of a strong central government and the establishment of the third shogunate led by the feudal Tokugawa clan. The struggle for unification was started by Oda Nobunaga, one of the most prominent personalities of the Japanese Middle Ages.
Pictured: Oda Nobunaga, medieval image
Having subjugated almost half of the country, in 1568 Nobunaga issued an ultimatum demanding payment from the Sakai city council for the maintenance of the army. The city was the largest center of trade and culture in Japan, where theaters operated and books were published. As a result of difficult negotiations, the city council was dissolved, Sakai was saved from ruin, but lost its status as a “free city.” The negotiations were greatly facilitated by the shogun’s passion for “hunting for rare things,” of which there were plenty in the trading city. The wealth of the collection collected by the ruler, according to the “Official Notes on Nobunaga,” was “beyond the power of thought or word.”
Under the shoguns Oda Nobunaga (1534 -1582) and Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537 -1598), the tea ceremony became an elaborate, philosophically based, deliberately complicated and aestheticized ritual of demonstrating wealth, greatness and influence. Great importance was attached to tea utensils; their selection was entrusted only to professional experts who served as advisors on culture and art to the highest military-feudal dignitaries.
Negotiations on the supply of food, weapons and various equipment to one group or another were accompanied by tea parties. The license for the right to organize tea parties was issued personally by Oda Nobunaga and was considered as a sign of his favor.
The political approach to tea ceremonies also determined the role of tea masters, “heads of tea”, sado(a term borrowed from the Buddhist lexicon). The majority came from Sakai trading houses. These people enjoyed trust and throughout the country played the role of intermediaries in establishing contacts with persons of interest to the ruler. Among them was Sen Rikyu.
The future patriarch of the classical tea performance was born in Sakai in 1522. His childhood name was Yoshiro. While still a very young man, Yoshiro became the head of the Sen house, so from a young age he was directly involved in commerce. He learned the tea ritual from Kitamuki Dochin, through whom he met Joo and became his student. The Sen family were generous donors to the Daitokuji Temple branch in Sakai, and Rikyu's father maintained friendly relations with the monk Dairin, under whose guidance Yoshiro began the practice of Zen. After the death of his father in 1540, Yoshiro received his first Buddhist name Hosensai Soeki, under which he appears in many medieval works, in particular, “The Chronicles of Yamanoue Soji” (山上宗二記, commentaries on the teachings of Rikyu and the regulations of the tea ceremony) and “Notes of Nambo "(Nampo Roku, 南方録, records of the teachings of Rikyu).
in the photo: Sen Rikyu, medieval image
An exceptional role in the formation of Rikyu’s personality was played by Kokei Sochin, the abbot of the Daitokuji Temple. In 1585, he wrote about his student: “Hosensai Soeki from the south of Izumi (the province of which Sakai was the main city) was my student who studied Zen for more than thirty years. After Zen, his other occupation was tea making.
Gradually, Soeki becomes one of the leading tea masters in the city. His name is found in the “tea notes” of his contemporaries in the vicinity of such masters recognized at that time as Imai Sokyu, Tsuda Sotatsu and Tsuda Sogyu.
In the early 70s, XVII Soeki participated in a tea party hosted by Nobunaga in Kyoto at the Myogakuji Temple. The shogun highly appreciated him and in 1576 appointed him to the position of “head of tea” of the castle in Azuchi with a salary of three thousand koku of rice annually. Although Soeki had his own rooms in the castle, he did not move to Azuchi permanently and visited it on visits from Sakai.
in the photo: Azuchi Castle
Like his predecessors, at the beginning of his tea journey, Sen Rikyu organized tea parties using rare teapots, tea cups and other meibutsu, of which he had about 60. But unlike others, in tokonoma he placed not paintings, but bokuseki. However, over time, the spirit of wabi-cha is felt more and more in its action. Very significant in this regard was the morning ceremony held at the end of 1580 for Tsuda Sopo and Yamanoue Soji. Since the tea party took place in winter, a fireplace was lit in the tea room. ro, above him on a bamboo vine hung an unsightly, irregularly shaped cauldron in which water was boiling. At first there was a teapot in the tokonoma niche, after a break it was replaced by the bokuseki of the Chinese Chan monk Du-yang. The tea was served in a cup with jagged edges made by Master Chojiro.
in the photo: raku bowl by master Chojiro, 16th century
After the death of Oda Nobunaga in 1582, the “chiefs of tea” went into the service of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s mentor in understanding the mysteries of the tea ritual was Tsuda Sopo, and, judging by Sopo’s notes, in the late 70s and early 80s, his student held tea parties in the traditional style of those years. In the fall of 1585, Soeki assisted Hideyoshi in a tea ceremony on the occasion of his election to the council of regents of Emperor Ogimachi. In this regard, he was given the Buddhist name and title - Rikyu Koji. The name was chosen by Soeki's Zen master, Kokei Sochin. The difficult-to-translate subtle play of meanings of the hieroglyphs that make up this name can be expressed by the phrase “who has achieved enlightenment.”
This event opens a new chapter in the history of the great Master, who receives the unlimited trust of Hideyoshi and takes part in numerous official tea parties in the “golden tea room”, transported from the imperial palace.
In the fall of 1587, Toyotomi Hideyoshi holds a grand tea meeting in Kitano, a northern suburb of Kyoto, to commemorate the construction of Zerakudai Palace, the official residence. Four tea houses were built in the pine grove in front of the “praying hall” of the Tenmangu Shinto shrine. The duties of “hosts” were performed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Sen Rikyu, Tsuda Sogyu and Imai Sokyu. “Guests” who came from all over the country took part in a lottery and, depending on the number drawn (1, 2, 3, 4), went to one of four “hosts” (the first was Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the second was Sen Rikyu, the third was Tsuda Sogyu and the fourth - Imai Sokyu). As the Notes on the Great Tea Ceremony in Kitano report, during tea drinking Hideyoshi communicated without undue ceremony with representatives of the lower classes, listened carefully to samurai and priests, and showed signs of attention to aristocrats. In other words, the tea party in Kitano, at which Rikyu was the second person, was primarily a political action, the occasion for which was the tea ceremony.
in the photo: Toyotomi Hideyoshi, medieval image
As the “head of tea,” Rikyu held wabi tea parties at Hideyoshi Castle in Osaka on an area stylized as a mountain landscape in a tea hut-soan, and during military campaigns - in tea rooms specially set up in military camps. Under the influence of Rikyu, Hideyoshi himself began to practice tea drinking. wabi during important meetings.
In the photo: Himeiji, Toyotomi Hideyoshi Castle in Osaka
At the end of 1588, Hideyoshi sent Kokei Sochin into exile due to a conflict with the major feudal lord Ishida Mitsunari. While Hideyoshi was away, Rikyu organized a tea party in Kokei's honor at the Jurakudai Palace, and upon his return he was able to convince Hideyoshi to forgive the abbot. Soon, at a tea party in the Jurakudai Palace, where Hideyoshi was the “chief guest,” Rikyu brought him a black cup. It was a challenge followed by exile and death. At first, Hideyoshi exiled Rikyu to Sakai, where the tea master went on the thirteenth day of the second moon, but ten days later Rikyu, in accordance with the new decree, returned to Kyoto, where he learned of the death sentence in the Jurakudai Palace. Harakiri was committed on the 28th day of the second moon in 1591.
Three days before his death, Rikyu wrote a poem:
Seventy years of life - Ah! That's how it is! —
With this precious sword I
Killing patriarchs and buddhas,
The perfect sword that I hold in my hands—
Here and now—I throw it into the sky.
Let us explain to a person who is not too experienced in knowledge of Zen symbolism. " That's how it is!“—an allusion to the exclamation of the monk Yunmen Wenyan—symbolizes that level of enlightenment when the absence of “one’s own nature” is comprehended. "Precious sword"in addition to a specific subject, it denotes prajna, the highest wisdom, knowledge of the true essence of existence.
Little is known about the reasons for the exile and then execution of the “chief of tea”. The official reason was that Rikyu was accused of installing his own wooden statue on the gate of the Daitokuji Temple. Indeed, in 1589, Rikyu donated a large sum of money for the construction of the second floor-pavilion, where on the gallery in the center there were statues of Buddha Shakyamuni and his disciples - Kashyapa and Ananda, and to the left and right of them 16 arhats, among which was a statue of Rikyu wearing a setta (leather-soled sandals) and a cane.
Pictured: San'unjo Tea Pavilion in Daitokuji
There are a number of other versions about the reasons for the death of Rikyu, but all of them are unfounded: Hideyoshi’s attempts to make Rikyu’s daughter a concubine, which caused active opposition from her father; Rikyu's participation in a conspiracy against Hideyoshi and an attempt to poison the latter; finally, the claim that Rikyu committed suicide. Documents have been preserved in which Rikyu is accused of fraud for passing off worthless crafts as rarities. Let us recall that as the “head of tea” Rikyu was engaged in the evaluation and mediation of the purchase and sale of rare items. The Diary of the Tamon Monastery by monk Eishun from the Kofukuji Temple says that Rikyu sold tea utensils at a high price and was “the embodiment of a corrupt monk.”
in the photo: the hieroglyph “妙” or “wonderful” by Sen no Rikyu
The Rikyu family was expelled from Sakai, but were subsequently allowed to return and their house and some of their property were returned. Descendants of Sen no Rikyu head the major tea schools in Japan, centered in the Kamikyo-ku area of Kyoto. Rikyu is buried at Daitokuji Temple with the posthumous Buddhist name Fushin-an Rikyu Soeki Koji. Tribute to Rikyu, annual ceremonies, are held on March 27 at Omotesenke School, and at Urasenke School on March 28. The three Sen families (Omotesenke, Urasenke, Mushakojisenke) take turns holding a memorial service on the 28th of each month at their common family temple, Jukoin, a subsidiary temple of Daitokuji.
Pictured: South Hojo Garden at Daitokuji Monastery in Kyoto
All these elements of the mosaic, from which we today put together the image of the great Master of Tea, give a very original, but contradictory portrait. Of course, it all comes down to the strength of his personality, which was so great that even now, hundreds of years later, it influences Japanese tradition. What can we say about contemporaries! The Notes of Yamanoue Soji, a student of Rikyu, says: “Although Soeki makes the mountain a valley and the west the east, breaking the rules of the tea ceremony, he conducts it freely and interestingly. But if ordinary people completely imitate him in this, then it is unlikely that these will be tea ceremonies.”.
Sen Rikyu developed and perfected the style wabi, founded by Murata Shuko and Takeno Joo. " The tea ceremony in the tea room is, first of all, finding the Path through following the Buddha Dharma. Taking care of the arrangement of a tea house and enjoying the food is a mundane matter! It is enough that the roof of the house does not leak and there is enough food so as not to starve. This is all according to the teachings of the Buddha, and this is the original meaning of the tea ceremony. Bring water, collect firewood, boil water, prepare tea, offer it to Buddha, serve the people gathered for the ceremony, drink it yourself, arrange flowers, burn incense - learning all this means following the Buddha and the patriarchs of Buddhist schools"(Nambo's Notes").
in the photo: classic Japanese tea performance
If we talk about the subject environment, then, formally, Sen Rikyu used tea utensils of simple, laconic forms made of ceramics and bamboo, made by Japanese craftsmen, replaced the landscape scroll in calligraphy- bokuseki, which after the break was replaced by a composition of fresh flowers. In addition, he introduced the tradition of informing guests about the start of the action by striking a gong, and also made some design changes to the tea house - chashitsu and the space surrounding it - .
The name Sen Rikyu is associated with the concept , “dewy earth”, paths between the house and the gate to the garden from the street and the adjacent territory. According to Rikyu, entering the “dewy land”, a participant in the tea ceremony is cleansed of the filth of the mortal world thanks to the qualities of the “Buddha land” that this place is endowed with.
Roji is divided into two parts - external and internal, creating a contrasting mood. For example, if on the outer roji a guest feels like he is at the foot of a mountain, then on the inner roji he should have the feeling of being in the depths of rocks covered with moss. If the landscape of the outer part resembles a forest, then the inner one creates the mood of a valley or field.
in the photo: roji
The inner one is separated from the outer roji by a hedge, and you can only enter it through Tumon, “middle gate” - light, simple structures made of wood, most often bamboo. Sen Rikyu loved most of all sarudo, “monkey gate”, the doors of which rose upward. In front of the sarudo lies a large stone with a flat top, on which the guest stands, and on the other side, in the inner roji lie meotoishi, “consort stones” - a stone-step for the guest, and next to it is a stone with a flat top, on which the owner greets guests.
In the inner roji is tsukubai(from Japanese "to squat"), a place for washing hands and rinsing the mouth, cleansing from the "dust of the world" with a stone vessel chozubachi in the center. Maeishi“front stone”, placed in front of the chozubachi at a distance of 75 cm. On the left is a flat stone for a candlestick with a candle (it is lit at night). On the right is a stone for a wooden bucket with hot water (in the cold season). The composition is complemented by a stone lamp behind chozubachi, trees and shrubs. Sometimes chozubachi installed in a natural or specially dug shallow depression filled with water, which is called mind you(sea). Bottom mind you covered with pebbles and pieces of old tiles. Water for chozubachi the owner brings it into the tub or it flows through the built-in gutter, and then the sounds of drops are heard in the tea room.
In the photo: Tsukubai
The roji path consists of “flying stones” tobiishi, rising above the ground, and leads to a soan hut without a foundation, so that the end of the path ends under a canopy, a roof element. The guest got inside through the opening nijiriguchi, measuring 66x60 cm. Rikyu borrowed this idea in the design of cabins on fishing boats. The forced bow involuntarily gave rise to humility in the guest and prepared him to perceive the miniature size of the room.
Rikyu created a feeling wabi and through interior decoration. The walls of his tea rooms were covered with rough plaster - a mixture of clay and straw, applied to a lattice frame. This meant a complete violation of the then dominant architectural style, and was perceived by Rikyu’s contemporaries completely differently than it is now, when such a combination has become the recognized norm.
in the photo: Taian tea house
TEA SCHOOLS
The guardian and continuer of Rikyu's traditions was his grandson Sen Sotan (1578-1658), nicknamed Kojiki Sotan, that is, Beggar Sotan. According to legend, in 1648 Sotan built a small tea room in his house, the size of one and a half tatami mats, and invited a monk he knew to tea. The monk was late, and Sotan began to write him a note about rescheduling the tea party the next day. At that moment, the invitee appeared, took the brush from Sotan’s hands and wrote “A lazy monk like me is never sure of the future.” And then Sotan called his tea room Konniti-an, “Today’s Day.”
According to one of his closest students, Sugiki Fusai, “Sotan attached great importance to understanding the true essence of the tea ceremony and found pleasure in tea. He was not attracted to meibutsu. He used any utensil and felt joy from the first one that came to hand. Sotan was not inclined to delve into the past and had no interest in the future. He named his small tea room Konniti-an. Looking at the cauldron of boiling water, he thought about how he, an old man, could live another day, and behaved like a Zen monk who had gained enlightenment. Sometimes played on biwa and contemplated the moon through the window or wrote poetry in Chinese.”
Sotan enjoyed the favor of the princes Tomotada and Nobuhiro, the famous tea master Honami Koetsu called him a friend, the outstanding artist of that era, Kano Tanyu, decorated Sotan's rooms, and Empress Tofukumon-in (daughter of the shogun Tokugawa Hidetada) invited him to the palace and gave expensive things. It was Sotan who introduced the red tea napkin into use so that after its use by the ladies of the court, no traces of lipstick would be visible on it.
Sotan had four sons (Sosetsu and Soshu from his first marriage, Coca and Soshitsu from his second), and all of them were engaged in the tea business. The relationship between his father and Sosetsu did not work out; he traveled a lot and died in 1652, about which Sotan wrote:
We come into this world with nothing
And we leave him with nothing,
Accompanied by the sound of a bell.
Soshu, the second son, built his own house with the Kanyuoan tea room in Mushanokōji, a district of Kyoto, and founded the first of the three tea schools of the house of Sen - Mushanokōji Senke, "Sen House in Mushanokōji." The main heir, who inherited the house with the Fushin-an tea room, which once belonged to Rikyu, was the third son, Coca. He founded the second school - Omate Senke (omate - front, outer side, front). In 1645, Soshitsu opened his own tea school - Ura Senke (ura - inner, back side, wrong side), the center of which was located in Kanuntei. These schools, and above all Urasenke, represent the leading trends in the art of tea at the present time.
Sotan had quite a few students, four of whom - Fujimura Yokan, Yamada So-hen, Sugiki Fusai and Kusami Soan (they are called the "four geniuses", shi-tenno) - made a significant contribution to the systematization of the rules of wabi tea drinking.
The traditions of wabi tea drinking were also maintained in the Yabunouchi school, the first patriarch of which is considered to be the tea master Yabunouchi Jochi (1536-1627). Jochi was a student of Sen Rikyu and after the latter's death continued to follow the teacher's manner. The second patriarch, also named Jochi (1580-1665), moved to Kyoto at the invitation of the abbot of Honganji Temple. The schools of the Sen house were called "upstream", and the Yabunouchi school - "downstream".
In the first half of the 18th century. A system of managing tea schools was formed, which exists to this day. The leader of the school, enjoying unquestioning authority, becomes the “head of the house”, iemoto. Iemoto certified professionally trained tea masters, determined the strategy and tactics of the school’s activities in a specific situation, etc.
Joshinsai Tennen Coca (1706-1751), the seventh iemoto of the Omotesenke school, his brother Yugensai Itto Soshitsu (1719-1771), who became the eighth iemoto of the Urasenke school, their closest students and associates, as well as the Zen monk Mugaku Soen 1721-1791), abbot of the temple Daitokuji, developed a set of seven training exercises, Shichiji-shiki, by performing which the student acquired the necessary skills of a master.
Four or five future tea masters united in a group and held a tea party, taking turns playing the role of “host”, practicing the appropriate movements according to a certain technique. The number of exercises and their content corresponds to the seven skills described in the “Notes on the Blue Rock”, biyan-lu, Rinzai school, compiled in the 12th century. in China:
1) great ability and great action;
2) speed of intellect (cleverness);
3) spirituality in speeches;
4) determination to kill or give life, depending on the circumstances;
5) scholarship and experience;
6) clarity of awareness of one’s own perceptions;
7) the ability to freely appear and disappear.
FURUTA ORIBE
However, the wabi style is not the only classical style of tea in Japan. According to legend, when asked by Hosokawa Sansai who he would like to see as his successor, Rikyu answered - Furuta Oribe.
Furuta Oribe was born in 1544 in the province of Mino into the family of a large feudal lord, daimyo, and was part of the close circle of the rulers of Japan - Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the Tokugawa shoguns. His annual allowance was 35 thousand koku of rice (Sen Rikyu received only 3 thousand koku).
Almost nothing is known about where and from whom Furuta Oribe learned the art of the tea ceremony. In the second half of the 80s, especially after the Kitano Tea Party, he became Sen Rikyu's closest assistant. It is known that Oribe proposed a number of innovations in the tea ceremony, for example, during the winter months, covering the tea garden with pine needles so that those passing through the roji would have a feeling of warmth.
In 1615, during the destruction of the castle of the Toyotomi family in Osaka (the center of opposition to the new regime), the tea master's connections with supporters of Toyotomi Hideyoshi were discovered, and Oribe, according to the customs of that time, was sentenced to commit hara-kiri. After the death of Rikyu, Oribe served as the chief master of the shogun Tokugawa Hidetada, during whose reign he committed hara-kiri. Oribe's students included such outstanding tea masters as Kobori Enei and Hon'ami Koetsu.
Pictured: Furuta Oribe, medieval image
Furuta Oribe departed from the canons of Rikyu. Rare varieties of pine and numerous lamps carved from stone appeared in his roji garden. Furuta Oribe's tea room was larger than Rikyu's. A partition separated a special room for the servants of the ceremony participants, where the floor was lower. This difference, like the very allocation of quarters for servants, contradicted the idea of the tea house as a place of enlightenment for everyone without exception.
If in Sen Rikyu all the elements of the interior were subordinated to the task of creating a feeling of artlessness and simplicity, then in the tea room of Furuta Oribe these elements helped to evoke a feeling of mosaic surroundings. Oribe hung multi-colored strips of paper on the windows, and each one offered a view different from the others. IN scroll bokuseki and a composition of flowers were next to each other throughout the entire tea ceremony, while for Rikyu, bokuseki set the mood for the first part of the tea party until the break - nakadati, and flowers - the second.
Furuta Oribe held the tea ceremony in two rooms - the tea room and the one next to it, kusari no ma where the guests drank usu-cha and had conversations on various topics. Kusari no ma was larger than the tea room, with which it was connected by a special passage. Here, tea utensils were put on display, sharply different in appearance from those traditionally used - asymmetrical shape, deformed during firing, original appearance. He placed bokuseki in the tokonoma, made by living people, which was not customary to do at that time, and also shortened the kakemono scrolls so that the ratio of length and width was not generally accepted.
Furuta Oribe is considered the founder daimyo-cha, that is, tea drinking for large feudal lords, an outstanding representative of which was Kobori Eneiu, tea master of the shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu.
in the photo: Furuta Oribe bowl, 17th century
KOBORI ENSHU
Kobori Enshu was born in 1579. His father, Kobori Masagatsu, participated in the construction of castles and residences of large feudal lords, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and later Tokugawa Ieyasu served as an architect. From childhood, Kobori Enshu was brought up in an atmosphere of worship of the fine arts: classical Chinese and Japanese literature was revered at Hidenaga Castle, and Noh theater performances were held. At a young age, Enshu began to help his father and soon gained recognition both as a civil architect and as a garden architect, according to whose plans gardens were created in many Buddhist temples in Kyoto, and also as a calligrapher.
Pictured: Nijo Castle Garden designed by Kobori Enshu
Kobori Enshu valued Sen Rikyu's talent extremely highly, comparing him to the sky and himself to dirt. His tea parties were permeated with sulfur kirai sabi or “beautiful sadness.” If wabi brings one closer to understanding the true essence of the phenomena of the surrounding world, then sabi is the sadness that comes after this comprehension. Atmosphere kirai sabi was created due to the high semantic load of each piece of furniture and utensils and their exceptional expressiveness.
Kobori Enshu tea parties took place in the Edo era, the final period of the Japanese Middle Ages, the state ideology of which was Confucianism, the fundamental moral norm was the loyalty of the lower on the social ladder to the higher, and the ancient traditions of the samurai were enshrined in the “Warrior’s Code of Honor,” Bushido (Way of the Warrior). Therefore, if for Sen Rikyu the Way of Tea led to enlightenment, to the identification of “Buddha nature” in oneself, then according to the “Scriptures compiled by Kobori Enshu”, the Way of Tea meant “boundless respect and loyalty to the lord and father, taking care of the affairs of the home and maintaining friendship with old friends."
in the photo: Kobori Enshu, drawing from the 17th century
The tea houses of Kobori Enshu did not look like a hut in any way - soan. These were monumental buildings with many rooms and corridors, surrounded by a wide veranda, smoothly turning into a roji. The "dewy land" was also vast and... Tea utensils were not distinguished by either the spirituality of Sen Rikyu's ware or the extravagance of shapes and color combinations of Furuta Oribe, but were distinguished by “moderation”, a calm harmony of colors and lines. For each piece of utensil, Enshu selected a carefully crafted case in which the item was constantly stored.
Placing utensils on shelves in Kozashiki and in kusari no ma, Kobori Enshu did not abuse the demonstration of a large number of rare things to the ceremony participants - meibutsu, as the organizers of “tea parties in the living room” did. In addition, in the Enshu tea rooms there was a place for servants who accompanied the participants in the ceremonies.
in the photo: Kobori Enshu tea house
In the 18th century, the population of Edo reached 1 million people, making the capital of the shogunate the largest city in the world at that time. And in the tea ceremony, which by that time had become an integral element of city life, its social and organizing component played the main role.
in the photo: Suzuki Harunobu, 1768 "Tea House"
Until this time, the tea drink was prepared by stirring powdered matcha tea into boiling water, and the participants in the ceremony drank the suspension. In the seventeenth century. The use of brewed sencha leaves is becoming fashionable. Its first popularizers were Ishikawa Jozan (1583-1672), who left the service and began studying Confucianism as a samurai, as well as Ingen (1592-1673), a monk of the Obaku school of Zen, Chinese by birth. Jozean settled at the foot of Mount Hiei, where at one time the main monastery of the Tendai school was located, and built a house there, which was visited by philosophers, writers, and artists.
in the photo: engraving from the 18th century. artist Suzuki Harunobu in the ukiyo-e genre
Sencha tea parties were held in three stages. First, the “guests” drank sake in one room, then moved to another room where snacks were served, after which they drank brewed tea in the third room. Sencha tea drinking became very popular in the 18th century. At the same time, the basic rules for their organization were formed.
in the photo: Kotsushika Hokusai, early 19th century engraving "Tea House after a Snowfall"
In the second half of the 19th century. Great changes have occurred in Japanese society, which also affected the tea ceremony. The 11th iemoto of the Urasenke school, Mr. Gengeisai (1810-1877), began holding ceremonies in which participants sat on chairs at tables, and his son Yumyosai (1853-1924), the 12th iemoto of the school, allowed women to participate in tea parties, which was prohibited even Sugiki Fusai, a student of Sotan, and over time women began to make up the majority of Urasenke masters.
There are many forms of tea ceremony in Japan these days, but the main ones are: night tea, sunrise tea, evening tea, morning tea, afternoon tea, and special tea (held in connection with calendar holidays, personal celebrations, or memorial days).
Tea is the most common drink and an important part of Japanese cultural traditions. Various types of tea have become widespread and are consumed at any point of the day. Green tea is the most common type, and when someone mentions "tea" (お茶, o-cha) without specifying the type, it is referred to as green tea. Green tea is also a central element of the tea ceremony. The most famous tea growing areas in Japan are the provinces of Shizuoka, Kagoshima and Uji.
Below is a list of the main varieties of tea that are widely available in Japan.
Hello, dear readers – seekers of knowledge and truth!
What could be better than a cup of aromatic tea in a series of everyday affairs? Just a cup of aromatic tea somewhere in the Japanese expanses! So, today we will immerse ourselves in an atmosphere of harmony and tranquility, and at the same time we will learn everything about tea drinking in Japan.
Today’s article will tell you why making tea for the Japanese is a real art, how it came to their homeland, in what cases ceremonies are held, where tea mysteries take place. You will also learn the names of all these numerous cups and teapots, and how the master of the tea ritual embodies his talents. The answers to these questions and other interesting facts are in the article below.
The Japanese tea ceremony is called " sado" or " dude” and means “the way of tea”, “tea art”. And this is not an exaggeration at all - in order to master the art, future masters study for a long time, comprehend all the subtleties associated with tea.
The tea ceremony is a traditional Japanese ritual that is distinguished by its extraordinary aesthetics and complexity. It can be called a sacrament that occurs between participants, a special form of communication and unity of souls.
While drinking tea, people enjoy the aesthetics of the world around them, talk leisurely, relax and are filled with harmony. The ritual takes place in a special room and follows strict rules that have remained unchanged for many centuries.
Today in Japan there are more than fifty large schools teaching the art of the tea ceremony. They have spread throughout the world - they have representative offices in twenty countries, including Russia.
The tradition of drinking tea came to Japanese lands from the mainland, or more precisely, from China, where people from time immemorial appreciated the tart taste of the drink and grew entire plantations. But while the Chinese put principles into the ritual, the Japanese identified it with, so the ceremonies here took place simply, naturally, in a calm atmosphere.
Japanese ritual tea drinking adheres to several rules:
Judging by historical references, tea reached Japanese shores around the 7th-8th century. It was brought by Buddhist monks from China, who made tea drinking part of the practice.
Buddhist teachings spread, and with it, its traditions. Buddhists drank tea during meditative practices and gave it as offerings. This is how the habit of drinking tea took root among Buddhist adherents.
In the 12th century, monk Eisai presented the ruler of Minamoto with a book that talked about the benefits of tea for a healthy and long life - the ritual of tea drinking began to spread in court circles. A century later, tea ceremonies became popular among samurai. They were distinguished by pomp and ritual.
Gradually, tea ceased to be exclusively a drink of monks - it gained momentum among aristocrats. They held real tournaments, during which different types of tea were tasted, and the participants had to guess what kind it was and where it came from.
The game element grew into a frantic celebration and fun - hundreds of men and women took baths - the so-called furo- filled with tea, which they drank from there. The whole event ended with buffets with a huge amount of treats and sake. At that moment, people thought about the medicinal properties of tea as the last thing.
Tea ceremony in Japan. Engraving
The common population, city dwellers and farmers, also enjoyed tea drinking. The rituals were more modest than among the nobility, but they helped to relax during a break between hard work, enjoy the moment and talk about abstract topics. All the elements - the adoption of tea furo, the strict rules of tournaments, the modesty of the ceremonies of ordinary people - later formed into a single ritual, which is now considered a classic.
Tea art reached its greatest development in the 16th-18th centuries. It is associated primarily with the name of Joo Takeno, who invented a special building - a tea house - chashitsu characterized by modesty and simplicity.
Later, his student Sen no Rikyu, in addition to the chashitsu, created a garden, as well as a path paved with stone - roji. At the same time, he defined etiquette: when and what to talk about, how the master should conduct the ceremony and fill the guests with harmony from the inside. Rikyu also introduced traditional utensils, and the tea ceremony began to be distinguished not by feigned, external beauty, but by internal beauty, hidden in soft colors and muffled sounds.
Sen no Rikyu (1522-12.04.1591). One of the founders of the Japanese tea ceremony
All Japanese began to get involved in tea drinking: from the poor to the imperial family. By the 18th century, a network of schools teaching tea crafts had emerged. Led them iemoto– they helped students master the art, taught all the nuances: to understand types of tea, brew it correctly, conduct casual conversations, create a friendly and harmonious atmosphere in the company.
The Japanese have many reasons to gather for a tea ceremony:
Tea drinking is held in a special area. Ideally, this is a garden, with a path leading to the house - this is where the ceremony itself is held.
In modern realities, the Japanese often do not have the opportunity to acquire their own garden, so the venue is often ordinary premises, separate rooms, or even just a small table.
It is usually surrounded by a fence and has a gate in front of the entrance. Guests can leave personal belongings and change shoes outside the gate. Tyaniva is usually small, but very cozy. There is an atmosphere of calm and subdued aesthetics here.
Evergreens planted on the territory protect the garden from bright sunlight. There are stones covered with moss and decorative lanterns everywhere. In the evening and at night they lightly bless the guests, escorting them to the fabulous mystery.
Literally the name in Japanese sounds like “road sprinkled with dew.” The roji is usually paved with natural stones and resembles a path winding between the hills.
Its execution, size and shape are limited only by the imagination of the architect. At the end of the path, in front of the house itself, there is a well where guests can perform a ritual ablution.
The house for tea parties is modest and small, consisting of only one room with six to eight windows. They are located quite high so that the view from the window does not distract from the ongoing ritual, but only lets in the scattered rays of the sun.
The entrance to the chasitsa is low and narrow - such a cunning design forces everyone present in the room to bow, bending down, regardless of their status in society. During the times of the samurai, a narrow passage did not allow them to enter the house with weapons; warriors were forced to leave them outside.
The house is furnished very simply: tatami on the floor, a fireplace in the center, and a wall shelf - tokonoma. It contains incense, a flower arrangement and a scroll with a saying written by the master especially for the participants.
The drink is served in special containers - wooden, bamboo, ceramic or copper. It should not be pretentious; on the contrary, they try to use old or specially aged dishes to show a tribute to tradition. But the main rule is that all items must be clean and in harmony with each other.
Several items are used during tea drinking:
Guests for tea are invited in advance, usually five people. The invitees carefully prepare for the ceremony, putting on special clothes, such as silk kimonos.
The owner, who is also a master, greets everyone present with a bow and treats them with sweets - kaiseki. When the water boils and cools a little, he begins to prepare thick tea - matcha. The rest silently watch this action, catching every movement with their eyes.
Then, in chawan, the prepared tea is passed around the circle, starting with the most important guest. Each person takes a little sip from a common cup and passes it to another, thereby expressing trust in all participants.
After this, the master pours tea into individual chavans, and guests enjoy the unique taste and thickness of tea, unobtrusive conversation and a feeling of calm and warmth spreading throughout the body.
At the end of the ceremony, the host apologizes, bows to the guests and leaves the room. This means that the tea party is over.
Thank you very much for your attention, dear readers! We certainly wish you to take part in a tea ceremony in the best Japanese traditions.
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