Japanese Tea Ceremony - Research Paper Example

THE JAPANESE TEA CEREMONY The Japanese Tea Ceremony Introduction The tea drinking has a very long history in Japan, its practiceand cultivation, which originated from China to Japan in the 8th century by returning the Japanese Buddhist monks (Sadler, 2011). The Japanese tea ceremony is referred sado or chanayo for the Japanese people. It’s the choreographic ritual that is meant for the preparation and serving the bitter tea, called matcha, together with some of the sweet rituals in order to fight off the bitter taste of the tea. The whole process of the tea ceremony is not only about tea drinking, but also about the aesthetics (Sadler, 2011). History and Development The cult of drinking tea in Japan quickly spread during 794-1185 (Heian period) to the Imperial Court and soon transformed into the simple pleasure. The tea that was used at the time was referred as ‘black tea’ that was made by pounding the tea leaves into the paste and then molding it into the shapes that resembles the dumplings (Mori, 1991). The gatherings that were gathered for these tea drinking sessions sat on the folding stools that were prepared specifically for these events. The characteristic and mood of the tea drinking during the Heian period can be compared to the modern tranquil coffee shop. The powdered green tea that is the focus of the Japanese tea ceremony today and in the ancient times in japan was not introduced until during the 12th century in the Kamakura period (1185-1336) where Eisai (priest) introduced the use of the powder green tea referred as matcha (Mori, 1991). The matcha is whipped in the boiling water with the bamboo whisk and it was the mainstay of the Zen Buddhism meditation as well as acting as a stimulant for helping to keep the monks awake. The match emerged from the confines of Zen Buddhist in the early 14th century owing to its high popularity for the taste and its increased demand, leading to its spread to the rural communities and the Samurai class. This method of the tea drinking advanced and become popularly known as the cha yoriai (tea gatherings) and it has a sharp contrast to the peaceful and quiet pleasure that was enjoyed by the Heian nobility. Additionally, the cha yoriai can be compared to the wine-testing competitions that are conducted in the Europe today. The tea ceremony in japan underwent quick transformation under the leadership of the Takeno Jo-o (1502-1555). Takeno Jo-o brought the tea drinking into the newly established and flourishing merchant class in the native city of Sakai, Nara and Kyoto. While the Shuko’s tea aesthetics largely involved the creation of the harmony through the careful combination and selection of the elements, like the setting, time and the utensils all arranged for the compatibility with the occasion, season and even the mood for the participants (Mori, 1991). Another tea master who played a key role in influencing and popularizing the art of tea drinking in japan was Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591). He elevated the cha-no-yu to the political authority, as it rose from the sakai merchants social class to serve the prominent military leaders in japan. Under the Rikyu’s successor, Furuta Oribe (1544-1615), the tea ceremony in japan moved from the humility and simplicity as Oribe. Kobori Enshu (1579-1647) served as the tea master to the 2nd and 3rd Tokugawa shogun and was also the last renowned tea masters of the olden Japan (Willmann, 2000). He inherited the tradition of the Japanese tea ceremony with his excellent propensity for the organization and need for the classification leading to the complex set of the categories and rules that codified the tea into the formal ritual and also gave rise to ten the several distinct schools. Enshu’s notion of the “beautiful tea” was majorly characterized by the richness and refinement, bringing the tea ceremony back to its old elegance of its origins at the Higashiyama (The Heian Period) (Hayashiya, 1974). Tea Ceremony Rituals There are different ways of conducting the Japanese tea ceremony, dependent on the season of the year and the occasions in addition to the perception of the ceremony. The formal tea ceremony in Japan is an entertainment that the hosts have to prepare with a lot of great care while paying attention to the several details of the preparation such as the selection of the Kakemono and the floral arrangement to be used (Mori, 1991). Additionally, great attention is also given to the season and the food and incense to be prepared. The Japanese tea ceremony consists of the light repast referred as the ‘kaiseki’. Several dishes are prepared and fixed orderly to be served with the sake. Afterwards its followed by the thick pasty tea that is known as the koicha that is made of the young leaves from the shrub (20-70 years) and the foaming tea brew using the leaves from the shrub (3-15 years old) (Fujioka, 1973). The regular formal ceremonies usually lasts for about four hours while the informal ones (cha-no-yu) requires one hour because only the powdered tea is served. The hours that are considered proper for the holding of the Japanese tea ceremony are the “yogomi” that are held at 5am during the summer whereby the participants enjoys the morning glory and the other similar flowers that decorates the tokonama. The ‘Asa-cha’ is held at 7am in the winter whereby the participants enjoys the beauty snow that has freshly fallen during the night. The other hours include, ‘Hango’ that is held after the breakfast at 8am, the ‘Shojo’ that is held during the noon, the ‘Ya-wa’, that is held at the 6pm and the ‘Fuji’ that is conducted at other time than the previous times (Hayashiya, 1974). During the tea ceremony, the invitations to the formal cha-no-yu are usually sent out, either through the writing or in person a week in advance or even earlier, dependent to the prescribed number of the guests. The responsibility of the guests are to ensure that they reply promptly and in writing or using other means and in accordance to the polite etiquette. Those that accepts the invitation will call the host usually before the party in order to express thanks. Prior to the time that is set for the cha-no-yu, the host prepares the garden (by sweeping it) and the path that leads to the teahouse in addition to sprinkling it with the water as well as making some tearoom and the surrounding arrangements (Hayashiya, 1974). Pertaining to the costume, the host typically wears the formal kimono and the male guests wear the formal black kimono with the three or five family crests, white tabi socks and hakama. However, nowadays the formal suit is also acceptable. The women also wears the formal kimono with the white tabi socks and the family crests. Additionally, the guests must bring small folding fan and two or even one pieces of the ‘fukusa’, a square pieces of the silk and the pad of the ‘kaishi’, small pieces of the white paper that they places their cakes during the tea ceremony. The guests arrives at quarter of the hour early and they assemble in the small waiting room that is called the ‘yoritsuki’ (Willmann, 2000). Before the guests enters the tearoom, they go through the purification formality by deciding the order of the guests between themselves in the event that the host has not decided and going through the purification formality that is done by washing at the stone water basin. The shokyaku (the principal guest) is usually chosen on the account of his experience and the skill in the cha-no-yu and acts as the spokesman for the other guests as well as leading the procession into the tearoom (Willmann, 2000). In the Japanese tea ceremony, it’s customary for the person hosting the ceremony to bring in and serving of the dishes in the kaiseki. However, the host is not allowed to partake in the meals. After the end of the first session, the guests usually retires once again to the roofed arbor or the waiting room with the waiting bench. The period is termed as the ‘nakadachi’. The second session is whereby the true tea ceremony of the tea takes place. The host summons the guests by striking softly the gong or the thick tonal board in five or seven times as the signal in order for the guests to return. The guests then again go through the purification formality and then re-enter the tearoom just in the same manner that they did before. Upon entering into the tearoom, admire and inspects the floral arrangements replacing the kakemono in the tokonama and the kettle on the portable brazier or the hearth dependent on the season. Other types of utensils include the tea bowl (chawan), thin bamboo spoon (chasaku), tea caddy (chaire), tea cloth (chakin), bamboo whisk (chasen), waste water receptacle (koboshi), fukusa, and among others (Boger, 1964). The principle guest is usually the first to take the sip of tea and compliments the person hosting the ceremony on its fine preparation. The tea ceremony etiquette prescribes that the principal guest takes two or even more sips, wipes the edge of the bowl where the lips have touched and then pass the bowl to the other guests. The host then washes both the tea whisk and the teaspoon after all of the guests have partaken in the tea. After the completion of the second session with the drinking of usuucha, the principle guest requests the host to be allowed the permission to examine and administer the tea caddy and the tea bowl (Fujioka, 1973). The items are then carefully studied and then they are passed to each and every guest in order respectively. After the completion of the formalities, the guests leave. The following day after the tea ceremony, cha-no-yu etiquette prescribes that every guest thanks the host for the hospitality through sending of the letter or even in person (Fujioka, 1973). Conclusion The Japanese tea ceremony is just like many other aspects of the Japanese culture and art. Although the Japanese tea ceremony is fast disappearing due to the faster pace of the modern life, I still believe that many of the Japanese people still appreciates the ceremony as losing of it will be an immense loss to the Japanese cultural history. References Boger, H.Batterson, Traditional Arts of Japan, London: W.H. Allen & Company, 1964. Fujioka, Ryōichi. Tea ceremony utensils. Vol. 3. Weatherhill, Incorporated, 1973. Hayashiya, Tatsusaburo, Japanese Arts and the Tea Ceremony, New York: Weathermill 1974. Mori, Barbara Lynne Rowland. "The tea ceremony: a transformed Japanese ritual." Gender & Society 5, no. 1 (1991): 86-97. Sadler, Arthur Lindsay. Cha-no-yu: the Japanese tea ceremony. Tuttle Publishing, 2011. Willmann, Anna. "The Japanese Tea Ceremony". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. Read More