The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.100

Great Precautions Were Taken For

the Preservation of Delicatate Blossoms

『Great precautions were taken for the preservation of delicate blossoms.

Emperor Huensung of the Tang dynasty, hung tiny golden bells on the branches in his garden to keep off the birds.

He it was who went off in the springtime with his court musicians to gladden the flowers with soft music.

A quaint tablet, which tradition ascribes to Yoshitsune, the hero of our Arthurian legends, is still extant in one of the Japanese monasteries.

It is a notice put up for the protection of a certain wonderful plum-tree, and appeals to us with the grim humour of a warlike age.

After referring to the beauty of the blossoms, the inscription says: "Whoever cuts a single branch of this tree shall forfeit a finger therefor."

Would that such laws could be enforced nowadays against those who wantonly destroy flowers and mutilate objects of art!』
(From the Book of Tea,Flowers, pp.96-97, Charles E. Tuttle Co., Rutland, Vermont, Tokyo, Japan)

Now a days, the concepts and feelings for the flowers are completely different.

It is certain that we tend to forget to enjoy about the beauty of nature and need to respect the dignity of nature.

Click Please！！

Picture: With Every Good by Katashi Oyama
Image Designer: Izumi Mori

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.99

In the East the Art of Floriculture is

a Very Ancient One,

And the Loves of a Poet And His Favourite Plant Have Often Been Recorded in Story

And Song

　『Much may be said in favour of him who cultivates plants.

The man of the pot is far more humane than he of the scissors.

We watch with delight his concern about water and sunshine, his freuds with parasites,　his horror of frosts, his anxietry when the buds come slowly, his raputure when the leaves atｔain their lustre.

In the East the art of floriculture is a very ancient one, and the loves of a poet and his favporite plant have often been recorded in story and song.

With the development of ceramics during the Tang and Sung dynasties we hear of wonderful receptacles made to hold plants, not pots, but jewelled palaces.

A special attendant was detailed to wait upon each flower and to wash its leaves with soft brushes made of rabbit hair.

It has been written that the peony shuld be bathed by a handsome maiden in full costume, that a winter-plum should be watered by a pale, slender monk.

In Japan, one of the most popular of the No-dances, the Hachinoki, composed during the Ashikaga peiod, is based upon the story of an impoverished knight, who, on a freezing night, in lack of fuel for a fire, cuts his cherished plants in order to entertain a wandering friar.

The friar is in reality no other than Hojo-Tokiyori, the Haroun-Al-Raschid of our tales, and the sacrifice is not without its reward.

This opera never fails to draw tears from a Tokio audience even toay.』
(From the Book of Tea, Flowers, pp.95-96, Charles E. Tuttle Co., Rutland, Vermont, Tokyo, Japan)

Click Please！！

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.98

Have You Not Noticed That the Wild Flowers

Are Becoming Scarcer Every Year ?

『Why were the flowers born so beautiful and yet so hapless ?

Insects can sting, and even the meekerst of beasts will fight when brought to bay.

The bird whose plumage is sought to deck some bonnet can fly from its pursuer, the furred animal whose coast you covet for your own may hide at your approach.

Alas !

The only known flower known to have wings is the butterfly; all others stand helpless before the destroyer.

If they shriek in their death agony their cry never reaches our hardened ears.

We are ever brutal to those who love and serve us in silence, but the time may come when, for our cruelty, we shall be deserted by these best friends of ours.

Have you not noticed that the wild flowers are becoming scarcer every year ?

It may be that their wise men have told them to depart till man becomes more human.

Perhaps they have migrated to heaven. 』
(From the Book of Tea-Flowers, pp.94-95, Charles E. Tuttle Co., Rutland, Vermont, Tokyo)Japan)

It is quite surprising that the wild flowers are becoming scarcer every year at the Okakura's generation already !

Click Please！！

Picture: jikou by Katashi Oyama
Image Designer: Izumi Mori

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.97

Nothing is More Pitiful Than to See a Faded Flowers Remorselessly Flung Upon a Dung Heap

『The wanton waste of flowers among Western communities is more appalling than the way they are treated by Eastern Flower-Masters.

The number of flowers cut daily to adorn the ballrooms and banquet-tables of Europe and America, to thrown away on the morrow, must be something enormous; if strung together they might garland a continent.

Beside this utter carelessness of life, the guilt of the Flower-Master becomes insignificant.

He, at least, respects the economy of nature, selects his victims with careful foresight, and after death does honour to their remains.

In the West the diplay of flowers seems to be part of a moment.

Whither do they all go, these flowers, when the revelery is over?

Nothing is more pitiful than to see a faded flower remorselessly flung upon a dung heap』
(Thr Book of Tea-Flowers, pp.93-94, Charles E. Tuttle Co., Rutland,Vermont, Tokyo,Japan)


All flowers have their life.

It doesn't mean the amount of waste and not the matter of the display moment.

The life of flower blossoms are not long enough and they need to open for their descendants.

I think it's no difference between the West and Easter.

Click Please！！

Picture: Katashi Oyama Work
Image Designer: Izumi Mori

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.96

Would You Not Have Preferred to Have Been Killed at Once When You Were First Captured?

「 Flowers, if you were in the land of the Mikado, you might some time meet a dread personage armed with scissors and a tiny saw.

He would call himself a Master of Flowers.

He would claim the rights of a doctor and you would instictively hate him, for you know a doctor always seeks to prolong the troubles of his victims.

He would cut, bend, and twist you into those impossible positions which he thinks it proper that you should assume.

He would contort your muscles and dislocate your bones like any osteopath.

He wold burn you with red-hot coals to stop your bleeding, and thrust wires into you to assist your circulation.

He would diret you with salt, vinegar, alum, and somethimes, vitriol.

Boiling water would be poured on your feet when you seemed ready to faint.

It would be his boast that he could keep life within you for two or more weeks longer than would have been possible without his treatment.

Would not have prefferred to have been killed at once when you were fist captured ?

What were the crimes you must have committed during your past incarnation to warrant such punishment as this ? 」
(From the Book of Tea , Flowers, pp.92-93, Charles E. Tuttle Co., Rutland, Vermont, Tokyo, Japan)

You must pay attention to the flowers as if they are your loves.

Click Please！！

Picture: Jugoya by Katashi Oyama
Image Designer: Izumi Mori

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.95

Are You Aware of the Fearful Doom

That Awaits You?

「Tell me, gentle flowers, teardrops of the stars, standing in the garden, nodding your heads to the bees as they sing of the dews and the sunbeans, are you aware of the fearfull doom that awaits you?

Dream on, sway and frolic while you may in the gentle breezes of summer.

To-morrow a ruthless hand will close around your throats.

You will be wrenched, torn asunder limb by limb, and borne away from your quiet homes.

The wretch, she may be passing fair.

She may say how lovely you are while her fingers are still moist with ypur blood.

Tell me, will this be kindness?

It may be your fate to be imprisoned in the hair of one whom you know to be heartless or to be thrust into the buttonhole of one who would not dare to look you in the face were you a man.

It may even be your lot to be confined in some narrow vessel with only stagnant water to quench the maddening thirst that warns of ebbing life」
(From the Book of Tea, Flowers,p.92, Charles E. Tuttle Co., Rutland, Vermont-Tokyo, Japan)

We must be very sensitive for the tender loving natural flowers.

Click Please！！

Picture: Katashi Oyama Works
Image Designer: Izumi Mori