「The tea-room was an oasis in the dreary waste of existence where weary travellers could meet to drink from the common spring of art-appreciation.
The ceremony was an improvised drama whose plot was woven about the tea, the flowers, and the paintings.
Not a colour to disturb the tone of the room, not a sound to mar the rhythm of things, not a gesture to obtrude on the harmony,not a word to break the unity of the surroundings, all movements to be performed simply and naturally-such were the aims of the tea-ceremony.
And strangely enough it was often successful.
A subtle philosophy lay behind it all.
Teaism was Taoism in disguise.」(From the Book of Tea-the School of Tea,pp.33-34, Charles E. Tuttle Co.,Rutland, Vermont-Tokyo, Japan)
I think the supreme ideals of Tea-ceremony is just a drinking tea simply and naturally. The philosophy is that nothing is everything.
茶の湯文化は日本のグローカル文化で日常茶飯の総合生活文化。しかし、茶道は様式化の故に日常茶飯から遊離をしている。オタピィー茶の湯は今日的な日常茶飯にあって、ハイカルチャーとPOP-Kitschーサブカルチャとの界を紛らかす前衛性の精神を大切に茶の湯を楽しまんとするもの。 志、創意、俯瞰性を大切にする。 ローコレステアラームは低コレステロールの危険性に注目したサプリメント。 国民的な“高コレステロール病”は、高脂血症の病名は消え、脂質異常症と変わり、診断基準からコレステロール値は除外されたことにより認識を改めるべき時。低コレステロールの方が問題との話題を提起する。 オタピー茶の湯 & ロコレステアラームでは既成概念に対して、俯瞰的に茶の湯及びコレステロールについて考える。
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.30
Monday, January 10, 2005
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.29
「It is the Japanese tea ceremony that we see the culmination of tea-ideals.
Our successful resistance of the Mongol invasion in 1281 had enabled us to carry on the Sung movement so disastrously cut off in China itself through the nomadic inroad.
Tea with us became more than an idealisation of the form of drinking; it is a religion of the art of life.
The beverage grew to be an excuse for the workship of purity and refinement, a sacred function at which the host and guest joined to produce for that occasion the utmost beatitude of the mundance.」(From the Book of Tea-the School of Tea, p.33, Charles E. Tuttle Co., Rutland, Vermont-Tokyo,Japan)
The Japanese Tea-ceremony is not just drinking tea beverage according to certain complicated manual process. It is not the kinds of manner.
It is the Art of Life with the joint equal collaboration with the host and the guests.
Yet, you should never forget the supreme Tea-ideals is just sitting down to drink tea. That is the philosophy of Tea.
Sunday, January 09, 2005
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.28
「By the fifteenth century, under the patronage of the Shogun, Ashikaga-Yoshimasa, the tea ceremony is fully constituted and made into an independent and secular performance.
Since then Teaism is fully established in Japan.
The use of the steeped tea of the later China is comparatively recent among us, being only known since the middle of the seventeenth century.
It has replaced the powdered tea in ordinary consumption, though the latter still continues to hold its place as the tea of teas.」(From the Book of Tea-the School of Tea, p.32,
Charles E. Tuttle Co., Rutland, Vermont-Tokyo, Japan)
Even though in China, the powdered tea was disappeared, the culture is continued and expand to grow in Japan.
In place of the powdered tea inChina, the steeped tea was developed .
Now at the present day, the many kinds of the steeped tea are current use all over the worlds.
In Japan, almost all japanese drink the steeped tea every day .
Most of them are as the beverages and/or kinds of supplementary basis.
Saturday, January 08, 2005
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.27
「Japan,which followed closely on the foot-steps of Chinese civilisation, has known the tea in all its three stages.
As early as the year 729 we read of the Emperor Shomu giving tea to one hundred monks at his palace in Nara.
The leaves were probably imported by our ambassadors to the Tang Court and prepared in the way then in fashion.
In 801 the monk Saicho brought back some seeds and planted them in Yeisan. Many tea-gardens are heard of in the succeeding centuries, as well as the delight of the aristocracy and priesthood in the beverage.
The Sung tea reached us in 1191 with the return of Yeisaizenji, who went there to study the southern Zen school. The new seeds whtch he carried home were successfully planted in three places, one of which, the Uji district near Kioto, bears still the name of producing the best tea in the world.
The southern Zen spread with marvellous rapidity, and with it the tea-ritual and the tea-ideal of the Sung.」(From the Book of Tea - the School of Tea, pp.31-32, Charles E. Tuttle Co., Rutland, Vermint - Tokyo, Jaoan)
As descibed by Okakura in this Book, Yeisaizenji brougt back the powdered tea, which is the Sung tea. You understand why the Sung tea was remained and sread to Japan with Buddism,
The Zen. The tea-ritual and the tea-ideal of the Sung, which were completely forgotten in China, were maintained in Japan with The Zen and with the Way of Tea and/or The Tea-ceremony.
Friday, January 07, 2005
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.26
He has become modern, that is to say, old and disenchanted.
He has lost that dublime faith in illusions which constitutes the eternal youth and vigour of the poets and ancients.
He is an eclectic and politely accepts the traditions of the universe.
He toys with Nature, but does not condenscend to conquer or worship her.
His Leaf-tea is often wonderful with its flower-like aroma, but the romance of the Tang and Sung ceremonials are not to be found in his cup.」(From the Book of Tea-the School of Tea, pp.30- Book of Tea-the School of Tea, pp.30-31,Charles E. Tuttle Co.,Rutland, Vermont-Tokyo, Japan)
The Leaf-tea is now very popular in our country,japan. At certain sense, it's worldwide expand and many peoples rather favor the leaf-tea rather than powdered-tea.
Red tea and flower-like tea are everywhere at present days.
Thursday, January 06, 2005
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.25
The native dynasty of the Mings which attempted re-nationalisation in the middle of the century was harassed by internal troubles, and China again fell under the alien rule of the Manchus in the seventeenth century. Manners and customs changed to leave no vestige of the former times.
The powdered tea is entirely forgotten. We find a Ming commentator at loss to call the shape of the tea whisk mentioned in one of the Sung classics. Tea is now taken by steeping the leaves in hot water in a bowl or cup. The reasen why the Western world is innocent of the older method of drinking tea is explained by the fact that Europe knew it only at the close of the Ming dynasty.」(From the Book of Tea-the School of Tea, p.30, Charles E. Tuttle Co.,Rutland, Vermont-Tokyou, Japan)
From the cultural aspects, the history of the China were disastrous. The changes of dynasties mean to result in the almost complete destructions. Fortunately and/or unfortunately, the Sung culture about Tea related powdered tea has remained and developed in our country, Japan.
The utensils for tea drinking were found in Japan. As for example,The Tenmoku-jawan, a kind of tea bowl,which were the beautiful, valuables , are possible to find only in Japan.
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.24
「The tea-ideal of the Sungs differed from the Tangs even as their notion of life differed. They sought to actualise what their predecessors tried to symbolise. To the Neo-Confucian mind the cosmic law was not reflected in the phenomenal world, but the phenomenal world was the cosmic law itself. AEons were but moments-Nirvana always within grasp. The Taoist conception that immortality lay in the eternal change permeated all their modes of thought. It was the process, not the deed, which was interesting. It was the completing, not the completion, which was really vital. Man came thus at once face to face with nature. A new meaning grew into the art of life. The tea began to be not a poetical pasime, but one of the methods of self-realisation. Wangyu-cheng eulogised tea as "flooding his soul like a direct appeal, that its delicate bitterness reminded him of the after-taste of a good counsel." Sotumpa wrote of the strength of the immaculate purity in tea which defied corruption as a truly virtuous man. Among the Buddists, the southern Zen sect, which incorporated so much of Taoist doctrines, formulated an elaborate ritual of of tea.The monks gathered before the image of Bodhi Dharma and drank tea out of a single bowl with the profound formity of a holy sacrament. It was this Zen ritual which finally developed into the Tea-ceremony of Japan in the fifteenth century.」(From the Book of Tea-The School of Tea, pp.28- Book of Tea-The School of Tea, pp.28-30, of Tea-The School of Tea, pp.28-30, Charles E. Tuttle Co.,Rutland, Vermont-Tokyo, Japan)
This section is very important to understand the spiritul and philosophical back groud of The Way of Tea.
You will recognise that just tea drinking is the Art of Life, which finally developed into the Japanese Way of Tea, the Tea-ceremony.
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.23
The new process led to some change in tea-equipage of Luwuh, as well as the choice of leaves. Salt was discarded firever.
The enthusiasm of the Sung people for tea knew no bounds. Epicures vied with each other in discovering new varieties, and regular tournaments were held to decide their supriority.
The Emperor Kiasung (1101-11249), who was too great an artist to be a well-behaved monarch, lavished his treasures on the attainment of rare species. He himself wrote a dissertation on the twenty kinds of tea, among which he prizes the "white tea" as of the rarest and finest quality.」(From the Book of Tea-the School of Tea, pp.27-28, Charles E. Co., Rutland, Vermont-Tokyo, Japan)
At the generation of Luwuh(the Tang Dynasty), the caked-tea was used for tea leaves preparation. The various kind of the caked-tea are still very common at present generation.
In the Sung Dynasty generation, the whipped tea came into fashion and used as the powdered-tea. As already described by Okakura, they are said to be preffered heavy bowls of blue-black and dark brown.Yet, in China, I think the whipped tea are almost disappered.
The whipped tea was brought back to Japan by Buddist such as Saigyou. Now, we are using the powdered-tea for the Way of Tea as "Macha" in Japanese.
Monday, January 03, 2005
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.22
The last is unfortunately lost.
The appearance of the "Chaking" must have created considerable sensation at the time.
Luwuh was befriended by the Emperor Taisung (763-779), and his fame attracted many followers.
Some exquisites were said to have been able to detect the tea made by Luwuh from that of his diciples.
One mandarin has his name immortalised by his failure to apprecate the tea of this great master.](From The Book of Tea-The Scool of Tea, p.27, Charles E. Tuttle Co., Rutland, Vermont-Tokyo, Japan)
Luwuh was /is the Saint of Tea and the Book of "Chaking" authorized him.
As the results, the blind power was /is produced as the Authority and many unfortunate worldly thought enfforced the trajedies and the comedies.
The same kinds of phenomenons are still currentry happening in almost any fields.
Sunday, January 02, 2005
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.21
" The first cup moistens my lips and throat, the second cup breaks my loneliness, the third cup searches my barren entrail but to find therein some five thousand volumes of odd ideographs. The fourth cup raises a slight perspiration,- all the wrong of life passes away through my pores. At the fifth cup I am purified; the sixth cup calls me to the realms of immortals. The sevevth cup- ah, but I could take no more! I only feel the breath of cool wind that rises in my sleeves.
Where is Horaisan? Let me ride on this sweet breeze and waft away thither."](The Book of Tea-The School of Tea, pp. 26-27,Charles E. Tuttle Co., Rutland, Vermont-Tokyo, Japan)
Do you know the saing that nobody looses the property by alcohol drinks, but by Tea.
If you drink and find the fantastic beberage of Tea, you will agree to the Saing.
The Tea is not just the beverage , but the Life itself.
I hope you have the chance to find the poet of Lotung feeling in your life.
Friday, December 31, 2004
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.20
At the third boil, a dipperful of cold water is poured into the kettle to settle the tea and revive the "youth of the water". Then the beverage was poured into cups and drunk.」(From The Book of Tea-The School of Tea,pp.25-2 Book of Tea-The School of Tea,pp.25-26, Charles E. Tuttle Co.,Rutland, Vermont-Tokyo,Japan)
It is so surprising Luwuh was carefull to the choice of water and the degree of boiling for the drinking Tea at his generation.
At the present situations, there are various kinds of tea and each teas has own characteristics. The facts mean much more minds must be paid to the choice of water and the degree of boiling.
Thursday, December 30, 2004
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.19
Here we notice Luwuh's predilection for Taoist symbolism. Also it is interesting to observe in this connection the influence of tea on Chinese ceramics.
The Celestial porcelation, as is well known, had its origin in an attempt to reproduce the exquisite shade of jade, resulting, in the Tang dynasty, in the blue glaze of the south, and the glaze of the north.
Luwuh considered the blue as the ideal colour for the tea-cup, as it lent additional greenness to the beverage, whereas the white made it look pinkish and distasteful. It was because he used cake-tea.
Later on, when the tea-masters of Sung took to the powdered tea, they preferred heavy bowls of blue powdered tea, they preferred heavy bowls of blue-black tea, they preferred heavy bowls of blue-black and dark brown.
The Mings, with their steeped tea, rejoiced in light ware with of white porcelain.」(The Book of Tea-The School of Tea, pp.24-25, Charles E. Tuttle Co., Rutland, Vermont-Tokyo,Japan)
From the generation of Luwuh, tea equipments were already underuse as if the same as present days.
We have to remember that you could choice any kind of ceramics and other utensils under your own sense. Enjoy tea as you like and your own way. That is the way of Tea drinkig. The facts are aiso the expression of The way of Life.
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No18
of the selection of the leaves. According to him the best quality of the leaves must have "creases like the leather boot of Tartar horsemen, curl like the dewlap of a mighty bullock, unfold like a mist rising out a mighty bullock, unfold like a mist rising out of a ravine, gleam like a lake touched by a zephyr, and be wet and soft like fine earth newly swept by rain."」(From The Book of Tea-The Scools of Tea, pp.22, Charles E, Tuttle Co., Rutland, Vermont-Tokyo, Japan)
Just,Enjoy the beatiful lylic poetry like sentences and expression. This is the oriental way of lylical descriptoin of feelings even scientific matters.
It is surprising that Luwuh described all round Book about Tea at eighth century alredy.
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-(17)
He was born in an age when Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism were seeking mutual synthesis. The pantheistic symbolism of the time was urging one to mirror the Universal in the Particular.
Luwuh, a poet, saw in the Tea-service the same harmony and order which reigned through all things. In his celebrated work, the "Chaking"(The Holy Scripture of Tea) he formulated the Code of Tea. He has since been worshipped as the tutelary god of the Chinese tea merchants.」(From The Book of Tea-The School of Tea pp.23-24,Charles E. Tuttle Co.,Rutland,Vermont-Tokyo,Japan)
The "Chaking" is the most historically important Book written by Luwuh, which is recognized and named as the "The Holy Scripture of Tea". Even our generation,The Book is still the very important Book to understand all about the Tea. We can say He is The Saint of Tea by the works of written book.
Monday, December 27, 2004
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.16
Yet the method of drinking tea at this stage was primitive in the extreme. The leaves were streamed, crushed in a mortar, made into a cake, and boiled together with rice, ginger salt, orange peel, spices, milk, and sometimes with onions!
The custom obtains at the present day among the Thibetans and various Mongolian tribes, who make a curious syrup of these ingredients. The use of lemon slices by the Russians, who learned to take tea from the Chinese caravansaries, points to the survival of the ancient method.」 (From The Book of Tea-The School of Tea pp.22-23,Charles E. Tuttle Co., Rutland,Vermont-Tokyo,Japan)
From above descrived way of drinking Tea, you are able to mix any other foods which you like. Therefore, any nation could induce the tea into their country.
The facts might be the reasons why the tea spread over world wide.
In addition,its mean the drinks contain almost all kinds of nutritional components.
You will accept the idea that the tea have the glocal character.
Sunday, December 26, 2004
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No15
The 'Γaoists claimed it as an important ingreadient of the elixir of
immortality.
The Buddists used it extensively to prevent drowsiness during their long hours of medication.」(From the Book of Tea-The Scool of Tea pp.21-22,Charles E. Tuttle Co.,Rutland,Vermont-Tokyo,Japan)
The preventive effect of drowsiness may be from caffeine in tea.
Now, the effect of tea chemicals are current discussions. The major components are cathekins and other polyphenol,named fravonoids. These are known as antioxidants. As other antioxidants, carotinoids are also big name of plant leaves. Tea-leaf slso contains czrotinoids such as carotines.
In its mean, Tea drinkings are good for suppling antioxidants.
Friday, December 24, 2004
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.14
Even as the difference in favourite vintage marks the separate idiosyncrasies of different periods and nationalities of Europe, so the Tea-ideals characterise the various moods of Oriental culture. The Cake-tea which was boiled, the Powdered-tea which was whipped, the Leaf-tea which was steeoed, mark the distinct emotional impulses of the Tang, the Sung, and the Ming dynasties of China. If we were inclined to borrow the much abused terminology of art classification, we might designate them respectiveiy, the Classic, the Romantic, and Naturalistic school of Tea.」(From the Book of Tea-The School of Tea,pp.20-2 Book of Tea-The School of Tea,pp.20-21,Chares E. Tuttles Co.,Rutland, Vermont-Tokyo,Japan)
The way of Tea drinking is not just a drinking the beverages. We would say it is the expression of life, especially our unconscious actions of our innermost thought.
Let's sit down to drink tea and enjoy philosophical free conversation.
It doesn't mean a simple current way of slow life in daily time.
Thursday, December 23, 2004
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.13
Okakura explained that there is no Loyal way to learn and/or master through for making the perfect tea. He taught me the importance of the individuality and decition mind by myself. I have to keep in mind of the tradition and the creativity with my own responcibilities. I am willing to create and decide everything by my view of value. The education of competent youths is the most important and must be carefull not to spoil through false education.
Monday, December 20, 2004
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.12
The East and West, like two dragons tossed in a sea of ferment, in vain strive to regain the jewel of life. We need a Niuka again to repair the grand devastatation; we await the great Avatar. Meanwhile, let us have a sip of tea.
The afternoon glow is brightening the bamboos, the fountains are bubbling with delight, the soughing of the pines is heard in our kettle.
Let us dream of evanescence, and linger in the beautiful foolishness of things.」(From The Book of Tea-the Cup of Humanity pp.16-17(Charles E. Tuttles Co. Rutland, Vermont-Toyo,Japan)
This is the last part of the chapter, "The Cup of Humanity". As already introduced at No.2 of this story, I think the most important part is the following sentence.
「Fain would we remain barbarians, if our claim to civilisation were to be based on the gruesome glory of war. Fain would we await the time when due respect shall be paid to our art and ideals.」
I believe The Philosophy lead to our Declaration of A WAr-renouncing Constitution. The facts are our contribution to the civilized society of the world.
Saturday, December 18, 2004
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.11
The combat between Spirit and Matter is eternal subject to human being beyond the East and the West. Yet,we have to keep in mind always. But, We /or our status of life phenomenon are the functional status of the well organised matter. That means the Sprit of human is also the expretional functional of the well organised matter. Therefore, we have to uptake energy from outside of the world. The facts are origin of mortal human tragedy to exisistence.
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.10
「Charles Lamb, a professed devotee, sounded the true note Teaism when he wrote that the greatest pleasure he knew was to do a good action by stealth, and to have it found out by accident. For Teaism is the art of concealing beauty that you may discover it, of suggesting what you dare not reveal. It is the noble secret of laughing at yourself, calmly yet thoroughly, and is thus humour itself,-the smile of philosophy. All genuine humourists may in this sence be called tea-philosophers,-Thackeray, for instance, and, of course, Shakespeare. The poets of the Decadence (when was not the world in decadence?), in their protects against materialism, have, to a certain extent, also opened the way of Teaism. Perhaps nowadays it is in our demure contemplation of the Imperfect that the West and the East can meet in mutual consolation.」
From The Book of Tea-the Cup of Humanity pp.14-15(Charles E. Tuttles Co. Rutland, Vermont- Tokyo,Japan)
Monday, December 13, 2004
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.9
Samuel Johnson draws his own portrait as "a hardened and shameless tea-drinker, who for twenty years diluted his meals with only the infusion of the fascinating plant; who with tea amused the evening, with tea solaced the midnight, and with tea welcomed the morning."」
I think Okakura's expression and explanation about the taste of tea are quite excellent.
Yet, I would like to say "Tea has no taste, but has taste." However, no taste doesn't mean just like water. We could drink tea any time with no hesitation. Therfore, as the proverb of Zen, the Zen sect says "Feel free to come and sit down to drink tea." It means to get together to drink tea and to talk freely just like Unsui(a wandering monk in Zen).
Friday, December 10, 2004
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.8
From The Book of Tea-the Cup of Humanity pp.12-13(Charles E. Tuttles Co. Rutland,Vermont-Tokyo,Japan)
The throwing of tea into Boston Harbour was the important historical happening to induce the indipendence war against England. The facts mean at that time Tea was already inevitable drinks in their daily life. I don't hesitate to agree to Okakura's description "in spite of drawbacks tea-drinking spread with marvellous rapidity". He also recognized the facts of "necessary of life-a taxable matter." I laugh silently to myself becuse our japanese goverment is always struggle to find a taxable matter in daily so called non・alcoholic drinks.
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.7
「The earliest record of tea in European writing is said to be found in the statement of an Arabian traveller, that after the year 879 the main sources of revenue in Canton were the duties on salt and tea. Marco Polo records the depotition of a Chinese minister of finance in 1285 for his arbitrary augmentation of the tea-taxes. It was at the period of the great discoveries that the European people began to know more about the extreme Orient. At the end of the sixteenth century the Hollanders brought the news that a pleasant drink was in the East from the leaves of a bush.
The travellers Giovanni Batista Ramusio(1559), L.Almeida(1576),Maffeno(1588),Tareia(1610),also mentioned tea.
In the last-named year ships of the Dutch East India Company brought the first tea into Europe. It was known in France in 1636,and reached Russia in 1638.
England welcomed it in 1650 and spoke of it as "That exellent and by all phisicians
approved China drink, called by the Chineans Tcha, and by other nations Tray, alias Tee."」
From The Book of Tea-the Cup of Humanity pp.11-12(Charles E. Tuttles Co.Rutland,
Vermont-Tokyo,Japan)
As for Japanese history to drink tea, Emperor Saga, Heiann generation was well known to enjoy tea and poem at 8th centuries, said to be brought back to japan by buddhist, Ku-kai &/or Saichou from China,"Tou" generation.
THe powdered tea for the way of tea was brought back by buddist named Saigyou at 13th centuries, Kamakura generation in japan.Since then,tea drinking was spread to many peoples through buddist.
Sunday, December 05, 2004
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.6
「Let us stop the continents from hurling epigrams at each other, and be sadder if not wiser by the mutual gain of half a hemisphere. We have developed along different lines, but there is no reason why one should not supplement the other. You have gained expansion at the cost of restlessness; we have created a harmony which is weak against aggression. Will you believe it?-the East is better off in some respects jhan the West!
Strangely enough humanity has so far met in the tea-cup. It is the only Asiatic ceremonial which commands universal esteem.
The white man has scoffed at our religion and our morals, but has accepted the brown beverage without hesitation. The afternoon tea is now an important function in Western society. In the delicate clatter of trays and saucers,in the soft rustle of feminine hospitality, in the common catechism about cream and suger, we know that the Workship of Tea is established beyond question. The philosophic resignation of the guest to the fate awaiting him in the dubious decoration proclaims that in this single instance the Oriental spirit reigns supreme.」
From The Book of Tea-the Cup of Humanity pp.10-11(Charles E. Tuttles Co. Rutland,
Vermont-Tokyo,Japan)
The Worship of Tea is based on gentle harmony between the human relations. We have to love and respect each others beyond any differences such as East and West,nations,
and countries. "The Tea" also must harmonize with nature.
The equorites of human being are essential in just getting together to drink tea. We hate the aggresiveness and love the peace. Therefore, it is the historical necessity that we, Japan have the constitution to renunctiate the War.
Friday, December 03, 2004
The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.5
「Perhaps I betray my own ignorance of the Tea Cult by being so outspoken. Its very spirit of politeness exacts that you say what you are expected to say, and no more.
But I am not to be a polite Teaist. So much harm has been done already by the mutual misunderstanding of the New World and the Old, that one need not apologise for contributing his tithe to the furtherance of a better understanding. The beginning the twentieth century would have been spared the spectacle of sanguinary warfare if Russia had condenscended to know Japan better.
What dire concequences to humanity lie in the contemptuous ignoring of Eastern problems!
European imperialism, which does not disdain to raise the absurd cry of the Yellow Peril, fails to realise that Asia may also awaken to the cruel sense of the White Disaster.
You may laugh at us for having "too much tea", but may we not susoect that you of the West have "no tea" in your constitution?」
"The Book of Tea"(Chales E. Tuttle Co., Rutland, Vermont-Tokyo, Japan) From chapter;The Cup of Humanity pp.9-10
Unfortunatly, we have to realize the facts that the disastrous misunderstanding are still happening in this world. Nowaday not only between the East and the West, more complicated facters are relating. They are sometimes reagions, nationarities, economics.
The technology developments to accelerate the communications among worldwide peoples are not yet enough to make the world peace.
We need more direct communications between the people basis. That meen the tea cult is one of the best way to the direct happy communicaton.