The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.26

The Latter-day Chinese Tea ; No More an Ideal?

「To the latter-day Chinese tea is a delicious beverage, but not an ideal. The long woes of his country have robbed him of the zest for the meaning of life.
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.

Click Please！！

Red by Copper Glaze Crock by Keitoku Kato　

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.25

The Powdered Tea is Entirely Forgotten

「Unfortunately　the sudden outburst of the Mongolian tribes in the thirteenth century, which resulted in the devastation and conquest of China under the barbaric rule of the Yuen Emperors, destroyed all the fruits of Sung culture.
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.

Click Please！！

Picture: Blue-Green Glazed Square Platter by Keitoku Kato　

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.24

Drinking Tea out of a Single Bowl with

the Profound Formality of a Holy Sacrament

「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.

Click Please！！

Picture: Blue Glazed Square Dish by Keitoku Kato

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.23

The Whipped Tea-Sung Dynasty

「In the Sung dynasty the whipped tea came into fashion and created the second school of Tea. The leaves were ground to fine powder in a small stone mill, and the preparation was whipped in hot water by a delicate whisk made of sprit bamboo.
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.

Click Please！！

Picture: Olibe Glazed Crock by Keitoku Kato

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.22

Luwuh,"Chaking" Shock !

「The remaining chapters of the "Chaking" treat of the vulgarity of the ordinary methods of tea-drinking, a historical summary of illustrious tea-drinkers, the famous tea plantations　of China, the possible variations of the tea-service, and illustrations of the tea-utensils.
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.

Click Please！！

Link

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.21

O Necter !

「O necter! The firmly leaflet hung like scaly clouds in a serene sky or floated like waterlilies on emerald streams. It was of such a waterlilies on emerald streams. It was of such a beberage that Lung streams. It was of such a beberage that Lotung, a Tang poet, wrote:
" 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.

Click Please！！

Link

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.20

The Choice of Water & the Degree of

Boiling-The Method of Making Tea

「In the fifth chapter Luwuh describes the method of making tea. He eliminates all ingredients except salt. He dwells also on the much-discussed question of the choice of water and the degree of boiling it. According to him, the mountain spring is the best, the river water and the spring water come next in the order of excellence. There are three stages of boiling : the first boil is when the little bubbles like the eye of fishes swim on the surface; the second boil is when the bubbles are like crystal beads rolling in a fountain; the third boil is when the billows surge wildly in the kettle. The Cake-tea is roasted before the fire until it becomes soft like a baby's arm and is shredded into powder between pieces of fine paper. Salt is put in the first boil, the tea in the second.
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.

Click Please！！

Link

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.19

The Influence of Tea on Chinese Ceramics

「The fourth chapter is devoted to the enumeration and description of the twenty-four members of the tea-equipage, beginning with the tripod brazier and ending with the bamboo cabinet for containing all these utensils.
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.

Click Please！！

Link

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No18

Fine Earth Newly Swept by Rain

「The "Chaking" consists of three volumes and ten chapters. In the first chapter Luwuh treats of the nature of the tea-plant, in the second of the implements for gathering the leaves, in the third
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.

Click Please！！

Link

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-(17)

Luwuh-Chaking

「Its needed the genius of the Tang dynasty to emancipate Tea from its crude state and lead to its final idealisation. Witn Luwuh in the middle of the eighth century we have our our first apostle of tea.
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.

Click Please！！

Link

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.16

Froth of the Liquid Jade

「By the fourth　and fifth centuries Tea became a favourite beverage among the inhabitants of the Yantage-Kiniang valley. Its was about this time that the modern ideograph Cha was coined, evidently a corruption of the classic Tou. The poets of the southen dynasties have left some fragments of their fervent adoration of the "froth of the liquid jade." Then emperors used to below some rare preparation of the leaves on their high ministers as a reward for eminent services.
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.

Click Please！！

Link

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No15

Tea as Medicine

「The tea-plant, a native of southern China, was known from very early times to Chinese botany and medicine. Its is alluded to in the classics under the various names of Tou, Tseh, Chung, Kha, and Ming, and was highly prized for possessing the virtues of relieving fatigue, delighting the soul, strengthening the will, and repairing the eye-sight. It was not only administered as an internal dose, but often appllied externally in form of paste to alleviate rheumatic pains.
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.

Click Please！！

Link

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.14

Life is an Expression of Our Innermost Thought

｢Life Art, Tea has its periods and its schools. Its evolution may be roughly divided into three main stages: the Boiled Tea, the Whipped Tea, and the Steeped Tea. We moderns belong to the last school. These several methods of appreciating the beverages are indicative of the spirit of the age in which they prevailed. For life is an expression, our unconscious actions the constant betrayal of our innermost thought. Confucious said that "man hideth not." Perhaps we reveal ourselves too much in small things because we have so little of the great to conceal. The tiny incidents of daily routine are as much a commentary of racial ideals as the highest flight of philosophy or poetry.
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.

Click Please！！

Link

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.13

No Single Recipe for Making the Perfect Tea

「Tea is a work of art and needs a　master　hand to bring out its noblest qualities. We have good and bad tea, as we have good and bad paintings-generally the latter. There is no single recipe for making the perfect tea, as there are recipe for making the perfect tea, as there are no rules for producing a Titian or a Sesson. Each preparation of the leaves has its individuality, its special affinity with water and heat, its hereditary memories to recall,its own method of telling a story. The truly beautiful must be always in it. How much do we not suffer through the constant failure of society to recognise this simple and fundamental law of art and life; Lichihlai, a Sung poet, has sadly remarked that there were three most deplorable things in the world: the spoiling of fine youths through false education, the degradation of fine paintings through vulgar administration, and the utter waste of fine tea through incompetent manipulation.」(From The Book of Tea-The Schools of Tea pp.19-20, Charles E. Tuttle Co.,Rutland,Vermont-Tokyo,Japan)
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.

Click Please！！

Link

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.12

A Sip of Tｅａ-linger in the beautiful foolishness of things

「The heaven of modern humanity is indeed shattered in the Cyclopean struggle for wealth and power. The world is groping in the shadow of egotism and vulgarity. Knowledge is brougt through a bad conscience, benevolence practised for the sake of utility.
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.

Click Please！！

Link

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.11

Building Anew Sky of Hope

「The Taoists relate that at the great beginning of the No-Beginning, Spirit and Matter met in mortal combat. At last the Yellow Emperor, the Sun of Heaven, triumphed over Shuhyung, the demon of Heaven, triumphed over Shuhyung, the demon of darkness and earth. The Titan, in his death agony, struck his head against the solar vault and shivered the blue dome of jade into fragments. The stars lost their nests, the mooon wandered aimlessly among the wild chams of the night. In despair the Yellow Emperor sought far and wide for the repairer of the Heavens. He had not to search in vain. Out of the Eastern sea rose a queen, the divine Niuka, horn-crowned and dragon-trailed, resplendent in her armour of fire. She welded the five-coloured rainbow in her magic cauldron and rebuilt the Chinese sky. But it is also told that Niuka forgot to fill two tiny crevices in the blue firmament. Thus began the dualism of love-two souls rolling through space and never at rest until they join together to complete the universe. Everyone has to build anew his sky of hope and peace.」(From The Book of Tea, The Cup of Humanity pp.1 of Tea, The Cup of Humanity pp.15-16, Charles E. Tuttles Co. ,Rutland, Vermont-Tokyo,Japan)
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.

Click Please！！

Link

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.10

A Good Action by Stealth & the Art of Concealing Beauty

"A good action by stealth" is the fundamental way of oriental conception. It may be Confucian ideas influence. In Japan, "Bushido, the way of Japanese chivalry" also had the strong effect on the maind. It is the "Shame Culture". Many japanese were very sensible to shame. Recentry, I regret to say that japanese might pass out of mind. After the world war second, we japanese have to work hard for national wealth, and tend to forget about traditional culture. Now, we have to clear the difference between the nationalism and the patriotism, and think about Japanese culture from the Glocal standpoint. Let's think about "The Imperfect".
「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)

Click Please！！

Link

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.9

The Taste of Tea

「There is a subtle charm in the taste of tea which makes it irresistible and capable of idealisation. Western humourists were not slow to mingle the fragrance of their thought with its aroma. It has not the arrogance of wine, the self-consciousness of coffee, nor the simpering innocence of cocoa. Already in 1711, says the Spectator:"I would therefore in a particular manner recommend these my specurations to all well-regulated families that set apart an hour every morning for tea, bread and butter; and would earnestly advise them for their good to order this paper to be punctually served up and to be looked upon as a part of the tea-equipage."
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).

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.8

Tea & American Indipendence

「Like all the good things of the world, the propagnda of Tea met with opposition. Heretics like Henry Saville(1678) denounced drinking it as filthy custom.　Jonas Hanway(Essay on Tea,1756) said that men seemed to lose their stature and comeliness,　woman their beauty through the use of tea. Its cost at the start (about fifteen or sixteen shillings a pound) forbade popular consumption,　and made it "regalia for hight treatments and entertainments, presents being made thereof to princes and grandees." Yet, in spite of such drawbacks　tea-drinking spread with marvellous rapidity. The coffee-houses of London in the early half of the eighteenth century became, in fact, tea-houses, the resort of wits like Addison and Steele, who beguiled themselves over their "dish of tea." The beverage soon became a necessry of life-a taxable matter. We are reminded in this connection what an important part in it plays in modern history. Colonial America resigned herself to oppression until human endurance gave way before the heavy duties laid on Tea. American indipendence dates from the throwing of tea-chests into Boston harbour.」
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.

Click Please！！

Link

The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.7

The History of Tea to Euoropean

「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.

Click Please！！

Link