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introduction

Tea, or cha, is a beverage that people in Asian countries have been drinking since ancient times. The earliest tea trees were found growing along the borders of southern China and in a country known today as Myanmar. During the sixteenth century, Dutch and Portuguese traders introduced tea to the European countries. Today people all over the world drink tea.

For many generations in Japan, tea has been enjoyed in a specially arranged artistic setting and served in an artful manner. The tea ceremony is a way for people to come together, not necessarily to talk or play, but to find calmness and peace of mind. The host and guest come together to appreciate the offering and the receiving of the bowl of tea in a small room. Only a few pieces of equipment are used, and everything is arranged in a way that creates harmony and beauty. Because the tea room has only a few things on display, one can enjoy the beauty of each object. One can also fully appreciate the taste, fragrance, and sounds of the tea. In a tea ceremony, tea is served in a way that will bring pleasure to all five senses of both the person serving tea and the person drinking it.

Left to right: wa, kei, sei, jaku

What Is a Tea Ceremony?

The spirit of the tea ceremony is based upon four special ideas: wa, which means "harmony"; kei, which means "respect"; sei, which means "cleanliness" or "purity"; and jaku, which means "tranquility." When you include all four elements, you can fully enjoy the beauty of simply drinking a bowl of tea.

In creating a setting of this harmony, it is important to think about what wa, kei, sei, and jaku mean. To start, what kind of setting gives you a sense of harmony and peace? This would probably be a place that is without clutter and is very clean. In a tearoom, there is often just a simple flower arrangement. The flowers are used only to enhance or honor the vase or container, which is often a work of art in itself.

Next, respect comes when everyone and everything is treated with thoughtful consideration. For example, if you are having a guest who has very special needs such as a physical disability, you will make special arrangements. In the tea ceremony, this is called kokoro ire (kokoro means "heart" and ire means "putting in"), which means that you are putting your heart into the activity. You are being thoughtful and considerate of your guests. You will then have a setting that is very peaceful. These are things you can do in any social situation.

In a tea ceremony, you do not discuss things that can lead to arguments, such as which sports team is best. Only such things as the tea equipment or the meaning of the calligraphy are discussed. This helps to maintain a peaceful atmosphere. The pouring of cold water into hot water, the placing of a bamboo dipper on a stand, the gentle sound of a bamboo whisk whipping tea, and even the gentle sipping of hot tea are all sounds to be appreciated.

How the Tea Ceremony Developed

The history of the tea ceremony began when Eisai, a Buddhist monk, brought tea plants from China to Japan in A.D. 1187.

Eisai, who studied Zen Buddhism in China, learned that the monks practiced a ritual of drinking tea as a way to stay alert while meditating and stay healthy. When Eisai returned to Japan, he brought back tea seeds and seedlings from China and shared the tradition of drinking tea with the Japanese monks.

From the tea plants Eisai planted grew a whole culture of tea in Japan. As time passed, tea was enjoyed not just by the humble monks but also by the very wealthy. During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, a special tea drinking game was developed by the wealthy warrior classes. This game was called To-o Cha, which means "tea competition."

In To-o Cha, one tastes a variety of teas and tries to guess the district where each type of tea came from. This game took place in only the wealthiest of houses, most often the homes of military generals, with extravagant decorations and delicious meals. Unlike the modest ceremony of the monks, this tea ceremony was very much about showing off one's wealth. Those who could afford it would decorate their large homes with paintings by famous Chinese painters and other arts and crafts produced in China. As many as a thousand pieces of tea equipment and fine works of art were exhibited at a single To-o Cha gathering.

This extravagant display was eventually replaced by a daisu, a portable shelf used in a hiroma, a large room about 15 square feet. Only the necessary pieces of equipment were displayed on the daisu. The guests were seated in the same room as the host, who conducted the tea ceremony while they watched. This was much different from the earlier ceremonies, in which the hosts prepared tea in a separate room. The host's preparation of the tea in front of the guests changed the very meaning of the tea ceremony, bringing forth the spirit of sharing.

By the end of the fifteenth century, tea was becoming more available, and the general public could create their own versions of the tea ceremony

Many people helped transform the tea ceremony into what it is today, but the following people were among the most influential.

Murata Shuko: A Buddhist monk, Shuko was the first person to hold tea ceremonies in a small room with only a few guests. Shuko emphasized the "study of humbleness" and disapproved of showing off wealth.

The merchants of Sakai: This class of wealthy traders also held tea ceremonies in small rooms with few guests. The settings of their tea ceremonies were peaceful and simple. The merchants of Sakai were the first to use Japanese folk crafts in tea ceremonies instead of ones imported from China.

Sen no Rikyu: A Sakai merchant, Rikyu was a student of Taken Jo-o, who was famous for his tea ceremonies. When they prepared their tea ceremonies, both men took into account the season, the time of day, and the social occasion. Rikyu organized the steps for preparing bowls of tea that are still used today. His ceremonies emphasized modesty, spirituality, and the beauty of simplicity.