 The Way
of Tea
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The Japanese "Way of Tea" was developed over many years, and by many
different people, beginning in the Nara Era (710-794), with the entry
of Chinese culture into Japan. Many very famous tea masters existed, but
the one most famous was Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591).
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His teacher was the great master, Takeno Joo (1502-1555), who taught
him the ancient use of the tea utensil stand (daisu), and the spirit of
Wabi and Sabi. (Please refer to Tidbits, on the Customs and Culture of
Japan.)
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One of the previous great masters, Murata Shuko (1422- 1502), served
tea in the Chinese tradition, using one room for the preparation of the
tea, and serving it to the guests in an adjacent room called Dojinsai.
This room was four and a half tatami mats in size, and became the standard
for tea rooms, even though other sizes presently exist. It was said to
have been the size of the room of an Indian Buddhist teacher named, Yuima,
who lived 100 years after Buddha.
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Sen no Rikyu is given the credit for perfecting the tea ceremony in
the Japanese way. This great advance took place at the end of the 16th
century.
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Prior to the Edo Period (1600-1868), tea drinking had been reserved
only for the priesthood and the ruling class. Sen no Rikyu's contribution
to the Way of Tea was to use traditional, everyday objects, as well as
valuable Chinese utensils, in serv- ing tea. He also began the custom
of making tea and serving it in the same room in which the guests were
sitting. He angered his lord and was told to kill himself. Later, the
lord forgave him, but Sen no Rikyu told him to stick by his word, and
killed him-self. It will take a long time for us to understand the old
ways?
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The changes in the Way of Tea caused a great increase in its popularity
due to the difference in cost between valuable imported items, and plain
objects, made in Japan.
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It also caused a boom in the advancement of the traditional arts of
the country. Native artists began creating utensils for the formal Tea
Ceremony. Of course, these items bore the earmarks of the Chinese and
Korean cultures, since their designs had originated in those countries.
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In recent times, more latitude is allowed in the use of utensils for
the Way of Tea, and many artists have become fa- mous for their work.
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