4 principles of the tea ceremony in Japan. Types and features of the Japanese tea ceremony

The Land of the Rising Sun is famous for its extraordinary traditions and customs. The tea ceremony in Japan is rightfully considered a cultural asset and unique, which has rich roots and characteristics. Probably, in no other country do they treat tea so reverently as they do in Japan.

Initially, the tea ceremony was one of the most common forms of meditation among Buddhist monks. Over time, it has become an integral part of Japanese culture. At its core, the tea ceremony is a meeting of the tea master and his guests for a warm conversation and joint pastime, accompanied by tea drinking. Of course, this custom is carried out using the appropriate paraphernalia in a special tea house (chashitsu). It is located, as a rule, in a cozy corner of a specially created garden.

The Art of the Tea Ceremony

The art of the tea ceremony in Japan is inspired by the philosophy of Buddhism and is designed to bring peace of mind. Like most other elements of Japanese culture and religion, the art of tea drinking reflects the Japanese flavor and their way of life. Appropriate objects and paraphernalia, gestures and behavior of the people participating in the ceremony, as well as the symbolism of the tea ceremony in Japan - all this is passed down from generation to generation.

In the middle of the room in the tea house there is a square recess in which charcoal smolders on a special pallet. On top is a pot of hot water. Guests are seated on both sides on special pillows (zabutons). During a traditional tea party, every detail matters. So, for example, in no case should you sit cross-legged - this is considered a sign of bad taste and a manifestation of disrespect for the master of the tea ceremony. That's right - sit on your own heels with a zabuton under your knees.

Features of the tea ceremony

The mistress of the tea house or the master with a bow serves bowls of fragrant tea to the guests. She pours boiling water into porcelain dishes with a special wooden scoop, then rinses the bowl and wipes it with a napkin. Then a small pinch of ceremonial green tea "Ten-cha" is placed in the tea utensil, which is subsequently poured with boiling water. For the correct brewing of Japanese tea, a special bamboo brush is used, with the help of which the whole mixture is whipped directly to the consistency of thick sour cream. At the same time, the foam should rise to the very edges of the porcelain bowl.

Interesting facts about the tea ceremony in Japan:

• No more than five people take part in the ceremony, and the company is selected with particular scrupulousness.
• To participate in the ceremonial tea party, all guests must wear special clothing.
• Just before the start, all those present gather at the entrance to the tea house in order to tune in to a sublime mood and put aside fussy thoughts and everyday mood.
• The Japanese tea ceremony can last several hours.

Traditional technique, symbols and paraphernalia, the philosophy of the tea ceremony - all this is passed down from generation to generation. Moreover, in Japan there are special educational institutions where you can take a course in this art.

Modern tea ceremony in Japan

To date, there are six varieties of tea ceremony: at night, at sunrise, early in the morning, after dinner, evening and specialized.

Special attention deserves a special tea ceremony, which is one of a kind. It is held exclusively on especially important occasions, on the eve of an important event or during preparation for extraordinary events, that is, when all participants need to fully relax, streamline their thoughts and find peace. So, for example, several centuries ago, a special tea ceremony was an integral part of the preparation for ritual suicide. Of course, in this case, the master must be a person with strong inner qualities - after all, he had to strengthen in his guest the intention to commit such a courageous act.

Today, the art of the tea ceremony in Japan is a method of achieving meaning in life. The atmosphere in the tea house and beyond, specialized clothes and gestures, porcelain bowls and even a ladle for the Japanese tea ceremony - all this is subject to a single meaning and carries a philosophical outlook on life.

To take part in the tea ceremony means to be imbued with the culture of Japan and its unsurpassed flavor. With the help of such, at first glance, a simple procedure, you can truly relax, escape from everyday worries and truly enjoy peace and tranquility. The tea ceremony in Japan is Buddhist philosophy at its truest.

The Japanese drink mostly green tea, less often - yellow. Yellow teas are brewed in Chinese style, in gaiwan, insisting no more than 2 minutes. Green teas are drunk both in the usual leaf form and in the form of a powder. In the second case, tea leaves are ground in a porcelain mortar before brewing. The normal amount of tea leaves for 200 g of water is 1 teaspoon of powder (or 1.5-2 tablespoons of leaf tea). Tea is brewed in porcelain globular teapots, often, according to Chinese custom, with tea strainers. The temperature of the water for brewing tea does not exceed 60°C, the brewing time does not exceed 4 minutes. Under such conditions, tea cannot be fully extracted, but the maximum aroma is retained in the drink, which is most appreciated by the Japanese in it. The tea has a faint, pale green color. Japanese cups usually do not have handles and are very small - their volume does not exceed 50 ml. Tea from them is drunk very slowly, in small sips, without sugar or other additives.

Tea in Japan accompanies every meal. It is drunk before meals and after meals, usually washed down with rice. In addition to everyday tea drinking, tea is drunk during the Japanese tea ceremony. In such cases, a special, ceremonial tea is prepared. The leaves are ground into a fine powder, which is brewed at the rate of approximately 100 g of tea per 500 ml of water. The resulting drink has the consistency of liquid sour cream, it is very tart and extremely aromatic.

Unlike the Chinese, who believe that tea can only be drunk hot, the Japanese also willingly drink cold green tea.

Japanese tea ceremony

The tea ceremony (jap. - cha-no yu) is a specific ritualized form of joint tea drinking, created in the Middle Ages in Japan and is still cultivated in this country. Appearing initially as one of the forms of meditation practice of Buddhist monks, it has become an integral element of Japanese culture, closely related to many other cultural phenomena.

Story

According to various sources, the beginning of the use of tea in Japan dates back to the 7th-8th centuries AD. Tea was brought to Japan from the mainland. It is believed that it was brought by Buddhist monks, for whom tea was a special drink - they drank it during meditation and offered it to the Buddha. As Zen Buddhism spread in Japan and the priests began to have an increasing influence on the cultural and political life of the country, tea consumption also spread. In the 12th century, the monk Eisai promoted the introduction of tea drinking in the court by presenting the Kissa Yozeki, a book on maintaining health through tea, to the shogun Minamoto no Sanetomo. By the 13th century, drinking tea had become common among the samurai class. Over time, the practice of “tea tournaments” penetrated from the monasteries into the aristocratic environment - meetings at which a large number of tea varieties were tasted and the participants were required to determine its variety and origin by the taste of tea. Among the common people, among peasants and townspeople, tea drinking also became a tradition, but it took place much more modestly than among the nobility, and was just a meeting for sharing a drink over a leisurely conversation.

Following the Chinese Sung tea ceremony, Japanese monks formed their own ritual of sharing tea. The original form of the ritual was developed and introduced by the monk Dae (1236-1308). Daie taught the first tea masters - also monks. A century later, the priest Ikkyu Sojun (1394-1481), abbot of the Daitokuji temple complex in Kyoto, taught the tea ceremony to his student Murata Juko (Shuko). The latter developed and transformed the tea ceremony, and taught it to the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, thus giving the tradition a "start in life" - like in most countries, in Japan, everything that was customary with the ruler immediately became fashionable with subjects.

Murata followed the idea of ​​\u200b\u200b"wabi" underlying the ceremony - the desire for simplicity and naturalness, in part, as opposed to the splendor and luxury of the samurai "tea tournaments". He combined the four basic principles of the tea ceremony: harmony ("wa"), reverence ("kei"), purity ("sei") and silence, peace ("seki"). The further development of the tea ceremony was provided by Dzeo Takeno (1502-1555). He began to use a special building for the ceremony - a tea house (chashitsu), which, in accordance with the principle of "wabi", was given the appearance of a peasant house with a thatched roof. He also introduced rough ceramic dishes into use in ceremonies.

A student of Dzeo Takeno, an outstanding master of the tea ceremony Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591), finalized the tea house and put into practice the creation of a garden (tyaniva) and a stone path (roji) leading through the garden to the house. Sen no Rikyu formalized the etiquette of the ceremony, the sequence of actions of the participants, and even determined what conversations should be held at what point in the ceremony in order to create a mood of calm, moving away from worries and striving for truth and beauty. The innovations made by Rikyu have given a new meaning to "sabi", a principle of sophistication and beauty also embodied in the tea ceremony. The atmosphere of the ceremony was aimed at showing not the obvious, bright, conspicuous, but the hidden beauty lurking in simple things, soft colors and quiet sounds. Thus, by the 16th century, the tea ceremony had turned from a simple collective tea drinking into a mini-performance, which was generally regarded as one of the forms of spiritual practice and in which every detail, every object, every action had a symbolic meaning. The Japanese say that "the tea ceremony is the art of embodying the grace of Emptiness and the goodness of Peace."

The fate of Sen no Rikyu was tragic: his aesthetic principles were in conflict with the tastes of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who preferred lush, rich receptions and precious tea utensils (for him, in 1585, an ogon chashitsu was built - a tea room covered with gold foil, all tea accessories in which they were made of pure gold), and in 1591 the tea master was forced by order of the sovereign to commit ritual suicide. Nevertheless, the tea ceremony developed in line with the principles developed by Sen no Rikyu, and the Senke school founded by him became the leading school of the tea ceremony. Rikyu's grandson, Sen Sotan (1578-1658), who became the third iemoto of the school, played an important role in strengthening the position of the school. The sons of Sen Sotan led three branches of the Senke school: Omote Senke, Ura Senke and Mushanokoji Senke.

The tea ceremony has spread to all levels of Japanese society. By the beginning of the 18th century, a whole system of tea schools had formed in Japan, however, all of them were branches of the Senke school. At the head of each school was an iemoto - the head and senior of the tea masters, who managed the school and attested the masters trained in it. The main task of the iemoto was to maintain the immutability of the canonized tradition of the tea ceremony. Schools have developed the necessary set of exercises designed to develop the skills of a tea master. Naturally, they were trained in everything related to the organization and decoration of the ceremony, with the preparation of tea, with maintaining a proper conversation and creating the right mood.

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The Japanese tea drinking is the main thing. The Japanese tea ceremony is an important tradition of sharing tea and communication, in which harmony, reverence and a sense of peace are invested. The tea ceremony in Japan dates back to the Middle Ages and is considered an integral part of Japanese culture.

How did the tea ceremony originate?

Tea was popular both in Japan and in China, but it is believed that Buddhist monks brought it to Japan. Tea leaves were famous for their medicinal qualities back then. Japanese or Chinese tea drinking is very different from each other. Tea drinking in both Japan and China has become a whole art, which was originally based on the philosophy of Buddhism.

Earlier, monks in Japan drank tea when they meditated and presented it to the Buddha. As Buddhism spread in Japan, the tradition of tea drinking appeared along with it. The culture of tea drinking is constantly changing, but the Japanese have always paid homage to this drink.

The last ritual founded by the monks is still used today. Gradually, they picked up the appropriate dishes for tea drinking, then improved the ceremony and came up with the idea of ​​holding it in tea houses. Further, the rules of etiquette for the tea ceremony were founded, and development continued further. Schools were opened, where they trained tea masters, the correct presentation of tea. Tea meditation turned into a certain ritual, where roles were distributed for everyone. The ritual has become one of the important symbols of Japan.

The emperor did not like the too simple ceremony that Rikyu founded. The emperor preferred to drink tea from golden dishes in a different setting. By order of the emperor, the master committed suicide due to differences of opinion. Then new schools began to open to teach tea art. The tradition of drinking tea in Japan has become popular all over the world.

Types of ceremonies in Japan

In general, there are a lot of tea ceremonies in Japan, but there are a few basic ones.

1. Night. Starts at moonrise. Tea masters create a suitable mystical atmosphere, which is held by the light of the moon and stars. Those invited approach at 23:00, and disperse closer to 4:00 in the morning. Powdered tea is brewed very strongly, such strong tea is not recommended to be consumed on an empty stomach, so it is customary to feed the invitees first.
2. Tea drinking at dawn. As the sun rises, the ceremony turns into a relaxing meditation. At this time, it is customary to talk about goodness, love and dreams. In order for the participants to catch the difference between dawn and darkness, the meditation starts at 3 am and continues until 6 am.
3. Morning rite. Morning tea starts around 6 am, it is held when the weather is hot. Until the sun warms the air and still blows cool.
4. Tea after dinner. Held after 12 noon, when guests want to relax after dinner. They are served tea with sweets. Before the start of tea drinking, guests wash their hands and communicate with each other, trying to distract and relax.
5. Evening ritual. Starts at 6 o'clock and continues until sunset. In the evening, invitees can immerse themselves in the ritual, freed from all daytime troubles.
6. Custom ceremony. In addition to the usual ceremonies, there is a custom one, it is carried out when it is necessary to celebrate an event. Previously, it was performed before battles or "hara-kiri". Now, meetings of guests, anniversaries, birthdays are celebrated this way. Usually, many people are invited to the ceremony, and not everyone is familiar with its conduct. The master takes responsibility for conducting, moreover, his work is to occupy the guests and conquer them with the quality and beauty of the ritual.

Classic Japanese ceremony

A traditional ceremony is held in strictly designated places. It is a fenced area with large wooden gates at the entrance. First, the host opens the gate before the ceremony itself begins. This area contains a small garden and one or more tea houses. Once the invitees have entered, they can leave their belongings and change their shoes in the designated room. The invitees are in the room and are waiting for the ceremony to begin. Honored guests are invited to the tea house in Japan for the ceremony.

Walkway to the house

The tea house is a house in Japan, the path to which leads to a special path, lined with natural stone. It resembles a path like in the mountains, natural stones complete the ritual. When the ceremony participant steps onto the stone path, meditation begins for him, he is distracted from all the fuss and plunges into the world of beauty.

The garden is small, planted with trees and looks like a mountainside. Everything should be chosen appropriately to create an atmosphere of harmony and peace. When it's hot outside, the trees provide shade. Cypresses grow in the garden, a lot of greenery and pines. In addition to everything, there are various stones and lanterns that create natural chaos.

tea house

The Japanese tea house consists of one room, in order to get into it you need to bend down a lot, because a narrow low passage leads into it. Such an entrance was not made on purpose, as it is necessary for a rite that holds a deep meaning. So, the participants who enter the house bow down to the present guests who are in the community.

Windows in the house can be made in different shapes and sizes. A lot of sunlight gets through them, when tea drinking begins, they are closed. In some cases, the windows are opened so that the participants in the tea party admire the surrounding nature. The floor is covered with tatami, the walls are covered with clay. The main component of the house is the tokonoma, a niche in the wall where the incense burner, flowers and a scroll with sayings are located.

Briefly about the ceremony

What you need for tea drinking:

• Box with tea leaves;
• Teapot;
• A large bowl for drinking a drink;
• Cups for guests;
• tea spoon;
• Bamboo stick.

When guests come in, they immediately put water on the boiler to heat. In the meantime, they are offered a snack of light food. They mainly serve snacks and sweets.

When the participants of the ceremony have eaten, they go out into the garden, communicate and prepare for the sacrament of the ceremony. Then the host invites guests, and the tea master cleans all the dishes. There is a Japanese cup for tea, where tea leaves are poured and a little boiling water is poured in, then mixed with a special bamboo stick until foam is formed. Next, add the rest of the water. Tea is brewed - green in powder, as a rule it can be the most popular variety

Tea is a favorite drink of the peoples of different countries. He is revered in foggy Great Britain, he is loved in the East, it is difficult to imagine Russia without tea. Each nation has created its own tradition of tea drinking, tea ceremonies in many countries are beautiful rituals. For cooking, special utensils are used, the rules for drinking tea are observed.

Chinese tea ceremony

The Chinese believe in the healing powers of tea, so in this country it is treated with special reverence. The Chinese tea ceremony is called Gong Fu Cha. For many centuries, it was available only to the nobility. But gradually it began to be used everywhere. During the ceremony, a special set of dishes is used, including gaiwan, chachuan, chaban, cha lu, cha hai, cha he and tea pairs.

The process of brewing tea leaves turns into a real art, which only true masters own. For brewing, only high-mountain oolongs are taken. Much attention is paid to the quality of tea and water. Reception of tea in China is a leisurely business, during tea drinking there is a leisurely conversation. The Chinese believe that tea should clarify the mind, put thoughts in order. With the help of the tea ceremony, respect for family values, the elderly and dear guests is expressed.

Japanese tea ceremony

In Japan, the tea ceremony is thought out to the smallest detail, it includes about 100 different rules. There are not only special utensils for brewing and drinking tea, but also special clothes for the master and those participating in the tea party. The ritual is carried out in a tea house, its doors are arranged in such a way that everyone who enters it bows his head. This is done in order to show that bad thoughts are left behind the threshold, and you entered the house with good thoughts. Although the ritual itself begins on the way to the tea house, which passes through the stones laid in a special way. Shoes must be removed upon entry.

Tea, ground into powder, is placed in a ceramic container and poured with boiling water. The contents are whipped to a state of foam with a bamboo stick. The most honored guest receives the drink first, he takes the first sip, and then passes the vessel with tea to the next participant in the tea party. Sometimes the tea master himself tastes the drink first. Strong tea is served in a common bowl, then “liquid tea” is served in separate bowls for each. Trays of cakes are brought to him. It takes more than one year to master the Japanese ceremony. There is night tea, with sunrise, afternoon tea. Each of them has its own specificity.

Tea ceremony in Uzbekistan

In Uzbekistan, special establishments have been built where they drink tea. They are called "teahouse". For brewing, a ceramic vessel is used, which is first rinsed with boiling water to warm it up. Then tea leaves are added to it, brewed with boiling water. The vessel is gently rolled to ensure full disclosure of the tea leaf. The drink is not poured immediately, you need to pour the tea into the bowl and back three times, then the taste will become brighter. Each guest is given a bowl, into which the host pours tea for three sips. The owner will make sure that the bowl is not empty, constantly adding to the drink.

Features of tea drinking in Kyrgyzstan

The Kyrgyz are very fond of tea, so any feast begins with tea drinking and ends with it. Tea is drunk from bowls, which are placed on the table according to the number of guests. Only the head of the family is engaged in brewing tea, as well as serving guests, emphasizing his respect. The bowls are half filled.

Kuurma tea is considered the national Kyrgyz drink. It is made from flour, pepper, milk and salt fried in butter. A special tea is brewed on holidays. Cloves, cinnamon, sugar, orange and lemon juice are added to it. Tea is served warm, which helps to quench thirst and assimilate fatty foods. Favorite tea is green. Lemon is added to it, and sometimes milk.

Tea ceremony in England

No Englishman can refuse a cup of tea. The tradition appeared in the 19th century, when it became customary to drink tea in the afternoon. It was started by the Duchess of Bedford - Anna. At 5 pm, a small company gathered at the table to drink a cup of tea and eat light sandwiches. The tradition has been preserved to this day. Serving is of great importance in the English ceremony. A tablecloth must be laid on the table, a vase with fresh flowers is placed. For tea drinking you need a porcelain service. The British love sets of white and blue. Mandatory milk jug, sugar bowl, teapot.

A feature of brewing is the presence of milk. And tea is necessarily poured into warmed milk, and not vice versa. The British drink tea at strictly allotted hours: at breakfast, at one o'clock in the afternoon - during second breakfast and at 5 o'clock in the evening. Black tea is more popular in this country, green tea is in second place. There is no special demand for white, yellow and red teas. They drink tea slowly, talking decorously, enjoying a drink and snacks.

Tea tradition in Russia

Tea appeared in Rus' in the 16th century; before that, a tea drink was prepared from various roots, herbs, and fruits. Ivan-tea, cherry, currant, linden leaves were widely used. After the overseas drink came to the court, there was a tradition of brewing tea in a samovar. The samovar gathered the whole family at the table in the evenings. He personified the comfort of home and the warmth of the family hearth. Sugar was always put on the table, but not sand, but lumpy, which the head of the house pricked with special tweezers. They drank tea with bagels, bagels, gingerbread. Honey was widely used.

Now in Russia you can buy any kind of tea: Ceylon, Krasnodar, Indian, Chinese. They love both green and black tea equally. A feature of brewing tea in Russian is that tea is brewed in a strong concentration, in order to dilute it with boiling water later. Sometimes the tea is brewed again. Each guest is offered tea, but unlike the countries of the East, in Russia it is customary to pour a full mug. This shows that the host is happy with the guest.

Tea ceremony in India

In India, tea is very much loved and appreciated. The ceremony lasts longer than in England. She is solid and solemn. In tea drinking, disposable clay cups are used - kullarchs. Often, various spices, milk, sugar are used for cooking. The most famous Indian drink is masala. It is boiled in milk with the addition of a large amount of spices. Indian sweets are served with tea: farsan, pakora, nasta.

There are many tea shops in India where chaiwals offer to taste Indian tea. Tea is brewed and stored in special containers, somewhat reminiscent of Russian samovars. They keep tea hot for a long time. A feature of brewing is the saturation of tea. It must be strong, served with sugar and milk.

Joint tea drinking, held in the form of a certain ritual, was born in Japan in the distant Middle Ages as one of the practical meditations of Buddhist monks, and later spread to other areas of Japanese life. The main goal of the Japanese tea ceremony is a meeting of the tea master with his guests for a conversation, joint relaxation with a leisurely tea drinking and enjoyment of peace and beauty.

Several types of traditional Japanese tea drinking

1. Special - such a ceremony is held if there is a certain reason: a meeting of friends, a holiday, and earlier - preparation for battle, etc.
2. Tea drinking at sunrise - it is held from 3-4 o'clock until 6 o'clock in the morning.
3. Morning tea ceremony - held at 6 o'clock. Especially popular in the heat, as at this time of day it is still cool.
4. Afternoon tea - starts at 13:00. Cakes can be served with tea.
5. Evening ceremony - at 18 pm.
6. Night - starts around midnight and can last until 4 am. It is most often performed when the sky is illuminated by the moon.

Venue for Japanese tea ceremony

A special place is set up for the classic Japanese ceremonial tea drinking. Usually this is a small tea garden (tyaniva), in which a tea house (chashitsu) and auxiliary buildings are built: an entrance hall, a pavilion for gathering guests. The tyaniva garden simulates a mountain slope with evergreens, moss and ancient dim lanterns. A path leads to the house, lined with the most ordinary stones imitating a mountain path. The whole territory is usually fenced and you can enter the ceremony through heavy wooden gates.

The chashitsu house is a simple, modestly furnished room, consisting of one room with a narrow and low entrance and several high windows. A small entrance is made so that everyone who enters can bow, and also leave behind the walls of the house not only weapons, but all worldly concerns. The most important part of the chashitsu is a niche in the wall - the tokonoma, equipped just opposite the entrance. Flowers, a censer with incense are placed in the tokonoma, and a scroll with a saying prepared for the ceremony is hung out. Tea is prepared in a bronze hearth located in the center of the room.

How is the tea ceremony in Japan

Guests invited to the tea party pass through the open gate to the tea garden, change their shoes in the hallway and gather in one pavilion where they are served small bowls of hot water. Then the guests walk along the stone path to the tea house, admiring the garden along the way and freeing their minds from everyday affairs. At the house, guests are met by the owner - a tea master, here a ceremony of greeting and washing takes place at a stone well located nearby. Each person who comes with the help of a ladle washes his face, hands, rinses his mouth and rinses the handle of the ladle, leaving it to the next guest. Now guests can take off their shoes at the doorstep and go inside the house. First, everyone should study the tokonoma saying scroll and understand the theme of the tea party. A little later, after the guests, the host enters. While the water in the cauldron heats up, those who come are served a light treat - kaiseki, after which the guests go out to warm up, and the owner changes the scroll in tokonoma for a symbolic composition made up of tree branches or flowers.

Then the ceremony participants return to the house, and the tea master begins to prepare thick green tea from the powder. First, everyone is invited to drink the finished drink from one bowl, and then each guest is served a separate cup of tea. The brewing and the first drinking of tea takes place in complete silence, and when everyone receives their cup of tea, the conversation begins. Sweets are served with tea. When the conversation ends, the owner, having apologized, leaves the house - this means that the ceremony is over. The guests once again inspect the tokonoma and the hearth and leave the house. The tea master bows to everyone who leaves, and then returns to the chasitsa, sits inside for a short time, immersing himself in the sensations of the ceremony, and then tidies up the house, takes the dishes and flowers...

Interestingly, the dishes intended for Japanese tea drinking are thoroughly washed, but do not scrape off the stubborn tea coating and keep traces of all previous ceremonies - traces of time.
Do not be upset if you cannot arrange a Japanese tea ceremony in accordance with all the rules - in the absence of opportunities, a separate room or even just a table is allowed.