What is the tea ceremony for? How to hold a tea ceremony at home

How to organize a Chinese tea ceremony at home?

Recently, Eastern culture has received considerable popularization among Europeans, so it is not strange that most of us increasingly have a desire to bring at least a small particle of traditions that are unusual for us into our home. The most popular symbol of China and Japan is the tea ceremony. The master class of the Iron Phoenix tea culture club, which is easy to find at https://clubcha.ru, helped me figure it out. Its name, as well as the Eastern tea ceremony, has its own symbolism. The fact is that the phoenix, according to popular beliefs of the Celestial Empire, is called upon to protect the tea bush, which, in turn, is a symbol of long life. Here is such a simple chain that explains the origins of the tradition.

The tradition of tea ceremonies has taken root in our lands because it is very difficult to meet a person who does not drink tea at all. At least, such individuals did not happen on my life path. A cup of hot tea is exactly what can cement friendship in the cold season, and iced tea will help you tune in to the working wave in the heat.

What do you need to organize a home tea ceremony?

If you seriously decide to saturate your life with the traditions of the East, then the first thing you should realize is that in any of the Eastern traditions there are no trifles that can be thrown aside like unnecessary garbage. Not even that, they just don't exist! Everything is important in the oriental tea ceremony: the setting, the utensils, the quality of the tea, and even serving it to the guests.

The first thing you should do is take care of preparing the area for tea drinking with friends, colleagues or relatives. At this stage, it will not be superfluous to take care of the dishes. If you want to have tea, really observing the traditions of the homeland of tea, then you will have to get a clay tea set. Yes, yes, although porcelain has always been held in high esteem in China and Japan, traditions usually come from the habits of the people, and they did not drink or eat from porcelain. In addition, clay is the only material that can reveal the true taste and aroma of a tea drink. But what about color? - you ask. I don't see a problem! In modern stores, you can easily find clay tea sets with white inner walls.

Second - buy natural Chinese or Taiwanese tea! What it will be: white, black, green, blue-green, red, yellow or pu-erh tea - depends on the taste preferences of you and your guests. The main selection criterion is high quality. Tasty and fragrant high-quality tea simply cannot be cheap - remember this once and for all.

However, the taste of tea depends not only on the quality of the tea leaf, but also on the skillful hands of the mistress of the house.

How to brew tea correctly?

Directly in the tea ceremony itself, there are many incredibly small details that an outsider may consider insignificant, but, as I already said, there are no trifles in it, so let's start from the very beginning, because tea brewing is a whole show art that real masters learn for years, if not all their lives.

So:

1. Have guests gathered? Then let's start! Before brewing tea, the teapot must be evenly heated by washing the clay vessel with boiling water. In part, this is done in order to fully reveal the aroma of essential oils, and in part, this beginning of the ritual of tea drinking is a tribute to tradition. The fact is that in ancient China, even pottery was an expensive pleasure, and everyone knows that clay cracks over time, with such a procedure, the Chinese extended the life of their dishes.
2. After the kettle is prepared, tea leaves are poured into it and water is poured into 1/3 of the container, which, unlike the water that the kettle itself is washed with, should not be boiling water. Too hot water, as, in principle, too cold, will spoil the taste of the drink. In addition, the first water is still drained, since its purpose is not to eat, but to clean the tea leaves from dust.
3. Having drained the first water, pour the tea leaves a second time, in this case already to the brim. Infusion time 2-10 minutes. It all depends on the type of tea you choose. Most often, exact instructions can be found on the packaging.
4. You can start drinking tea. By the way, you should not cool tea, real Chinese drink it hot, and in order not to burn themselves, they drink it in small sips. Cold, it loses its original taste and incomparable aroma.

And one more piece of advice from the ancient Chinese: a person with a pure heart and in peace of mind should conduct the tea ceremony. Tea does not like malice, so a violation of tradition will bring trouble to the owner's house, but moderation in thoughts and actions, on the contrary, brings wealth and joy. The tea ceremony in the East has always been something like an Indian peace pipe, so very often the Chinese even drank from one cup, passing it around. This tea party was a gesture of trust and unity.

The tea ceremony in Japan is a special ritual that dates back to the Middle Ages and is revered to this day.

The Buddhist monks created the tea ceremony, and soon it became an integral part of Japanese culture, glorifying it all over the world.

Japanese tea ceremony

In general terms, the tea ceremony is a meeting of the tea master and his guests according to certain rules for collective relaxation, contemplation of the beauty hidden in ordinary things, conversations during which tea drinking took place. The ceremony is held in a specially furnished room and represents actions carried out in a certain order.

tea ceremony photo

How to have a tea ceremony

Before the beginning of the sacrament, the guests are placed in a room where small cups of boiling water are brought to them in order to arouse in the guests the anticipation of the subsequent ceremony as a wonderful and cozy event.

The guests then walk through the tea garden tyaniva to the chashitsu tea house along the stone-covered roji path, which looks like a mountain path and creates a natural feeling. This transition has a special meaning - a departure from the hustle and bustle of life, petty worries, worries and misfortunes.

Looking at the garden, the participants of the ceremony are predisposed to spiritual contemplation and cleanse their thoughts from everyday worries.

When the guests reach the tea house, the host comes out to them. At the end of a calm, moderate greeting, visitors go to a nearby well and perform a bathing ceremony. Water is scooped up with a small ladle with a long handle, the ceremony participant washes his face, hands, rinses his mouth, then washes the handle of the scoop. The ceremony of washing means the establishment of bodily and spiritual purity.

Then the guests enter the tea house through a small entrance, which marks the edge of the ordinary, vain world, and take off their shoes. The small size of the entrance makes the guests bend, which means their equality at the time of the ceremony - any person should bow, regardless of origin, wealth or position.

The Art of the Tea Ceremony in Japan

Before the visit of the participants of the tea party, the host kindles a fire in the hearth, puts a cauldron of water over it and places a tokonoma (a scroll with a saying that sets the theme of the ceremony), a bouquet of flowers and an incense burner in a special niche near the entrance.

Tokonoma photo

Entering the house after the guests, the owner bows and sits next to the hearth, opposite the rest of the participants in the ceremony. Not far from the owner are the items needed for tea drinking: a wooden chest with tea, a bowl and a mixer made of bamboo. Before tea drinking, guests are served kaiseki - a simple, low-calorie but gourmet meal that will not satiate, but relieve hunger. The word "kaiseki" comes from a heated stone, which in ancient times, Buddhist monks put in their bosoms to alleviate hunger. Before the tea party itself, “omogashi” are distributed - sweets for tea.

At the end of the meal, the ceremony participants leave the tea house for a short time to take a walk in the garden before the main tea drinking ceremony. While the guests are outside, instead of a scroll, the host puts an aesthetic bouquet of flowers or branches into the tokonoma chabana. This composition is based on the rule of unity of contrasts, for example, it can be a pine branch, which represents reliability and strength, next to a camellia flower, which denotes sensitivity and fragility.

After the participants return to the house, the main part of the ceremony begins - the host prepares and drinks thick powdered green tea. The preparation of tea takes place in absolute silence. All the actions and movements of the host are precisely worked out and measured, the master moves in rhythm with his breathing, the guests are attentively watching the sacrament, listening to the sounds of boiling water and the crackle of a burning hearth. This is the most meditative stage of the tea ceremony. Tea is poured into a rough ceramic bowl, then it is filled with boiling water, and the tea is stirred with a bamboo stirrer until fully cooked.

Dishes for the Japanese tea ceremony photo

The host bows to the participants in the ceremony and passes the cup of thick tea to the senior guest. The guest puts a fucus silk handkerchief on his left palm, takes the cup with his right hand, puts it on his left palm and takes a sip of tea. After that, he lowers the fucus on the mat, wipes the edges of the bowl and gives it to the next in order. Each guest sips tea in the same way.

Drinking tea from a common bowl represents the unity of the participants in the ceremony. When the guests empty the bowl, it will again go from hand to hand empty, so that everyone carefully examines the bowl, recognizes its shape, and again feels it in his hand.

Then the host prepares light tea for each tea party in separate small cups. There comes a time for a conversation, the topic of which is the inscription on the scroll in tokonoma, the elegance of the composition of flowers, the cup for tea, the tea prepared by the master.

After the end of the conversations, the owner asks for forgiveness and leaves the tea house, marking the end of the ceremony. The guests take a last look at the decorations, symbols and utensils used for making tea, the flowers in the tokonoma, which opened at the end of the tea party and symbolize the time spent by the guests together.

When the guests leave the tea house, the owner stands next to the entrance and silently bows to those leaving the ceremony. Then the owner is in the tea house for some time, mentally returning to the past tea party and thinking about the feelings caused by it. After that, the master takes out the dishes, removes the flower arrangement, cleans the tatami and leaves the tea house.

Tea ceremony in Japan video

An interesting video about the Japanese tea ceremony with translator's comments.

Genre of the article - Culture of Japan

According to the classics of the tea ceremony, the whole process is guided by four principles:

1. Harmony. It is based on the spirit of unity between all participants in the tea party. There are no guests and hosts here, everyone is one and their mood echoes the atmosphere that prevails in the room.
2. Reverence, which, in turn, is also divided into two sublevels. The first is general cultural, that is, each participant in the tea party respects his neighbor. And the second one is Buddhist. This is an idea of ​​reverence in general, for every person, for every scoundrel, because he is recognized by the Buddha. So those present treat the tea ceremony with great reverence, often unconscious.
3. Purity. Only with pure thoughts and an open heart should one begin the tea ceremony. People should be kind in the absolute sense of the word. Before the action, all participants wash their hands and mouth with water, and only then do they enter the place where the tea ceremony takes place.
4. Peace. Only in a calm state of mind, without unnecessary irritability and fuss, all participants proceed to the tea ceremony.

Over the centuries, the tea ceremony has undergone many changes, but its types have remained unchanged. There are seven of them: the tea ceremony takes place at dawn, in the morning, at noon, at night, with sweets, out of time and for those who came after the main tea party. The ideal is an action that takes place in the middle of the day and coincides with lunch.

Tea ceremony rules

1. During the ceremony, you need to completely relax. And for a few hours devote all your thoughts only to an amber drink. Before starting the action, you must definitely take off your shoes, as it is believed that not only garbage from the street remains with it, but also all your problems and hardships. It is best to sit on the floor with tea, sitting on soft, comfortable pillows. You can sit, you can recline, it doesn’t matter, the main thing is to be comfortable. This applies only to guests, because the owner of the house certainly sits and by this he shows respect to his guests. He can sit cross-legged or tuck his knees up.
2. Before starting tea drinking, it is necessary to get acquainted with tea, feel the aroma of dried leaves, for this, leaves are poured into a special box, held with both hands, so the aroma of tea is better felt due to body heat and breath. Even in the box, they admire the color of the tea.
3. The dishes must be heated, that is, in turn, pour over it with hot water. Water can be kept in a thermos, so it will not cool down quickly. Dishes, of course, must not be dirty, but they must be washed without using detergents, because, settling on dishes, chemical elements interrupt the true aroma of tea. It is better to choose a teapot from fine clay, because it contains pores through which the clay can pass air. When brewing tea, the essential oil, which is in the leaves, lies on the wall of the teapot and this kind of film is obtained, which creates a unique microclimate in the teapot. Masters even classify teapots into “educated”, that is, those that have already been used many times, in which an ethereal film has already formed, and “ill-mannered”, that is, completely new dishes. In order for the "ill-mannered" teapot to pass to the "educated", it is necessary to brew tea in it and not touch it for seven days, then brew new tea again in the same place and again do not touch it for seven days. Or do it differently: boil black tea and put a teapot there, and boil it, so the walls are saturated.
4. For the ceremony, the teapot must first be heated, then the tea board, on which all the elements of the action will stand, must also be heated. Then pour boiling water over a vessel for tea, cups, and then the rest of the tools. And water must be shed during the ceremony, moreover, they say that the more water is shed, the richer the participants will be.
5. Pour tea into a heated teapot and pour boiling water over it, then cover with a lid and pour boiling water over the already closed teapot to make it warm even better. With good warming, tea is brewed better, and also thanks to this, there is no void in the aroma, which can interfere with enjoying the smell.
6. Next, the tea is awakened by shaking the teapot nine times. This is how energy is transferred to tea and it is considered creative and active. And the aroma after such a procedure becomes even brighter. Next, you need to pour tea from the teapot into a special vessel, so it is enriched with oxygen and becomes saturated.
7. When tea is poured, the vessel is held high to charge the water with positive energy. Tea is first poured into high cups, and then into low ones. Then you need to cover the low dish with high dishes so that the male energy flows into the female. Then take two cups with one hand, while the thumb is at the bottom, and the middle one is at the top and turn it over sharply so that the fingers do not burn. This process is a symbol of the unity of two principles.
8. Then they take a tall cup and turn it clockwise and taste tea from it. Be sure to do this clockwise, and not counterclockwise, otherwise the turn will attract a destructive character. They savor the aroma from a tall cup, and drink the drink itself from a low dish.
9. During tea drinking, the first tea leaves are poured out, and the second one is already drunk. This applies to black teas, if you drink, then the first brew is important in it. It has a delicate taste and aroma. After taking a sip of tea, it must be spread out from the root of the tongue to the tip, since different taste buds are located at different ends of the tongue, and in order to fully experience the taste of tea, it must be held in the mouth for a while and then swallowed. It is also important to enjoy the aftertaste. Tea can be brewed up to 10 times, the most intense aroma will be at the fourth tea leaves.
10. After the tea is drunk, the guests admire the tea leaves. And during the ceremony itself, you can even taste the taste of a leaf, but this is optional.

Ceremony bans

Everything needs to be approached wisely, the same applies to the tea ceremony, it has several prohibitions:

1. Do not drink tea on an empty stomach.
2. You can not drink burning tea. Long-term use of very hot tea can lead to changes in internal organs. According to scientists, if you drink tea with a temperature above 62 degrees, you can damage the walls of the stomach.
3. You can not drink tea cold. Such tea leads to the accumulation of phlegm.
4. You can not drink strong tea - a large amount of caffeine leads to and.
5. Tea should not be brewed for a long time, otherwise you can kill all the healing substances in it.
6. You should not get carried away with repeated brewing, because after the third brewing, there are almost no useful substances left in it.
7. You can not drink tea before meals, otherwise the food will be poorly digested.
8. You can not drink tea immediately after eating, during this period protein and iron will be poorly absorbed.
9. You can not drink tea with pills, otherwise they will not be absorbed by the body.
10. You can not drink yesterday's tea, as organisms have divorced in it.

Of course, such a tea ceremony is not an exact copy of the one that has been passed down from generation to generation of oriental sages for centuries, but the most important thing is to create the very spirit of the tea ceremony in your home and soulfulness, warmth and a desire to enjoy peace will come with it.

In the life of the people of China, tea has a special place, and drinking tea has completely turned into a separate art of the tea ceremony.

The Chinese prefer tea to other drinks even in the summer: it not only quenches thirst, but also improves immunity.

Tea ceremony in China - a bit of history

The appearance of tea is attributed to one of the main figures of the divine progenitor of the entire Chinese people, Shen Nong, whose name in Chinese means "Divine Farmer". It was this hero who taught the people to plow the land, grow cereals, as well as medicinal and other useful plants.

Tradition says that Shen Nong had a bull's head and a human body, while his belly was made of transparent jade. Shen Nong helped people treat ailments, and for this he wandered around the country in search of medicinal plants, separating them from the often found poisonous ones. The healer tested the effect of the herbs found on himself. At the same time, he observed the influence of the eaten plant or its fruits on the body through his transparent stomach. It is said that once he tried a new, unfamiliar plant and as a result received severe poisoning. When he became very ill, he lay down under an unfamiliar bush. Suddenly, a dewdrop rolled from the leaves of the bush. Swallowing this drop, the doctor felt a surge of strength and pleasant cheerfulness throughout his body.

Since that time, Shen Nong carried the leaves of this plant with him everywhere, using them as an antidote. And so it happened that he taught the entire Chinese people to drink tea as a medicine.

In ancient times, tea was a drink for rich people. No one knows exactly when it transitioned into an everyday drink. At the same time, in the 1st century BC, tea was widely distributed, and it was already available on the market. And from 618 to 907, the Chinese tea ceremony began to develop, and tea rooms were first described.

Over time, along the Great Silk Road, tea also penetrated into Russia. It is reported in the literature that the Cossacks presented tea as a gift to the Russian Tsar in 1567. Russians were able to truly appreciate the fragrant drink already in the 19th century. It was then that the Russian tea ceremony was formed. They learned how to brew in the world-famous Russian samovars.

In China, the tea ceremony is a whole ritual where a certain order is observed when brewing a drink. The main purpose of this action is to reveal the taste and aroma of tea, and haste is inappropriate here. The Chinese tea ceremony implies calmness and tranquility. Fanciful tea utensils, elegant small-sized dishes, as well as pleasant quiet music help to create a special atmosphere - thanks to all these factors, it becomes possible to enjoy the unforgettable fragrant aroma of a tea drink known all over the world and a long aftertaste.

Features of the tea ritual in Chinese

The tea ceremony in China is called gongfu-cha: gong is the highest art, and cha is, of course, tea. The Chinese themselves attach special importance to the ritual. They have a skill that not everyone can master.

The Chinese ritual of tea drinking is considered one of the most mysterious and mysterious in the whole world. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the Chinese consider tea not just a drink. For them, tea is a wise plant, which is given to transmit the energy of life. To receive this energy, there are certain conditions that are summarized in the rules for holding a tea ceremony.

Special requirements for water

The choice of water with which tea will be brewed is of decisive importance. It must be from a pure source. The most suitable is the one that has a sweetish aftertaste and a soft texture.

When making tea, boiling water is essential. It does not need to be brought to a strong boil, because because of this, its own energy leaves it. They say that water is considered to have boiled to the desired state of tea, as soon as bubbles appear in it, they are not allowed to boil rapidly.

Sounds of music

Traditionally, before the start of the ceremony, a person must cleanse himself, achieve a state of inner harmony and peace. That is why it takes place in a beautiful room and to the sounds of pleasant music, often mesmerizing and mystical. For the best effect, the tea ceremony master prefers to use the sounds of nature. This contributes to the immersion of a person in the depths of his soul and helps to better merge with nature.

What is customary to talk about at the tea ceremony?

During the tea ritual, it is traditional to talk about the tea itself. In addition, an important element of the ceremony is the demonstration of respect for the tea deity and talk about him. Often masters put his figurine or image next to the tea utensils.

The internal state of the audience

According to all the canons, the ritual takes place in an atmosphere of goodness and harmony. In the process of drinking tea, it is not customary to talk loudly, wave your hands or make noise. Full concentration helps to feel the true pleasure from the drink and real happiness.

By the way, the tea ceremony in China involves the participation of 2 to 6 people. It is in this case that one can achieve an amazing atmosphere, called in the traditions the contact of souls.

Tea ceremony interior

All those present are seated on straw mats laid on the floor. Soft pillows of a pleasant warm color are laid out near the guests. A table for tea, called a chaban, is set in the middle, about 10 cm high. It looks like a kind of wooden box. It has special openings where the rest of the tea is poured, because in China, excess water speaks of abundance.

When all the basic principles of tea drinking are observed, the solemn moment of the tea drinking itself comes.

So Chinese tea

A set for the tea ceremony is laid out in front of the guests. The utensils include: a teapot for brewing, a vessel - cha-hai, a tea box called cha-he, and a tea pair. All utensils for the tea ceremony should be made in the same style and not distract from the wonderful drink with their appearance.

First of all, the master puts the dry tea brew in a cha-he - a special porcelain box, which is designed to study the structure of tea and inhale its smell. All participants slowly pass it into each other's hands and inhale the aroma. This ritual has another meaning - during the transmission of cha-he, those present approach each other.

After that, the gongfu-cha master brews the tea. The first poured boiling water is drained - thus the dust is washed off the tea. But already from the next filling, each guest of the ceremony enjoys a miraculous drink.

In front of each participant is on a tray. These are two cups, one of which is high and narrow (wenxiabei), designed to smell, and wide and low (chabei) - to enjoy the color and taste of tea. The second water is poured into tall cups after it has been in the teapot for about 30 seconds. Wensyabei is filled only ¾ and immediately covered with a wide cup. After a while, the upper cup is removed and, bringing the lower one to the nose, inhale the wonderful aroma of the resulting tea. It is important to concentrate and merge with the energy of tea. Tea is drunk slowly, focusing on sensations.

Tea is poured until the drink retains its color and aroma. With each new filling, tea gets different shades of smell and taste.

As a result, the tea ceremony gives peace, peace of mind and helps to forget about the hustle and bustle of our lives.

Tea ceremony in England

The UK is one of the world leaders in tea consumption per person. Tea drinking for the British is not just a habit, it is a ritual with its own established traditions. It originated from the typical English Five-o-clock Tea.

The traditional set for the English tea ceremony is a white or blue tablecloth without patterns, a vase with fresh white flowers. Tea pairs, with tea, a milk jug, a jug of milk, a strainer and a stand for it. In addition, you will need a sugar bowl (preferably with white and brown sugar), teaspoons, a fork and knife, and napkins to match the tablecloth.

Snacks are always served with tea - these are various versions of English pastries. Traditionally, guests can choose among 5-10 varieties of tea, where Lapsang Souchong, Earl Grey, Darjeeling, Assam, as well as different tea blends are mandatory.

By the way, another important serving element is a quilted or woolen teapot case (tea-cosy).

The tea ceremony in England has its own secret. When brewing tea, it is taken into account that it will no longer be diluted with boiling water in cups. This means that when brewing, tea leaves are put in the teapot based on the fact that 1 teaspoon of tea is for 1 person. In the case when using a large teapot, it is recommended to add 1 more spoon for all.

Then the tea is infused for 3-5 minutes, and it is poured to the guests. Immediately after this, you need to pour boiling water from a jug into the teapot (a feature of the tea ceremony is re-filling the tea leaves) and cover it with tea-cosy to maintain the temperature. By the time you finish drinking the first cup, the second filling has time to infuse. The kettle can be filled again, but each time the quality of the drink will deteriorate.

Traditionally, tea is drunk with milk, and tea is added to hot milk, and not vice versa.

Russian tea traditions

The tea ceremony in Moscow is a completely different tradition, very different from the rituals that have developed in the homeland of this drink. They say that the Japanese enjoy tea utensils, the details of the ceremony, their inner world when drinking tea. The tea ceremony in China - the enjoyment of taste and aroma - is valuable by the very fact of observing traditions, entourage, pastries. And for Russians, the most important thing is the gathered company near the Russian samovar. Communication between all those gathered is valuable.

In Moscow, they originally drank black tea. Boiling water is heated in a samovar, and a teapot is placed on top. The brew is made stronger than the tea that is eventually drunk. Tea leaves are poured into the cups, and then boiling water from the samovar.

Pastries are always offered on the table for tea,
lemon, sugar, jam and honey. The latter are most often eaten with tea or spread on bread. Often a "tea pair" - a saucer - is served to the cup. Hot tea is poured into it from a cup and drunk.

Whatever the tea traditions of different nations, everywhere this drink is valued for its pleasant taste, delicate aroma and unusual properties.

The modern world is experiencing a real tea boom. The most fashionable restaurants in New York, London, Paris are expanding their tea lists and always put tasting letters on the table for guests to record their impressions of tea.

Tea ceremonies have long been one of the most beloved components of Japanese culture. They came here from China thanks to Buddhist monks who drank tea during meditation. Over time, Chinese motifs mixed with the Japanese mentality, turning the tea ceremony into a real action with strict canons.

This strictly scheduled ritual involves the tea master (a human priest who brews and pours tea) and guests. Everyone behaves in accordance with established rules, maintaining proper posture, manner of communication and even facial expressions.

Chanoyu (tea ceremony in Japan) today is an original, unique art. For the Japanese, this is not just a way to properly prepare tea - with every word and gesture they strive for spiritual self-improvement.

TEA CEREMONY AT HOME

What you need:

1. welding,

2. special dishes for the tea ceremony,

3. gaiwan (bowl with lid),

4. tea bowls,

5. tea board / bamboo mat.

conducting

- Pour a teaspoon of tea into the gaiwan and immediately pour boiling water over it.

Leave the drink to infuse for 2-4 minutes.

- Pour the gaiwan tea into the bowl. Be sure to make sure that the lid does not rise and the fragrant aroma of tea remains inside the vessel.

Drink tea hot, in small sips.

- Do not add sugar - enjoy the real taste and aroma of tea.

- After drinking 3/4 of the tea from the gaiwan, add boiling water again.

Watch the video: Sweets. Cookies for tea. Candies. We are waiting for guests.