Drinking tea ritual

It all started when tea came from China to Japan. However, at first it was only popular among monks and aristocrats because the acces was limited but after it was discovered that tea had properties for psychical and spiritual health, wide spread harvesting and the development of brewing and drinking tea began. The whole process of serving tea also became an important occassion in its own right.

Main charasteristic for the ritual was esthetical simplicity connected with artistic expression which meant - moderation, elimination of everything which decontrentrates and raises the anxiety of the spirit. It had to happen in place with an atmosphere of calm and detachment from everyday life and problems. For this reason, tea houses were built and they still exist nowadays. Interiors were made according to wabi-sabi rules which meant ''Beauty, found in peaceful simplicity and ascetic sophistication''. Tea house could be either separate building or a room within a building. It was made only out of natural materials such as alcove, straw, paper... They also had paper sliding doors which were so low that people were forced to almost crawl to get inside. The primary aim for this was to reduce inequality in social classes. These features still appear in Japanese architecture today.

What does such extraordinary ceremony include? At the beginning, everyone has to take some water from the fount, wash hands and rinse mouth. It's about puryfying the body and spirit. Inside the pavillion, there is vertical picture with a Buddhist sentence and a vase for chabana flowers. Guests sit on the tatami mattes and can only talk about the ceremony, otherwise they are thought to be impolite. Later, everyone is served with a light meal which icludes rice, fish, soup and vegetables. Then the tea is made. Three spoons of powder tea are flooded with boiling water and beaten with bambus device. Towards the end of the ceremony, bowls have to be turned so that the front faces the host who may ask if guests would like another round of tea, and if not, the tea ceremony is over.

Today, the tea ceremony is practiced as a hobby, and there are also places where tourists can experience the whole ritual.

References

1. The British Museum, London (2019)

2. GlogsterTMEDUCopyright © 2007 - 2019; Available at: https://edu.glogster.com/glog/japanese-tea-ceremony-8955/23o2d72om0m

3. O'Brien, B. (2019); Available at: https://www.thoughtco.com/chado-zen-and-art-of-tea-449930

4. Yuki (2015 - 2018); Available at: https://matcha-tea.com/matcha/the-secret-meaning-of-traditional-japanese-tea-ceremony