| The Japaneses Tea Ceremony is one of the most | | | | 5. Next you wipe the part of the cup that has |
| time honoured and ancient tradition in Japan. It shows | | | | touched your lips with your right hand |
| hospitality and respect. | | | | 6. You then turn the chawan (tea cup) |
| History of the Ceremony | | | | counter-clockwise three times and return it to your |
| It was during the eighth century that we see the | | | | host. |
| first mention of a formal ceremony where drinking | | | | This may seem to be quite the actions to go through |
| tea can be found, although, that ritual likely differs | | | | for merely a cup of tea, however, it is not just a tea |
| greatly then the tea ceremony of today. A Chinese | | | | drinking occasion this ceremony hold much more. |
| Buddhist Priest wrote a book called "Cha Ching". This | | | | There is an element of aesthetics, social ethics, and |
| book described described the proper method of | | | | perhaps a religious experience as well. Many may |
| preparing tea including the use of proper tea vessels | | | | think that it is easy to preform a tea ceremony. |
| and the temperature of the hot water. It is believed | | | | Although the making of the tea and the serving may |
| that through this book developed the tea ceremony | | | | seem simple enough it has been said that learning to |
| you would see today in Japan. | | | | serve a tea ceremony is like playing an instrument. If |
| How to accept at a tea ceremony. | | | | you learn quickly you may learn the actions quite well |
| The steps of a tea ceremony are not difficult and | | | | in a few weeks. However, if you truly want to |
| are actually quite simple. You invite some guests, | | | | master the art it will take more like ten years to truly |
| serve sweets and mix the bitter powdered green | | | | understand and learn it. |
| tea know as matcha with water. It is said that the | | | | The loveliest form of the tea ceremony is the Chaji |
| combination between the sweets and the bitter tea | | | | which is the tea ceremony at it's finest involving a full |
| compliment each other like a symbol for harmony. If | | | | tea presentation with a meal. The Japanese tea |
| you ever find yourself at a tea ceremony these are | | | | ceremony is lavish and expensive as each item used |
| the basic six steps to accepting the tea from your | | | | in the ceremony is considered an art piece as well as |
| host. | | | | utensils. |
| 1. First you bow when you receive the cup of tea | | | | If you are ever lucky enough to be invited to an |
| which is called a chawan | | | | authentic tea ceremony you will be dazzled and |
| 2. Next you take the chawan (tea cup) with your | | | | amazed at how beautiful and fluid it is. It is very |
| right hand and place it in the palm of your left hand. | | | | ritualistic and can be anywhere from twenty minutes |
| 3.Then you turn the tea cup clockwise three times | | | | to five hours in length. Remember when attending |
| before you drink it. | | | | that this is not just a tea ceremony but an artistic |
| 4. When you have finished the tea be sure to make | | | | expression. If you can look at it like that you will be |
| a loud slurp to let the host know you have enjoyed | | | | amazed at how truly beautiful it is. |
| it. | | | | |