ceremony like Shukou. A Wabi-suki was a teacher distinguished by three particular qualities: faith in the performance of tea, an ability to act with decorum befitting a proper master, and excellent practical skills. Finally, the Meijin not only met all the qualities of a wabi-suki, but was a collector of fine Chinese tea utensils as well.
Preparing tea
The ritual preparation of tea is very simple, simplicity is one of the basics for preparing a bowl of green tea for the guests. However, each step of the preparation has fixed movements, and utensils have to be placed at pre-decided locations on the Tatami mat. It is drinking tea and serving tea with a lot of spiritual depth and a deep silence and serenity.
Preparation styles can vary according to the season or the level of formality of the meeting. But basically there are two main preparations styles :
Preparation of tea with the Furo during summer season.
Preparation of tea with the Ro during winter season.
The main difference between preparing tea in summer and winter is that in summer the Kama or iron kettle is placed on a brazier and in winter the Kama is placed in a sunken hearth or Ro which is a square hole in the Tatami flooring. According to this the utensils used to prepare green tea are placed at slighly different locations. Also the Sumi-demae charcoal procedure is different in winter and summer. Because the placement of utensils is different during tea in summer and tea in winter, the way to finish the tea ceremony during Furo and Ro also differs.
The Five Theories of the Japanese tea ceremony
Sensho Tanaka sought to utilize and further develop the cultural tradition of the Japanese tea ceremony in the modern society and to reform the means of succession. After studying the arts and conventions of established schools, he came to have his own ideas and concepts, that he thought, were suitable to the new era.
Finally, in 1898 he established the Dai Nihon ChadoGakkai and at the same time made his own ideas and concepts public through the publication of three volumes of Chado-Kogi.Here, these ideas and concepts of Sensho will be introduced and further explained.
1. Theory of the origin of the Japanese tea ceremony
2. Zen theory for the Japanese tea ceremony
3. Etiquette theory for the Japanese tea ceremony
4. Seven -point theory of the Japanese tea ceremony 5. Theory of flower co-ordination for the Japanese teaceremony
1. Theory of the origin of the Japanese tea ceremony
Sensho lamented the tendency clearly present in the world of the Japanese tea ceremony that one school spoke ill of others since each school falsely believed that it was the only true school. He suggested that the formal style each school maintained was not more important than the constant search for what the founder of each school thought at the time of their creation of such styles and formalities.
However, there still were those who would never abandon their narrow concepts of school righteousness. Sensho explained to them that at the time of the birth of the Japanese tea ceremony there were no such things as schools, and thus proposed them to change their consciousness.
Today the Dai Nihon Chado Gakkai has certainly established a unique system of the Japanese tea ceremony resulting from the idea , the efforts, and the belief of Sensho. But, the Dai Nihon ChadoGakkai always reminds its members of not falling into the wrong special-school consciousness, and will continuously endeavor to preserve and maintain Sensho’s creed on the Japanese tea ceremony.
2. Zen theory for the Japanese tea ceremony
Sensho experienced by himself the possibility of attaining the state of consciousness equal to that which is acquired in Zen meditation. He proposed that this state of consciousness should be one of the main goals of practicing a training of Temae. He believed that Temae would be a good chance for anyone to look at his inner self and it would thus enable him to understand and enjoy the spiritual aspects of the Japanese tea ceremony.
3. Etiquette theory for the Japanese tea ceremony
Sensho developed his philosophy of courtesy and manners based on Confucius’s book, Rai-Ki. In this he emphasized the manners of the Japanese tea ceremony as the one of the products in human culture, not as the mere way of greeting or means of smoothing human relationships.