Japanese Tea Ceremony
What is the real purpose of the Tea Ceremony? Philosophy? Zen? The perfect cup of tea?
Well, I would guess that, today, the answer is simple: money.
The event no longer takes place in a small garden house but in theatre-style halls.
Even so, one shouldn’t miss the opportunity to attend such a ceremony. It’s beautiful.
And you even can take photographs, which would not exactly be compatible with the traditions of Cha-Do - the way of tea.
October 22nd, 2004 at 10:12 am
The lady in the picture is peforming ‘tea for a Western room,’ a ceremony devised in the late 1800s. That’s amazing equipment she’s got. But for most practitioners of tea, it is still done in a small room, four and a half mats or so, and is about the study. What you was was spectacular, but a ‘demonstration’ by someone of high standing and rank in a theatrical art. Kind of like a movie start making spaghetti in a designer kitchen on TV. Interesting, but not the way most of us do it.
October 24th, 2004 at 7:41 am
Pyrkanthos,
thanks for the information! What you say is certainly true and I was aware of the fact that this was more of a theatrical event than a genuine tea ceremony.
On the other hand, in a real tea ceremony, you would normally not have the opportunity to take pictures - let alone using fill-flash!
Laurenz
March 11th, 2005 at 6:18 am
ahahaha cool stuff