P2+Moore+Chado

** By Mallory and Jason **
 * Chado: Tea Ceremony **
 * Introduction **

One of the major traditions in Japan is the Tea Ceremony. It is hosted by anyone who wants to host it. The Tea Ceremony is very important in Japan and requires lots of respect. Here you will learn some things about the tea ceremony that you probably didn’t know.


 * How tea came to Japan **

Tea from japan came from china. It was brought over in the 7th century. In 1227 a man named do-gen came back from china with tea instruments and instructions on how to hold a proper tea ceremony which made tea more popular. At first, it was only used by Zen monks, priests and court nobles. It was used to stay awake when meditating. It was also used as a medicine. Ground up tea leaves were packaged in a pocket which was mainly used for religious ceremonies. It was also pressed into blocks and pieces were shaved off.


 * The rules of a Tea Ceremony **

To be invited to a Tea Ceremony, you have to know all of the rules. The principles of a tea ceremony are harmony, respect, purity and tranquility. You must always wash your hands and mouth before entering the tea ceremony. You have to take off your shoes because you will be given slippers. You’re not allowed to smoke inside the tea room and don’t drink from the front side of the tea bowl. It is polite to eat and drink everything that is served to you. You also have to treat all of your utensils with care. A few days after the tea ceremony, it is polite to send a letter and say “thank you for inviting me to your tea ceremony”.


 * Before a Tea Ceremony **

The day that a tea ceremony happens depends on which type of tea ceremony it is. If the tea ceremony takes place at noon, you are allowed to invite up to five guests. You have to wait fifteen minutes before entering the tea ceremony to be polite. You also have to wait in the outdoor garden. A special tea house is used for a tea ceremony. Always greet the host and other guests with bows. Clean your hands and remove your shoes before going in.

The supplies in a Tea Ceremony are very important. You must have all of them to have a tea ceremony. Most upper class people have special tea rooms just for tea ceremonies. Hosts also have to know about all of the utensils which are usually collected over time. The utensils that are used in the tea ceremony are Mats are used to sit on while drinking out of the beautiful tea bowls. Hosts like the show off their expensive utensils to their guests like the Chanoyu. The Chanoyu is used to hold the hot water over the fire which is mixed with the green tea powder to make the tea. Cleaning up must be done properly before they can be inspected by the guests. The fresh water jar is used to rinse all of the utensils when you are finished. There is also a bowl for the waste water. The tea cloth wipes the bowl to dry them off.
 * Supplies **


 * How the Tea is prepared **

Making the tea has to be done very gracefully. The water kettle is placed on the fire so the water can heat up to a boil for the tea. The green powdered tea or chips off of a block of pressed tea leaves is put in the tea bowl and the hot water is added. The tea cloth is used to clean the tea bowls. Once the utensils are clean, the guests inspect the artwork on them. The host likes to show off their beautiful utensils to their guests.


 * Conclusion **

As you can see, the Tea Ceremony is a very important thing in Japan. It is a great honor to be invited to a Tea Ceremony and that’s why you have to have lots of respect to attend. I hope you learned a lot about the tea ceremony.

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**Citations**

__ Chado- The Way of Tea. __ Classroom Handout.

Deal, William E. __Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan.__ New York: Facts on File, Inc. 2006. Print.

Kalman, Bobbie. Japan the Culture. New York: Crabtree Publishing Company. 1989. Print.

Odijk, Pamela. __The Japanese.__ Englewood Cliffs: Silver Burdett Press. 1989. Print.