P2+Chado

P2-Chado: The Way of the Tea By Eesha S. and Caroline B

The way of the tea, or //chado//, dates back to the Heian period. Even though it is a very old ritual, it is still an important part of Japanese history. The purpose of the ceremony was to the four principles of harmony, which are the key values to practicing the ceremony. Only people of the samurai class were allowed to perform the tea ceremony, because it helped them to meditate and build their confidence and discipline. The tea ceremony had to be conducted in a //chashitsu// and had to be in a simple surrounding. This was so that the performers of the ceremony could enhance their senses and calm their minds. The tea ceremony required many utensils to be used, such as the //jiku//, //chasen,// and the //kama//.
 * Introduction: **

The people who practice the tea ceremony believe that life is very busy. To achieve enlightenment through the four principles is the goal of the tea ceremony to people who practice it. The four principles of the tea ceremony are the following: Harmony (WA), Respect (KEI), Purity (SEI), and Tranquility (JYAKU). Once you achieve all of the four principles, then you are considered to have mastered the Tea Ceremony.
 * Purpose of the Tea Ceremony: **

The practice of tea came to Japan from China during the Heian Period. It became an official ceremony when Sen Rikyu mastered its ways. Sen Rikyu had his own style of the ceremony called //wabi//. Only people of the upper classes could perform the ceremony, but common people could still drink tea. Government officials had special rooms that they reserved for practicing the ceremony. The ceremony was supposed to be a time of peace and meditation, so the four principles of harmony were also enforced.
 * Origin of the Tea Ceremony: **

Tea ceremonies always had to be conducted in a //chashitsu// or “tea room”. The tea room was always decorated with simple designs. If it was too fancy, it could take away from the ceremony’s purpose. The design of the tea room had to be distinctive. Nothing was symmetrical and no two things looked alike. One of the special items that were found in the tea room is the //tokunoma// which holds a scroll and flower arrangement. A garden always surrounds the //chashitsu// in order to keep the ceremony private and calm. The garden had a path that led to the tea house. The path was always kept clean and simple, otherwise it was considered disrespectful. To conduct the tea ceremony, a fire called a //ro//, was created. The guests would eat a meal and then go the garden for meditation. After meditating, //koicha// or thick tea was served. The tea was poured into cups and then passed around for all guests to take exactly three sips. Next, //usucha//, or thin tea was served. Although the tea ceremony required the guests to be simple, it required a lot of work.
 * Conducting a Tea Ceremony: **

There are many different utensils that are used during the ritual Tea Ceremony. Not all of them are styled in the same way, for it takes a long time to make or find the right tea set of the host's choosing. As soon as you walk into the teahouse, you would see a scroll hanging on the wall. This is the //jiku// or hanging scroll. The jiku should be properly respected by bowing to it when you walk in. As the ceremony goes on, the first tea paste will start to be made. The green paste will be whisked with a //chasen// or bamboo whisk so it will be more drinkable. The chasen is sometimes made of ivory. The paste will then be scooped up by a //chashaku// or a tea scooper into a drinking bowl. When the next round of tea is made, instead of being made in a //chawan// or tea bowl like the green paste, it will be made in //a kama// or tea kettle. Once you are finished with the ceremony, you admire the many beautiful, unique tea utensils and then leave.
 * Utensils of the Tea Ceremony: **

The tea ceremony was only allowed to be conducted by samurai and other members of the upper class. When samurai practiced the ceremony, it showed that they were very skilled and had manners. Samurai drank tea very often because it helped them to build the confidence that was necessary on the battlefield. The tea ceremony was a time of peace, so no samurai was allowed to carry their weapons. The samurai left their weapons at their sides to indicate that their weapons were not necessary. In conclusion, the Japanese tea ceremony is an important ritual requiring extensive knowledge in many different fields of Japanese art. The ceremony requires a special state of mind, and even though it dates back to the Heian period, it is a sacred and revered pastime today.
 * Connection to the Samurai: **

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"Chanoyu: the Tea Ceremony". __Calliope: World History for Young People__ Vol. 3, Num. 3: 42-45 (January/ February 1993)
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Schomp, Virginia. __Japan in the Days of the Samurai__. New York: Benchmark Books, 2002. p 38. Print.