The Book of Tea by Kakuzō Okakura

The Book of Tea describes all aspects of the Japanese tea ceremony and explains how its rituals blend seamlessly with traditional Japanese life. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition has an introduction by Anna Sherman and delightful illustrations by Sayuri Romei. This short book, written in English by a Japanese scholar and artist, was first published in 1906 at a time when Japan was opening up to Western Culture. In response to that, Okakura Kakuzo set out to explain the beauty and simplicity of Japanese daily life which was greatly inspired by teaism. He describes in detail the different aspects of the tea ceremony, how it was founded, the role of the tea masters, the architecture of the tea-room and the stages of making and serving the tea. He then goes on to explain the connection between Taoism and Zennism with tea and he also writes chapters on art appreciation and the art of flower arranging.

Tea as religion
influencer of art forms
smug simplicity.

4.5

I enjoyed this book; it was fun and very entertaining to read!! There's a lot of commentary on Western vs Eastern culture and people (as well as their opinions), but mainly this little book is about the tea ceremony and the culture and tradition behind it all. There were some detailed descriptions and explanations, so it took some time to get through it but just like drinking tea or coffee - I savoured the precious time I was able to spend with it.

Re-read, a classic that says a lot not only about the Tea Ceremony and teaism, but Japanese Culture.

“Teaism is a cult founded on the adoration of the beautiful among the sordid facts of everyday existence. It inculcates purity and harmony, the mystery of mutual charity, the romanticism of the social order. It is essentially a worship of the Imperfect, as it is a tender attempt to accomplish something possible in this impossible thing we know as life.”

“The long isolation of Japan from the rest of the world, so conducive to introspection, has been highly favourable to the development of Teaism. Our home and habits, costume and cuisine, porcelain, lacquer, painting–our very literature–all have been subject to its influence.”

“(The taste of tea) has not the arrogance of wine, the self-consciousness of coffee, nor the simpering innocence of cocoa.”

‘Lotung, a Tang poet, wrote: “The first cup moistens my lips and throat, the second cup breaks my loneliness, the third cup searches my barren entrail but to find therein some five thousand volumes of odd ideographs. The fourth cup raises a slight perspiration,–all the wrong of life passes away through my pores. At the fifth cup I am purified; the sixth cup calls me to the realms of the immortals. The seventh cup–ah, but I could take no more! I only feel the breath of cool wind that rises in my sleeves. Where is Horaisan? Let me ride on this sweet breeze and waft away thither.”‘

“How can one be serious with the world when the world itself is so ridiculous!”

“Those of us who know not the secret of properly regulating our own existence on this tumultuous sea of foolish troubles which we call life are constantly in a state of misery while vainly trying to appear happy and contented. We stagger in the attempt to keep our moral equilibrium, and see forerunners of the tempest in every cloud that floats on the horizon. Yet there is joy and beauty in the roll of billows as they sweep outward toward eternity.”