Uransenke held an lecture at SIM last Saturday on The Way of Tea ~The living aesthetic art~
(I know this is a week's late post. >.<)
So let me just post a few pictures before I explain so 'chimology' theory...
Setting up tea for us. She is inspecting the tea bowl, admiring the art of the bowl. In other words, showing respect for the artist who made this bowl blah blah.
It's recommended that before having the japanese tea (those authentic Japanese tea),
you should eat the sweets provided. (Even if you hate sweets or what, idc just eat)
The sweet will enhance the taste of the tea as the pure tea is really bitter.
And, also, Japanese manners again, please eat the sweets ONLY when the host initiate you to. If not please don't.
Wahh~ The nice design for my bowl.
Before you drink the tea, turn your tea bowl towards your right twice.
(That is to show that you admire the bowl.)
And you are required to finish the tea in 3 sips!
Lastly, before you return the bowl, please turn twice to your left!
(This is to show respect for the host.)
The tools used to make the tea.
(No photo taking is allowed when the lecture starts so I can only just snap photos of this...)
The real tea room is actually 4.5 tatami mats big!! Can you imagine?!?!?
And the room is small and simple, the door too, is short!
This is to make sure that the guests will have a humble feeling when entering the room as when one bows, its respect. Understand?
So nuff said with the pictures, I will begin on the way of tea.
Chado is actually not just a tea ceremony but a social activity, a way to relax and socialize.
To learn chado, you really have a long way to go. In kanji, its 茶道. "茶" meaning "tea" while "道" meaning "way". So it translate "The way of tea". To perfectly reach the light of tea making (the enlightenment of tea making, you have a long long way to go).
Anything with a 道 aka 'do', mean that you have a long long way to reach the 'enlightment' path. It takes time and patience and the 'perfecting' of your soul.
Sad and so ashamed to say, other than this, I forgot the lots of the content... Throughout the lecture, I was practically into the 'falling asleep' mode. I can never be as patient as the Japanese. OTL.
Ok yah, so hope you understand lah. x.x