Tea at Kakuzo.ComThe Book of Tea by Okakura KakuzoI. The Cup of HumanityTea began as a medicine and grew into a beverage. In China, in the eighth century, it entered the realm of poetry as one of the polite amusements. The fifteenth century saw Japan ennoble it into a religion of aestheticism--Teaism. 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. More..... The Cup of Humanity from The Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzo II. The Schools of Tea.Tea is a work of art and needs a master hand to bring out its noblest qualities. We have good and bad tea, as we have good and bad paintings--generally the latter. There is no single recipe for making the perfect tea, as there are no rules for producing a Titian or a Sesson. Each preparation of the leaves has its individuality, its special affinity with water and heat, its own method of telling a story. The truly beautiful must always be in it. How much do we not suffer through the constant failure of society to recognise this simple and fundamental law of art and life; Lichilai, a Sung poet, has sadly remarked that there were three most deplorable things in the world: the spoiling of fine youths through false education, the degradation of fine art through vulgar admiration, and the utter waste of fine tea through incompetent manipulation. More..... The Schools of Tea from The Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzo III. Taoism and ZennismThe connection of Zennism with tea is proverbial. We have already remarked that the tea-ceremony was a development of the Zen ritual. The name of Laotse, the founder of Taoism, is also intimately associated with the history of tea. It is written in the Chinese school manual concerning the origin of habits and customs that the ceremony of offering tea to a guest began with Kwanyin, a well-known disciple of Laotse, who first at the gate of the Han Pass presented to the "Old Philosopher" a cup of the golden elixir. We shall not stop to discuss the authenticity of such tales, which are valuable, however, as confirming the early use of the beverage by the Taoists. Our interest in Taoism and Zennism here lies mainly in those ideas regarding life and art which are so embodied in what we call Teaism. More..... Taoism and Zennism from The Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzo V. Art AppreciationHave you heard the Taoist tale of the Taming of the Harp? Once in the hoary ages in the Ravine of Lungmen stood a Kiri tree, a veritable king of the forest. It reared its head to talk to the stars; its roots struck deep into the earth, mingling their bronzed coils with those of the silver dragon that slept beneath. And it came to pass that a mighty wizard made of this tree a wondrous harp, whose stubborn spirit should be tamed but by the greatest of musicians. For long the instrument was treasured by the Emperor of China, but all in vain were the efforts of those who in turn tried to draw melody from its strings. In response to their utmost strivings there came from the harp but harsh notes of disdain, ill-according with the songs they fain would sing. The harp refused to recognise a master. More..... Art Appreciation from The Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzo VI. FlowersIn the trembling grey of a spring dawn, when the birds were whispering in mysterious cadence among the trees, have you not felt that they were talking to their mates about the flowers? Surely with mankind the appreciation of flowers must have been coeval with the poetry of love. Where better than in a flower, sweet in its unconsciousness, fragrant because of its silence, can we image the unfolding of a virgin soul? The primeval man in offering the first garland to his maiden thereby transcended the brute. He became human in thus rising above the crude necessities of nature. He entered the realm of art when he perceived the subtle use of the useless. More..... Flowers from The Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzo VII. Tea-MastersIn religion the Future is behind us. In art the present is the eternal. The tea-masters held that real appreciation of art is only possible to those who make of it a living influence. Thus they sought to regulate their daily life by the high standard of refinement which obtained in the tea-room. In all circumstances serenity of mind should be maintained, and conversation should be conducted as never to mar the harmony of the surroundings. The cut and color of the dress, the poise of the body, and the manner of walking could all be made expressions of artistic personality. These were matters not to be lightly ignored, for until one has made himself beautiful he has no right to approach beauty. Thus the tea-master strove to be something more than the artist,--art itself. It was the Zen of aestheticism. Perfection is everywhere if we only choose to recognise it. Rikiu loved to quote an old poem which says: "To those who long only for flowers, fain would I show the full-blown spring which abides in the toiling buds of snow-covered hills." More..... Tea Masters from The Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzo The Book of Tea by Okakura KakuzoThe Full Text of The Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzo More..... The Book of Tea The Full Text of The Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzo Tea Facts and InformationTea Cultivation and ClassificationTea is grown primarily in mainland China, India, Pakistan, Iran, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, Nepal, Australia, Argentina, and Kenya. (Note that in the tea trade, Sri Lanka and Taiwan are still referred to by their former names of Ceylon and Formosa, respectively.) More..... Tea Cultivation and Classification Tea Cultivation and Classification Blends of tea and Additives to TeaAlmost all teas in tea-bags and most other teas are blends. Though recently with improvements in the dry freeze technique and the improved infusion method, tea powder and condensed tea essence that only needs hot or cold water to make a cup of tea are sold. Blending may occur at the level of tea-planting area (e.g. Assam), or teas from many areas may be blended. The aim of blending is a stable taste over different years, and a better price. More expensive, more tasty tea may cover the inferior taste of cheaper tea. More..... Blends of tea and Additives to Tea Blends of tea and Additives to Tea The History of Tea
Tea creation myths More..... The History of Tea The History of Tea The word teaThe Chinese character for tea is ?, but it is pronounced differently in the various Chinese dialects. Two pronunciations have made their way into other languages around the world. One is 'te' (POJ: tę) which comes from the Minnan dialect spoken around the port of Amoy. The other is 'cha', used by the Cantonese dialect spoken around the ports of Canton and Hong Kong, as well as in the Mandarin dialect of northern China. More..... The word tea The word tea Tea CultureTea is often drunk at social events, especially early in the day to heighten alertness—it contains theophylline and bound caffeine (sometimes called "theine"), although there are also decaffeinated teas. More..... Tea Culture Tea Culture Tea Preparation
This section describes the most widespread method of making tea. Completely different methods are used in North Africa, Tibet and perhaps in other places. More..... Tea Preparation Tea Preparation - How to make tea Tea CardsIn the United Kingdom a number of varieties of loose Tea sold in packets from the 1940s to the 1970s contained tea cards......... More..... Tea Cards Tea Cards TeaTea drinking in China dates back to before the Tang Dynasty (618–907). Tea is a caffeinated beverage, an infusion made by steeping the dried leaves or buds of the shrub Camellia sinensis in hot water. In addition, tea may also include other herbs, spices, or fruit flavours. The word "tea" is also used, by extension, for any fruit or herb infusion; for example, "rosehip tea" or "camomile tea". In cases where they contain no tea leaves, some people prefer to call these beverages "tisanes" or "herbal teas" to avoid confusion. This article is concerned with the "true" tea, Camellia sinensis. More..... Tea All About Tea Japanese Tea CeremonyThe Japanese tea ceremony (called cha-no-yu, chado, or sado) is a special way of making green tea (matcha?茶). People who study tea ceremony have to learn about different kinds of tea. They also have to learn about kimono (Japanese clothes), flowers, and many other things. It takes many years of practice to learn tea ceremony. More..... Japanese Tea Ceremony All About The Japanese Tea Ceremony Camellia Sinensis The Tea PlantCamellia sinensis is the tea plant, the plant species whose leaves and leaf buds are used to produce tea. The name sinensis means "Chinese" in Latin. Older names for the tea plant include Thea bohea and Thea viridis. More..... Camellia Sinensis The Tea Plant All About The Tea Plant, Science Information and Botanical Facts Chinese TeaTea in Tang Dynasty Premier tea: Xiazhou, Guanzhou, Huzhou,Yuezhou,Pengzhou. Second grade tea: Jingzhou,Ranzhou, Changzhou,Mingzhou. More..... Chinese Tea This article is about varieties of Chinese tea. The History of Tea in ChinaLu Yu wrote in Cha Jing: "Tea as a beverage was originated from Shen Nong" A medicine book "Shen Nong Ben Chao" stated that "Shen Nong tasted hundreds of herbs, he encountered seventy two poisons daily, he used tea as antidote" In Chinese legend, Shen Nong died in Tea Hill (Cha Lin) county of Hunan province. More..... The History of Tea in China This article is about The History of Tea in China.
Okakura KakuzoOkakura Kakuzo (????, February 14, 1863 - September 2, 1913; also known as Okakura Tenshin) was a Japanese scholar who contributed to the development of arts in Japan. Outside Japan, Okakura Kakuzo is chiefly remembered today as the author of The Book of Tea. More..... Okakura Kakuzo This article is about Okakura Kakuzo, his life and works.
Tea Quotes"There is a great deal of poetry and fine sentiment in a chest of tea." - Ralph Waldo Emerson "Thank God for tea! What would the world do without tea? How did it exist? I am glad I was not born before tea." - Rev. Sydney Smith. More..... Tea Quotes A collection of ancient, modern and original tea quotes.
Tea Poetry
A toast to the grace of the pot, More..... Tea Poetry A page featuring tea poems and poetry.
Tea Poems
We had a kettle, we let it leak; More..... Tea Poems Another tea poems and poetry page featuring more tea poems. Tea PhotographsAn index of photographs relating to............. TEA! More..... Tea Photographs Lots of Tea and Tea related photographs on this page. The Korean Tea CeremonyThe Korean tea ceremony is a unique form of tea ceremony practiced in Korea for more than a thousand years. The Korean tea ceremony drew its inspiration from China. The chief element of the Korean tea ceremony is the ease and naturalness of enjoying tea within an easy formal setting. Tea ceremonies are now being revived in Korea as a way to find relaxation and harmony in the fast-paced new Korean culture, and continuing in the long tradition of intangible Korean art. More..... The Korean Tea Ceremony Page with information, facts and history of The Korean Tea Ceremony. The Triskelion Rite of TeaPurpose: The purpose of this working is to pay homage to the Gods and to reflect on Their blessings upon this your life. Tools: * Herb(s) for tea * Container for herb(s) * Cup(s) and Tea Pot * Decanter of Pure Spring Water * Brewing dish with candle * Scrying Candle More..... The Triskelion Rite of Tea Page with information about The Triskelion Rite of Tea. Telling Fortunes by Tea LeavesTelling Fortunes By Tea Leaves HOW TO READ YOUR FATE IN A TEACUP BY CICELY KENT More..... Telling Fortunes By Tea Leaves Page with full text of "Telling Fortunes By Tea Leaves" by Cicely Kent. Tea LeavesTea Leaves By Francis Leggett
"A cup of tea!" Is there a phrase in our language more More..... Tea Leaves Page with full text of "Tea Leaves" by Francis Leggett. Okakura Kakuzo Quotations"A wave of rare incense is wafted from the tea-room; it is the summons which bids the guests to enter. One by one they advance and take their places. In the tokonoma hangs a kakemono—a wonderful writing by an ancient monk dealing with the evanescence of all earthly things. The singing kettle. . . sounds like some cicada pouring forth his woes to departing summer." - Okakura Kakuzo, Book of Tea (1906), Describing the last Cha-no-yu by Rikiu, a great tea master More..... Okakura Kakuzo Quotations Selected Quotations from The Book of Tea and other sources by Okakura Kakuzo. Tea BrandsAdagio Teas, Bigelow Tea Company, Lipton, PG Tips, Scottish Blend, Tetley, Twinings, Typhoo, Yogi Tea. More..... Tea Brands information, facts and history relating to the most famous tea companies and tea brands. A Nice Cup of TeaIf you look up 'tea' in the first cookery book that comes to hand you will probably find that it is unmentioned; or at most you will find a few lines of sketchy instructions which give no ruling on several of the most important points. More..... A Nice Cup of Tea by George Orwell This page has an article from the 1946 Evening Standard, titled "A Nice Cup of Tea" by George Orwell.
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