Non-Denominational Tea-ism

[TeaDidikai]

The Shennong Legend:

Shennong is a legendary Emperor of China and is attributed with the inventions of agriculture and Chinese medicine. He was reportedly drinking a bowl of hot water when the wind blew and a few leaves from a nearby tree fell into his water and began to change its color.

He decided to test this new liquior and sipping the brew he was surprised by its flavor and its restorative properties.

A variation on this legend tells that the emperor often tested the medical properties of herbs on himself- some of which were poisonous! He found tea to work as an antidote.  

[TeaDidikai]

Any final questions before we move on?  

[patch99329]

Nope ^_^

Thanks for posting!  

[Haloquine]

I'm fine for questions, thank you.

(Sorry I've not been about much. Essay-heavy period and exams in just over a week.)  

[TeaDidikai]

Lu Yu

Born in 733, Lu Yu published what would become one of the most important texts when it came to Tea- the Cha Ching.

Lu Yu is often known as the patron Saint of Tea or the Sage of Tea, the founding father of Tea as Art and Culture. He is even worshiped by some people who follow various forms of Chinese Traditional theology.

Lu Yu was an orphan. He was adopted by the famous Tang Dynasty Buddhist Zen Master Zhiji of the Longgai Monastery. Master Zhiji found him one morning at the crack of dawn when he was only three. The name Lu Yu was given to him by Master Zhiji after consulting the Te Ching.

As a child Lu Yu showed great interest in tea and mastered the skill of tea making from Master Zhiji who himself was a zealous tea master. Lu Yu drifted away from Buddhism much to Master Zhija's dismay and at age twelve he ran away from the Monastery.

He actually joined a troupe of traveling performers as a comedian.

Several years later a member of the Tang royal family was stationed in the city wherein Lu Yu was residing. Lu Yu's popularity caught the attention of the prefect who sponsored his further education. He continued his study of literature, art and tea eventually spending years in the high tea country in China compiling the details for the Cha Ching.

He was offered two positions by two different Chinese emperors- both of which he refused in order to further his studies in tea.

Mountains of gold I do not require,
Jaded white cup is not my desire,
Status and rank I least aspire,
Fame and fortune I care not to acquire,
I only thirst for water from Yangtze west
Far as Jingling I wandered for to fill my quest.
-Lu Yu

The Cha Ching, also known as The Classic of Tea was perhaps the most detailed book on tea one could find. It discusses everything down to how far away from the heat a kettle should be when brewing tea.  

[TeaDidikai]

Sen no Rikyū

Sen no Rikyu was born in 1522 and began studying tea at an early age and his Zen training at Daitoku-ji Temple in northwest Kyoto soon followed.

He was instramental in the popularization of the modern Chanoya Tea Ceremony and by age fifty-eight he had earned the position of the Tea Master to Oda Nobunaga, one of the most powerful men in Japan. After Nobunaga’s assassination, he became the tea master for Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Nobunaga’s successor.

When Hideyoshi hosted a tea at the Imperial Palace in 1585, Rikyu received the Buddhist rank of koji from the Emperor himself.

Rikyū taught that there were four key elements in tea- Harmony, Respect, Purity and Tranquility. He introduced the concept of wabi-sabi, elegance in simplicity to Japanese tea culture, shifting the popular practice from Sencha to Chanoya.

Many of the prescribed behaviors used in contemporary Japanese tea ceremony were introduced by him- including the basic style of the tea house. He designed new tea serving utensils and also implemented the use of small lanterns as garden decorations.

Although Rikyu’s tea ceremony is closely associated with Zen Buddhism, three of Rikyu’s seven disciples were devote Christians.

Rikyu’s relationship with Hideyoshi was a complex. Rikyu functioned both as a tea master and an adviser. Rikyu refused Hideyoshi’s request to take Rikyu’s daughter as a concubine and it damaged their relationship beyond repair.

Legend says that Hideyoshi was enraged when he entered the gate of Daitoku-ji temple and saw a statue of Rikyu, a great insult since Hideyoshi had funded the building of the temple. Hideyoshi ordered the ritual suicide of Rikyu.

Before his death, Rikyu called together his family and disciples. He then composed his death poem.

I raise the sword.
This sword of mine;
Long in my possession.
The time is come at last.
Skyward I throw it up!

Legend also says that upon Rikyu's death, Hideyoshi mourned and repented- wounded by the loss of such an amazing person.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Though many people drink tea,
if you do not know the Way of Tea,
tea will drink you up.

-Sen no Rikyū  

[TeaDidikai]

Questions folks?  

[patch99329]

I'm good ^_^  

[error-dot-tar]

I'm a little confused about Sen no Rikyū's statement at the bottom. What exactly did he mean by "if you do not know the Way of Tea, tea will drink you up"?  

[Haloquine]

error[dot]exe

I'm a little confused about Sen no Rikyū's statement at the bottom. What exactly did he mean by "if you do not know the Way of Tea, tea will drink you up"?

Might it be referring to the addictive nature of tea?  

[TeaDidikai]

So, yeah. Much slacking has occurred. ninja
Sorry guys.

Any point in me picking this back up? I have a little more free time to devote to it now.

To answer the question about the Rikyū quote, my educated guess is that he was talking about transcending the trappings of life. As a koji, I imagine he saw the benefits of what tea could teach, but also saw how some people could 666.5 it.  

[patch99329]

I'd like to see this picked up again! I too have time again! ninja