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THE ART OF DRINKING TEA

BRITAIN AND JAPAN

Drinking Tea in Britain

Introducing

          Tea, that most quintessential of English drinks, is a relative latecomer to British shores. Although the custom of drinking tea dates back to the third millennium BC in China, it was not until the mid 17th century that the beverage first appeared in England.

          The use of tea spread slowly from its Asian homeland, reaching Europe by way of Venice around 1560, although Portuguese trading ships may have made contact with the Chinese as early as 1515. It was the Portuguese and Dutch traders who first imported tea to Europe, with regular shipments by 1610. England was a latecomer to the tea trade, as the East India Company did not capitalize on tea's popularity until the mid-18th century. 

Tea Customs
          Afternoon tea is said to have originated with one person; Anna, 7th Duchess of Bedford. In the early 1800's she launched the idea of having tea in the late afternoon to bridge the gap between luncheon and dinner, which in fashionable circles might not be served until 8 o'clock at night. This fashionable custom soon evolved into high tea among the working classes, where this late afternoon repast became the main meal of the day. 

Tea Gardens
          The popular pleasure gardens of Ranelagh and Vauxhall in London began serving tea around 1730. An evening of dancing and watching fireworks would be capped by tea. The concept caught on, and soon Tea Gardens opened all over Britain. Usually the gardens were opened on Saturday and Sunday, and an afternoon of entertainment and dancing would be highlighted by serving tea. 

Tea and Pottery
          What connection, you might be excused for asking, does tea have with the growth of the British pottery industry? Simply this: tea in China was traditionally drunk from cups without handles. When tea became popular in Britain, there was a crying need for good cups with handles, to suit British habits. This made for tremendous growth in the pottery and porcelain industry, and the prosperity of such companies as Wedgwood, Spode, and Royal Doulton.

Reference:

Harris, Michael. Mower, David, Challenges Students’ Book 3.Longman. Pearson. 2007.

Drinking Tea in Japan

"Tea with us became more than an idealization of the form of drinking; it is a religion of the art of life."

Introduction

The Art of Tea became of great importance to Zen Buddhist meditation. Zen essentially means "meditation" or "conception." Zen had been introduced to Japan several times, but had not lasted; however, the pioneers of this style of teachings were Eisai (1141-1215) and Dogen (1200-1253).

Thus, the tea ceremony came to be not only a social attraction but a ritual as well. This page will discuss the history of tea, the tools and supplies used in ceremonies, the tea house, and the Tea Ceremony itself.

How to Drink Tea

The tea bowl can either be placed in front of the guest or may be placed in the room where the tea was prepared. If the room is small, the guest should not stand up but advance on his knees toward the host. He should also remember the original place where the bowl was stored, so as to return it to its proper place after drinking the tea.

Place the tea bowl outside the border of the tatami you are sitting on. If there is a guest who has been served before you, it is polite to say, "O shoban sasete itadaki masu," or "Please let me accompany you", And to the guest who has not yet been served, you should excuse yourself for drinking first.

You then turn to the host and address him with the words, "O temae o chodai itashimasu,", or "I'll Pick up the bowl with your right hand and place it on the palm of your left hand. Put the fingers and our right hand around it, with the thumb facing you, and make a small bow for politeness.

With the bowl still resting on the palm of your left hand, grasp the rim of the bowl with your forefinger and thumb and turn it about ninety degrees clockwise. Take a sip and then comment on how good it tastes, while dropping your right hand on the tatami before your knees.

Drink the remaining tea in small sips and when you come to the last sip, inhale deeply, making an audible sound and finish the tea.

After drinking, the rim of the bowl should be wiped lightly with tissue paper from left to right, as you hold the bowl between forefinger and thumb.

With the bowl still resting on your left palm, turn it counter-clockwise so that it returns to its original position before you drank from it. This is done with the thumb at the edge of the bowl and the other four fingers underneath it.

Place the bowl on the outside of the tatami border and, with your hands on the mat, gaze at the bowl to appreciate its shape. The bowl can be picked up with both hands to view it more closely.

Pick up the bowl and return it to the original position or to the host. The bowl should be turned twice in a 180 degree revolution so that the front of the bowl faces the host when you return it to him/her.

Reference: Okakura's The Book of Tea. 2007

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