A day without tea? Unthinkable!
We in the West simply put a tea bag in the water and think we're drinking tea. However, during longer stays in Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, I learnt that drinking tea should be celebrated. Throughout Asia, the tea ceremony is not only practised as a form of contemplation, but also as an art form. The tea ceremony is a ritual gathering that can last for several hours in Japan, for example. The rituals of the ceremony are hundreds of years old and follow set rules. The principles of harmony, respect, purity and silence are fundamental values. Among other things, guests are expected to admire the beauty and uniqueness of the tea bowls.
Tea art in Taiwan involves not only placing teapots, teacups and other utensils on the table, but also arranging the tea table with various tablecloths, flags and flower arrangements, the so-called ‘tea banquet’. All the senses should be addressed and aesthetics and presentations should be included in the process of the art of tea: sight, taste, touch, smell. High-quality leaf tea, exquisite tea sets, beautiful tea bowls, fragrant incense, flower arrangements that delight the eye. Ceremonial aspects refer to the etiquette of the art of tea, including the tea master's dress, interaction with tea drinkers and general behaviour.
Tea bowls are made by hand and glazed by hand in hours of labour, based on traditional models. The irregular, imperfect nature of the bowls is an important characteristic. These vessels are usually fired in a tunnel or dragon kiln, which is fired with wood for days on end. Each individual tea bowl is therefore unique.
Incense burner: During my stays in South East Asia, I always came into contact with incense burners and containers made of wood, stone and clay. The smoke and scent of incense and other incense products have not only been used as incense for ritual purposes since time immemorial, but also for medicinal purposes.
Vases: are often decorated with just one or two beautiful branches. The eye should be able to rest.
‘The less perfect it appears, the more honest the object is’
(Arhoj)