the book of tea-第1章

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The　Book　of　Tea

by　Kakuzo　Okakura





I。　The　Cup　of　Humanity


Tea　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　aestheticismTeaism。　　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。

The　Philosophy　of　Tea　is　not　mere　aestheticism　in　the　ordinary　acceptance　of　the　term；　for　it　expresses　conjointly　with　ethics　and　religion　our　whole　point　of　view　about　man　and　nature。　　It　is　　hygiene；　for　it　enforces　cleanliness；　it　is　economics；　for　it　shows　comfort　in　simplicity　rather　than　in　the　complex　and　costly；　it　is　moral　geometry；　inasmuch　as　it　defines　our　sense　of　proportion　to　the　universe。　　It　represents　the　true　spirit　of　Eastern　democracy　by　making　all　its　votaries　aristocrats　in　taste。

The　long　isolation　of　Japan　from　the　rest　of　the　world；　so　conducive　to　introspection；　has　been　highly　favourable　to　the　development　of　Teaism。　　Our　home　and　habits；　costume　and　cuisine；　porcelain；　lacquer；　paintingour　very　literatureall　have　been　subject　to　its　influence。　　No　student　of　Japanese　culture　could　ever　ignore　its　presence。　　It　has　permeated　the　elegance　of　noble　boudoirs；　and　entered　the　abode　of　the　humble。　　Our　peasants　have　learned　to　arrange　flowers；　our　meanest　labourer　to　offer　his　salutation　to　the　rocks　and　waters。　　In　our　common　parlance　we　speak　of　the　man　〃with　no　tea〃　in　him；　when　he　is　　insusceptible　to　the　serio…comic　interests　of　the　personal　drama。　　Again　we　stigmatise　the　untamed　aesthete　who；　regardless　of　the　mundane　tragedy；　runs　riot　in　the　springtide　of　emancipated　emotions；　as　one　〃with　too　much　tea〃　in　him。

The　outsider　may　indeed　wonder　at　this　seeming　much　ado　about　nothing。　　What　a　tempest　in　a　tea…cup！　he　will　say。　But　when　we　consider　how　small　after　all　the　cup　of　human　enjoyment　is；　how　soon　overflowed　with　tears；　how　easily　drained　to　the　dregs　in　our　quenchless　thirst　for　infinity；　we　shall　not　blame　ourselves　for　making　so　much　of　the　tea…cup。　Mankind　has　done　worse。　　In　the　worship　of　Bacchus；　we　　have　sacrificed　too　freely；　and　we　have　even　transfigured　the　gory　image　of　Mars。　　Why　not　consecrate　ourselves　to　the　queen　of　the　Camelias；　and　revel　in　the　warm　stream　　of　sympathy　that　flows　from　her　altar？　　In　the　liquid　amber　within　the　ivory…porcelain；　the　initiated　may　touch　the　sweet　reticence　of　Confucius；　the　piquancy　of　Laotse；　and　the　　ethereal　aroma　of　Sakyamuni　himself。

Those　who　cannot　feel　the　littleness　of　great　things　in　　themselves　are　apt　to　overlook　the　greatness　of　little　things　in　others。　　The　average　Westerner；　in　his　sleek　complacency；　will　see　in　the　tea　ceremony　but　another　instance　of　the　　thousand　and　one　oddities　which　constitute　the　quaintness　　and　childishness　of　the　East　to　him。　　He　was　wont　to　regard　Japan　as　barbarous　while　she　indulged　in　the　gentle　arts　of　　peace：　he　calls　her　civilised　since　she　began　to　commit　　wholesale　slaughter　on　Manchurian　battlefields。　　Much　comment　has　been　given　lately　to　the　Code　of　the　Samurai；　the　Art　of　Death　which　makes　our　soldiers　exult　in　self…　sacrifice；　but　scarcely　any　attention　has　been　drawn　to　Teaism；　which　represents　so　much　of　our　Art　of　Life。　　　Fain　would　we　remain　barbarians；　if　our　claim　to　civilisation　were　to　be　based　on　the　gruesome　glory　of　war。　　Fain　would　we　await　the　time　when　due　respect　shall　be　paid　to　our　art　and　ideals。

When　will　the　West　understand；　or　try　to　understand；　the　East？　　We　Asiatics　are　often　appalled　by　the　curious　web　of　facts　and　fancies　which　has　been　woven　concerning　us。　We　are　pictured　as　living　on　the　perfume　of　the　lotus；　if　not　on　mice　and　cockroaches。　　It　is　either　impotent　fanaticism　or　else　abject　voluptuousness。　　Indian　spirituality　has　been　derided　as　ignorance；　Chinese　sobriety　as　stupidity；　Japanese　patriotism　as　the　result　of　fatalism。　　It　has　been　said　that　we　are　less　sensible　to　pain　and　wounds　on　account　of　the　　callousness　of　our　nervous　organisation！

Why　not　amuse　yourselves　at　our　expense？　　Asia　returns　the　compliment。　　There　would　be　further　food　for　merriment　if　you　were　to　know　all　that　we　have　imagined　and　written　　about　you。　　All　the　glamour　of　the　perspective　is　there；　all　the　unconscious　homage　of　wonder；　all　the　silent　resentment　of　　the　new　and　undefined。　　You　have　been　loaded　with　virtues　too　refined　to　be　envied；　and　accused　of　crimes　too　　picturesque　to　be　condemned。　　Our　writers　in　the　pastthe　wise　men　who　knewinformed　us　that　you　had　bushy　tails　somewhere　hidden　in　your　garments；　and　often　dined　off　a　fricassee　of　newborn　babes！　　Nay；　we　had　something　worse　against　you：　we　used　to　think　you　the　most　impracticable　people　on　the　earth；　for　you　were　said　to　preach　what　you　never　practiced。

Such　misconceptions　are　fast　vanishing　amongst　us。　　　Commerce　has　forced　the　European　tongues　on　many　an　Eastern　port。　　Asiatic　youths　are　flocking　to　Western　colleges　　for　the　equipment　of　modern　education。　　Our　insight　does　not　penetrate　your　culture　deeply；　but　at　least　we　are　willing　to　learn。　　Some　of　my　compatriots　have　adopted　too　much　of　　your　customs　and　too　much　of　your　etiquette；　in　the　delusion　that　the　acquisition　of　stiff　collars　and　tall　silk　hats　comprised　the　attainment　of　your　civilisation。　　Pathetic　and　deplorable　as　such　affectations　are；　they　evince　our　willingness　to　approach　the　West　on　our　knees。　　Unfortunately　the　Western　attitude　is　unfavourable　to　the　understanding　of　the　East。　　The　Christian　missionary　goes　to　impart；　but　not　to　receive。　　Your　information　is　based　on　the　meagre　translations　of　our　immense　literature；　　if　not　on　the　unreliable　anecdotes　of　passing　travellers。　　It　is　rarely　that　the　chivalrous　pen　of　a　Lafcadio　Hearn　or　that　of　the　author　of　〃The　Web　of　Indian　Life〃　enlivens　the　Oriental　darkness　with　the　torch　of　our　own　sentiments。

Perhaps　I　betray　my　own　ignorance　of　the　Tea　Cult　by　being　so　outspoken。　　Its　very　spirit　of　politeness　exacts　that　you　say　what　you　are　expected　to　say；　and　no　more。　　But　I　am　not　to　be　a　polite　Teaist。　　So　much　harm　has　been　done　already　by　the　mutual　misunderstanding　of　the　New　World　and　the　Old；　that　one　need　not　apologise　for　contributing　his　tithe　to　the　furtherance　of　a　better　understanding。　　The　beginning　of　the　twentieth　century　would　have　been　spared　the　spectacle　of　sanguinary　warfare　if　Russia　had　condescended　to　know　Japan　better。　　What　dire　consequences　to　humanity　lie　in　the　contemptuous　ignoring　of　Eastern　problems！　　European　imperialism；　which　does　not　disdain　to　raise　the　absurd　cry　of　the　Yellow　Peril；　fails　to　realise　that　Asia　may　also　awaken　to　the　cruel　sense　of　the　White　Disaster。　　You　may　laugh　at　us　for　having　〃too　much　tea；〃　but　may　we　not　suspect　that　you　of　the　West　have　〃no　tea〃　in　your　constitution？

Let　us　stop　the　continents　from　hurling　epigrams　at　each　　other；　and　be　sadder　if　not　wiser　by　the　mutual　gain　of　half　a　hemisphere。　　We　have　developed　along　different　lines；　but　　there　is　no　reason　why　one　should　not　supplement　the　other。　You　have　gained　expansion　at　the　cost　of　restlessness；　we　have　created　a　harmony　which　is　weak　against　aggression。　Will　you　believe　it？the　East　is　better　off　in　some　respects　than　the　West！

Strangely　enough　humanity　has　so　far　met　in　the　tea…cup。　It　is　the　only　Asiatic　ceremonial　which　commands　universal　esteem。　　The　white　man　has　scoffed　at　our　religion　and　our　morals；　but　has　accepted　the　brown　beverage　without　hesitation。　　The　afternoon　tea　is　now　an　important　function　in　Western　society。　　In　the　delicate　clatter　of　trays　and　　saucers；　in　the　soft　rustle　of　feminine　hospitality；　in　the　common　catechism　about　cream　and　sugar；　we　know　that　the　Worship　of　Tea　is　established　beyond　question。　　The　philosophic　resignation　of　the　guest　to　the　fate　awaiting　him　in　the　dubious　decoction　proclaims　that　in　this　single　instance　the　Oriental　spirit　reigns　supr