the book of tea-第8章

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In　this　connection　there　is　a　story　of　Rikiu　which　well　illustrates　the　ideas　of　cleanliness　entertained　by　the　tea…masters。　Rikiu　was　watching　his　son　Shoan　as　he　swept　and　watered　the　garden　path。　〃Not　clean　enough；〃　said　Rikiu；　when　Shoan　had　finished　his　task；　and　bade　him　try　again。　　After　a　weary　hour　the　son　turned　to　Rikiu：　〃Father；　there　is　nothing　more　to　be　done。　　The　steps　have　been　washed　for　the　third　time；　the　stone　lanterns　and　the　trees　are　well　sprinkled　with　water；　moss　and　lichens　are　shining　with　a　fresh　verdure；　not　a　twig；　not　a　leaf　have　I　left　on　the　ground。〃　　〃Young　fool；〃　chided　the　tea…master；　〃that　is　not　the　way　a　garden　path　should　be　swept。〃　　Saying　this；　Rikiu　stepped　into　the　garden；　shook　a　tree　and　scattered　over　the　garden　gold　and　crimson　leaves；　scraps　of　the　brocade　of　autumn！　　What　Rikiu　demanded　was　not　cleanliness　alone；　but　the　beautiful　and　the　natural　also。

The　name；　Abode　of　Fancy；　implies　a　structure　created　to　meet　some　individual　artistic　requirement。　　The　tea…room　is　made　for　the　tea　master；　not　the　tea…master　for　the　tea…room。　It　is　not　intended　for　posterity　and　is　therefore　ephemeral。　　The　idea　that　everyone　should　have　a　house　of　his　own　is　based　on　an　ancient　custom　of　the　Japanese　race；　Shinto　superstition　ordaining　that　every　dwelling　should　be　evacuated　on　the　death　of　its　chief　occupant。　　Perhaps　there　may　have　been　some　unrealized　sanitary　reason　for　this　practice。　　Another　early　custom　was　that　a　newly　built　house　should　be　provided　for　each　couple　that　married。　It　is　on　account　of　such　customs　that　we　find　the　Imperial　capitals　so　frequently　removed　from　one　site　to　another　in　ancient　days。　The　rebuilding；　every　twenty　years；　of　Ise　Temple；　the　supreme　　shrine　of　the　Sun…Goddess；　is　an　example　of　one　of　these　ancient　rites　which　still　obtain　at　the　present　day。　　The　observance　of　these　customs　was　only　possible　with　some　form　of　construction　as　that　furnished　by　our　system　of　wooden　architecture；　easily　pulled　down；　easily　built　up。　　A　more　lasting　style；　employing　brick　and　stone；　would　have　rendered　migrations　impracticable；　as　indeed　they　became　when　the　more　stable　and　massive　wooden　construction　of　China　was　adopted　by　us　after　the　Nara　period。

With　the　predominance　of　Zen　individualism　in　the　fifteenth　century；　however；　the　old　idea　became　imbued　with　a　deeper　significance　as　conceived　in　connection　with　the　tea…room。　Zennism；　with　the　Buddhist　theory　of　evanescence　and　its　　demands　for　the　mastery　of　spirit　over　matter；　recognized　the　house　only　as　a　temporary　refuge　for　the　body。　　The　body　itself　was　but　as　a　hut　in　the　wilderness；　a　flimsy　shelter　made　by　tying　together　the　grasses　that　grew　around；when　these　ceased　to　be　bound　together　they　again　became　resolved　into　the　original　waste。　　In　the　tea…room　fugitiveness　is　suggested　in　the　thatched　roof；　frailty　in　the　slender　pillars；　lightness　in　the　bamboo　support；　apparent　carelessness　in　the　use　of　　commonplace　materials。　　The　eternal　is　to　be　found　only　in　the　spirit　which；　embodied　in　these　simple　surroundings；　beautifies　them　with　the　subtle　light　of　its　refinement。

That　the　tea…room　should　be　built　to　suit　some　individual　taste　is　an　enforcement　of　the　principle　of　vitality　in　art。　　Art；　to　be　fully　appreciated；　must　be　true　to　contemporaneous　life。　　It　is　not　that　we　should　ignore　the　claims　of　posterity；　but　that　we　should　seek　to　enjoy　the　present　more。　　It　is　not　that　we　should　disregard　the　creations　of　the　past；　but　that　we　should　try　to　assimilate　them　into　our　consciousness。　Slavish　conformity　to　traditions　and　formulas　fetters　the　expression　of　individuality　in　architecture。　　We　can　but　weep　over　the　senseless　imitations　of　European　buildings　which　one　beholds　in　modern　Japan。　We　marvel　why；　among　the　most　progressive　Western　nations；　architecture　should　be　so　devoid　of　originality；　so　replete　with　repetitions　of　obsolete　styles。　　Perhaps　we　are　passing　through　an　age　of　democritisation　in　art；　while　awaiting　the　rise　of　some　princely　master　who　shall　establish　a　new　dynasty。　　Would　that　we　loved　the　ancients　more　and　copied　them　less！　It　has　been　said　that　　the　Greeks　were　great　because　they　never　drew　from　the　antique。

The　term；　Abode　of　Vacancy；　besides　conveying　the　Taoist　theory　of　the　all…containing；　involves　the　conception　of　a　continued　need　of　change　in　decorative　motives。　　The　tea…room　is　absolutely　empty；　except　for　what　may　be　placed　there　temporarily　to　satisfy　some　aesthetic　mood。　　Some　special　art　object　is　brought　in　for　the　　occasion；　and　everything　else　is　selected　and　arranged　to　enhance　the　beauty　of　the　principal　theme。　　One　cannot　listen　to　different　pieces　of　music　at　the　same　time；　a　real　comprehension　of　the　　beautiful　being　possible　only　through　concentration　upon　some　central　motive。　　Thus　it　will　be　seen　that　the　system　of　decoration　in　our　tea…rooms　is　opposed　to　that　which　obtains　in　the　West；　where　the　interior　of　a　house　is　often　converted　into　a　museum。　To　a　Japanese；　accustomed　to　simplicity　of　ornamentation　and　frequent　change　of　decorative　method；　a　Western　interior　permanently　filled　with　a　vast　array　of　pictures；　statuary；　and　　bric…a…brac　gives　the　impression　of　mere　vulgar　display　of　riches。　It　calls　for　a　mighty　wealth　of　appreciation　to　enjoy　the　constant　sight　of　even　a　masterpiece；　and　limitless　indeed　must　be　the　capacity　for　artistic　feeling　in　those　who　can　exist　day　after　day　in　the　midst　of　such　confusion　of　color　and　form　as　is　to　be　often　seen　in　the　homes　of　Europe　and　America。

The　〃Abode　of　the　Unsymmetrical〃　suggests　another　phase　of　our　decorative　scheme。　　The　absence　of　symmetry　in　Japanese　art　objects　has　been　often　commented　on　by　Western　critics。　This；　also；　is　a　result　of　a　working　out　through　Zennism　of　Taoist　ideals。　　Confucianism；　with　its　deep…seated　idea　of　dualism；　and　Northern　Buddhism　with　its　worship　of　a　trinity；　were　in　no　way　opposed　to　the　expression　of　symmetry。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　if　we　study　the　ancient　bronzes　of　China　or　the　religious　arts　of　the　Tang　dynasty　and　the　Nara　period；　we　shall　recognize　a　　constant　striving　after　symmetry。　　The　decoration　of　our　classical　interiors　was　decidedly　regular　in　its　arrangement。　　The　Taoist　and　Zen　conception　of　perfection；　however；　was　different。　　The　dynamic　nature　of　their　philosophy　laid　more　stress　upon　the　process　through　which　perfection　was　sought　than　upon　perfection　itself。　　True　beauty　could　be　discovered　only　by　one　who　mentally　completed　the　incomplete。　　The　virility　of　life　and　art　lay　in　its　possibilities　for　growth。　　In　the　tea…room　it　is　left　for　each　guest　in　imagination　to　complete　the　total　effect　in　relation　to　himself。　　Since　Zennism　has　become　the　prevailing　mode　of　thought；　the　art　of　the　extreme　Orient　has　purposefully　avoided　the　symmetrical　as　expressing　not　only　completion；　but　repetition。　　Uniformity　of　design　was　considered　fatal　to　the　freshness　of　imagination。　　Thus；　landscapes；　birds；　and　flowers　became　the　favorite　subjects　for　depiction　rather　than　the　　human　figure；　the　latter　being　present　in　the　person　of　the　beholder　himself。　　We　are　often　too　much　in　evidence　as　it　is；　and　in　spite　of　our　vanity　even　self…regard　is　apt　to　become　monotonous。

In　the　tea…room　the　fear　of　repetition　is　a　constant　presence。　The　various　objects　for　the　decoration　of　a　room　should　be　so　selected　that　no　colour　or　design　shall　be　repeated。　　If　you　have　a　living　flower；　a　painting　of　flowers　is　not　allowable。　If　you　are　using　a　round　kettle；　the　water　pitcher　should　be　angular。　A　cup　with　a　black　glaze　should　not　be　associated　with　a　tea…caddy　of　black　laquer。　　In　placing　a　vase　of　an　incense　burner　on　the　tokonoma；　care　should　be　taken　not　to　put　it　in　the　exact　centre；　lest　it　divide　the　space　into　equal　halves。　　The　pillar　of　the　tokonoma　should　be　of　a　different　kind　of　wood　from　the　other　pillars；　in　order　to　break　any　suggestion　of　monotony　in　the　room。

Here　again　the　Japanese　method　of　interior　decoration　differs　from　that　of　the　Occident；　where　we　see　objects　arrayed　symmetrically　on　mantelpieces　and　elsewhere。　　In　Western　houses　we　are　often　confronted　with　what　appears　to　us　useless　reiteration。　　We　find　it　trying　to　talk　to　a　man　whil