The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-11-22
History of Tea in Japan.

I HIStOIN III Il CIS ~
zsno,s Paris Letter TO the Boston Journal.
And when did the inhabitants of ia
AN first submit themselves to the cheer
me vet not Undertaking, influence oftea
uerhaps We ask.
This question slightly annoya our ia
-.nese host. There is nothing which
would cause him more genuine regret
than to be forced to admit that in any
thing whatsoever have he and his been
indebted TO the Chinese; yet he cannot
nositively swear that the first tea which
erossed Japan's frontier did not come
nom the hated rival country. He
would, he told us exactly his
thought ~trhaps admit that man or
race saey, with advantage, copy some of
the habits of his enemies, but it would
cost him an effort to do this, SO he closes
one eye thoughtfolly, and, with that
modest and almost feminine air which
the Japanese frequently assume when
giving an opinion, he says that tea has
been used in Japan for many centuries.
It's said that the great Emperor Shamus,
on an august occasion, when he was
entertaining a company of bopz $ at
religious festival, III the first year of the
Tempei (or about the year zoe of the
CHRISTIAN cray in ormed them that he
had precious liquid to which they, and
they alone, were to be treated. The
BONES drank OF this liquid, which was
nothing more or less than tea, and they
smacked their lips and asked for more.
II was nearly hundred years afterwards
when tea again made lis appearance at
the Japanese court, and then il was q
bonze who offered it to an emperor.
Erchu, of the Temple OF Shuiukudchi,
hsd, in some manner obtsined a good
stock of the herb, and he spoke so elo-
quently of it to the emperor that the
potentste ordered its cultivation in ten
or twelve provinces. The plant four
ished, and the emperor was delighted to
see that he had added another element
of wealth to the agricultural production
of his beloved country.
This much our japanese host tells us
in order that we may think the origin of
tea in Japan lost, like that of certain
tribes, 60 in the night of time" But he
would be compelled to add. if cross
questioned, that in the year 1909 of our
era an adventurous bonze, who was maxi
ing a little journey into China, found
such a super-excellent article of tea there
that he brought it back and sowed it on
the mountain of Sefuri Eisei was the
name of this bonze, and he, assisted by
another named Mieye, who learned all
the details OF the plants cultivation,
made the green popular throughout all
Japan. 1t is probable that the culture
of tea 400 years earlier is a legend which
cannot be proven.
Our poets began to sing better than
ever" says our host, cater tea came in.
1t seems to be an indispensable accom-
paniment of poetical composition nova
days.
We explain to him that Byron and
Alfred de Musset preferred something
stronger, but that we believe they both
had cause to regret it at various times
in their lives.
The earlier eultivators of the tea plant
in Japan were aided very much by the
emperors, an1 these latter required
poems to be written in celebration ofthe
herbs virtues; so that whenever Ja>
psnese takes up his tea cup he has a
familiar line of poetry, quite to the pur-
pose, on mis- lips. About the year
400" says our host, " the ceremony
known as ChaLo Yu was introduced 1t
has been continued ever since, and seems
likely TO hold its own for centuries to
come. The ceremony, which has for its
purpose the strengthening of the bonds
of friendship, is performed upon a GER
tain day of each year. On that day the
master of the house introduces his
friends into a room consecrated to the
solemn purpose F.; there tables are erected
with all the utensils for tea-making upon
them and there he proceeds, before the
assembly, leisurely TO brew noble pot
full of the beverage, and to offer it with
his own hands. Only pulverized tea is
used at such times. 1t would be cousid-
cred great breach of deeorum to use
leaves which have not been reduced to
an almost impalpable powder" This is
in substance what the Japanese tells US
before he hands US cups of tea fit for the
gods tea which makes the tabled heather
nectar seem vile compound of small
account /; tea which restores grateful
calm to the weary nerves.
To-day the methods employed for cur
ing and packing tea in japan are much
the same as those in China. But for 300
years previous to this century they were
quite different. The use of tea in leaves
in Japan is almost universal, except on
the occasion mentioned above; and our
host thinks that it would be difficult to
enter house, no matter how humble it
might be, without having cup Of tea
offered us. He tells US this as he fills
our tiny Tdsses for the fourth time, and
as we renew orr liliputian silver pipes.
Perhaps our host is concerned in the
export of the herb, for he seems to have
statistics wonderfully at his fingers ends.
He says that in 1876 Japan exported
{, 453, 900 trade dollars worth OF the
article, and he has a cnntented expression
as he announces this fact.
Be Honest with Your Children.
Interview with Colonel Ingersoll:
haven't any. Don't bslieve in family |
1 don't correct my chill
dren at all. warn them of the conse-
quences of evil habits, but tell them
they could never do any thing bad
enough to make me hate or disown
them. keep a pocket-book in drawer,