The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1889-02-16
CHA NO YU IN JAPAN.
AN ANCIENT METHOD OF BREWING
THE CUP THAT. CHEERS.

AN ANCIENT METHOD OF BREWING
THE CUP THAT. CHEERS.
The Ceremonial Tea, an Old Japanese Gus
tom. Still Observed with Scrupulous Pre-
cision and Great Entlusiasm-An Amcri-
| can ladys Experience.
y social custom of the olden time that is
now kept up with something of the reverence
that attaches itself to personal relies is tho
cha no yu, or ceremonial tea. This formal
and elaborate method of making tea for
small groups of friends grew up slowly in
the quiet atmosphere of tho Kioto court
about three centuries ago, but it remained
for the Shotgun, Hideyoshi, TO take it up, add
more and more ceremony to 1t, and mako it
the great form of social entertainment
among the highest classes This willy leader
OF men weighted the simple process of tea-
making with so many precise and deliberate
forms and minute rules that when daimos
assembled together they We're SO closely occu-
pied with the solemn teamaking that they
had no time to hatch conSplracics OF indulge
in personal quarrels.
Cha no yu survives now us Il charming
relic of tho past, and every Japanese of tho
higher classes has more or less skill in ,cr-
forming the rites, and notes the hosts move
mcnts with the closest attention when any
one makes tea after tho ceremonial rules in
their presence. Every club house has its
master of cha 10 yu, who prcsidcs over tho
bowl and hrazicr when such entertainments
are desired, and the master gives course, of
instruction when pupils apply. Women arc
trained i'll the methods too, and young ladies
of the highest rank, even at this advanced
day of French fashions, go throughu course
of cha nn yu lessons rs part of "A finished
education. The empress and her court l,,llc;
give much time To the rites of cha no WI, and
its observance has never been allowed TO
wane in the palace.
DINING AT CLUB HOUSE,
IL was apparent that rose cuhts in thccs.
timation of Japanese gentleman when |
asked him for the address of {; master of cha
no You. He assured mo that IL great artist
IN tlal line could bn found at the lloshl.ra-
Okla club, of which he was Il member, and set
the evening Oh which we should dine at tho
club house with INN and his wife and NEE,
the master of the ceremonies The llosni
Saoka club is closed of from the temple
grounds by high hc,l aud Il grand old oak
tree that stands ut il, entrance, and cuilll he
easily IN ,ra if not known and looked for
y tiny room, with round window and a
screen door opening on tine garden, rcccivvi
lis Tor The few minutes that we waited for
our host to divcst himself of hi, foreign
clothes aud assume the rnstling silk kimunu
aid coat OF Japanese gentleman He and
his pretty little wife were pictures us they
sat on the mats sIpp"9 tine tiny cups of
I amber tea brouo Int "a us, whlic TWO for.
ciSn women seemed, loovcrilow with ,li'apcry
and dress stuff on every sidc, and the incon
srility of cur figures in such Il scene va,
sadly apparent There was Il rustilg ,,.t-
s,ir, and tllc paper screen sind back and dis
closed the master of cha no yu with lantern
in hnd. Slipping into wooden clo;,s We
clattrrcl along garden path after INN to
the tea roon
In the YEA room proper we took olll Seats
| ON the mats and the master who WAS To act
as host began the rites. \ closed kettle of
water resting in the small fireplace sunk,.l
! IN the floor was all that the room contained
| iics..es IL kakcmono and IL v;lsc of flowers in
Il recess, The master, with tine greatest so
i.A!inty, Iron lit III IL box containing char
cod aud IMPLEMENTS for making the fire;
retired and brought in Il bowl ol sand. With
Il drlibcraiion and an cxtctncss acquired only
! ~ II lifetime of p actlcc, lc went. lhro,.h
tho process of removing the water kctIl.
dredging the fresh sand, laying in charcoal,
sIrinkiilg lcciiSc ,tllstinY the ed ;cs ui llr
fire place, and setting back the water kettle
Livery movement, every position OF t.c
| thumb or finger, every sweep of the arm or
angle "i the ollow were carefully regulated!
by set rules, and an awkward or hurried
movement would l;tvc been II ceremonial
CRIME. w ilh lic same awful silence the
master rose and carried out sand bowl and
charcoal box one by one
A LESSON IL CHA no YE
During the interval, while the fresh char
coal caught fire and the water boiled, we
dincd. While the last trays were removed,
we stepped to the tiny vcrantia and looked
out upon the moonllgl"l garden, and the
room was made ready ior the continuance Of
| the cha no yu. The master sat meiltatlvclV
before the sinmernS kettle like some he
hcvolcnt Endciil;l about To perform the rites,
Il TINY bamboo dipper, Il bowl, II silk bag, and
a thing like II shaving brush, but made of
finely split bamboo, lying before him. With
all the seriousness in the world, he produced
=, squareo of purple silk from his ginllc, folded,
strolicd, and snapped it just SO, took up the
little brocaCe bag and deliberately united its
silk cords and revealed n little ten ca,dy
about three inches high, Of ancient brown
calhcnwnrc.
The master made some magicians' passes
over the top of the tea ca,ltly to remove the
invisible and inlpalpable dust, carefully
rubbed II straight ivory spoon and laid il
down, wiped the bowl with II Shred Of white
cloth claboratcly folded beforehand, ana
then the tea making really began. We were
watching closely, and the faces Of our ,Tapln-
csc friends were glowing with plc;lsr. at
noting the perfect movements Of the master
1t would require columns to tell To Il critical
japanese just how the master crooked his
finger, removed the lid of the kettle, rilscI
the bowl and the bamboo whsi, and did
much that we hardly suspected as being
studied or a part Of the set programme. In
general outline he put n few tiny spounfuls
Of powdered tea in the bowl, poured on the
boiling water and beat the mixture to a
froth withn bamboo whisk The bowl was
then offered round to us as Il loving cup, and
each tool; sip Of the thick, cruel like drink
that tasted like the greencst Of green tc;, aul
quinine mixed. The powdered tea is made
Of the choicest young leave of the tea plant,
dried immediately after picking and ground
to powder us ii.ae as flour, and is used only
for ceremonial tea drinklngs. In an equally
deliberate and elaborate manner the master
rinscd out his tea bowl and whisk, covered
up his tea cadiy and set his Things away,
and "c, Lowing our heads to the mats three
times, rosc upon our feet that ha. been
asleep for the whole hour that tho solemn
process was in operation. n.--Rutlana!l's Toxic
Letter in Globe-Democrat
Left Feet Arc Larger.
"The left foot, please, SAID n Sixth avenue
shoe dealer, as customer was about to test
the size of PAIR of shoes by trying one upon