Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-26

pears IN the doorway. and bowling, seats him
sell In front Of the tea utensils. The guests are
also seated according to age and reputation as
master OF tea ceremonies Before making the
. zee 'ne nost wipes each vessel with the purple
SUI. ne then pats spoonful of powdered tea
INTO richly ornamented bowl, pours boiling
water from the kama upon the powder and
stfrs the whole with the bamboo whisk until it
creams. A richly dressed boy then serves it to
.ne guests who. on receiving the cup, place it
~ the right hand, steady IL with the left, in
spect its decorations, raise it to the lips, and
wniie drinklng bring the body into an erect
position: The host Is served last Of all His
roie is dimcult to perform, and upon Its execu-
uon depends his reputation as q master Of this
formal ceremony
The tea concludes with conversazione very
intellectual and refined, the subjects being
sucn as tne culture Of the company may sug-
gest fnliosophy, religion, metaphysics and
Hmlisr themes always interest these cultivated
people; VINO are ever ambitious for further in
formation and advancement
Since the establishment of the mikado in his
temporal power the customs and manners Of
EUROPE nave supplanted. in no little degree,
mat OF tne native civilization. This foreign
craze mas subsidized, however, and along with
arcnery ana the native polo. the formal tea
ngures as notable selection for embodiment
In the new culture. 1t is not probable that the
dress, manners and architecture of the ancient
cooes VIII be retained in future years; for the
principles of this formal entertainment are
readiiy adapted to foreign ceremonies fact
whicn Wiii cause. perhaps. the elimination of
the more rigid forms and the survival of the
more beautiful ones.
HOW TO APPRECIATE JAPANESE THOUGHT.
To appreciate properly the spirit of Japanese
thoasht and custom 1t must be regarded from
the oriental point of view. The religions laws
and civilization of the island empire must be
understood. To this Mr.. Edwin Arnold has
contributed greatly in the Light of Asia, in
whieh are portrayed the life. character and
pnilosophy OF Gautama. the founder of Bud
dhlsm. and In whose empire of belief Japan is
acohsplcuous state. Mr. Arnold saws: More
imam third of mankind owe their moral and
reilgious Ideas to this llustrioas prince. whose
personality, though imperfectly revealed in the
existing sources of information, cannot but
appear the highest. gentlest hottest and most
benehcent, with one exception, in the history
Of thought"
ne other or state religion OF Japan is Shin
tuism, which originated in China, and whose
tenets are pure materiaiism, making nature
10 oeSin with the premier principe materiel
OF the French. This principle, which noted
orlentallst maintains is equivalent to reason
pervaded chaos, and, operating upon ITSELF was
resolved INTO the dual powers corresponding to
mlnd ana matter. an idea that has been COM
pared to the MISUNDERSTANDING principle in the
development of the mundane egg in Egyptian
cosmogony. This Idea was entertained among
the Hlndus also, and the Androgyn Of Plato
was only another form Of this myth. In its
higher forms Shintaism may be regarded as q
cultured and Intellectual desm.