Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-08-12
JAPANESE HIGH TEA.
AN ELABORATE AFFAIR THAT is |
OFTEN VERY COSTLY.

nese Festival-How Hosts Act.
To invite a few friends to "come and
drink a cup of tea' is by no means a sim
pie matter among the japanese. Such an
Invitation necessitates a room built spe-
cally for these occasions, whole para
phernala of costly utensils and most
elaborate ceremonial. The famous Amerj
can high tea" with its hot cakes, chick
ems, ham, pies, custards and jams, bears
no comparison in point of extravagant |
preparation. Shoguns and mobiles ruined |
themselves giving tea parties. Warriors |
and knights forgot their high vocation
and princes abdicated their thrones that
they might devote themselves to daily tea
ceremonies, which grew more and more
costly until immense sums were spent and
great fortunes dissipated upon these enter
tainments.
The cha-no-yu ceremonies are GOO or 700
years old, and have passed through three
distinct stages.
The largest tea party In the world was
given by Hideyoshi in the pine grove Of
Kitano. He issued an edict in which all
the tea votaries in the empire were hidden
to come to this grove, bringing with them
any tea curios they might possess, and the
prince promised to drink tea at every
booth. All who failed to present them
selves were forbidden ever to take part in
the cha-no-yu again. This grand enter
tainment, at which nobemen and peasants
alike were welcome, lasted ten days and
was great success. The edict itself Is
still in existence. But dissensions arose
among the members of the tea cult, and
one party thought the ceremonies should
be performed in such manner, and an
other party considered their own particu-
lar method the proper one, so Hideyoshi
called all the various schools to his castle
of Iruchini, and under him Sen-noRykyn
gathered together, simplified and arranged
the rules, and it is these rules which gov
ern the cha-no-yu today.
Its principal characteristic is most elab-
crate and affected simplicity. The vari
Gus utensils are frequently of plain Corean
ware, but of enormous value, for their an
tiquity is great. The room is as plain as
possible, though often Of very expensive
and valuable woods. The invitations are
usually either for noon or 6 o'clock p. IN.
There are two distinct modes, one for sum-
mer and the other for winter,
In the cold season the garden is thickly
strewed with pine needles, which give forth
pleasant aromatic perfume. The visitors
retain their geta, or outside footgear, and
| the tea Is made over a square fireplace
| built in the floor In summer the garden
is gay with flowers and curiously twisted
| little dwarf trees. In this mode the visit
ors remove their geta and a portable bra
zier is used.
The guests do not come directly to the
house-there would be an abruptness
about such proceeding not at all con
sistent with the solemnity of the occasion
but go to q pavilion, machia al, in the
midst of the garden, and wait till all are as
sembled. Then the principal guest strikes
the wooden tablet or bell to announce their
arrival. Generally the host has been await
ing this summons and appears immediate
| ly, but sometimes servant answers it in
stead. The entrance to the tearoom is
curious enough--it is simply IA square hole
three feet each way. The guests creep in
one after another, in order of precedence,
and after them the host, who in the mean
time has knelt beside the entrance until
the last visitor has gone in. The guests
then seat themselves in a semicircle, and
the host approaches the door of the side
room where the utensils are kept and says;
II rejoice that you have condescended to
come and thank you for it. will now
make up the fires"
All the gestures and speeches are always
the same and are never left to the discre-
ton of the participants. The folding OF
the hands, whether the right shall be
clasped on top or the left open, is settled
by strict etiquette. The host brings in the
sumitori, or charcoal basket, each piece OF
certain length and of camellia wood, Il
mitsu-ba brush of three feathers, a pair OF
tongs like great iron chopsticks, the ket
tie stand, iron handles for the kettle, d
lacquer box containing incense and some
little rolls of paper If it is summer the
incense box should be of earthenware. He
next brings a vessel for ashes and little
spoon shaped shovel to remove them. The
charcoal is lighted and incense burned tc
destroy the smell of the fumes.
In stereotyped phrases the guests ask
permission to examine the incense box
which is always d curo, or at least ha:
some historical interest attached to it
Each visitor receives it in turn, and tn,
last one returns it to the host, who mean
while dilates upon its antiquity or its his
toric origin. The first part Of the ceremony
is now over and the visitors and the hos
retire to the garden!
During the second part a dinner is served
and the tea made. With little square O
purple cloth the host wipes each utensil
tHCI WIN thc cPOou,
little tea is taken out of the jar, cha-ore, anC
hot water dipped from highly embellishet
iron kettle with dainty dipper and poured
upon the tea in the bowl. This mixture Il
then whipped to a froth, and boy carries
it to the guests. 1t requires considerably
practice to produce froth quickly apt
without splashing; the instrument used i
a whisk made Of piece of bamboo, spill
into shreds at one end until it resemble
somewhat a paintbrush with hollow
center. The tea is light green in color ant
finely powdered, so that the bowl of te'
looks very much like a sort of thick greer
cream.
In the first part Of the ceremony the tel
is koicha, or very thick, and during tn,
last part 1t Is usu-cha, thinner IL cost
from five dollars to six dollars a pound
and cannot be kept long. Very few Eu
ropeans can drink it without feeling yer.
unhappy. for in the first place the taste
not agreeable, and then 1t Is so intens, |,
strong that it is sure to disagree will
them If they do manage to swallow it.
The utensils used in the second part O
tbe ara parrpl in nv tha host