How the Tea Ceremony Works

文/莫利·埃德蒙兹 译/董婷婷

Many Asian countries practice some sort of tea ceremony, but perhaps the most famous version is the one performed in Japan. A tea ceremony isn’t your average tea party. When you attend a Japanese tea ceremony, you’re taking part in a historic tradition, one that allows you to seek enlightenment and search for beauty and peace in our hectic1hectic忙碌的。world.

[2] Long before the guests arrive, the host of the ceremony is hard at work on a to-do list that would make Martha Stewart shudder22 shudder（因寒冷、害怕或激动而）发抖，战栗。. The host must devise a theme for the event, such as an appreciation for sunrise or sunset or an awareness of the changing of the seasons. To emphasize this theme, the host selects a calligraphy scroll and creates flower arrangements that will accent3accent突出。the tearoom. Tearooms are traditionally entered through a garden, so in addition to cleaning the room, the host must also tend and clean the garden. One of the most dif fi cult tasks might be select-

许多亚洲国家或多或少都有茶道，不过其中最知名的要数日本茶道了。茶道并非简单的茶会，日本的茶道仪式是一项庄严的历史传统，置身其中，你可以忘却忙碌的生活，追求开悟，找寻美和安宁。

[2]在宾客到来之前，茶道主人早已不辞辛苦地列好一长串任务清单，美国家政女王玛莎·斯图尔特看了估计也会大吃一惊。主人首先需要为此次茶道定个主题，例如“看日出”“赏日落”，抑或“感知季节变换”。为了增强主题色彩，主人还会选好一幅书法挂轴，并制作插花，以点缀茶室。通常来说，宾客会先经过一座花园再进入茶室。所以，主人不仅要打扫茶室，还须清理一下花园。最艰巨的任务之一莫过于选出合适的上茶器皿，因ing the utensils4utensil器皿。that will be used to serve the tea since there is a wide array of bowls that are made speci fi cally for these ceremonies. In other words, the tea ceremony host must be a master of many Japanese arts, from calligraphy to ceramics, and tea masters study for decades to stage5stage上演；举办。one event.为茶道专用茶碗各式各样，种类繁多。简言之，茶道主人须熟知从书法到陶艺等多种日本艺术；而茶艺师们会为此学上数十年，只为呈现一场茶道。

Tea ceremony steps

[3] Tea ceremonies usually take place in a tearoom, and traditional tearooms are located in teahouses set in a garden.Traversing6traverse穿过。the garden is an important step for guests of the tea ceremony;this time allows them to set their intentions7intention心思，想法。for the ceremony and leave the everyday world behind. The host has an assistant who guides guests through the garden, which includes a stop at a water basin to wash their hands. Before arriving at the tearoom, the guests must elect a “head guest” who will be the one to communicate directly with the host.Tearooms usually have smaller doors that force guests to bow to enter; this step signifies that all are equal within the tearoom.

[4] The floor will be covered with tatami8tatami音译“榻榻米”，蔺草编织的草席，一年四季都铺在地上供人坐或卧的一种家具。, or woven mats that serve as units of measure. Each tatami measures approximately 6 feet by 3 feet (0.91

茶道流程

[3]一般来说，茶道在茶室进行。传统的茶室坐落于花园中的茶房内。对于宾客而言，步行穿过花园是茶道的一个重要环节。此时段可助其除去凡尘杂念，静下心来专注于随后的仪式。主人的助手会引导宾客穿过花园，宾客进门前在园中水盆里净手。来宾们须在到达茶室前选出一名“主宾”，他之后将直接与主人交流。茶室的入口比一般的门要矮小，宾客须弯腰进入，这象征着茶室内人人平等。

[4]茶室地板会铺上计量用的榻榻米或编织坐垫。每块榻榻米规格约为6英尺×3英尺（约合1.82米×0.91米），一个传统茶室一般以置放四叠半榻榻米为度，小巧紧凑，私密性好。传统的茶道仪式上，宾客着和服参加，或坐或跪于meters by 1.82 meters) and a traditional tearoom is 4.5 tatami, which means the space is quite small and intimate. In a traditional ceremony, guests will be wearing kimonos9kimono和服（日本传统服饰）。, and they will sit or kneel on the tatami. First, they will observe their host perform a charcoal ceremony10炭礼法：为烧沏茶水的地炉或者茶炉准备炭的程序。, a special method of building the fi re that will heat the water for tea.

[5] There are two ways the ceremony could proceed following the work with the charcoal. In achaji, which lasts about 3 to 4 hours, the host will serve a formal meal of several courses and then serve tea; achakai,on the other hand,doesn’t include a meal but merely the tea. But whether there is a meal or not,guests are served small sweets which prepare their palates111 palate味觉。for the tea.

[6] Next, it is time for the host to make tea, which is done with very precise, choreographed12choreograph设计，编排。movements.The host heats the water over the fire and cleans the tools and utensils. First,the host prepares a thick tea by adding a little bit of water to several scoops of powdered green tea and whisking13whisk搅拌。the ingredients together. The result is almost paste-like, and the taste is quite bitter. The host passes the bowl in which the tea was mixed to the head guest, who turns the bowl three times before sipping. The head guest then榻榻米上。宾客进入茶室首先会观看炭礼法——这是一种特别的点火方式，用以煮水泡茶。

[5]火生好后，按需求不同，茶道有两种不同形式：一是“茶事”，其间主人会准备一顿包含几道料理的正餐，然后上茶，一般持续三四个小时；二是“茶会”，没有正餐，只饮茶。但是，无论有无正餐，宾客们都能先享用一些小甜点，为品茶做好准备。

[6]下一步，主人该备茶了，这要求准确完成一套精心设计的动作。主人煮上水，清洁好茶具器皿。首先，盛出几勺抹茶，加上少许水搅拌，制成浓茶。茶为糊状，味甚苦。主人将搅匀浓茶的茶碗送至主wipes the bowl and passes it to the next guest, and it continues to pass until all guests have had some tea. During this time, the head guest will question the host about the utensils and bowls used during this part of the ceremony; many of these instruments will have a long and storied history.

[7] After the thick tea, the host will make a thin tea, which is the liquid version that we’re familiar with. The host will add more water and the tea will be served in individual cups. Both host and guests use the ceremony as a time to try to live fully in the moment, meditating on these ritualized actions and appreciating the aesthetics of the room and the ceremony.宾面前，主宾接茶，尔后三转茶碗，轻啜慢饮之后将茶碗拭干，递给下一位宾客。余下宾客依次传饮，直至所有宾客都饮过茶则止。饮茶过程中，主宾会就仪式所用的茶碗器皿提问；其中许多用具都有着漫长而传奇的历史。

[7]饮完浓茶，主人会准备薄茶，即我们常见的茶水样子。这次，主人往茶里注入更多的水，制好后再分别倒入不同茶杯中。无论主宾都尽情享受此时此刻，沉浸于仪式中，欣赏茶室和茶艺之美。

History of the tea ceremony

[8] Tea came to Japan from China in the ninth century. Buddhist monks in the country realized that consuming the beverage helped them stay alert during long stretches of meditation. They passed this tip along to Japanese monks who visited, and as tea became standard in Japanese monasteries, it also became popular with elite members of Japanese society, such as emperors, aristocrats and warriors. From the ninth to the 15th century, two different types of tea ceremonies emerged—a simple one performed by the monks and an elaborate one enjoyed by the nobility. The latter

茶道的历史起源

[8] 9世纪时，茶由中国传至日本。中国的僧侣发现，饮茶可助其在长时间冥想时保持头脑清醒。他们将此窍门告知来访的日本僧侣，饮茶从此成为日本寺庙的常规之一。同时，饮茶之风也开始在日本社会的精英阶层盛行起来，天皇、贵族及武士都热衷于饮茶。到15世纪时，日本出现了两种不同类型的茶道——一种是僧侣们进行的简单茶道，一种是贵族阶层品鉴的更精致复杂的茶道。后者可持续数日：宾客们享用丰盛宴席、观赏舞蹈表演及体育竞技的同时，贵族和ceremony could last for days, as aristocrats and rulers presented dozens, even hundreds, of cups of tea for their guests to taste while they enjoyed dance performances, lavish banquets and athletic competitions.

[9] In the 15th and 16th centuries,three men shaped the style of the tea ceremony as we know it today. The fi rst was Murata Shuko (1423—1502), who was appalled by the ostentatious nature of the ceremonies hosted by the elite.He had studied Zen Buddhism14佛教禅宗把佛性界定为纯真朴实的生命本然，只有通过不断地拂拭内心，才能最终令尘埃无可染之处。and wanted the tea ceremony to be simpler and more aligned with Zen beliefs. Zen Buddhists hold that everyday activities can lead to enlightenment, and Shuko believed that by serving tea in a deliberate, studied manner, people could better appreciate the world around them.

[10] Shuko’s mission was carried on by Takena Joo (1502—1555), who reclaimed the tea ceremony from the upper classes by establishing tearooms that were simple and unadorned, so that guests could focus more fully on the task of tea. Joo’s disciple, Sen no Rikyū (1522—1591), was probably the most in fl uential of the three men. Rikyū believed that tea ceremonies must demonstrate the aesthetic ofwabi155 〈日语〉侘び（わび）：一种与茶道相关的美学意识，表达的是讲求黯淡，经过岁月洗炼的古雅、俭朴、收敛与贫乏的意象，包含虽然外表一般但追求质感和美感的意愿。, which统治者会提供几十乃至上百杯茶请他们品尝。

[9] 15世纪至16世纪期间，在三大主要人物的改造和弘扬下，现代茶道初具雏形。日本茶道第一人是村田珠光（1423—1502），他惊骇于上流社会那种浮华的茶道仪式，而他曾修行禅宗，便将禅宗思想引入茶道，让茶道更简约。禅宗教徒相信，日常行为也能引至开悟；珠光认为，以一种审慎讲究的方式饮茶，人们能更好地理解周遭世界。

[10]武 野 绍 鸥（1502—1555）承前启后，将珠光的思想发扬光大。他将上层阶级的茶道进行改造，建造简约、不加修饰的茶室，这样，宾客才能更加专注于茶事本身。绍鸥的弟子千利休（1522—1591）或许是三人中影响最深远的。他认为，茶道须展现出“侘”之美，“侘”字意为某种“安贫乐道”；摆脱了物质牵绊，人才能获得更高层次的满足感。参加茶道的宾客应追求朴实之美，而非恣意于侈靡之中；他们应努力感知自然世界，看refers to a kind of spiritual poverty, because by emptying themselves, people could find fulfillment with something greater. Rather than indulging in extravagance, tea ceremony participants should seek simplicity. They should strive for awareness of the natural world and fi nd beauty in imperfections.

[11] Additionally, Rikyū claimed there were four principles of tea: harmony, respect, purity and tranquility.Every movement within a tearoom on the part of the host and the guests is in service of living these principles—the host should pick utensils that are harmonious with a given theme, and guests must show respect by handling the utensils with care. Purity is achieved by leaving the secular world behind and focusing on this special ceremony—tranquility is considered attainable after the fi rst three principles are met.到缺憾中的美。

[11]此外，千利休还提出了茶道的四字宗旨——和、敬、清、寂。在茶室中，主人宾客的一言一行都须以此为纲：主人须选用与给定主题相合的器具，宾客则须小心恭敬地端取。把世俗世界抛于脑后，专注于眼前这一特别的仪式，内心便清静；而当做到“和、敬、清”三要旨，内心便自然趋于“寂”。

Tea ceremony sets

[12] In the fi rst few centuries that tea ceremonies were practiced in Japan, the participants used tea sets and utensils from China; after all, that’s where the practice of serving tea originated.

[13] One of Sen no Rikyū’s in fl uences on the practice of tea was doing away with these foreign and elaborate tea sets. Rikyū preferred very simple and rustic pieces from Japan, and if they had some kind of flaw, then so much

茶具

[12]日本茶道发展的最初几百年，所用的茶具和器皿均来自中国；毕竟茶道源于中国。

[13]在日本茶道发展上，千利休的另一大影响便是使其脱离了中国的精致茶具。他自身更钟爱日本本土粗糙质朴的茶具，如果茶具上有些许瑕疵the better—trying to see beauty in the simple and the imperfect was one of Rikyū’s goals throughout his work with the tea ceremony.

[14] Hosting a tea ceremony requires an immense amount of utensils and tools. Depending on the season, hosts need aroor afuro; arois a sunken hearth that is used in the winter, and afurois a brazier, or a pan that is used in the summer months on an open fi re.Theroand thefuroprovide the heat for boiling the water for the tea.

[15] Thekama16kama茶釜：茶道会中烧水用的锅或壶。, or kettle, would be placed atop theroorfuro, full of water from themizusashi17mizusashi水指（茶道中，盛放干净的水的器皿）。, or water jug.As the water heats, the ceremony host would use additional water to wash the tea bowl, called achawan. The host would then take the green tea from theusuki188 usuki放浓茶的小陶瓷罐子。, the tea container, using achashaku, or tea scoop. The host adds the powdered tea to thechawan, and then adds the boiling water with thehishaku,or ladle199 ladle长柄勺。. Then, the host would take thechasen, a bamboo whisk, to stir the tea, which he would then present to the guests. Throughout the ceremony,several types of napkins and cleaning cloths would also be used.

[16] Tea ceremonies are governed就更好不过了。感受朴素与残缺之美是千利休欲通过茶道达成的一个目的。

[14]举行一场茶道仪式需要相当数量的用具器皿。依时节不同，主人需要不同的炉子——“地炉”或“风炉”。地炉嵌在地上，冬季用；“风炉”类似于炭盆或夏季在明火上使用的平底锅。两种炉都是用来烧水泡茶的。

[15]茶釜（壶）盛满来自水指的水，置放在地炉（或风炉）上。煮水期间，茶道主人会用额外的水清洗茶碗，随后用茶杓从茶罐里取出绿茶，将茶粉放入茶碗中，再用柄杓盛出沸水放进茶碗。之后，主人会取用一把竹质的搅棒（茶筅）把茶搅匀，然后奉给宾客品尝。主人会备好多种餐巾和清洁布供仪式期间使用。

[16]在日本茶道中，“一

〔〕〔〕by a concept known as ichigo ichie20“一期”即人的一生，“一会”则意味着仅有一次的相会，即使同主同客同一地方可反复举行多次茶事，也不能再现此时此刻之景。在茶道中，主人和客人都以一种诚挚的态度，就像一生只有一次机会那样，体会每一次茶道。,or one time, one meeting. Even though the same series of tasks is performed at every tea ceremony, there is an awareness of the fact that every moment that the host and guests spend together is a unique one that can’t be duplicated. Understanding this concept forces participants to slow down and focus on each second, appreciating it for its distinctiveness and it also forces the host to put on a special, meaningful event. ■期一会”的观念深入人心。即便每次茶道流程无异，但主客均怀着“每时每刻独一无二，不可复制”的心态，这要求宾客放松自己，珍视相处的一分一秒，感受它的独一无二。这同时也要求主人为大家呈现一场别开生面的、意味深长的茶道活动。 □