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Summary of Talk given by SEN Soshitsu XV (following the Grand Commemorative Ceremony for the Urasenke International Convention in Hawaii) |
| I have been serving tea to people around the world for the past fifty years.
What I enjoy most of all in this world is sharing time over a bowl of tea with all kinds of people,
whether inside Japan or outside Japan. Of course I am guest for tea on occasion,
but ninety percent of the time I am the host. I would like to talk to you about what is considered important in Japan when entertaining guests, and what the secret is to being a good host, by taking a look at the flow of a complete noontime tea gathering; that is, a "shogo no chaji." As you know, such chaji are divided into two parts: the first sitting (shoza) and the later sitting (goza). During the first sitting, there is the initial laying of the charcoal (shozumi) and the kaiseki meal - the order of this changes depending upon if it is during the season for the portable brazier (furo) or the season for the sunken hearth (ro). During the later sitting, there is the thick tea (koicha) service, the replenishing of the charcoal (gozumi), and the thin tea (usucha) service. The charcoal-laying procedure (sumi-demae), in whatever case, is conducted in order to condition the hot water. What I'd like you to do here is to take note of the charcoal and the ash. The making of the ash under the blazing sun, and the job of cutting the charcoal, which gets you black with soot, are all a part of the preparations that go into making a delicious bowl of tea. This means that, already when you are at the stage of doing this work, you have to feel the spirit of hospitality toward your guests. After the charcoal-laying, there is the offering of the kaiseki foods. The kaiseki meal originated from the yakuseki (warm stone placed near the abdomen to stave off starvation and cold) of Zen monks. In other words, it is not extravagant, but is prepared of seasonal ingredients, and it is meant to allow your guests to get their stomachs conditioned. The main object of the chaji is the serving of the thick tea. The reason for conditioning the hot water is to be able to make a deliciously blended bowl of thick tea. The guests take turns drinking from the one bowl. From this, there is born true communion between fellow humans, essentially equal beings; true-hearted communion free of prejudice and discrimination. If we compare the flow of the chaji with the time periods of a day, the initial charcoal-laying would correspond with morning; when the water comes to a boil and the thick tea is served would correspond with noon; and the finishing of the thin tea and departing of the guests might correspond with evening. The host sees off the departing guests, bows farewell to them, goes back and sits at the tea-making spot in the tearoom, and reflects upon that day's particular get-together. With that, there arises a wonderful, deep emotion referred to as "yojo zanshin," the "lingering sense of charm." The host feels dearly toward the guests, and the guests feel dearly toward the host. The secret of a chaji is none but exactly this: the reciprocity of the guests and host (hinshu gokan). |
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