The Japanese Tea Ceremony 茶の湯と禅の心

The Japanese Tea Ceremony is a detailed examination of the five-centuries-old tea ceremony?or Cha-no-Yu in Japanese, literally "hot water for tea"?a cornerstone of Japanese culture and a core practice of Zen Buddhism.

Framed by intricately choreographed steps, the tea ceremony is as much about the search for enlightenment as it is about serving tea. Within the serenity of the tea room, the ceremony, with its highly formal structure, becomes an object of focus for meditation. As the water is heated and the tea is served, the ultimate goal is losing the sense of self while gaining inner peace. The path to mindfulness runs through the center of the tea ceremony.

Abundantly illustrated with over 160 drawings and 40 color photos showing every aspect of the ceremony, this book takes readers on a complete tour of furniture and utensils, teahouses and gardens, and numerous other features of Cha-no-Yu. It also delves into the many disciplines included within the broader framework of the tea ceremony?Japanese art, calligraphy, flower arrangements, architecture, gardening, and exquisite handicrafts. Learn more about the experiences of masters of the tea ceremony over the centuries and histories of the various schools and traditions of the art of tea. Full-color photos of tea bowls, teahouses, and gardens reveal the exquisite artistry of the cult of tea and this important Japanese tradition.

With a new foreword by award-winning author Laura C. Martin, The Japanese Tea Ceremony is a fascinating exploration of the ritual and Zen philosophy of one of Japan's greatest customs, truly "an epitome of Japanese civilization."

日本文化の礎であり、禅の修行の核心でもある「茶の湯」。20世紀前半の日本研究を牽引したA・L・サドラーが、1933年に著した本書は、五百年の歴史を持つ「茶の湯」の本質を、西洋人の視点から論理的かつ情熱的に解き明かした包括的な解説書です。

サドラーの眼差しは単なる作法の紹介にとどまりません。茶室の構造や庭園設計、茶道具の歴史、そしてその核心にある「禅」の精神までを深く考察します。静寂の中で厳格な型を実践する茶道を、自我を忘れ、内なる平穏を得るための「動く瞑想」として描き出しています。

160点以上の図解と40点のカラー写真は、道具や意匠のみならず、書や華道、建築、造園といった茶道を彩る広大な芸術世界を鮮やかに写し出します。

受賞歴のある作家、ローラ・C・マーティンによる新たな序文を添えた『The Japanese Tea Ceremony』は、日本の偉大なる習慣の一つである茶の儀式と禅の哲学を探索する、魅惑の一冊です。それはまさに「日本文明の縮図」と言えるでしょう。