That a nation should construct one of its most resonant national ceremonies round a cup of tea will surely strike a chord of sympathy with at least some readers of this review. To many foreigners, nothing is so quintessentially Japanese as the tea ceremony--more properly, "the way of tea"--with its austerity, its extravagantly minimalist stylization, and its concentration of extreme subtleties of meaning into the simplest of actions. The Book of Tea is something of a curiosity: written in English by a Japanese scholar. It was first published in 1906, in ...

The Philosophy of Tea is not mere aestheticism in the ordinary acceptance of the term, for it expresses conjointly with ethics and religion our whole point of view about man and nature. It is hygiene, for it enforces cleanliness; it is economics, for it shows comfort in simplicity rather than in the complex and costly; it is moral geometry, inasmuch as it defines our sense of proportion to the universe. It represents the true spirit of Eastern democracy by making all its votaries aristocrats in taste. (from "The Book of Tea")

This classic primer on Japanese art and esthetics-written by a cofounder of the Tokyo Fine Art School and one of the great 19th-century experts on Asian art and archaeology-approaches the subject from a philosphical perspective, exploring the spirit and the spirituality behind the notable eras of Asian music, painting, architecture, textiles, and other realms of artistic expression. Why did the Japanese character refuse to embrace abstract art? How did religious frenzy in the Middle Ages influence live entertainment? How does Zen impact the soul of an artist? ...

An elegant and intellectual work, “The Book of Tea” was written in 1906 by Okakura Kakuzo, a brilliant Japanese man with an early education in English. Through his intimate knowledge of Japanese aesthetics and ability to effectively communicate them to a Western audience, Okakura is able to discuss ‘Teaism’ and its impact on Japanese culture, thought, and life in an informative and profound way. He develops this theory by explaining the history and universality of the tea ceremony, its inextricable connection to Taoism and Buddhism ...

Purchase one of 1st World Library's Classic Books and help support our free internet library of downloadable eBooks. 1st World Library-Literary Society is a non-profit educational organization. Visit us online at www.1stWorldLibrary.ORG - Tea began as a medicine and grew into a beverage. In China, in the eighth century, it entered the realm of poetry as one of the polite amusements. The fifteenth century saw Japan ennoble it into a religion of aestheticism - Teaism. Teaism is a cult founded on the adoration of the beautiful among the sordid facts of everyday ...

'Meanwhile, let us have a sip of tea. The afternoon glow is brightening the bamboos, the fountains are bubbling with delight, the soughing of the pines is heard in our kettle.' In this charming book from 1906, Okakura explores Zen, Taoism, Tea Masters and the significance of the Japanese tea ceremony. One of 46 new books in the bestselling Little Black Classics series, to celebrate the first ever Penguin Classic in 1946. Each book gives readers a taste of the Classics' huge range and diversity, with works from around the world and across the centuries ...

This enchanting 1906 work introduced the West to the art of the Japanese national drink through the philosophy of "teaism" as an aesthetic that permeates Japanese thinking and ritual. From "tea ideals" to the serenity of the tearoom, from the beverage's influence on Zen and Taoist concepts to its infusion in the ceremony of flower arranging, this is an essential introduction not merely to a drink but to an entire way of life. It will delight tea lovers and students of Japanese culture alike. Japanese scholar and writer KAKUZO OKAKURA (1863-1913) helped spread ...

Okakura Kakuzo's The Book of Tea (茶の本) is an essay linking the role of tea (Teaism) to the aesthetic and cultural aspects of Japanese life. Though Kakuzo was born and raised Japanese it was written in English and is one of the great English Tea classics. In The Book of Tea he discusses Zen and Taoism, but also the secular aspects of tea and Japanese life. The book emphasizes how Teaism taught the Japanese many things; most importantly, simplicity. He ends the book with a chapter on Tea Masters, and spends some time talking about Sen ...

This book has been considered by academicians and scholars of great significance and value to literature. This forms a part of the knowledge base for future generations. We have represented this book in the same form as it was first published. Hence any marks seen are left intentionally to preserve its true nature.

The Book of Tea' is a philosophical treatise written by Kakuzo Okakura, a Japanese scholar, art critic, and curator, first published in 1906. This influential work explores the aesthetics, cultural significance, and philosophy behind the Japanese tea ceremony. The author discusses the principles of simplicity, harmony, and reverence that are central to the tea ceremony, highlighting its ability to foster a deeper connection with nature, oneself, and others. Okakura explores the contrast between Eastern and Western cultures, examining how the appreciation ...