按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
The Book of Tea
The Book of Tea
by Kakuzo Okakura
1
… Page 2…
The Book of Tea
I。 The Cup of Humanity
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 aestheticismTeaism。 Teaism is a cult founded on the adoration of the
beautiful among the sordid facts of everyday existence。 It inculcates
purity and harmony； the mystery of mutual charity； the romanticism of the
social order。 It is essentially a worship of the Imperfect； as it is a tender
attempt to accomplish something possible in this impossible thing we
know as life。
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。
The long isolation of Japan from the rest of the world； so conducive to
introspection； has been highly favourable to the development of Teaism。
Our home and habits； costume and cuisine； porcelain； lacquer； painting
our very literatureall have been subject to its influence。 No student of
Japanese culture could ever ignore its presence。 It has permeated the
elegance of noble boudoirs； and entered the abode of the humble。 Our
peasants have learned to arrange flowers； our meanest labourer to offer his
salutation to the rocks and waters。 In our common parlance we speak of
the man 〃with no tea〃 in him； when he is insusceptible to the serio…
comic interests of the personal drama。 Again we stigmatise the untamed
aesthete who； regardless of the mundane tragedy； runs riot in the
springtide of emancipated emotions； as one 〃with too much tea〃 in him。
The outsider may indeed wonder at this seeming much ado about
nothing。 What a tempest in a tea…cup！ he will say。 But when we consider
how small after all the cup of human enjoyment is； how soon overflowed
2
… Page 3…
The Book of Tea
with tears； how easily drained to the dregs in our quenchless thirst for
infinity； we shall not blame ourselves for making so much of the tea…cup。
Mankind has done worse。 In the worship of Bacchus； we have
sacrificed too freely； and we have even transfigured the gory image of
Mars。 Why not consecrate ourselves to the queen of the Camelias； and
revel in the warm stream of sympathy that flows from her altar？ In the
liquid amber within the ivory…porcelain； the initiated may touch the sweet
reticence of Confucius； the piquancy of Laotse； and the ethereal aroma
of Sakyamuni himself。
Those who cannot feel the littleness of great things in themselves are
apt to overlook the greatness of little things in others。 The average
Westerner； in his sleek complacency； will see in the tea ceremony but
another instance of the thousand and one oddities which constitute the
quaintness and childishness of the East to him。 He was wont to regard
Japan as barbarous while she indulged in the gentle arts of peace： he
calls her civilised since she began to commit wholesale slaughter on
Manchurian battlefields。 Much comment has been given lately to the
Code of the Samurai； the Art of Death which makes our soldiers exult in
self… sacrifice； but scarcely any attention has been drawn to Teaism； which
represents so much of our Art of Life。 Fain would we remain barbarians；
if our claim to civilisation were to be based on the gruesome glory of war。
Fain would we await the time when due respect shall be paid to our art and
ideals。
When will the West understand； or try to understand； the East？ We
Asiatics are often appalled by the curious web of facts and fancies which
has been woven concerning us。 We are pictured as living on the perfume
of the lotus； if not on mice and cockroaches。 It is either impotent
fanaticism or else abject voluptuousness。 Indian spirituality has been
derided as ignorance； Chinese sobriety as stupidity； Japanese patriotism as
the result of fatalism。 It has been said that we are less sensible to pain
and wounds on account of the callousness of our nervous organisation！
Why not amuse yourselves at our expense？ Asia returns the
compliment。 There would be further food for merriment if you were to
know all that we have imagined and written about you。 All the
3
… Page 4…
The Book of Tea
glamour of the perspective is there； all the unconscious homage of wonder；
all the silent resentment of the new and undefined。 You have been
loaded with virtues too refined to be envied； and accused of crimes too
picturesque to be condemned。 Our writers in the pastthe wise men who
knewinformed us that you had bushy tails somewhere hidden in your
garments； and often dined off a fricassee of newborn babes！ Nay； we had
something worse against you： we used to think you the most impracticable
people on the earth； for you were said to preach what you never practiced。
Such misconceptions are fast vanishing amongst us。 Commerce has
forced the European tongues on many an Eastern port。 Asiatic youths are
flocking to Western colleges for the equipment of modern education。
Our insight does not penetrate your culture deeply； but at least we are
willing to learn。 Some of my compatriots have adopted too much of
your customs and too much of your etiquette； in the delusion that the
acquisition of stiff collars and tall silk hats comprised the attainment of
your civilisation。 Pathetic and deplorable as such affectations are； they
evince our willingness to approach the West on our knees。 Unfortunately
the Western attitude is unfavourable to the understanding of the East。
The Christian missionary goes to impart； but not to receive。 Your
information is based on the meagre translations of our immense literature；
if not on the unreliable anecdotes of passing travellers。 It is rarely that
the chivalrous pen of a Lafcadio Hearn or that of the author of 〃The Web
of Indian Life〃 enlivens the Oriental darkness with the torch of our own
sentiments。
Perhaps I betray my own ignorance of the Tea Cult by being so
outspoken。 Its very spirit of politeness exacts that you say what you are
expected to say； and no more。 But I am not to be a polite Teaist。 So
much harm has been done already by the mutual misunderstanding of the
New World and the Old； that one need not apologise for contributing his
tithe to the furtherance of a better understanding。 The beginning of the
twentieth century would have been spared the spectacle of sanguinary
warfare if Russia had condescended to know Japan better。 What dire
consequences to humanity lie in the contemptuous ignoring of Eastern
problems！ European imperialism； which does not disdain to raise the
4
… Page 5…
The Book of Tea
absurd cry of the Yellow Peril； fails to realise that As