WHAT IS THE TEA CEREMONY?
The tea ceremony can be seen in various ways:
· As a simple entertainment for guests to drink tea in a pleasant atmosphere.
· As an art form in which beautiful utensils are used according to strict rules of etiquette.
· As a spiritual training for mind and body and as a philosophy for a way of life.

WHAT DO PEOPLE DO AT A TEA CEREMONY?
· The guests arrive at the appointed time and walk through the garden to the tearoom.
· They watch the host or hostess prepare the tea bowls and other utensils and make the tea.
· The host serves the guests with a meal, or just some special sweets before they drink the tea.
· The guests enjoy the beauty of the room, the garden, and the tea utensils.

WHO TAKES PART IN TEA CEREMONIES?
· All kinds of people, young and old, men and women, enjoy tea ceremony.
· Anyone can join in but it is best if you have some knowledge of how to take part correctly.

WHERE ARE TEA CEREMONIES HELD?
· Tea can be made anywhere - in a specially designed teahouse or tearoom, in your living room, in a temple tearoom, or outside in a garden or park.
· Perhaps the most delightful place for holding a tea ceremony is in a small hut specially designed for cha-no-yu, looking like a little hut in the mountains. With a small, plain room with tatami mats on the floor, an alcove with a hanging scroll and simple flower arrangement, and the host and guests seated on the floor.

HOW LONG DOES A TEA CEREMONY TAKE?
· A full tea ceremony lasts for about four hours and includes a meal, two different types of tea with sweets, and a restful stroll in the garden.
· A short tea ceremony can be held in about 20 minutes when only one type of tea is served with sweets.

HOW IS THE TEA MADE?
· The tea used in the tea ceremony is very high quality tea.
· It is bright green in colour as the leaves are simply steamed, dried, and ground into a fine powder.
· The host follows set movements in making the tea.
· These movements have been refined over the centuries to make them as efficient and as beautiful to watch as possible.
· The host puts the tea powder directly into the bowl from which the guests drink.
· Boiling water is poured onto the tea and a bamboo whisk is used to dissolve the tea powder in the hot water.

HOW DO YOU LEARN TEA CEREMONY?
· There are many teachers of cha-no-yu in Japan and in many countries around the world, including Australia.
· It takes many years and much practise to learn to make tea really well -
You need to learn
· The correct movements for making, serving and drinking tea.
· The proper manners for host and guests.
· How to appreciate the beauty of the utensils.
· An understanding of the arts and crafts involved in their production.
· The simple arrangement of the tea room.
· Flower arrangement.
· Architecture and garden design.
· Other elements of Japanese arts and culture.

WHAT IS THE PHILOSOPHY OF TEA CEREMONY?
· Zen Buddhism is very important in cha-no-yu because Zen priests introduced tea into Japan.
· There are four main principles that people have to remember and follow when they are taking part in tea ceremony - harmony, respect, purity and tranquillity.

HOW DID TEA CEREMONY BEGIN?
· Zen priests introduced tea to Japan from China in the Eighth Century.
· Tea was used by the priests as a medicine and to help them stay awake while meditating.
· Tea drinking became popular with the nobles of Japan and tea was served in elaborate ceremonies.
· In the 16th Century, Sen Rikyu, the founder of the Urasenke School of tea, established tea ceremony, as we know it.
· Sen Rikyu brought tea ceremony to the ordinary people of Japan and emphasised simplicity and naturalness in the making of tea.
· Today, the Urasenke School is the largest of the tea schools, with over 3,000,000 followers in Japan and overseas.

THINGS TO NOTICE WHEN WATCHING TEA CEREMONY
· The movements of the person making tea re very precise and careful and have been learned rather as you would the steps of a dance.
· The host or hostess does not drink with the guests but concentrates only on serving them as well as possible.
· The host and guests do not talk to each other much, only exchanging a few polite words of thanks or apology, or some discussion about the food, tea and utensils.
· Everyone concentrates on what is happening at any moment.
· After drinking their tea the guests take some time to admire and enjoy the beauty of the tea bowl they have used.
· The tea utensils are works of art and often very valuable and handled with great care.
· You should notice particularly how harmony and respect are shown between the host and guests, how purity is achieved in their minds through the cleaning of the utensils, and how this all leads to the atmosphere of tranquillity.

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