Tea Journey

26th year of life

    I quickly wrote this out and wanted to have it posted so I can never go back on my own word. I wanted to share this with everyone as well as it may interest you or spark your own little life goal as well.

“It is the eve of my 26th birthday. My gift to myself is going to be tea. You are going to think I am crazy but hear me out.  I already have tea, I drink it and enjoy it. Although for the last few months I have lost my passion for it.  On the way home I was reading a book by a Urasenke master and he described how tea is a way of life. I had already learned about this from many books before but it just seemed more fresh from his written words.

    Chanoyu or The Way of Tea is a way of life. Everything in the tea room relates back to life itself. The four virtues are very important, especially now in such a technological society. What I am trying to explain is that I want to live by these virtues.

  Over the next 4 years I will be focusing on one virtue at a time, while learning and striving to live by them all. But by focusing on one at time for a years length I can truly live through tea.

   To devote myself I am going to post these virtues at my home, my work and eventually tattoo (one at a time) on my body; as reminders of how important these are to my daily life. I have been such a scatter brain, over spender; thoughtless, unforgiving, unloving etc the list is endless. I wish to be a true human being through tea with use of these virtues.

  I depart for a work/vacation and will keep these virtues close to my heart each day of the two weeks. But as of now I will live as I have wanted to. I am taking back tea which I lost and bringing it back in to my life as I once had.

    Ichi no Ichi- I cannot let a moment pass by without realizing how important each moment is.”

Below is a link to information on these virtues:

Tea Ceremony:

‘via Blog this’

Kimono

As part of my Chanoyu education I have been practising the art of putting on kimono (kitsuke).  Kimono today was the end result of the kosode from the Kamakura period. It started as an undergarment and evolved to its current form since then.
  The main part I find that helps me in Chanoyu is the obi. It keeps my back straight and prevents me from slouching over. There are many different ways to tie the obi. Some are meant for a particular age group or time in ones life.  For these images I am wearing a Michiyuki, a “rain coat”. I decided to wear it as it was a bit chilly out, it did the trick.
      For kimono it is traditional to wear tabi socks which have a split toe to wear sandals. In the second image I am wearing 2.5 inch approx. high geta, they are a bit hard to walk in.
       I really enjoy wearing kimono and hope to share my kitsuke with you all here on Tea Journey and over at Split/Gender (My Art blog). Keep an eye out for random posts with kitsuke snapshots and a little history about kimono.

Tao Tea Leaf- Bai Hao Oolong

 
     When I first heard about Bai Hao I slowly began my search for it. The past it had with Queen Elizabeth and it’s naming of “The Champagne of Tea” was welcoming. It was my second visit to Tao that I purchased this lovely tea. I had remembered how it tasted when it was brewed for me the first time and I longed to have it on hand.
         At home I first brewed it with a gaiwan or a small infuser basket. Eventually I acquired a Yixing pot for it that replicates womanly beauty.   The leaves are lightly rolled long ways, a few open ones can be seen. Warm earthy hues make up the tea.

           When it was brewed it had a consistent taste no matter the brewing. It was warm and sweet. It also created a salivating sensation. fuji apples, slight white peach is what I can pick up from it. Is is it the English name
or does this actually taste like warm alcohol free wine?
     I quite adore this tea. I have had some before going out many times and it is very relaxing

Go on and try it~

赤壁 (Red Cliff) – Tea Media

         Red Cliff became one of my favorite 2 part movie about 2-3 years ago. I was wandering through a few tea blogs and found out that tea is made (what looks like) Lu Yu Style. Quickly I sought out a copy and watched it, many times. Wikipedia’s description is as thus:

Chinese epic war film based on the Battle of Red Cliffs (208-209 AD) and events during the end of the Han Dynasty and immediately prior to the Three Kingdoms period in ancient China. The film was directed by John Woo, and stars Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Fengyi, Chang Chen, Hu Jun, Lin Chi-ling and Zhao Wei.

 Xiao Qiao is very skilled tea maker. I was quite taken by her calm description of how to brew tea to Ciao Ciao. Stressing the importance of seeing the stages of boil and knowing when it is ready, and not past its prime. Here are some images of her skills, but be sure to check out the full two part movie.!!

Warming up the tea before scraping needed amount

serving the tea

Ciao Ciao tries the tea
Shallow open cups allow the once boiling water cool.
The brew.