The Book of Tea

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Classic
Review: .
This is a book I will never forget, and probably because I keep reading it again!

Discussions like the story of Rikyu and leaving the single flower in face of possible dire circumstance, which in the end was a foretelling of his later forced suicide.

The author didn't simply tell you about wabi-cha he weaves it his own poetic story about tea culture in Japan.

If brevity is the art of expression, this is a masterpiece!

It has already stood the test of time, and you would find few tea advocates that haven't admired it.

Rating:
Summary: A work of art
Review: A more beautiful tribute to tea as a way of life there never was. I highly recommend the hard back version from 1956 for the elegance and beauty. I was enthralled with his description of the tea ceremony and of the real joy of flowers. A great book to return to periodically to refresh your beliefs in the beauty of the world and tea.

Rating:
Summary: I loved this book so much I made my own
Review: A true classic, this is one of those rare books which makes the reader a better person and the world a better place.

If one wants an ebook version of it though, and doesn't need to print it, I've put up a .pdf version on my portfolio pages which I made after making a copy to bind by hand as a gift for my sister.

It was rather nicely listed in the ``wikipedia'' in the ``tea'' article and is featured in the ``TeX showcase'' [...]

It's available in my portfolio [...]

I made a couple of extra copies [...]

Rating:
Summary: An extremely affordable edition of a true Asian classic
Review: Anyone interested in a deeper understanding of Asian culture, especially as it pertains to Zen and Taoist teachings, should check out this classic work. Written in a light, readable style and charged with subtle humor, this work gives a unique insight into Asian thought, culture, and values by tracing the history of tea. A simple beverage creating a simple pleasure, yet holding enough signifigance to be the focal point of religious ritual.

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Summary: The esoterics of Japanese tea
Review: Around the turn of the century, Japan's closed borders were flung open and the eyes of the world were fixed upon this mysterious, hidden island nation. Authors, both Japanese and other, were quick to satisfy this new hunger for insight with a variety of metaphors on Japanese society. In his book "Bushido," Tsunetomo Yamamoto exposed Western audiences to the "soul of Japan" as a warrior's code. Kazuko Okakura found a much more gentle metaphor in chanoyu, the Japanese tea ceremony.

"The Book of Tea" does not propose to be a manual on the tea ceremony, but rather a launching point for Japanese aesthetics and values of beauty. Okakura himself is not a tea master, but is a highly-educated aristocrat, schooled in classical Chinese studies and Japanese art. He sees in chanoyu the unique elements of the Japanese eye, and juxtaposes the appeal of architecture, interior decoration, approach to art and other points with the Western view.

The writing style reflects the tone of literature of the early 1900's, with an authoritative tone and elf-important turns of phrase. Like "Bushido," "The Book of Tea" seeks to showcase the idealized Japan, that dream of an aesthetic that never-was but is always sought after. An average Japanese home has no relation to the sacred space of the tea house, and your average Japanese cup of tea is knocked back with little ceremony. But within that, there is the search for art in life, and that can be found in chanoyu.

Not that it is all esoteric. There is an interesting tour through the history of tea, and its transportation from China to the world. But "The Book of Tea" is very small, and one can not expect too much from a volume of this size. Okakura's mussings are a quick and interesting read, and might be considered a launching point for a deeper investigation of the mysteries of Japanese aesthetics and tea.

Rating:
Summary: An inexpensive, high quality edition of a classic.
Review: For anyone interested in Asian, and particularly Japanese, culture, this book is a must. By following the history of tea and its role in the spiritual and cultural development of Japan, this slim volume gives the reader remarkable insight into the Japanese mind. Written with a keen sense of humor, the Book of Tea is very readable and entertaining, while at the same time illustrating the Japanese passion for the simple. This version is a quality translation, and you cannot beat the price. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Japan, Buddhism, Taoism, or tea.

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Summary: Fabulous philosophy!
Review: I came across this book about 10 years ago and am still enthralled with it. Not only does it explain the hows and whys of the Japanese tea ceremony, the author gives wonderful thoughts on living and his philosophies of a good life. Interesting, thought provoking and just a wonderful read. How can you resist any book with the line "Let us dream of evanescence and linger in the beautiful foolishness of things" in the introduction? I highly recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: The Tempest in Tea Cup
Review: I haphazardly discovered this book when I had undertaken the task of better acquainting myself with tea. Totally ignorant, I opened the book half expecting to find dry writing on types of tea leaves. Instead I discovered something deeply beautiful. This book does indeed teach the history of tea and its preparation, but it also provides an eloquent introduction to Teaism and other aspects of Japanese culture. Okakura wavers most delicately between prose and poetry, between the educational and the spiritual. The words linger with you long after you have finished, and tea, once an ordinary beverage, acquires a soul-- a source of peace.

"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."

(Chapter One, The Cup of Humanity)

Rating:
Summary: chajin
Review: I loved this new edition and thought that the photographs were beautiful, capturing the essences of tea and giving examples( a rare thing) of actual tea implements. Unlike the reviewer who couldn't even leave a name who probably has no concept of the world of tea, I thought that the format also followed the ideals of tea by being contemporary and in the constantly evolving path of tea as given to us by Oiemoto (the current head of the Urasenke tea school). I enjoyed this book very much and have given several copies to my tea students and tea friends as well.

Rating:
Summary: a jewel by a giant
Review: i read this book in preparation for participating in a japanese culture class for japanese 6th graders. i had heard of the book, but avoided it for a long time due to my assumptions about the book being just another new age-y trend that exoticizes "eastern culture".

however, when i actually sat down and delved into the book, i was thrilled. this little volume on tea is really a special book, for all the reasons other reviewers give and so much more.
but the book has become detached from its author, which is a shame, because okakura was/is a major figure in a very important period of time.

like today, the meiji period in which okakura lived was a time of extreme westernization in japan. okakura was a giant in the struggle to keep japanese culture alive, primarily through the arts. okakura was also one of the first and biggest presenters of japanese culture to the west. the book of tea is a fantastic example of the way in which cultures that are unfamiliar with one another's practices, mindsets, and histories can have meaningful exchanges without reducing the other side to exotic stereotypes. though okakura was japanese, this book was originally written in english soon after okakura joined the staff at the boston museum of art.

everyone should read this book. okakura's gem is much more a philosophy book along the lines of deleuze and guattari than it is a book about "tea" or "buddhism". this is a book that has no fear in treading into many different realms, and many of its cultural critiques of both "the west" and japan resonate profoundly in the today's world. it has been translated into scores of languages, including japanese. in fact, it is probably the japanese that would benefit most from reading the book of tea.