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The Book of Tea
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Now available in a gorgeous hardcover slipcase edition, this "object d'art" will be sure to add grace and elegance to tea shelves, coffee tables and bookshelves. A keepsake enjoyed by tea lovers for over a hundred years, The Book of Tea Classic Edition will enhance your enjoyment and understanding of the seemingly simple act of making and drinking tea.
In 1906 in turn-of-th ...more
In 1906 in turn-of-th ...more
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Hardcover Slipcased , Classic Edition, 133 pages
Published
1989
by Tuttle
(first published 1906)
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Just a few things:
* If you find yourself moving 13 times across 4 cities in 3 states over a period of less than 3 years, you'll notice that your bedroom looks more and more like a Japanese tea room each time.
* Monzaemon Chikamatsu is referred to in this text as the "Japanese Shakespeare." Will I be seeking this man's work out as soon as possible? Damn right! Pfft...don't threaten me with a good time.
* "We have an old saying in Japan that a woman cannot love a man who is truly vain, for there is ...more
* If you find yourself moving 13 times across 4 cities in 3 states over a period of less than 3 years, you'll notice that your bedroom looks more and more like a Japanese tea room each time.
* Monzaemon Chikamatsu is referred to in this text as the "Japanese Shakespeare." Will I be seeking this man's work out as soon as possible? Damn right! Pfft...don't threaten me with a good time.
* "We have an old saying in Japan that a woman cannot love a man who is truly vain, for there is ...more

Wow!
In the trembling grey of a spring dawn, when the birds were whispering in mysterious cadence among the trees, have you not felt that they were talking to their mates about the flowers?"
"True beauty could be discovered only by one who mentally complete the incomplete.”
Just wow!
"Rikiu loved to quote an old poem which says: "To those who long only for flowers, fain would I show the full-blown spring which abides in the toiling buds of snow-covered hills."
More wow!
...more
"The tea-master,

This book was just wonderful. It discusses the history of teaism in Asia (mainly Japan but also China). It’s written in a very poetic and philosophical manner. Not only does the book talk about tea, it also talks about how tea has influenced Japanese culture, especially Japanese cuisine, clothing, literature and art.
I learned some quite surprising facts. For example, onions were added to tea in some places, and tea-drinking was considered to be an occupation of depraved people!
The book also goe ...more
I learned some quite surprising facts. For example, onions were added to tea in some places, and tea-drinking was considered to be an occupation of depraved people!
The book also goe ...more

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. Let us dream of evanescence, and linger in the beautiful foolishness of things.4.5/5
The last time I felt what this book conjured up in me, I was in Medieval Art, transcribing the parts of cathedrals in relation to aspects of religion, art, and space. Approaching the choir on high through the humbling nave, raising the e ...more

This book is about so much more than tea. This is about how something as seemingly simple as a beverage can define a culture’s history, philosophy and aesthetics. When it was originally published in 1906, the East was just opening to the West, and they had few cultural bridges to use to form bonds and begin to understand each other. But both hemispheres shared a love of tea, and a certain ritualization of its consumption. Through the history of the preparation of tea, and how the beverage travel
...more

The Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzō
Too little tea, we learn, was a Japanese expression used in reference to a person too busy to stop and smell the roses. Too much tea, then, refers to a person so busy smelling the roses he has little time for much else. In my humble estimation, Mr. Okakura had a little too much tea in him.
The Book of Tea makes a number of interesting points. I agree with its author that we Occidentals tend to downplay the Orient’s contributions to such fields as philosophy, relig ...more
Too little tea, we learn, was a Japanese expression used in reference to a person too busy to stop and smell the roses. Too much tea, then, refers to a person so busy smelling the roses he has little time for much else. In my humble estimation, Mr. Okakura had a little too much tea in him.
The Book of Tea makes a number of interesting points. I agree with its author that we Occidentals tend to downplay the Orient’s contributions to such fields as philosophy, relig ...more

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. Let us dream of evanescence and linger in the beautiful foolishness of things.
Jan 19, 20

This was a very good book on the history of tea and it's importance in the eastern cultures. Tea started out as a medicine and grew itself into a beverage. The book also speaks of the religion of Japan of Teaism.
I recommend this book to all.
Enjoy and Be Blessed.
Diamond ...more
I recommend this book to all.
Enjoy and Be Blessed.
Diamond ...more

“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.”
It’s not a book about tea, in the sense that it’s not about how to drink your tea, what sorts you can get and what fancy properties they have and ...more
It’s not a book about tea, in the sense that it’s not about how to drink your tea, what sorts you can get and what fancy properties they have and ...more

It is easy to understand why Joseph Campbell, the much-loved professor of mythology and literature, included this book on his students’ required reading list. It is a profound little masterpiece that sheds light on complex ideas using simple explanations and examples, like Campbell did.
Kakuzo Okakura lived primarily in Japan but travelled widely and wrote in English. He is attempting to provide a kind of bridge between East and West, and with these essays that explore the historical, spiritual a ...more
Kakuzo Okakura lived primarily in Japan but travelled widely and wrote in English. He is attempting to provide a kind of bridge between East and West, and with these essays that explore the historical, spiritual a ...more

Oct 25, 2020
Brittany | Healing Happy Lee
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
herbal,
spirituality
Welcome to the elegance of tea-ism. Weaving beauty with simplicity, I have much to learn from Japanese culture. Everything they do is done with such precision.
I first fell in love with tea ceremony as a child watching "Alice and Wonder Land", then my love was evoked again in high school when I read "Memoirs of A Geisha" by Arthur Golden. (It's still my favorite book of all time, to this date!) I then found other books on reading tea leaves and using herbs to heal from Chronic Lyme Disease natura ...more
I first fell in love with tea ceremony as a child watching "Alice and Wonder Land", then my love was evoked again in high school when I read "Memoirs of A Geisha" by Arthur Golden. (It's still my favorite book of all time, to this date!) I then found other books on reading tea leaves and using herbs to heal from Chronic Lyme Disease natura ...more

An enchanting encounter with Far Eastern sensibilities. Okakura doesn’t describe tea so much as use its cultural importance to elucidate for Westerners the life perspectives and aesthetics of Japan and China. But also you see here the interconnectedness of all human culture. Invasions, trade, immigration, art, mysticism all have informed the evolution of Tea, and the Tea-masters, and the Tea ceremony. I knew nothing of these things so this book was an inspiring journey. Through this apparently s
...more

Dec 02, 2007
Banzai
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
Artists, Buddhists, Teaists, and any other kind of "ist" that loves beauty.
Shelves:
favorites
Okakura Kakuzo writes that he is "not a polite teaist." This is true. In the Book of Tea, he more or less shames the world, in particular his own countrymen, for subscribing to Western aesthetics. He also makes it clear how he feels about said aesthetics and the junk art coming out of the cluttered, cheap and materialistic culture of 19th century Europe and America. That said, I didn't like this book because I'm a self-deprecating whitey.
I liked this book first and foremost because it's pretty! ...more
I liked this book first and foremost because it's pretty! ...more

First published in 1906, this classic work written in English having only seven short chapters is something rare and essential to those interested in Japanese culture. It is rare because few Japanese writers have written in English, even Natsume Soseki who studied in England in 1901-1903 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natsume_...) wrote most of his stories and novels in Japanese. Moreover, it is essential since reading this book would broaden our understanding on how and why tea in Japan has long
...more

“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.”
Published in 1906, Teaism is a stunning essay that focuses on the cultural aspects of Japanese life. Beautifully written, this long essay deals w ...more
Published in 1906, Teaism is a stunning essay that focuses on the cultural aspects of Japanese life. Beautifully written, this long essay deals w ...more

(3.5) Written in 1095 by a Japenese philospher, exploring the history of tea in the east, the Japanese relationship with tea, and comparisons to the notions of tea in western culture.
The book is philosophical in tone, covers not just tea, but a bit of history, culture, and religion. There is beautiful writing and thoughtful passages to be savored slowly, while sipping your tea of course 🍵
There are three stages of boiling: the first boil is when the little bubbles like the eye of fishes swim ...more
The book is philosophical in tone, covers not just tea, but a bit of history, culture, and religion. There is beautiful writing and thoughtful passages to be savored slowly, while sipping your tea of course 🍵
There are three stages of boiling: the first boil is when the little bubbles like the eye of fishes swim ...more

A really fascinating little collection of essays, dealing with Japanese culture at the turn of the twentieth-century, especially the tea ceremony and the culture and philosophy that springs from it. I found this really interesting and readable, although possibly more enjoyable if you have vague background knowledge of Japanese and Chinese history and schools of philosophy.

This is an exquisite little cultural history of Japan centred around the tea ceremony and a philosophy of "teaism" which includes elements of Zen and Taoism.
It's also a work of art and design philosophy which especially falls into place on realising it was written in the wake of the Western aesthetic movement of the late nineteenth century. (The Book of Tea was first published in 1906.) The Japanese perspective described here seems to unite, or else trace a middle way between, the opposition of ...more
It's also a work of art and design philosophy which especially falls into place on realising it was written in the wake of the Western aesthetic movement of the late nineteenth century. (The Book of Tea was first published in 1906.) The Japanese perspective described here seems to unite, or else trace a middle way between, the opposition of ...more

I wish the book was longer
This book is about more than tea. Philosophy, preserving culture, the nature of man and the role of “state”, spirituality, interior design, and floral arrangement.
Beautiful writing and thought provoking. I can see why the author worked hard in his lifetime to preserve Japanese art and culture. You can also see why Joseph Campbell would make it required reading for his classes and how it may be reflected in some of his writing.
This book is about more than tea. Philosophy, preserving culture, the nature of man and the role of “state”, spirituality, interior design, and floral arrangement.
Beautiful writing and thought provoking. I can see why the author worked hard in his lifetime to preserve Japanese art and culture. You can also see why Joseph Campbell would make it required reading for his classes and how it may be reflected in some of his writing.

Well... I suppose, some books will speak to you, and some won't but in this particular case the author's cringe-worthy comments regarding the Occident's weltanschauung put me off from the very beginning. There were some mildly interesting passages later on, but all in all, this book was not exactly my cup of tea. Too much philosophical and/or poetic digressions, too little information on tea itself. Still searching for a readable book about tea.
...more

Not a book about tea, which is misleading and fosters distrust toward the author. Instead, Okakura spends more time describing the nuances of Japanese culture to the western reader - sometimes disdainfully. Got bored with his preaching and was relieved when it ended.
Quotes :
--------
“The Philosophy of Tea is not mere aestheticism… It is hygiene, for it enforces cleanliness; it is economics, for it shows comfort in simplicity rather than in the complex and costly…”
“…When we consider how small afte ...more
Quotes :
--------
“The Philosophy of Tea is not mere aestheticism… It is hygiene, for it enforces cleanliness; it is economics, for it shows comfort in simplicity rather than in the complex and costly…”
“…When we consider how small afte ...more

I have always been a coffee fan but having been inducted into the intricacies of tea by my friend, I have grown to like it more.
The Book of Tea expounds on 'Teaism', a way of life through tea.
"In our common parlance we speak of the man "with no tea" in him, when it is insusceptible to the serio-comic interests of the personal drama."
Okakura makes a case for spiritualism and philosophy first before going on to trace the history of tea, its influences, and how it shaped the thoughts and habits o ...more
The Book of Tea expounds on 'Teaism', a way of life through tea.
"In our common parlance we speak of the man "with no tea" in him, when it is insusceptible to the serio-comic interests of the personal drama."
Okakura makes a case for spiritualism and philosophy first before going on to trace the history of tea, its influences, and how it shaped the thoughts and habits o ...more

I normally recommend towards the end of my reviews, but this time I recommend to read it in the beginning. Ill say, read it asap, its a small book won't take much time to finish. I have always liked Japanese writing, it has a natural flow and its minimalistic which is the best part. Here the author tells us about Tea, don't get confused by the name it has much more than just tea, it takes a stand on everything. It has so much to give you, life lessons, art lessons, everything you need to know.
W ...more
W ...more

What a beautiful book. It's amazing to see what changes in this world, and also what stays the same. 4/08
I had a moment of epiphany yesterday, when I realized that I wanted to study the tea ceremony (again) while I'm in Japan, and said something to my mom about wanting to find a teacher. Then today by total coincidence one of my students hands me a page she wrote for me about Chado (the tea ceremony) and the end of is says "I hope that this answer will encourage you to open the door to Chado lea ...more
I had a moment of epiphany yesterday, when I realized that I wanted to study the tea ceremony (again) while I'm in Japan, and said something to my mom about wanting to find a teacher. Then today by total coincidence one of my students hands me a page she wrote for me about Chado (the tea ceremony) and the end of is says "I hope that this answer will encourage you to open the door to Chado lea ...more

Delicate and profound
A soliloquy on tea and its rituals, primarily the Japanese Zen style, by a scholar whose ardent favour and incisive commentary still shine through in today's modern context. ...more
A soliloquy on tea and its rituals, primarily the Japanese Zen style, by a scholar whose ardent favour and incisive commentary still shine through in today's modern context. ...more

Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
3.5 Stars
This was one interesting booklet from the Little Black Classics. It's fun how it sometimes throws things at you that you were not expecting. This is, as the name suggests, a book on Tea. It also tries to turn tea in a philosophy, but I mainly found the information on the traditional ways of making/drinking tea and the ceremonies interesting.
A short but nice read.
~Little Black Classics #112~ ...more
3.5 Stars
This was one interesting booklet from the Little Black Classics. It's fun how it sometimes throws things at you that you were not expecting. This is, as the name suggests, a book on Tea. It also tries to turn tea in a philosophy, but I mainly found the information on the traditional ways of making/drinking tea and the ceremonies interesting.
A short but nice read.
~Little Black Classics #112~ ...more

Okakura asks
'When will the West understand, or try to understand, the East?'
The circumstances in which he asks this question have greatly changed, but the concern remains. Okakura gives a sort of Pan-Asian outline of the aesthetics and philosophy that surround the simple act of tea-drinking, but his lasting achievement - and perhaps this was his intent all along - is to hint at the absolute gulf, the void of knowledge that even a decently culturally-educated person such as myself, if I can ...more
'When will the West understand, or try to understand, the East?'
The circumstances in which he asks this question have greatly changed, but the concern remains. Okakura gives a sort of Pan-Asian outline of the aesthetics and philosophy that surround the simple act of tea-drinking, but his lasting achievement - and perhaps this was his intent all along - is to hint at the absolute gulf, the void of knowledge that even a decently culturally-educated person such as myself, if I can ...more

The Book of Tea does, of course, deal with what the author, Okakura Kakuzō, calls Teaism and the history of the tea ceremony in Japan; however, this elegiac, philosophical work deals with much more: the influences of Taoism on Zen Buddhism, the unquestioning embrace of everything Western during the Meiji Restoration, the perfection of imperfection and much more.
This short book really made me think about the Western emphasis on the novel and faddish at the expense of the tried and true. Naturall ...more
This short book really made me think about the Western emphasis on the novel and faddish at the expense of the tried and true. Naturall ...more

“For Teaism is the art of concealing beauty that you may discover it, of suggesting what you dare not reveal. It is the noble secret of laughing at yourself, calmly yet thoroughly, and is thus humour itself,--the smile of philosophy.”
“Rikiu loved to quote an old poem which says: ‘To those who long only for flowers,fain would I show the full-blown spring which abides in the toiling buds of snow-covered hills.’
Manifold indeed have been the contributions of tea-masters to art. “
I cannot express ho ...more
“Rikiu loved to quote an old poem which says: ‘To those who long only for flowers,fain would I show the full-blown spring which abides in the toiling buds of snow-covered hills.’
Manifold indeed have been the contributions of tea-masters to art. “
I cannot express ho ...more
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Okakura Kakuzō (岡倉覚三), also known as Okakura Tenshin (岡倉 天心), was a Japanese scholar who contributed the development of arts in Japan. Outside Japan, he is chiefly remembered today as the author of 'The Book of Tea'.
Born in Yokohama to parents originally from Fukui, Okakura learned English while attending a school operated by Christian missionary, Dr. Curtis Hepburn. At 15, he entered Tokyo Imperi ...more
Born in Yokohama to parents originally from Fukui, Okakura learned English while attending a school operated by Christian missionary, Dr. Curtis Hepburn. At 15, he entered Tokyo Imperi ...more
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