The Bottom Line
A wonderfully Zen approach to the ceremony of drinking tea.
Pros
- Very detailed
Cons
- Illustrations only in black and white
Description
- Written by Diana Saltoon
- Published by Robert Briggs Associates
- Softcover, 180 pages
- ISBN: 0-931191-18-1
Guide Review - Tea and Ceremony
The tranquility of tea ceremony needs to be experienced to be understood, but this book comes close to bringing that to the reader. Japanese tea ceremony is extremely elaborate, with each item bearing symbolic meaning and each action being ritualistically precise. Both the host and the guests are part of the ceremony. Though at first glance it may seem rigid, those who often take part in tea ceremonies feel it is more of a meditative performance that requires some discipline to achieve.I enjoyed the personal stories which helped to illustrate the various aspects of the ceremony in a 'real world' way. This book has enough detail and instruction that you could begin learning to perform authentic tea ceremonies on your own. There is a lot of terminology regarding all the elements of tea ceremony and the glossary at the back of the book is a must-read. Beyond the intricacies of Japanese tea ceremonies themselves, Ms. Saltoon also introduces the history and cultural significance of tea.