the book of tea-第6节

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e　Zen　discipline　and　every　least　action　must　be　done　absolutely　perfectly。　　Thus　many　a　weighty　discussion　ensued　while　weeding　the　garden；　paring　a　turnip；　or　serving　tea。　　The　whole　ideal　of　Teaism　is　a　result　of　this　Zen　conception　of　greatness　in　the　smallest　incidents　of　life。　　Taoism　furnished　the　basis　for　aesthetic　ideals；　Zennism　made　them　practical。



IV。　The　Tea…Room


To　European　architects　brought　up　on　the　traditions　of　stone　and　brick　construction；　our　Japanese　method　of　building　with　wood　　and　bamboo　seems　scarcely　worthy　to　be　ranked　as　architecture。　It　is　but　quite　recently　that　a　competent　student　of　Western　architecture　has　recognised　and　paid　tribute　to　the　remarkable　perfection　of　our　great　temples。　　Such　being　the　case　as　regards　　our　classic　architecture；　we　could　hardly　expect　the　outsider　to　appreciate　the　subtle　beauty　of　the　tea…room；　its　principles　of　　construction　and　decoration　being　entirely　different　from　those　of　the　West。

The　tea…room　（the　Sukiya）　does　not　pretend　to　be　other　than　a　　mere　cottagea　straw　hut；　as　we　call　it。　　The　original　ideographs　for　Sukiya　mean　the　Abode　of　Fancy。　　Latterly　the　various　tea…masters　substituted　various　Chinese　characters　according　to　their　conception　of　the　tea…room；　and　the　term　Sukiya　may　signify　the　Abode　of　Vacancy　or　the　Abode　of　the　Unsymmetrical。　It　is　an　Abode　of　Fancy　inasmuch　as　it　is　an　ephemeral　structure　built　to　house　a　poetic　impulse。　　It　is　an　Abode　of　Vacancy　　inasmuch　as　it　is　devoid　of　ornamentation　except　for　what　may　　be　placed　in　it　to　satisfy　some　aesthetic　need　of　the　moment。　It　is　an　Abode　of　the　Unsymmetrical　inasmuch　as　it　is　consecrated　to　the　worship　of　the　Imperfect；　purposely　leaving　some　thing　　unfinished　for　the　play　of　the　imagination　to　complete。　　The　　ideals　of　Teaism　have　since　the　sixteenth　century　influenced　our　architecture　to　such　degree　that　the　ordinary　Japanese　interior　of　the　present　day；　on　account　of　the　extreme　simplicity　and　　chasteness　of　its　scheme　of　decoration；　appears　to　foreigners　　almost　barren。

The　first　independent　tea…room　was　the　creation　of　Senno…Soyeki；　commonly　known　by　his　later　name　of　Rikiu；　the　greatest　of　all　tea…masters；　who；　in　the　sixteenth　century；　under　the　patronage　of　Taiko…Hideyoshi；　instituted　and　brought　to　a　high　state　of　perfection　the　formalities　of　the　Tea…ceremony。　　The　proportions　of　the　tea…room　had　been　previously　determined　by　Jowoa　famous　tea…master　of　the　fifteenth　century。　　The　early　tea…room　consisted　merely　of　a　portion　of　the　ordinary　drawing…room　partitioned　off　by　screens　for　the　purpose　of　the　tea…gathering。　The　portion　partitioned　off　was　called　the　Kakoi　（enclosure）；　a　name　still　applied　to　those　tea…rooms　which　are　built　into　a　house　and　are　not　independent　constructions。　　The　Sukiya　consists　of　the　tea…room　proper；　designed　to　accomodate　not　more　than　five　　persons；　a　number　suggestive　of　the　saying　〃more　than　the　Graces　and　less　than　the　Muses；〃　an　anteroom　（midsuya）　where　the　tea　utensils　are　washed　and　arranged　before　being　brought　in；　a　　portico　（machiai）　in　which　the　guests　wait　until　they　receive　the　　summons　to　enter　the　tea…room；　and　a　garden　path　（the　roji）　which　　connects　the　machiai　with　the　tea…room。　　The　tea…room　is　unimpressive　in　appearance。　　It　is　smaller　than　the　smallest　of　Japanese　houses；　while　the　materials　used　in　its　construction　are　intended　to　give　the　suggestion　of　refined　poverty。　　Yet　we　must　remember　that　all　this　is　the　result　of　profound　artistic　　forethought；　and　that　the　details　have　been　worked　out　with　care　perhaps　even　greater　than　that　expended　on　the　building　of　the　richest　palaces　and　temples。　　A　good　tea…room　is　more　costly　than　an　ordinary　mansion；　for　the　selection　of　its　materials；　as　well　as　its　workmanship；　requires　immense　care　and　precision。　　Indeed；　the　carpenters　employed　by　the　tea…masters　form　a　distinct　and　highly　honoured　class　among　artisans；　their　work　being　no　less　delicate　than　that　of　the　makers　of　lacquer　cabinets。

The　tea…room　is　not　only　different　from　any　production　of　Western　architecture；　but　also　contrasts　strongly　with　the　classical　architecture　of　Japan　itself。　　Our　ancient　noble　edifices；　whether　secular　or　ecclesiastical；　were　not　to　be　　despised　even　as　regards　their　mere　size。　　The　few　that　have　been　spared　in　the　disastrous　conflagrations　of　centuries　are　still　capable　of　aweing　us　by　the　grandeur　and　richness　　of　their　decoration。　　Huge　pillars　of　wood　from　two　to　three　　feet　in　diameter　and　from　thirty　to　forty　feet　high；　supported；　by　a　complicated　network　of　brackets；　the　enormous　beams　which　groaned　under　the　weight　of　the　tile…covered　roofs。　The　material　and　mode　of　construction；　though　weak　against　fire；　proved　itself　strong　against　earthquakes；　and　was　well　suited　to　the　climatic　conditions　of　the　country。　　In　the　Golden　Hall　of　Horiuji　and　the　Pagoda　of　Yakushiji；　we　have　noteworthy　examples　of　the　durability　of　our　wooden　architecture。　　These　buildings　have　practically　stood　intact　for　nearly　twelve　centuries。　　The　interior　of　the　old　temples　and　palaces　was　　profusely　decorated。　　In　the　Hoodo　temple　at　Uji；　dating　from　the　tenth　century；　we　can　still　see　the　elaborate　canopy　and　　gilded　baldachinos；　many…coloured　and　inlaid　with　mirrors　and　mother…of…pearl；　as　well　as　remains　of　the　paintings　and　　sculpture　which　formerly　covered　the　walls。　　Later；　at　Nikko　and　in　the　Nijo　castle　in　Kyoto；　we　see　structural　beauty　sacrificed　to　a　wealth　of　ornamentation　which　in　colour　and　exquisite　detail　equals　the　utmost　gorgeousness　of　Arabian　or　Moorish　effort。

The　simplicity　and　purism　of　the　tea…room　resulted　from　emulation　of　the　Zen　monastery。　　A　Zen　monastery　differs　from　those　of　other　Buddhist　sects　inasmuch　as　it　is　meant　only　to　be　a　dwelling　place　for　the　monks。　　Its　chapel　is　not　a　place　of　worship　or　pilgrimage；　but　a　college　room　where　the　students　congregate　for　discussion　and　the　practice　of　meditation。　　The　room　is　bare　except　for　a　central　alcove　in　which；　behind　the　altar；　is　a　statue　of　Bodhi　Dharma；　the　founder　of　the　sect；　or　of　Sakyamuni　attended　by　Kaphiapa　and　Ananda；　the　two　earliest　Zen　patriarchs。　On　the　altar；　flowers　and　incense　are　offered　up　in　the　memory　of　the　great　contributions　which　these　sages　made　to　Zen。　　We　have　already　said　that　it　was　the　ritual　instituted　by　the　Zen　monks　of　successively　drinking　tea　out　of　a　bowl　before　the　image　of　Bodhi　Dharma；　which　laid　the　foundations　of　the　tea…ceremony。　We　might　add　here　that　the　altar　of　the　Zen　chapel　was　the　prototype　of　the　Tokonoma；the　place　of　honour　in　a　Japanese　room　where　paintings　and　flowers　are　placed　for　the　edification　of　the　guests。

All　our　great　tea…masters　were　students　of　Zen　and　attempted　to　introduce　the　spirit　of　Zennism　into　the　actualities　of　life。　Thus　the　room；　like　the　other　equipments　of　the　tea…ceremony；　reflects　many　of　the　Zen　doctrines。　　The　size　of　the　orthodox　tea…room；　which　is　four　mats　and　a　half；　or　ten　feet　square；　is　determined　by　a　passage　in　the　Sutra　of　Vikramadytia。　In　that　interesting　work；　Vikramadytia　welcomes　the　Saint　Manjushiri　and　eighty…four　thousand　disciples　of　Buddha　in　a　room　of　this　size；an　allegory　based　on　the　theory　of　the　non…existence　of　space　to　the　truly　enlightened。　　Again　the　roji；　the　garden　path　which　leads　from　the　machiai　to　the　tea…room；　signified　the　first　stage　of　meditation；the　passage　into　self…illumination。　　The　roji　was　intended　to　break　connection　with　the　outside　world；　and　produce　a　fresh　sensation　conducive　to　the　full　enjoyment　of　aestheticism　in　the　tea…room　itself。　　One　who　has　trodden　this　garden　path　cannot　fail　to　remember　how　his　spirit；　as　he　walked　in　the　twilight　of　evergreens　over　the　regular　irregularities　of　the　stepping　stones；　beneath　which　lay　dried　pine　needles；　and　passed　beside　the　moss…covered　granite　lanterns；　became　uplifted　above　ordinary　thoughts。　　One　may　be　in　the　midst　of　a　city；　and　yet　feel　as　if　he　were　in　the　forest　far　away　from　the　dust　and　din　of　civilisation。　　Great　was　the　ingenuity　displayed　by　the　tea…masters　in　producing　these　effects　of　serenity　and　purity。　　The　nature　of　the　sensations　to　be　aroused　in　passing　through　the　roji　differed　with　different　tea…masters。　　Some；　like　Rikiu；　aimed　at　utter　loneliness；　and　claimed　the　secret　of　making　a　roji　was　contained　in　the　ancient　ditty：　〃I　look　beyond；/Flowers　are　not；/Nor　tinted　leaves。/On　the　sea　beach/　A　solitary　cottage　stands/In　the　waning　light/Of　an　autumn　eve。〃

Others；　like　Kobori…Enshiu；　sought　for　a　different　effect。　Enshiu　said　the　idea　of　the　garden　path　was　to　be　found　in　the　following　verses：　〃A　cluster　of　summer　trees；/A　bit　of　the　sea；/A　pale　evening　moon。〃　It　is　not　difficult　to　gather　his　meaning。　　He　wished　to　create　the　attitude　of　a　newly　awakened　soul　still　lingering　amid　shadowy　dreams　of　the　past；　yet　bathing　in　the　sweet　unconsciousness　of　a　mellow　spiritual　light；　and　yearning　for　the　freedom　that　lay　in　the　expanse　beyond。

Thus　prepared　the　guest　will　silently　approach　the　sanctuary；　and；　if　a　samurai；　will　leave　his　sword　on　the　rack　beneath　the　eaves；　the　tea…room　being　preeminently　the　house　of　peace。　Then　he　will　bend　low　and　creep　into　the　room　through　a　small　door　not　more　than　three　feet　in　he