Japanese
Tea Bowl Abstract
By Momi Morgan
In the late
sixteenth century, professional Japanese potters began the specialized
production of tea ceramics. The Japanese
tea bowl soon became a distinctive technique in ceramics and developed a unique
character through its distinctive attributes. These exquisite pieces are not to
keep in your cupboard like a coffee mug; they are used exclusively for the
Japanese tea ceremony. Some are accepted as so beautiful that the Japanese will
patch up broken pieces and still consider them a cherished piece of art. While
these bowls have countless variations such as yunomi, guinomi, chawan,
senchawan, matchawan, and banchawan, they are generally made in two forms.
These are either clean and refined or earthy and organic. The two may look and
feel like completely different forms; however, they are both equally accepted
as beautiful pieces of art.
Japanese Tea
Ceremony
By Sarah Wood
The
Japanese tea ceremony is a ritualized cultural activity also called the Way of
Tea. The ceremony is heavily influenced
by Zen Buddism (Japanese Tea Ceremony).
Participants seek to purify the mind and become one with nature (Kids
Web Japan).
The
tea ceremony’s roots originate in 16th century Japan(Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History). It was a refined pursuit practiced only by
the ruling class and the wealthy. The cultivation and use of tea originated in
China and was developed in Japan into something all it’s own (Lee, Sherman
Emery). Each tea ceremony is a unique
experience and takes years to master and perfect the specific choreography. There are certain rules on etiquette guests
abide by concerning gestures in drinking the tea as wells as in the use of the utensils
(Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History). Guests must bow when given their cup of tea
called a chawan. The chawan is received
with the right hand and transferred to the left hand. It is turned clockwise three times before
drunk from and the place on the chawan where lips touched is wiped with the
right hand. A loud slurp when finished
signifies to the host that the tea was enjoyed.
The chawan is turned counterclockwise when returned to the host (Japanese
Tea Ceremony Procedure and History).
The ceremony usually takes place in a space
modeled after a hermits hut and is big enough for around 5 people. This space is often surrounded by gardens and
causes the guests to temporarily leave the world behind and focus on the
interactions between the host, guests and tea utensils. The ceramics involve are very important in
this ceremony. They are not only
appreciated for their function but their artistic qualities as well (Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History).
The
first ceramics used for this ceremony originated from China. The mid 16th century brought a
shift in the pottery style. Rustic more
“natural” pottery from Korea and Japan was incorporated into the ceremony. Pottery of this style is known as wabi. This style celebrates the spontaneity and
apparent artlessness of the pieces.
This ceramic style today is held at the same artistic level as the more
refined Chinese works (Heilbrunn Timeline
of Art History).
Tea bowl, Song dynasty,
960–1279; Jian ware
Fujian Province, China stoneware with hare's-fur glaze (Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History)
Fujian Province, China stoneware with hare's-fur glaze (Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History)
Tanaka Chôjirô (?), (Japanese, 1516–?1592) Japan Rough
clay covered with a dull black glaze; three spur marks of iron supports (Raku
ware) (Heilbrunn Timeline
of Art History)
Clog-shaped tea bowl with design of plum blossoms and
geometric patterns, Momoyama
period (1573–1615), early 17th century Japan
Stoneware with iron-black glaze (Mino ware, black Oribe type) (Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History)
Stoneware with iron-black glaze (Mino ware, black Oribe type) (Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
"Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." The Japanese Tea
Ceremony. Metropolitan Museum of
Art, n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2013.
"Japanese Tea Ceremony." Wikipedia. Wikimedia
Foundation, 03 Mar. 2013. Web. 05 Mar.
2013.
"Japanese Tea Ceremony Procedure and History." Japanese
Tea Ceremony Procedure and History.
Houston Chinatown, 2005. Web. 07 Mar. 2013.
"Kids Web Japan." Tea Ceremony. Kids Web Japan, n.d.
Web. 05 Mar. 2013.
Lee, Sherman Emery. Tea Taste in Japanese Art. New York: Arno
Pr., 1976. Print.
