Excerpt from the book: This modern classic invites the reader to discover the unique tradition that has come to symbolize the wisdom, beauty, and elegant simplicity of Asian culture. The author celebrates the Way of Tea from its ancient origins in Taoism and Zen Buddhism to its culmination in the discipline known as the Japanese Tea Ceremony- a practice that brings together such arts as architecture, pottery, and flower arranging to create an experience that delights the senses, calms the mind, and refreshes the spirit. Tea was first used as a medicine and an alchemical elixir by the ancient Chinese Taoists, who praised its spiritual powers. Buddhist monks made drinking tea part of a tradition honoring the founder of Zen; this ritual was later refined in the performance of the Japanese tea ceremony as a meditative practice. The Book of Tea describes the rich aesthetic of Asian culture through the history, philosophy, and practice of brewing and drinking tea. |
