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The Oneness of Tea and Zen

Luo Jialin

1 The Oneness of tea and Zen occupies a dominant position in Zen thought in the tea ceremony. There is a common Chinese saying which says the most indispensable daily necessities in a man's life include firewood, grain, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar and tea, which indicates what a significant role tea plays in the daily life of the Chinese.

2 The belief in the Oneness of tea and Zen experienced constant development until gaining maturity in the Song Dynasty, when the Zen school was established as the mainstream in Chinese Buddhism. This Buddhist school valued unexpected comprehension, which means that Buddhist practitioners could spontaneously achieve enlightenment through introspection. In this process, monks relied on tea to relieve exhaustion and restore inner peace when lost in meditation. In daily life, monks also resorted to tea to dispel distraction from worldly lusts. For this reason, many elements of tea ceremony evolved from Buddhist practice.

3 There is an oft-quoted Buddhist story concerned with the Oneness of tea and Zen. It is said that a Tang Zen practitioner in Zhaozhou Prefecture had a monk visitor. The practitioner asked, "Have you ever been here before?" His visitor answered, "I have been here once." The host replied, "Go and have some tea!" One day, the host asked another visitor the same question. The visitor said that he had never been there. The host's reply remained the same, "Go and have some tea." His servant, after observing his replies, asked out of curiosity, "Why are you replying in the same way regardless of others' answers?" The host called his servant by name and said to him, "Go and have some tea." This anecdote is believed to be of milestone importance in the establishment of the idea of the Oneness of tea and Zen. Zen thoughts can be interpreted in various ways, just like the host's replies concerning tea.

4 Zen thought in the tea ceremony is not only restricted to historical anecdotes and cultural research, but also associated with tea ceremony masters. These thoughts are present in each and every tea brewing and drinking practice in our daily life. If we seek peace and relief by experiencing the beauty of ordinary life through every practice, then everything happening in life can be transformed into a valuable opportunity to appreciate the beauty of life.

5 The "let it be" mentality is a significant element of Zen thought that we should think about. Each day, we may have several cups of tea, some brewed by ourselves and some served by others. When brewing the tea by ourselves, we might inadvertently make the tea too strong because we are caught up in a business call. When served by others, we may regret that they have made black tea rather than our favorite green tea; or perhaps the tea leaves are not as good-quality as we thought. Real tea lovers will not be influenced by their personal preference and dilute the over-strong liquor with water, and might feel as if they are drinking an unfamiliar kind of tea. No matter what conditions, they will make best use of what they have at hand and try every means to optimize their enjoyment of the tea. This mentality and behavior exemplifies the principles of Zen thought.

6 The "all are equal" mentality is another significant element of Zen thought. In the tea brewing process, every steeping will produce different flavors. Therefore, tea brewers are supposed to first pour tea liquor into a pitcher which is commonly known as the "Justice Cup" and then share it among different drinkers, rather than serving someone before others. If we have no justice cup at hand, we can find other solutions. For example, if two drinkers are served, we should fill the teapot with two cupfuls of water. When pouring the tea liquor, we should pour half a cup into the first cup, and a full cup into the second, and then fill the first cup. Steady hands and the continuity of movement will also help to ensure that the liquor in the two cups is of the same strength. If four drinkers are served, this rule also applies. This way of sharing crystallizes the wisdom of the ancient Chinese, and their insistence on treating everyone as equal.

7 In addition to "let it be" and "all are equal," other Zen thoughts are widely observed in the tea brewing practice. The key lies in whether we can understand the Oneness of tea and Zen in daily life and the most ordinary things around us. For instance, the importance of ensuring balance and harmony in our lives. These elements can also be expressed in the tea brewing process through careful consideration of the amount of water and tea used, and how long the tea is brewed. In daily life, we make preparations in advance for the tasks we plan based on previous experience. Similarly, we can learn and make adjustments to the way to prepare tea based on our own evaluation of the tea liquor. Also, the consistency and fluidity of the tea brewer's movements can help to concentrate the brewers' mind in a similar way to Zen principles. The brewer can also identify the care with which they treat their tea ware as a microcosm of wider conduct in life. Even in cleansing the tea ware following the brewing process, we can express gratitude for the tea and the gift of nature, a metaphor for our overall gratitude for life in general.