mel jacobson on sun 16 apr 00
the term 'cha' or tea seems show up in many oriental cultures.
i am sure not any sort of expert on asian languages, but
oh-cha is green tea, ko-cha is brown or red tea in japanese.
chinese use a cha sound for tea. (others can help here.)
it is almost always drunk from a small handless ceramic cup.
in cold weather, the tea cup warms the hands.
i do not think you could enter a japanese home without being
offered oh-cha. it is custom.
tea service, pots, cups, things to make tea are very important
in the orient, (of course europe too, esp great britian, australia.
it is very important not to confuse the drinking of common tea
with the bowl used in 'the tea ceremony'. totally different thing.
i totally agree with don when he says that modern japanerse
are not still 'wrapped up in tea ceremony'. they are very modern
people. but, we have seen from other posts here to clayart that
the study of the tea ceremony still is being carried on. the teabowl
is very important to those folks. there is a real fascination with a
beautiful teabowl, that fits the function for which it was intended.
many of us that have lived in japan, or have studied japanese
culture maintain an interest in 'the way of tea'. it sure does
not dominate me, but, i like to make a good teabowl or chawan.
it is old japanese samuri culture. it sure is, as they say in georgia,
'upity'. and perhaps the smallest part of the tea ceremony is the
bowl that is used for drinking tea. music, poetry, flowers, gentle food,
viewing fish, bamboo patterns seen through a 'moon viewing hole
in the tea house, conversation, song, gentle thoughts of respect.
meditation, then of course the utensils for making tea and above
all else, respect and care of your guests. it is just sort of a nice thing
to be a part off. culture, what a concept. it is rather like saying
please and thank you, sir or ma'm, excuse me, or, that was a lovely
evening. it is about stopping, smell the flowers, acknowledge a
friend. it is just a nice thing to do.
it reminds me of taking out a nice handmade tea set. tea brewing.
friends sitting down, having a piece of cake. nice conversation.
just makes sense to me. always makes me smile.
mel/mn
minnetonka, minnesota, u.s.a
http://www.pclink.com/melpots (website)
rickmahaffey on mon 17 apr 00
Mel,
The best observation about Teabowls and why they are valuable that I
ever heard was made by Pete Volkos and Rudy Autio when they agreed that
a good teabowl had an entire universe in it.
Rick Mahaffey
who made 20 or so tea bowl sized/ shaped pots today.
mel jacobson wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> the term 'cha' or tea seems show up in many oriental cultures.
>
=?iso-8859-1?q?Sharon=20Sept?= on mon 17 apr 00
I just returned from a visit to Japan. I had the
great pleasure and honor of staying with a master
potter and kiln builder, Yasuo Terada. Never have I
been more "taken care of" as while I was in Japan.
The Japanese are the ultimate hosts, we could all
learn from them, I know I have.
As Mel mentioned, green tea (oh-cha) is served daily
in the home but this really is not to be confused with
the Tea Ceremony where I have been an honored guest a
few times within the past couple of years. It is a
very beautiful experience which really defines
explanation to someone who does not understand the
procedure.
Also during my stay in Japan I attended the first
firing of an anagama. What an exciting event this was
as the kiln and the firing were blessed in a
traditional ceremony by a Shinto Priest. I was given
the honor of partaking in this ceremony.
I had to pinch myself several times throughout this
visit, imagine a Canadian Prairie girl, in Japan,
special guest at the best restaurants and tea
ceremonies and partaking in a traditional Shinto
ceremony. All that kept going through my poor little
head was WOW ! ! !
And now, I can hardly wait for next year when I will
be returning again to Japan, this time for the first
firing of a 14 chamber noborigama.
=====
Sharon Sept
SEPTsational POTTERY
Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada
__________________________________________________
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Aiko Ichimura on tue 18 apr 00
Rick Mahaffey wrote:
> Mel,
> The best observation about Teabowls and why they are valuable that I
> ever heard was made by Pete Volkos and Rudy Autio when they agreed that
> a good teabowl had an entire universe in it.
>
Yes I have heard this.
Speaking of other teabowls, I want share my little story with you .
20 some years ago, I was the youngest of koto(Japanese harp)
students among my teacher's group in DC where I till live.
One year, we had 20 guest koto performers
from Osaka, Japan lead by a blind koto master
who was a famous koto music composer.
They gave several concerts here and there in DC
including the Renwick Gallery of Smithsonian. Being the youngest,
I was tasked by my teacher to prepare their meal in the morning.
The lunch and evening meal was taken care of by sponsors of concerts.
My teacher and other older students accompanied the group to parties and
receptions that I was not asked to attend to.
Having no time to shop, I had to make something out of
whatever were in my teacher's kitchen. I made simple miso soup
and pickles, rice and seaweed. I felt very bad making this famous koto
master eat such a humble meal every morning.
Finally the last day of their stay came and we had a party at my teacher's
home. After a while, the koto master seemed to be very happy
and little tipsy with sake. He made a speech and
said " ............ I appreciate everything you all done
for me and my students. I will never forget my gratitude
towards your kindness and finally I must tell you how much I appreciated
Aiko san's miso soup and bowl of rice. I was having such hard time
with the western food that I've never eaten before. It was such a relief
that I was able to eat the Japanese rice and miso soup every morning.
I don't know how to thank Aiko san. But I am also a tea master, I shall
present my favorite tea bowl to her" I was taken aback by his remark and
offer of his favorite tea bowl and said " Well thank you koto master,
however, I dare advise you not to make such a promise when you already
had considerable amount of Sake.
I have seen my father who is a kendo teacher used
to promise to give his best sword to his pupil when he consumed a lot of
sake
(drank) and my mother had to retrieve the very expensive sword from
the pupil the following morning saying he wasn't himself the previous
night.
I said " You may not remember your offer when you get back to Japan"
To this, he declared indignantly " When I promise one thing, I mean it
regardless of how drank he is" and asked his first pupil to be
a witness. I then humbly accepted his offer of the best teabowl.
Two years past and my teacher had traveled to Japan and had a
visit with the koto master. He remembered his promise and entrusted my
teacher with a tea bowl in a wooden box. I received it safely later.
When I opened it with much anticipation, I was disappointed a little.
It was a simple brownish teabowl, nothing spectacular about it.
I wrote an ordinary thank you note and put the tea bowl away in
a cabinet for 20 years. In the mean time, I have taken the tea ceremony
lesson on and off, however, I never thought of opening the box again.
The koto master past away several years ago.
And only recently I started again with my tea ceremony lesson
with the Urasenke Tea School. I remembered the tea bowl this time
and brought it to show to my teachers. Lo and behold, I was told
that I am the owner of one of very prized tea bowl. The potter's
name was Oohi Chozaemon either 9th or 10th in line. The first
Chouzaemon accompanied the great-grand son of Sen no Rikyu
to Kanazawa and started his kiln in the Oohi village of Kanazawa
in 1608( about). Since then the Oohi family's pottery tradition
continued to the current Chouzaemon who is 10th generation down.
The family was a branch of Raku family.
This is why an Oohi chawan is so valued among Ura-Sen ke
( the direct descendant from the one who went to Kanazawa)
teachers and students. My teacher assessed the teabowl to be
a museum piece and hinted the going price for it. Stunned.
I came home and thought about the discovery for a while.
The big question was why he gave me such a valuable teabowl.
I don't know.
The next question was why this was his favorite tea bowl even
it looked an ordinary simple bowl. Then I realized the secret
is not how it looked. He was a blind koto master, he could not
see the color of the tea bowl. So I opened the box and took out
the tea bowl onto my hands. I closed my eyes and felt the bowl
in my hands. No wonder.
Although I could not convey my appreciation to him
while he was alive, I decided to cherish the tea bowl
by using it as often as I can and remember him and his music.
We play his music " Sakura" for the Cherry Blossom festival
opening ceremony by the Tidal Basin in
Washington DC every Spring.
Thank you.
Aiko Ichimura
NW DC 20036 USA
aikop@erols.com
202-293-3039
----- Original Message -----
From: rickmahaffey
To:
Sent: Monday, April 17, 2000 4:43 PM
Subject: Re: other teabowls
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> > who made 20 or so tea bowl sized/ shaped pots today.
>
> mel jacobson wrote:
> >
> > ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> > the term 'cha' or tea seems show up in many oriental cultures.
> >
>
Lee Love on tue 18 apr 00
----- Original Message -----
From: Sharon Sept
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I just returned from a visit to Japan. I had the
> great pleasure and honor of staying with a master
> potter and kiln builder, Yasuo Terada. Never have I
> been more "taken care of" as while I was in Japan.
> The Japanese are the ultimate hosts, we could all
> learn from them, I know I have.
> As Mel mentioned, green tea (oh-cha) is served daily
> in the home but this really is not to be confused with
> the Tea Ceremony where I have been an honored guest a
> few times within the past couple of years. It is a
> very beautiful experience which really defines
> explanation to someone who does not understand the
> procedure.
Hi Sharon,
Where is Yasuo Terada's kiln?
All of my tea ceremony experiences have been in monasteries or Zen temples
in Japan and America and also with my Zen robes sewing teacher. It can
be very simple.
It is hard to understand the depth and breadth of ceramic
culture in Japan until you've spent some time immersed in it. Like I told
Don Morril in private mail in response to his "stereotypes" post: The
simple Zen tea of the monk exists right along side the $5,000.00 tea bowl.
It is funny how people get fixated on money and prices: they
can't stand expensive tea bowls and they can't stand someone that charges
reasonable prices. I say, just experience the teabowl or $5 mug.
I had a chance to see two shows this week that contained tea
ceremony bowls: Andrew Gemrich's show in Mashiko and the National Living
Treasure's show at the new museum in Kasama. Andrew's bowls were price
around $300.00 (I think his pitchers and vases were selling faster.) I'm
sure most of the tea bowls at the National Living Treasures show were in the
10s of thousands of dollars. I did not like all the tea bowls I saw at
the Treasures' show. The second ones I saw were huge, orange shino bowls.
The ugliest, brightest orange I've ever saw in a shino. I thought they
looked like clown tea bowls. :^) But there were lovely tea bowls there
too. It was nice to see Hamada, Shimaoka and Tomimoto's work.
Prices like these are not paid for some "mystical" reason
(though, unlike Ray A, I find the intuitive more informative than the
rational in creativity) but rather, they come about because of the deep
appreciation for functional ceramic work here in Japan.
--
Lee Love
2858-2-2 , Nanai , Mashiko-machi ,Tochigi-ken 321-4106 JAPAN
Ikiru@kami.com Voice Mail and Faxes (a USA number): (303) 256-0374
Sheron Roberts on wed 19 apr 00
------------------
Aiko,
What a lovely story.
The image of you holding
the teabowl with your eyes
closed moved me to tears.
And I know nothing of
teabowls or the ceremony.
I just know how very
inspirational and emotional
such things can be.
I could not help but think
of the Holy Grail. As the
chalice of Christ a simple
carpenter, it would not have
been the jewel encrusted
vessel often depicted. In
my opinion it would have
been a simple clay vessel.
I was asked by my church
to make a chalice for a
Maundy Night Service
(retelling the story of the
Last Supper). I was honored
and made for them a simple
chalice, no embellishments,
and plainly glazed.
As the raku artist who conducted
the workshop I attended Saturday
said, while explaining glazing to
the students,
=22Sometimes less is more.=22
Sheron in NC (seems winter may be returning)
Heidrun Schmid on thu 20 apr 00
Aiko, thank you for sharing this beautiful story with us! I have a friend whose
mother was a teacher of Ikebana and also the Ta Ceremony. She has some beautiful
tea things and whenever I visit her we look at them and she tells me the stories
about them, taking one piece at a time out of the box and the little silkbags
etc. The way she does it shows her great apreciation of the piece and her love
of pottery too. She learned some pottery things from me and I have learned so
much from her about her culture, wish, we "Westerners" were more aware of our
own cultures too.
Heidrun in Bangkok
Aiko Ichimura wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Rick Mahaffey wrote:
> > Mel,
> > The best observation about Teabowls and why they are valuable that I
> > ever heard was made by Pete Volkos and Rudy Autio when they agreed that
> > a good teabowl had an entire universe in it.
> >
>
> Yes I have heard this.
>
> Speaking of other teabowls, I want share my little story with you .
> 20 some years ago, I was the youngest of koto(Japanese harp)
> students among my teacher's group in DC where I till live.
> One year, we had 20 guest koto performers
> from Osaka, Japan lead by a blind koto master
> who was a famous koto music composer.
> They gave several concerts here and there in DC
> including the Renwick Gallery of Smithsonian. Being the youngest,
> I was tasked by my teacher to prepare their meal in the morning.
> The lunch and evening meal was taken care of by sponsors of concerts.
> My teacher and other older students accompanied the group to parties and
> receptions that I was not asked to attend to.
>
> Having no time to shop, I had to make something out of
> whatever were in my teacher's kitchen. I made simple miso soup
> and pickles, rice and seaweed. I felt very bad making this famous koto
> master eat such a humble meal every morning.
> Finally the last day of their stay came and we had a party at my teacher's
> home. After a while, the koto master seemed to be very happy
> and little tipsy with sake. He made a speech and
> said " ............ I appreciate everything you all done
> for me and my students. I will never forget my gratitude
> towards your kindness and finally I must tell you how much I appreciated
> Aiko san's miso soup and bowl of rice. I was having such hard time
> with the western food that I've never eaten before. It was such a relief
> that I was able to eat the Japanese rice and miso soup every morning.
> I don't know how to thank Aiko san. But I am also a tea master, I shall
> present my favorite tea bowl to her" I was taken aback by his remark and
> offer of his favorite tea bowl and said " Well thank you koto master,
> however, I dare advise you not to make such a promise when you already
> had considerable amount of Sake.
> I have seen my father who is a kendo teacher used
> to promise to give his best sword to his pupil when he consumed a lot of
> sake
> (drank) and my mother had to retrieve the very expensive sword from
> the pupil the following morning saying he wasn't himself the previous
> night.
>
> I said " You may not remember your offer when you get back to Japan"
> To this, he declared indignantly " When I promise one thing, I mean it
> regardless of how drank he is" and asked his first pupil to be
> a witness. I then humbly accepted his offer of the best teabowl.
>
> Two years past and my teacher had traveled to Japan and had a
> visit with the koto master. He remembered his promise and entrusted my
> teacher with a tea bowl in a wooden box. I received it safely later.
>
> When I opened it with much anticipation, I was disappointed a little.
> It was a simple brownish teabowl, nothing spectacular about it.
>
> I wrote an ordinary thank you note and put the tea bowl away in
> a cabinet for 20 years. In the mean time, I have taken the tea ceremony
> lesson on and off, however, I never thought of opening the box again.
>
> The koto master past away several years ago.
>
> And only recently I started again with my tea ceremony lesson
> with the Urasenke Tea School. I remembered the tea bowl this time
> and brought it to show to my teachers. Lo and behold, I was told
> that I am the owner of one of very prized tea bowl. The potter's
> name was Oohi Chozaemon either 9th or 10th in line. The first
> Chouzaemon accompanied the great-grand son of Sen no Rikyu
> to Kanazawa and started his kiln in the Oohi village of Kanazawa
> in 1608( about). Since then the Oohi family's pottery tradition
> continued to the current Chouzaemon who is 10th generation down.
> The family was a branch of Raku family.
> This is why an Oohi chawan is so valued among Ura-Sen ke
> ( the direct descendant from the one who went to Kanazawa)
> teachers and students. My teacher assessed the teabowl to be
> a museum piece and hinted the going price for it. Stunned.
>
> I came home and thought about the discovery for a while.
> The big question was why he gave me such a valuable teabowl.
> I don't know.
> The next question was why this was his favorite tea bowl even
> it looked an ordinary simple bowl. Then I realized the secret
> is not how it looked. He was a blind koto master, he could not
> see the color of the tea bowl. So I opened the box and took out
> the tea bowl onto my hands. I closed my eyes and felt the bowl
> in my hands. No wonder.
>
> Although I could not convey my appreciation to him
> while he was alive, I decided to cherish the tea bowl
> by using it as often as I can and remember him and his music.
> We play his music " Sakura" for the Cherry Blossom festival
> opening ceremony by the Tidal Basin in
> Washington DC every Spring.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Aiko Ichimura
> NW DC 20036 USA
> aikop@erols.com
> 202-293-3039
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: rickmahaffey
> To:
> Sent: Monday, April 17, 2000 4:43 PM
> Subject: Re: other teabowls
>
> > ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> > > who made 20 or so tea bowl sized/ shaped pots today.
> >
> > mel jacobson wrote:
> > >
> > > ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> > > the term 'cha' or tea seems show up in many oriental cultures.
> > >
> >
Paul Taylor on fri 21 apr 00
Dear Aiko
What a lovely story . I have printed it out for my students to look
at. I have set ( I teach one day a week ) their years project, a project
entitled reverence.
Also one of the elder students (50's) was interested to know why tea
bowls were so valued it will give him a taste of the romance involved.
However, I feel that if a western potter wants to make tea bowls his
best approach is not to get into the intricacy of the sculptural rules of
the named tea bowls, all sixty pages- to wobble or not to wobble, that was
some question .
I think completely copying the japanese style and fashion of tea
bowl would be like chips in a chinese restaurant not tasting quite right.
Better to make them , Ironically, not for drinking tea at all.
Make them to compliment the story of the Korean rice bowl -the perfect tea
bowl.
I think we are better off making bowls that fit well in the modern
size hands, to eat rice or porridge out of. Provided that they are part of
a production run and they are made professionaly by the hundreds ,that rid a
pot of self conciousness, they should do.
If the bowl survives and the tea ceremony survives they will be
taken up as tea bowls of merit- all be they western.
Co incidentally ,they being the size and shape for the tea ceremony,
one could suggest to the customers that they might do as a tea ceremony
bowl.
I also think unless the tea ceremony is to become a parody of it,s
self. It will have to become international and all will have to participate
equally. Foreign crafts men and tea masters all included.
Irish traditional music has survived long past the date the
pundits gave it because of the way the musicians in this country have
internationalized it. I have seen the most famous Irish traditional
musicians playing and I have never seen a player of foreign origins greeted
with anything but enthusiasm into their Sessions . I hope the tea ceremony
officianados will be as accommodating. Will this be difficult for the
Japanese.
Regards Paul Taylor
----------
>From: Aiko Ichimura
>To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
>Subject: Re: other teabowls
>Date: Tue, Apr 18, 2000, 7:58 pm
>
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Rick Mahaffey wrote:
>> Mel,
>> The best observation about Teabowls and why they are valuable that I
>> ever heard was made by Pete Volkos and Rudy Autio when they agreed that
>> a good teabowl had an entire universe in it.
>>
>
>Yes I have heard this.
>
>Speaking of other teabowls, I want share my little story with you .
>20 some years ago, I was the youngest of koto(Japanese harp)
>students among my teacher's group in DC where I till live.
>One year, we had 20 guest koto performers
>from Osaka, Japan lead by a blind koto master
>who was a famous koto music composer.
>They gave several concerts here and there in DC
>including the Renwick Gallery of Smithsonian. Being the youngest,
>I was tasked by my teacher to prepare their meal in the morning.
>The lunch and evening meal was taken care of by sponsors of concerts.
>My teacher and other older students accompanied the group to parties and
>receptions that I was not asked to attend to.
>
>Having no time to shop, I had to make something out of
>whatever were in my teacher's kitchen. I made simple miso soup
>and pickles, rice and seaweed. I felt very bad making this famous koto
>master eat such a humble meal every morning.
>Finally the last day of their stay came and we had a party at my teacher's
>home. After a while, the koto master seemed to be very happy
>and little tipsy with sake. He made a speech and
>said " ............ I appreciate everything you all done
>for me and my students. I will never forget my gratitude
>towards your kindness and finally I must tell you how much I appreciated
>Aiko san's miso soup and bowl of rice. I was having such hard time
>with the western food that I've never eaten before. It was such a relief
>that I was able to eat the Japanese rice and miso soup every morning.
>I don't know how to thank Aiko san. But I am also a tea master, I shall
>present my favorite tea bowl to her" I was taken aback by his remark and
>offer of his favorite tea bowl and said " Well thank you koto master,
>however, I dare advise you not to make such a promise when you already
>had considerable amount of Sake.
>I have seen my father who is a kendo teacher used
>to promise to give his best sword to his pupil when he consumed a lot of
>sake
>(drank) and my mother had to retrieve the very expensive sword from
>the pupil the following morning saying he wasn't himself the previous
>night.
>
>I said " You may not remember your offer when you get back to Japan"
>To this, he declared indignantly " When I promise one thing, I mean it
>regardless of how drank he is" and asked his first pupil to be
>a witness. I then humbly accepted his offer of the best teabowl.
>
>Two years past and my teacher had traveled to Japan and had a
>visit with the koto master. He remembered his promise and entrusted my
>teacher with a tea bowl in a wooden box. I received it safely later.
>
>When I opened it with much anticipation, I was disappointed a little.
>It was a simple brownish teabowl, nothing spectacular about it.
>
>I wrote an ordinary thank you note and put the tea bowl away in
>a cabinet for 20 years. In the mean time, I have taken the tea ceremony
>lesson on and off, however, I never thought of opening the box again.
>
>The koto master past away several years ago.
>
>And only recently I started again with my tea ceremony lesson
>with the Urasenke Tea School. I remembered the tea bowl this time
>and brought it to show to my teachers. Lo and behold, I was told
>that I am the owner of one of very prized tea bowl. The potter's
>name was Oohi Chozaemon either 9th or 10th in line. The first
>Chouzaemon accompanied the great-grand son of Sen no Rikyu
>to Kanazawa and started his kiln in the Oohi village of Kanazawa
>in 1608( about). Since then the Oohi family's pottery tradition
>continued to the current Chouzaemon who is 10th generation down.
>The family was a branch of Raku family.
> This is why an Oohi chawan is so valued among Ura-Sen ke
>( the direct descendant from the one who went to Kanazawa)
>teachers and students. My teacher assessed the teabowl to be
>a museum piece and hinted the going price for it. Stunned.
>
>I came home and thought about the discovery for a while.
>The big question was why he gave me such a valuable teabowl.
>I don't know.
>The next question was why this was his favorite tea bowl even
>it looked an ordinary simple bowl. Then I realized the secret
>is not how it looked. He was a blind koto master, he could not
>see the color of the tea bowl. So I opened the box and took out
>the tea bowl onto my hands. I closed my eyes and felt the bowl
>in my hands. No wonder.
>
>Although I could not convey my appreciation to him
>while he was alive, I decided to cherish the tea bowl
>by using it as often as I can and remember him and his music.
>We play his music " Sakura" for the Cherry Blossom festival
>opening ceremony by the Tidal Basin in
>Washington DC every Spring.
>
>Thank you.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Aiko Ichimura
>NW DC 20036 USA
>aikop@erols.com
>202-293-3039
>----- Original Message -----
>From: rickmahaffey
>To:
>Sent: Monday, April 17, 2000 4:43 PM
>Subject: Re: other teabowls
>
>
>> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>> > who made 20 or so tea bowl sized/ shaped pots today.
>>
>> mel jacobson wrote:
>> >
>> > ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>> > the term 'cha' or tea seems show up in many oriental cultures.
>> >
>>
| |
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