the book of tea-第4章
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Unfortunately the sudden outburst of the Mongol tribes in the thirteenth century which resulted in the devastation and conquest of China under the barbaric rule of the Yuen Emperors； destroyed all the fruits of Sung culture。 The native dynasty of the Mings which attempted re…nationalisation in the middle of the fifteenth century was harassed by internal troubles； and China again fell under the alien rule of the Manchus in the seventeenth century。 Manners and customs changed to leave no vestige of the former times。 The powdered tea is entirely forgotten。 We find a Ming commentator at loss to recall the shape of the tea whisk mentioned in one of the Sung classics。 Tea is now taken by steeping the leaves in hot water in a bowl or cup。 The reason why the Western world is innocent of the older method of drinking tea is explained by the fact that Europe knew it only at the close of the Ming dynasty。
To the latter…day Chinese tea is a delicious beverage； but not an ideal。 The long woes of his country have robbed him of the zest for the meaning of life。 He has become modern； that is to say； old and disenchanted。 He has lost that sublime faith in illusions which constitutes the eternal youth and vigour of the poets and ancients。 He is an eclectic and politely accepts the traditions of the universe。 He toys with Nature； but does not condescend to conquer or worship her。 His Leaf…tea is often wonderful with its flower…like aroma； but the romance of the Tang and Sung ceremonials are not to be found in his cup。
Japan； which followed closely on the footsteps of Chinese civilisation； has known the tea in all its three stages。 As early as the year 729 we read of the Emperor Shomu giving tea to one hundred monks at his palace in Nara。 The leaves were probably imported by our ambassadors to the Tang Court and prepared in the way then in fashion。 In 801 the monk Saicho brought back some seeds and planted them in Yeisan。 Many tea…gardens are heard of in succeeding centuries； as well as the delight of the aristocracy and priesthood in the beverage。 The Sung tea reached us in 1191 with the return of Yeisai…zenji； who went there to study the southern Zen school。 The new seeds which he carried home were successfully planted in three places； one of which； the Uji district near Kioto； bears still the name of producing the best tea in the world。 The southern Zen spread with marvellous rapidity； and with it the tea…ritual and the tea…ideal of the Sung。 By the fifteenth century； under the patronage of the Shogun； Ashikaga…Voshinasa； the tea ceremony is fully constituted and made into an independent and secular performance。 Since then Teaism is fully established in Japan。 The use of the steeped tea of the later China is comparatively recent among us； being only known since the middle of the seventeenth century。 It has replaced the powdered tea in ordinary consumption； though the latter still continues to hold its place as the tea of teas。
It is in the Japanese tea ceremony that we see the culmination of tea…ideals。 Our successful resistance of the Mongol invasion in 1281 had enabled us to carry on the Sung movement so disastrously cut off in China itself through the nomadic inroad。 Tea with us became more than an idealisation of the form of drinking； it is a religion of the art of life。 The beverage grew to be an excuse for the worship of purity and refinement； a sacred function at which the host and guest joined to produce for that occasion the utmost beatitude of the mundane。 The tea…room was an oasis in the dreary waste of existence where weary travellers could meet to drink from the common spring of art… appreciation。 The ceremony was an improvised drama whose plot was woven about the tea； the flowers； and the paintings。 Not a colour to disturb the tone of the room； not a sound to mar the rhythm of things； not a gesture to obtrude on the harmony； not a word to break the unity of the surroundings； all movements to be performed simply and naturallysuch were the aims of the tea… ceremony。 And strangely enough it was often successful。 A subtle philosophy lay behind it all。 Teaism was Taoism in disguise。
III。 Taoism and Zennism
The connection of Zennism with tea is proverbial。 We have already remarked that the tea…ceremony was a development of the Zen ritual。 The name of Laotse； the founder of Taoism； is also intimately associated with the history of tea。 It is written in the Chinese school manual concerning the origin of habits and customs that the ceremony of offering tea to a guest began with Kwanyin； a well…known disciple of Laotse； who first at the gate of the Han Pass presented to the 〃Old Philosopher〃 a cup of the golden elixir。 We shall not stop to discuss the authenticity of such tales； which are valuable； however； as confirming the early use of the beverage by the Taoists。 Our interest in Taoism and Zennism here lies mainly in those ideas regarding life and art which are so embodied in what we call Teaism。
It is to be regretted that as yet there appears to be no adequate presentation of the Taoists and Zen doctrines in any foreign language； though we have had several laudable attempts。
Translation is always a treason； and as a Ming author observes； can at its best be only the reverse side of a brocade；all the threads are there； but not the subtlety of colour or design。 But； after all； what great doctrine is there which is easy to expound？ The ancient sages never put their teachings in systematic form。 They spoke in paradoxes； for they were afraid of uttering half…truths。 They began by talking like fools and ended by making their hearers wise。 Laotse himself； with his quaint humour； says； 〃If people of inferior intelligence hear of the Tao； they laugh immensely。 It would not be the Tao unless they laughed at it。〃
The Tao literally means a Path。 It has been severally translated as the Way； the Absolute； the Law； Nature； Supreme Reason； the Mode。 These renderings are not incorrect； for the use of the term by the Taoists differs according to the subject…matter of the inquiry。 Laotse himself spoke of it thus： 〃There is a thing which is all…containing； which was born before the existence of Heaven and Earth。 How silent！ How solitary！ It stands alone and changes not。 It revolves without danger to itself and is the mother of the universe。 I do not know its name and so call it the Path。 With reluctance I call it the Infinite。 Infinity is the Fleeting； the Fleeting is the Vanishing； the Vanishing is the Reverting。〃 The Tao is in the Passage rather than the Path。 It is the spirit of Cosmic Change；the eternal growth which returns upon itself to produce new forms。 It recoils upon itself like the dragon； the beloved symbol of the Taoists。 It folds and unfolds as do the clouds。 The Tao might be spoken of as the Great Transition。 Subjectively it is the Mood of the Universe。 Its Absolute is the Relative。
It should be remembered in the first place that Taoism； like its legitimate successor Zennism； represents the individualistic trend of the Southern Chinese mind in contra…distinction to the communism of Northern China which expressed itself in Confucianism。 The Middle Kingdom is as vast as Europe and has a differentiation of idiosyncrasies marked by the two great river systems which traverse it。 The Yangste…Kiang and Hoang… Ho are respectively the Mediterranean and the Baltic。 Even to…day； in spite of centuries of unification； the Southern Celestial differs in his thoughts and beliefs from his Northern brother as a member of the Latin race differs from the Teuton。 In ancient days； when communication was even more difficult than at present； and especially during the feudal period； this difference in thought was most pronounced。 The art and poetry of the one breathes an atmosphere entirely distinct from that of the other。 In Laotse and his followers and in Kutsugen； the forerunner of the Yangtse…Kiang nature…poets； we find an idealism quite inconsistent with the prosaic ethical notions of their contemporary northern writers。 Laotse lived five centuries before the Christian Era。
The germ of Taoist speculation may be found long before the advent
