When You Make a Cup of Tea, Don’t Forget to Use Tea Strainers

Tea strainers are a very big part of the tea drinking tradition. Before the days of teabags, the strainer was an essential item in woman's kitchen. You could not make a cup of tea without this nifty little item to keep those pesky leaves out of your cup.

The only people who would possibly not have used tea-strainers are fortune tellers who read the leaf pattern at the bottom of the empty cup to tell the drinker's fortune.

There are the standard tea-strainers that everyone knows, the rounded sliver ring with the mesh wire inner and a handle. These are the plainly functional items. Then there is the mesh ball on a chain. This piece of equipment is used differently. You place the tea leaves inside the ball, close it and then put it into the cup. Then pour the boiling water over the strainer and allow your beverage to brew for while, before removing the mesh ball strainer with the used tea leaves. You then add your milk and sugar and stir. Viola, no leaves!

From this purely functional item of tea strainers a whole industry has developed, with designer strainers in every shape and form. They could become quite a collector's item.

There are as endless a variety of strainers on the market as there are people who still prefer their tea made from real tea leaves. Somehow the teabag is just not the same as a pot of tea made from tea leaves you can see, even if you do have to remove them with tea strainers.

There is nothing more satisfying than making yourself a cup of your favorite drink, made from proper leaves and using one of the tea strainers available today, to sit and relax and ponder the complexities and wonders of life and count your blessings.

Ritual in a Cup of Tea

If you are someone who enjoys a cup of tea regularly then you may not realize it but there is more to tea making than just dropping a tea bag into a mug, adding some boiling water and giving it a stir. There are many people for whom the ceremony of making tea is almost as important as the drinking of the subsequently. If however you do want to make your tea in a slightly more special and meaningful way then you need to gather together the important tools associated with the making of a proper cup of tea.

The first component that you need to decide upon, and in many ways perhaps the most important, is the actual type of tea that you prefer to drink. Fortunately there are many different types of tea ranging from English Breakfast through to a number of exotic Chinese teas. You can usually find a wide selection at your local specialty tea shop.

You will also need a good quality teapot, perhaps even one with an infuser, although as we shall find out you do not necessarily need an infuser, allowing the tea leaves to float freely within the water is just as good if not better. You will need a tea strainer, especially if you choose a teapot without an infuser. Tea strainers are not as common as they used to be in the not too distant past as they have largely become redundant following the spread of the tea bag.

You then need to select your favorite cup to pour the drink into and you are almost done. Making a cup of tea is a very therapeutic process. It can take you out of the day to day hustle and bustle and allow you a little bit of time alone to gather your thoughts and to relax a bit. It is well worth trying.

The Relationship among Tea, Zen, the Art and Ceremony of Tea

Zen Buddhism is an offshoot of Chinese Buddhism, which developed in the 7th century AD. Zen is a philosophic school, which teaches one how to transcend human suffering through meditation. Its primary principles are non-violence and non-attachment. It is believed that the development of the Japanese tea ceremony called the Way of Tea was extensively influenced and perhaps even introduced by Zen Buddhism. The Way of Tea uses powdered green tea called matcha in an elaborate presentation and preparation, which is a center of the Japanese culture. There are two types of ceremonies. Chakai is a simple and light presentation with thin tea, and Chaji is much more formal with more food and the offering of thick tea.

A Buddhist monk first introduced tea to Japan during the 9th century, using unground Japanese green tea. Also in the 9th century, a writer Lu Yu who was heavily influenced by Zen Buddhism wrote the first book on tea, summarizing its preparation and cultivation. Lu Yu's writings would later profess a great influence of the Japanese tea ceremony. The actual founder of the Way of Tea did so in the 15th century. He was student of Zen philosophy.

During tea ceremonies, special scrolls or writings are hung on the tearoom walls. These scrolls are a focal point of the Japanese tea ceremony and often associated with Buddhism or written by Zen Buddhist monks. Buddhist priests may depict certain key features or foundations of the Buddhist belief system on their scrolls such as harmony, tranquility, respect and purity. These founding principles are also the four key elements of the Way of the Tea. Even the entire tearoom is an ultimate symbol of Buddhism, expressing the transitory nature of everything. Most items in a tearoom will be asymmetrical, which is also a key feature of Buddhism and symbolizes the "ever becoming" nature of all things.

Tea ceremonies focus on the art of presentation and the beauty that can be conveyed. During the ritual, all movements are choreographed, and each display is specifically arranged. As Zen purports the oneness of the universe and all that inhabit it, "the universe can be experienced in a bowl of tea". The simple act of drinking tea brings one to the present moment and provides the ability to be fully present, experiencing the current moment. The corresponding Zen principle states that if one is fully here in the present moment, attachments can be relapsed and human suffering can be transcended.

Cha No Yu, the Buddhist Ritual

The “Cha No Yu” meaning hot water originated as a Buddhist ritual. Eisai, the Buddhist Monk was famous for creating the Zen of this ceremony, as well as for planting the first tea plants in Uji, a region near Kyoto Japan. These tea gardens are now famous, and tea is a way of life for the Japanese. Tea, therefore; became popular throughout Japan and by the mid fifteenth century, Japanese monasteries had copied communal living from China. These “Sung” rules or rules of living included how to prepare and consume tea, and were held in special tea houses throughout Japan.

The preparation and drinking of tea includes the Cha No Yu ceremony. The rules of this ceremony were founded by Murata Shuko (1422-1522), which includes inviting a few esteemed guests or drinking the tea alone. There is a pattern or ritual which is closely followed when preparing and partaking of the precious tea. This highly refined art form includes the Zen, a philosophy that symbolizes purity of spirit and soul, which become joined together when sipping the tea. The Cha and the Zen are also linked in the ceremony. Guests meditate and find peace within their souls as they sip their tea. The Cha No Yu reflects the values and culture of the Japanese, and takes place in a beautiful yet simple teahouse.

Murata Shuko’s original teahouse was lightly decorated to reflect the true meaning of the tea ceremony; showing a simplistic way of living. The teahouse in Japan today is called a “Chashitsu.” To reach this pavilion one must walk up a garden path reminiscent of a mountain path. The simplistic surroundings of the teahouse includes tatami mats, paper panels and wood. A painted scroll is above the alcove, flowers are placed in a vase and the kettle sits within a sunken hearth. Fine porcelain is imported from China and includes stoneware dishes, ladle, spatula, bamboo whisk and cast iron teapot. After a light meal, the host serves “Matcha” a green fine powdered tea called “Gyokuro” and is whipped with hot water to make “Koicha” tea. Strong tea is served first; followed by a weak tea; sipped slowly to find inner strength and harmony.

The Cha No Yu is an art perfected today in Japan, and is taken with great care and attention to detail. Over the century Cha No Yu’s rules have been perfected and refined. Tea masters have spent many years studying this ceremony, but the essentials have always remained the same, which are defined as serenity, purity, harmony and respect, otherwise known as “The Way of Tea.”

The Secret of Japanese Tea Ceremony

The Japaneses Tea Ceremony is one of the most time honoured and ancient tradition in Japan. It shows hospitality and respect.

History of the Ceremony

It was during the eighth century that we see the first mention of a formal ceremony where drinking tea can be found, although, that ritual likely differs greatly then the tea ceremony of today. A Chinese Buddhist Priest wrote a book called "Cha Ching". This book described described the proper method of preparing tea including the use of proper tea vessels and the temperature of the hot water. It is believed that through this book developed the tea ceremony you would see today in Japan.

How to Accept at a Tea Ceremony

The steps are not difficult and are actually quite simple. You invite some guests, serve sweets and mix the bitter powdered green tea know as matcha with water. It is said that the combination between the sweets and the bitter tea compliment each other like a symbol for harmony. If you ever find yourself at one these are the basic six steps to accepting the tea from your host.

1. First you bow when you receive the cup of tea which is called a chawan
2. Next you take the chawan (tea cup) with your right hand and place it in the palm of your left hand.
3. Then you turn the tea cup clockwise three times before you drink it.
4. When you have finished the tea be sure to make a loud slurp to let the host know you have enjoyed it.
5. Next you wipe the part of the cup that has touched your lips with your right hand
6. You then turn the chawan (tea cup) counter-clockwise three times and return it to your host.

This may seem to be quite the actions to go through for merely a cup of tea, however, it is not just a tea drinking occasion this ceremony hold much more. There is an element of aesthetics, social ethics, and perhaps a religious experience as well. Many may think that it is easy to preform a tea ceremony. Although the making of the tea and the serving may seem simple enough it has been said that learning to serve a tea ceremony is like playing an instrument. If you learn quickly you may learn the actions quite well in a few weeks. However, if you truly want to master the art it will take more like ten years to truly understand and learn it.
The loveliest form of this event is the Chaji which is the tea ceremony at it's finest involving a full tea presentation with a meal. The Japanese tea ceremony is lavish and expensive as each item used in the ceremony is considered an art piece as well as utensils.
If you are ever lucky enough to be invited to an authentic tea ceremony you will be dazzled and amazed at how beautiful and fluid it is. It is very ritualistic and can be anywhere from twenty minutes to five hours in length. Remember when attending that this is not just a past time but an artistic expression. If you can look at it like that you will be amazed at how truly beautiful it is.

Traditional Tea Ceremony from Japan

Tea was introduced to Japan around 600A.D. At first it was drunk by Buddhist monks in monasteries. Around 800 A.D. a monk named Dingyo Daishi brought tea plant seeds from China to Japan and planted them in the garden of his monastery. When the leaves were ready, he sent them to the Japanese Emperor, Saga. Saga is said to have liked the tea so much that he ordered tea to be cultivated in Japan. Tea consumption in Japan began to rise.

In 1191, a Buddhist monk named Eisai returned to Japan after visiting China. Eisai wrote a book called Kissa-yojo Ki or "Notes on the Curative Effects of Tea." In the book, he told of tea's medicinal powers. The book reached Sanetomo, the Shogun, or military leader of Japan.

Sanetomo was suffering from a stomach illness. Eisai's method of making tea cured him. Eisai's method of tea preparation included instructions on how to pick, prepare, and drink a powdered green tea called matcha. Tea houses and stalls sprung up all over Japan and people also began to grow tea plants in their home gardens. By 1400, the steps of tea preparation laid out by Eisai had evolved into a tea ceremony. The tea ceremony was greatly influenced by Zen Buddhism, which is an important part of Japanese culture. Zen Buddhism is a form of Buddhism in which people strive to live "in the moment" and to appreciate the things in everyday life.

Earlier tea ceremonies in Japan were held in great halls and were a chance for the wealthy to show off elaborate tea vessels. Buddhist priests began incorporating the ideals of Zen into the tea ceremony. The ceremony was moved to small tea rooms as well as the equipment for preparing and serving tea. Individuals became more aware of their surroundings and actions. By the 1500s, the ceremony had evolved into Sado or Chado, as it is known and practiced today. Sado means "the way of tea." The tea ceremony represents four important Japanese beliefs: harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility.

The Japanese tea ceremony lasts up to four hours. Each action and moment of the ceremony is carefully planned and carried out. The tea ceremony tales place in homes and at tea houses across Japan. A special room called a chashitsu, or tea room, is reserved for the ceremony. The host of the ceremony rings a bell or bangs on a gong, called a dors, to tell the quests that is time to enter the room. In some tea ceremonies, guests are served a light meal before the ceremony begins. The ceremony includes the acts of serving and receiving tea, and all guests share tea from the same bowl. Throughout the ceremony the host and the guest remember that their "time together is a singular event that will never happen exactly the same way again.

The tea ceremony requires very specific tools called dogu.