Culture
Socialites and Solitude:
The Different Ways We Drink Tea
by Andrea Verdin
In a world that sends you rushing and reaching to finish everything on your to-do list, it’s very hard to sit and take a moment for yourself. But when you do, there’s nothing more soothing than a cup of tea to help settle your nerves and calm your mind. Few tea drinkers know exactly where their Jasmine Green or Earl Grey originally come from. If you also take a moment to delve into the history of tea, you will find a culturally diverse story that shows that there’s more to it than the act of sitting and sipping. The ceremonies that come from both the East and West regarding tea drinking and the actions and significance connected to them are what really matter.
Zen and the Art of Drinking Tea
The Japanese Tea Ceremony originated about 700 years ago when Zen Buddhist monks began to explore the art of drinking tea. It was about 500 years ago that the ceremony was turned into a ritual and tea drinking became an act of humility, simplicity, and self-cultivation. When participating in the tea ceremony, drinkers leave their worries at the door and drift into the spirit of the ceremony itself.
The ritual of the tea ceremony starts with a bamboo whisk that is used to mix the tea powder and water in the tea bowl. Once the tea is prepared, the same bowl is shared by everyone in the spirit of unity. When it is your turn, the tea is poured, and you raise the bowl in gratitude. With each sip, there is a sense of serenity and awareness of what is going on in the room. After the last sip, you use your fingers to clean where your lips touched the bowl and then pass it to the person next to you. All of this is done in contemplative silence.
Everything—the tea, the bowl, the water used for the tea—is rich with meaning. The room’s simple settings of a table and mats with an occasional flower arrangement or calligraphy remind the guests that the most important element of life is simplicity. The server must make sure everything is perfect before the tea is served. The tea tools must be arranged in a manner that reflect the harmony that is being instilled in the room, and the purity of the tea and water allow for guests to invite pure living into their lives. During this ceremony, status and social position are no longer something that matters. All are one in tea.
To Tea or Not to Tea
The British Tea Party, however, is much more of an informal affair, even though the people and the room prepared for the party are anything but informal. According to Victoriana.com, a website dedicated to the history of Victorian times and the culture that emerged from it, a tea room is prepared with fine bone china and silverware, beautiful lace napkins, and bouquets of flowers. The guests must be dressed in their best attire. The British Tea Party hasn’t been around as long as the Japanese ceremony; in fact, it was introduced in the early 1800s as a way to ward off hunger in between the two main meals of English daily life. Small snacks were prepared and accompanied by tea.
The practice of inviting friends to come for tea in the afternoon was soon a popular event in the upper classes. Guests would enjoy dainty sandwiches, scones and pastries while they sipped, and parties were enjoyed by all social classes and ages. The boiling of tea brought people together. They would share their stories and catch up with each other while they waited for their teas to brew. However, the popularity of tea parties declined when the tea bag was implemented into daily life. Drinking tea turned into a quick and easy process that didn’t need a group of friends around to help pass the time. Tea parties were soon seen as frivolous occasions, and were only held in the most affluent circles.
Today, a tea party is a special event. In both European and American communities, formal parties are used to celebrate debutants, baby showers, and bridal ceremonies. Prestige and affluence dictate the party, but it is the closeness of the party’s attendants that allows for a relaxing and enjoyable experience.
With the extreme differences between the Eastern and Western tea experiences, it’s hard to compare the two. The serenity and simplicity of the Japanese Tea Ceremony creates an atmosphere for introverted self-reflection; the elaborateness and the complexity of the English Tea Party create the perfect opportunity to bond and create memories with the people you are with. Each tea culture allows for growth and new experiences, and each should be experienced in their own designated time. There is nothing more enjoyable than the moments shared with friends at an English party. At the same time, the benefits of a Japanese Tea Ceremony, with its reflection, symbolism and meditation, help calm the mind and bring into focus what is truly important in life.
There doesn’t have to be a formal party or ceremony for you to experience the results of a Japanese ceremony or English party. Nicolas Tono, a tea connoisseur and reviewer for Teanews.com, says that all you need is half an hour with a cup of tea and a quiet room to reflect on your life. To bond with a friend or family member, all that is required is you, a friend, and a chance to sit and catch up while you sip away. It does seem like there is hardly any time lately to take a relaxing moment, so when you do, make it special and make sure you spend it in either the Eastern fashion—reflecting on what matters to you—or in the Western fashion, enjoying some tea with good friends.
For more information or to set up a tea party or ceremony, check out mrsburtonstearoom.com or thewholeleaf.com. Andrea Verdin is a writer and San Diego native who’s slowly learning more about the changes that need to be made in the world and is trying every day to make a difference. She can be reached by email at andeys3@gmail.com.