Perennial tea ceremony
Encyclopedia
Perennial tea ceremony / Four Seson Tea Ceremony (四序茶會) is a Chinese tea ceremony, created by Lin Easu (林易山), of the Ten Ren Teaism Foundation. The first two characters of the Chinese
term literally mean four steps or sequences that are linked together, the latter two simply meaning "tea ceremony". With eternal continuity, perfect harmony, rhythm and vitality of nature. Also promotes cultivation of love and respect for nature. Each of the four participants represents a season
of the year, and along with the "center" of the ceremony, with incense
burners and flowers, these five represent the five elements and colors
. Each participant is assigned a season, and these four seasons around the center—the earth— suggest an idea of the endless cycle of seasons, hence the name Perennial Tea Ceremony.
This tea ceremony is an important link to modern tea culture and ceremony with the traditional Chinese Tea Lore Ceremony.
The tea ceremony includes four tea settings(茶席) and a tea master(司茶), below are the four settings:
Each tea setting is arranged and stands for the four directions (north, south, east, and west). A vase of the seasons flowers are put on tea table. Some times if four tea masters are include then five chairs are arranged per each tea setting, making a total of twenty plus the 4 tea masters equalling 24, which symbolizes the 24 solar terms of the Chinese calendar, and represents that nature continues or is perennial.
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
term literally mean four steps or sequences that are linked together, the latter two simply meaning "tea ceremony". With eternal continuity, perfect harmony, rhythm and vitality of nature. Also promotes cultivation of love and respect for nature. Each of the four participants represents a season
Season
A season is a division of the year, marked by changes in weather, ecology, and hours of daylight.Seasons result from the yearly revolution of the Earth around the Sun and the tilt of the Earth's axis relative to the plane of revolution...
of the year, and along with the "center" of the ceremony, with incense
Incense
Incense is composed of aromatic biotic materials, which release fragrant smoke when burned. The term "incense" refers to the substance itself, rather than to the odor that it produces. It is used in religious ceremonies, ritual purification, aromatherapy, meditation, for creating a mood, and for...
burners and flowers, these five represent the five elements and colors
Five elements (Chinese philosophy)
The Wu Xing, also known as the Five Phases, the Five Agents, the Five Movements, and the Five Steps/Stages, are chiefly an ancient mnemonic device, in many traditional Chinese fields....
. Each participant is assigned a season, and these four seasons around the center—the earth— suggest an idea of the endless cycle of seasons, hence the name Perennial Tea Ceremony.
This tea ceremony is an important link to modern tea culture and ceremony with the traditional Chinese Tea Lore Ceremony.
Tea setting
There are spring, summer, fall, and winter teas. “Perennial Tea Ceremony” (Perennial, literally means four steps or sequences that are linked together and each one represents a season of the year).The tea ceremony includes four tea settings(茶席) and a tea master(司茶), below are the four settings:
- 春風(Spring Wind), green, east
- 夏露(Summer Dew), red, south
- 秋籟(Fall Sounds), white, west
- 冬陽(Winter Sunshine) black, north
Each tea setting is arranged and stands for the four directions (north, south, east, and west). A vase of the seasons flowers are put on tea table. Some times if four tea masters are include then five chairs are arranged per each tea setting, making a total of twenty plus the 4 tea masters equalling 24, which symbolizes the 24 solar terms of the Chinese calendar, and represents that nature continues or is perennial.