#1 2009-04-01 23:57:16
- Pyrokanthos
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Seasonality
One of the things that provides some esthetic conflict in the accomplishment of temae is the notion of seasonality. There are two basic problems here.
First, the seasons in Japan may be different from the seasons in other parts of the world. (I am guessing that there are a lot of already prepared solutions for people in the Southern Hemisphere.) The place where I live is not humid and green like Kyoto in the summer, it is hot and dry like Athens.
Second, there have been changes of perception in the nature of the Seasons over the past hundred years or so.
Old style calendars, in both Japan and Europe, were lunar. New fangled solar calendars insist on placing the beginning of seasons at the Solstices and Equinoxes, instead of the traditional and more logical placement in between. In researching these matters I discover that in Japanese tradition, Spring begins on February 4th, Summer begins May 6th, Autumn begins August 8th, and Winter begins November 7th.
This means that this year my camellias may become an early Summer flower!
Such general conflicts are well enough, but I now observe a particular of which I had never thought until this week.
Boy's Day is May 5th. Summer begins May 6th.
How does this relate to the change over from Ro to Furo?
I have always assumed that Boy's Day was done with Furo. Girl's Day is certainly done with the Ro. But am I mistaken? I can, of course, ask my sensei.
But I am fascinated by just how the shift between seasons affects our perceptions of how we conduct our temae.
I mean, if our food should be seasonal, how can we justify grapefruit and avacado as a summer offering, when both those are winter crops?
I don't think I am expecting solid answers so much as discussions like floating islands, illuminating philosophical ideas.
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#2 2009-04-05 18:47:17
- Pyrokanthos
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Re: Seasonality
I think we all had a wonderful time this weekend at the opening of the show at the Uribe Gallery in Santa Rosa. Tea-related works by John Chambers, Michiko Kinoshita, and Marc Lancet were on display, and some of them were used in temae done by several of us for the benefit of those who came to the opening.
A seasonal issue appeared, however, that I do not believe has been formally addressed before this event.
The electrical cord that should have powered the ro (there was not enough power to add even one more plug, and eventually all the power to the temae demonstration failed) needed to be taped up under the table for esthetic reasons: but the duct tape kept giving way, dropping the cord to visibility and the ground. Several of the ladies worked very hard to make it stick, but it would not.
Back stage (our mizuya) we realized that, surely, there must be appropriate colors of duct tape for this emergency.
Had we been performing koi cha, the solution would have been easy. Shiny black (shin nuri) duct tape would have been not only available, but ideal.
But we were doing usu cha! What would be the appropriate seasonal colors of duct tape for such an occassion?
I think we concluded that white (like snow) would be good for winter, but what about the other three seasons?
Please, feel free to contribute views on this new and possibly less than important topic.
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#3 2009-04-08 23:10:34
- sweetpersimmon
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Re: Seasonality
We could always follow Rikyu and change to the furo when the yamabuki blossom and back to ro when the yuzu turns yellow....
Last edited by sweetpersimmon (2009-04-11 16:53:38)
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#4 2009-11-25 00:31:09
Re: Seasonality
The idea of tea is really not about strict, unbending and blind adherence to the "rules" and to traditions based on what others have done (although it can seem that way sometimes), but rather using the knowledge you acquire to adapt to each given situation.
The whole point of seasonality in tea is to reflect, enjoy and appreciate nature and the changing of the seasons. We should do that according to where we find ourselves when we're doing tea. It would be silly, if you lived in Australia, to wear a lined kimono, use a tsutsu chawan, and have your guests gather around the ro in December (the height of summer) just because it's the "right time" for those things.
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