You may see a Tokonoma Alcove when you enter a tea room for Japanese Tea Ceremony.

There would be a 'Japanese scroll/Kakejiku' in that room. *Please note that it's called 'Kakemono' for Japanese Tea Ceremony.

The contents of Japanese scroll would be different depending on each seasons and theme of tea party, but something with Zen words must be used for Japanese Tea Ceremony. It's also hard for Japanese to read these Zen words properly or understand them...

Why is the Japanese scroll with Zen words used for Japanese Tea Ceremony?

I would like to write about the relationship between Japanese Tea Ceremony and Japanese scroll with the history of Japanese Tea Ceremony.



1. The beginning of Japanese scroll for Japanese Tea Ceremony ~ Japanese Tea Ceremony and Zen words ~


Japanese scroll is a writing or drawing you can decorate in a Tokonoma Alcove or hang on a wall.
It is said that Master Juko Murata was the first person who brought Zen handwriting/Bokuseki, the Japanese scroll of Zen words for Japanese Tea Ceremony in the tea room.

By then, most of the Japanese scroll were the drawings of So, China, but Juko practiced Zen meditation (study under Master Ikkyuu Sojun), and decorated the Zen handwriting/Bokuseki which was given by Master Ikkyuu Sojun, we say that this is the 'beginning' of Japanese scroll.

You could say that it is the transformation to 'see and think thoughtfully' from 'enjoy the sight of it'.



2. The main Zen words that are used for Japanese scroll for Japanese Tea Ceremony

Even Japanese do not have an opportunity to see Zen words in our normal life, but when we see these words at a lessen or tea party, it reminds us that we don't have enough time or space to think reflectively in our daily life (it reminds us how important to have time to think reflectively).

Also, you may be touched by the depth of the Zen words and realize it again.
I believe that it's one of the impression through Japanese Tea Ceremony.

The followings are well-known Zen words.

- Ichigo Ichie
- Wakei Seijaku
- Hibi kore Koujitsu

When you see Japanese scroll with these with ink, you may feel that you can stop and think about something once more.



Also Enso (circle painted with a single stroke in Zen calligraphy) is used often as well.

To be exact, this Enso is not a Zen word. It's simply a circle so it's not a letter or Zen words. That is why it's very complicated...
Enso (called also Enso-zu, Ichi Enso) represents the whole universe and the ultimate figure, you could say it's 'something that described comprehension and truth symbolically'.

Circle is a perfect circle which has no lack or exhaustive, and it's not a begging or end either. It's the infinite space.

I won't go deeper on this but that is every person would understand it differently, so it's all up to you how you take it.

It may be something like a mirror that shows your feeling or attitude.

Michi (Road) of Japanese Tea Ceremony also means 'learning', this enso simply may be the ultimate theme.



3. Conclusion


I wrote about the relations ship between Japanese tea ceremony and Japanese scroll this time.

- It is said that Master Juko Murata brought the Zen handwriting/Bokuseki into the tea room which was beginning of Japanese scroll with Zen words for Japanese tea ceremony.

- Then Japanese scroll for Japanese tea ceremony has been transformed from ' 'enjoy the sight of it' to 'see and think thoughtfully'.

- Through the lessens for Japanese tea ceremony or Zen words, you can realize how important to have some spare mind to think reflectively and deeply and reflect upon yourself.

I hope this information is useful for you If you have any chance to select any Japanese scroll in the future.



I will write again.