Sign-In
Cart
The Book of Tea
Paperback
AnthropologyBuddhismJapanese History
ISBN13: 9784990284831
Publisher: Japan & Stuff Press
Published: Sep 1 2008
Pages: 80
Weight: 0.19
Height: 0.17 Width: 5.06 Depth: 7.81
Language: English
The Book of Tea is a description of the history, underlying philosophy, and aesthetics of the Japanese tea ceremony. It is also, and more importantly, a book about how to live a meaningful life. It is about nature and simplicity, about art and beauty, about the unfathomable depth in the small things in life that surround us. In this edition of The Book of Tea, the author, Kakuzo Okakura, writes:
The way of tea is founded on a love of what is beautiful in our common everyday lives. It teaches purity and harmony, mutual respect, and the importance of nature and the individual. It is essentially a worship of the imperfect. It is an attempt to accomplish something possible in this impossible world of ours.
Part of the Classics Retold to be Read, Not just Revered series, the aim of this retelling of The Book of Tea is to make the book more widely accessible -- without diluting its intellectual content -- for both young and emerging adults seeking broader perspectives as well as intellectually curious older readers. The book will be of particular interest to those who want a deeper insight into the tea ceremony, flower arrangement, and Japanese aesthetics. The text is set in a slightly larger typeface for easier reading.
The Author
Kakuzo Okakura (1863-1913), was born in Yokohama five years before the outset of the Meiji period, which marked the end of over 200 years of national isolation and the beginning of Japan's headlong rush to transform itself into a military and industrial power that could resist Western incursions and colonization. Yokohama was a boisterous international port, and Okakura's father, a samurai stationed there for business reasons, was a progressive thinker, who started Okakura learning English at the age of six. Okakura's most important works, including The Book of Tea (1906), were written in English, and devoted to explaining and defending Japanese and Asian culture.
The era in which Okakura lived was characterized by Western inroads into Asian countries. The West, thanks to the industrial revolution, was materially and militarily superior to the East, and considered itself to be culturally superior as well. Through heroic effort, Japan built up its industry and military, and when it emerged victorious from the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, it became the first non-Western country to achieve international recognition by Western powers.
Okakura, however, was not concerned with this type of recognition. He wanted recognition for Japanese and Eastern arts and culture, and he felt the need to preserve them from increasing Westernization. In 1887 he was one of the founders of the first Japanese fine arts academy, and in 1898 he helped found the Japanese Institute of Fine Arts. In 1904 he was invited to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts as a curator, and in 1910 he became the first head of the Asian art division of that Museum. He died in 1913 at the age of fifty, having devoted his life to preserving Japan's traditional cultural heritage. Important figures influenced by Okakura include the German philosopher Martin Heidegger, the American poet Ezra Pound, the Indian poet Rabindranth Tagore, the American art collector Isabella Stewart Gardner, and the British translator Arthur Waley.
Also in
Buddhism
The Circle of the Way: A Concise History of Zen from the Buddha to the Modern World
O'Brien, Barbara
Paperback
Soul of the Samurai: Modern Translations of Three Classic Works of Zen & Bushido
Cleary, Thomas
Hardcover
Enlightenment Is an Accident: Ancient Wisdom and Simple Practices to Make You Accident Prone
Burkett, Tim
Paperback
Healing Emotions: Conversations with the Dalai Lama on Psychology, Meditation, and the Mind-Body Connection
H. H. the Fourteenth Dalai Lama
Salzberg, Sharon
Paperback
Radical Compassion: Learning to Love Yourself and Your World with the Practice of Rain
Brach, Tara
Hardcover
Two Buddhas Seated Side by Side: A Guide to the Lotus Sūtra
Lopez, Donald S., Jr.
Stone, Jacqueline I.
Hardcover
Zen Master Tales: Stories from the Lives of Taigu, Sengai, Hakuin, and Ryokan
Haskel, Peter
Paperback
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance [50th Anniversary Edition]: An Inquiry Into Values
Pirsig, Robert M.
Paperback
The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering Into Peace, Joy, and Liberation
Hanh, Thich Nhat
Paperback
Who We Are Becoming Matters: The Courage, Wisdom, and Aloha We Need in a Timeplace of Collapse
Wong, Norma Kaweloku
Paperback
Engaged Compassion: Seven Practices to Cultivate Resilience, Connection, and a Joyous Life
Negi, Lobsang Tenzin
Hardcover
Sit Write Here: 6 Mindfulness Practices to Help You Write More and Suffer Less
Dávila, April
Paperback
When No Thing Works: A Zen and Indigenous Perspective on Resilience, Shared Purpose, and Leadership in the Timeplace of Collapse
Wong, Norma
Paperback
Comfortable with Uncertainty: 108 Teachings on Cultivating Fearlessness and Compassion
Chodron, Pema
Paperback
Why Buddhism Is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment
Wright, Robert
Paperback
Not Always So: Practicing the True Spirit of Zen
Brown, Edward Espe
San Francisco, Zen Center
Suzuki, Shunryu
Paperback
Practicing Mindfulness: 75 Essential Meditations to Reduce Stress, Improve Mental Health, and Find Peace in the Everyday
Sockolov, Matthew
Paperback
Dokkodo. The Way of Walking Alone: Discover self-discipline and personal mastery through the ancestral wisdom of the samurai.
Musashi, Miyamoto
Ediciones, Shinden
Paperback
What the Buddha Taught: Revised and Expanded Edition with Texts from Suttas and Dhammapada
Rahula, Walpola
Paperback
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
Kondo, Marie
Hardcover
The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us about Living Fully
Ostaseski, Frank
Paperback
Seeing That Frees: Meditations on Emptiness and Dependent Arising: 10th Anniversary Edition
Burbea, Rob
Paperback
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying: The Spiritual Classic & International Bestseller: 30th Anniversary Edition
Rinpoche, Sogyal
Paperback
The Truth about Forgiveness: A Biblical and Theological Study of How to Follow Christ's Example
MacArthur, John F.
Paperback
The Mind Illuminated: A Complete Meditation Guide Integrating Buddhist Wisdom and Brain Science for Greater Mindfulness
Graves, Jeremy
Yates, John
Immergut, Matthew
Paperback
Fierce Self-Compassion: How to Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Your Power, and Thrive
Neff, Kristin
Paperback
How to Let Things Go: 99 Tips from a Zen Buddhist Monk to Relinquish Control and Free Yourself Up for What Matters
Masuno, Shunmyo
Hardcover
The Daily Buddhist: 366 Days of Wisdom for Happiness, Inner Freedom, and Mindful Living
Sherpa, Pema
Barca, Brendan
Hardcover
El Milagro de Mindfulness: Una Introducción a la Práctica de la Meditación / The Miracle of Mindfulness
Nhat, Thich
Paperback
365 Days of Zen: A Daily One-Page Guide to Zen Buddhism for Clarity, Calm, and Deep Stillness
Mode, Airplane
Lee, Dae
Paperback
Shodo: The Quiet Art of Japanese Zen Calligraphy, Learn the Wisdom of Zen Through Traditional Brush Painting
Sato, Shozo
Hardcover
It's Okay Not to Look for the Meaning of Life: A Zen Monk's Guide to Living Stress-Free One Day at a Time
Minami, Jikisai
Hardcover
Total Eclipse of the Mind: Unleashing the Power of Darkness for Creativity, Healing, and Transformation
Holecek, Andrew
Hardcover
Near Enemies of the Truth: Avoid the Pitfalls of a Spiritual Life and Become Radically Free
Wallis, Christopher
Hardcover
The Zen Guide to Opening Your Heart: Practical Advice from a Zen Buddhist Monk
Taigu, Gensho
Hardcover
The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down: How to Be Calm in a Busy World
Sunim, Haemin
Hardcover
You Are Good, You Are Enough: Free Yourself from the Trap of Doubt and Return to Basic Goodness
Rinzler, Lodro
Paperback
Dreams of a White Snow Lion: The Remarkable Life, Vision, and Deeds of the Dalai Lama
Bianca, Mariateresa
Dhargye, Sherab
Hardcover
Radical Compassion: Learning to Love Yourself and Your World with the Practice of Rain
Brach, Tara
Paperback
Zen and Ghibli: Life Lessons for Lasting Happiness from the Legendary Studio
Suzuki, Toshio
Hardcover
Change Your Mind, Change Your Life: The Transformative Power of Lojong Practice
Palmo, Jetsunma Tenzin
Paperback
Opening the Hand of Thought: Foundations of Zen Buddhist Practice
Warner, Jisho
Uchiyama, Kosho
Paperback
In Love with the World: A Monk's Journey Through the Bardos of Living and Dying
Tworkov, Helen
Mingyur Rinpoche, Yongey
Paperback
Jewel in the Lotus/The Tantric Path to Higher Consciousness
Avinasha, Bodhi
Saraswati, Sunyata
Paperback
We Were Made for These Times: Ten Lessons for Moving Through Change, Loss, and Disruption
Lingo, Kaira Jewel
Paperback
The Art of Simple Living: 100 Daily Practices from a Zen Buddhist Monk for a Lifetime of Calm and Joy
Masuno, Shunmyo
Hardcover
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance American Classics Edition: An Inquiry Into Values
Pirsig, Robert M.
Paperback
No-Nonsense Buddhism for Beginners: Clear Answers to Burning Questions about Core Buddhist Teachings
Rasheta, Noah
Paperback
Tracing the Untraceable Buddha: The Vipassana Meditator's Journey to Enlightenment
Damborg, Uffe
Paperback
Aging as a Spiritual Practice: A Contemplative Guide to Growing Older and Wiser
Richmond, Lewis
Paperback
How Not to Miss the Point: The Buddha's Wisdom for a Life Well Lived
Rinpoche, Jetsun Khandro
Paperback