Bunjin Shumi (literati culture) 文人趣味

文人趣味 Bunjin Shumi (the literati culture come from ancient China) is a necessary essence for studying about 煎茶道 Sencha-do. It's because Japanese people who started to enjoy Sencha, grow a habit of drinking it and supported the culture of Sencha had an aspiration for Chinese Bunjin (Bunjin = literati man)'s way of being, living or thinking.  

★Who is 文人 Bunjin ? : ❝ A man who takes part in literary matters. A man who is engaged in an elegant and refined taste such as poetry and prose, painting and writing.❞ ❝ A man who loves and enjoys poetry, painting and writing in a broad sense, who finishes the traditional studies, who is virtuous, who has a deep literary knowledge, who acquires culture through reading.❞ 　－　But to be a Bunjin in ancient China, there were some requirements such as a social rank or economic situation, besides the refined taste, high spirit or noble attitude. 

ーBunjin devotes himself into the hobby and displays his abilities on it. 

Bunjin appreciates old ink stone, enjoys old calligraphy and painting with burning incense, admires old editions, treasures antiques, plays the 琴 koto (Japanese harp), be fond of drinking tea, cherishes flowers, grows trees and bamboos, arranges a garden or makes efforts on architecture. 

〔Key Words of Bunjin Shumi〕

〇 文房 Bunbo : Bunbo is an environment/place where Bunjin should be at. Bunbo was originally "a place of keeping the documents by the government" or "a place to enjoy calligraphy and painting", therefore, the word is fixed as a study, atelier or studio. 

〇 文房四宝 Bunbo Shiho (四 shi = four / 宝 ho = treasure) : Four treasures of the study. Four important tools in calligraphy. << 筆墨硯紙 brush, ink stone, ink stick, and paper >>

〇 明窓浄机 Meiso Jyoki (明窓 meiso = well-lit window / 浄机 jyoki = dustless table) :  A study with a good environment.

〇 文人画 Bunjin-ga (literary painting) : Unlike the professional painters had a realistic approach, Bunjin-ga painters had a idealistic approach which values the poetry, free expression and elegance. The poetry comes first, then, calligraphy and paintings come after. 

〇 清風 Seifu : A fresh breeze, refreshing atmosphere or mind. This word is significant in  Sencha-do. There is also the word, 和敬清風 Wa Kei Seifu (wa (harmony) kei(respect) & Seifu ) as a principle of Sencha-do.

〔Meaning of Sencha-do〕

Sencha-do originates from China, it's not just drinking leaf tea but admitting moral quality of tea and pursuing the deep spirituality. That is the way of Sencha.

Sencha-do in present time represents its spirituality and a series of action : arranging and displaying the utensils, scroll and flowers or burning incense for having a cup of tea in a refreshing atmosphere, with a certain norm and method, and a respect for the history and tradition.  It should be done at a 文房 Bunbo*, living space, or somewhere outside, scenic and beautiful. You can enjoy having a cup of tea by yourself or with your friends. Sometimes, you enjoy doing calligraphy or painting as the brush moves, you enjoy acting as your heart leads. By being away from the worldly concerns and having a calm and quiet spiritual stability, you can grow your noble and intellectual sides.

Japanese "tea" is an art, it is a culture. 

One cup of tea opens your eyes of heart and it gives you a comfortable and tasteful life.

〔History of Japanese Sencha-do and Japanese Bunjin〕

1: The Beginning of Sencha-do

It's written that ❝ 隠元隆琦 Ingen Ryuki / 隠元禅師 Ingen Zenshi (1592~1673) , a Zen master of the (Obaku) Rinzai sect was the first person who brought the Chinese style tea drinking.❞ in the first Sencha book in Japan, "青湾茶話 Seiwan Sawa" (1758) by 大枝流芳 Ryuhou Oeda (1716~1736). 

After Ingen was invited to Japan, he founded 黄檗山万福寺 Obaku-zan Manpuku-ji temple in Uji city, Kyoto in 1654. Besides the Obaku sect, he brought a wide range of rich culture including of  Obaku Books, 南宗画 Nanshuga (southern school of Chinese painting), architectural technique, sculpture or food... It's easily imagined that those cultures were the collection of the massive knowledge for the Japanese intellects of the time as being in the national isolation. At the same time, the Chinese men of culture (poetry, paintings, calligraphy, books, zen ... ) came in a stream to Japan. 

Chinese style tea drinking was brought at the time.

2: The restoration of Sencha-do

The founder of the restoration of Sencha-do was 高遊外 Koyugai as known as 売茶翁 Baisao (1675~1763). He was born in Bizen (Saga prefecture), became a priest at the age of 11. He was seen as a genius by his master even he was very young. 

As a priest, he was a man of faith, having repeated 求道 Kudo (searching the spiritual truth) and 悟道 Godo (spiritual enlightenment) and overcome harsh training. 

When he reached at the age of 61, he opened a simple tea house in Kyoto and started to sell tea until 81 years old. 

He wasn't just a tea seller or a host of a tea shop. What he tried to do was to develop people's mental activity through a cup of tea.

Even though he often regretted that people didn't always understand his intention, he talked about a fusion of Zen teachings and common customs to the guests, serving a cup of tea. He kept living simple in honest poverty. His way of living inspired people, especially intellects and men in culture and he showed them a charms of Sencha.

3: The bloom of Sencha Culture

Bunjin's way of being and living which placed more emphasis on the aspect of Gudo (seeking for the teachings of Buddha), demanded by Baisao was spreading among the Bunjin-ga (Literati paintings) painters and people who had an aspiration for Bunjin little by little. It lead to the golden age of Bunjin Cha. Many books about tea, Sencha or Baisao were published during Baisao was alive. There is a book, called "清風瑣言 Seifu Sagen" (1794) by 上田秋成 Akinari Ueda (1734~1809). The book had a large influence on writers and painters.

It was an age of authoritarianism and flunkyism, and Sado was becoming more formal and fixed. During the era, there were Japanese Bunjin who empathized Chinese Bunjin's way of living which seeks a pleasure and pursue a refined hobby elegantly and freely. They were the people who supported Sencha Culture.

4: The golden age of Sencha Culture

Along with 上田秋成 Akinari Ueda, there was a significant Sencha supporter, 木村蒹葭堂 Kenkado Kimura (1736~1802). Besides he was running the sake brewing industry, he had a deep knowledge of literary and he collected the old books and rare articles, It could be said that he was the biggest protector of men in culture.

He had a close relationship with 池大雅 Taiga Ikeno, Bunjin-ga painter and calligrapher in Edo period (1723~1776) and 売茶翁 Baisao. Also, he gave his mind to educating the next generation. Himself tried to make an association of Sencha lovers as well.

He inspired 青木木米 Mokubei Aoki, pottery artist / Bunjin-ga painter (1767~1833) and 田能村竹田 Chikuden Tanomura, Bunjin-ga (Nan-ga) painter (1777~1835). They are both very famous and significant person of Sencha-do.

5: 幕末 Bakumatsu (the last days of the Tokugawa shogunate) Period

There was no guarantee of the status or financial power for Japanese Bunjin. They could only get the reward for their talent, or poetry, calligraphy and painting. 

Because of the situation, the style of Sencha culture was changing from "own pleasure or hobby of intellectuals" and "spiritualism" to " instrumentalism"(keeping the spirit of Bunjin cha) , supported by wealthy people in sake brewing industry or shipping industry and wealthy merchants. 

Because of those supporters, Sencha had an another development which was an appear of people who gave one's name as "宗匠 Shousho (master)" and lead the way of Sencha, Sencha-do. 

There was a huge, unprecedented Sencha tea gathering, 青湾茶会 Seiwan Chakai in1862. At the tea gathering, the utensils were changed completely, and the luxurious world was realized. 

6: 明治 Meiji Period

Civilization in Meiji era made the evolution of the sense of beauty.

Because of the civilization, the old power which had a stability of the position went through hardships. And so did the world of 芸道 Geido (the way of art).

Oppositely, the world of Sencha culture and Bunjin shumi had a prosperity, because people who enjoyed and supported those obtained the government posts.

But what the world of Sencha got from those supporters wasn't a privilege. It was a small profit to expand the support base and make the gatherings grand. 

Originally, people who were involved in Sencha were men in free, and groups connected each other by personal connections. They weren't constrained by the interests of the association or organization. 

Therefore, Sencha culture didn't create the development or improvement from the world of hobby. The exaltation of hobby didn't go towards the fullness of the way or teachings, either. It went only towards encouraging spending lots of money on expensive utensils and resembling the ideal world of Chinese Bunjin.

This may have been a glory in the history of Sencha, but it wasn't the way of Sencha which Baisao, Akinari or Chikuden expected.

7: 大正～現代 Taisho Period to Present 

In the end of Taisho period, the Sencha culture followed a course of decline.

There were some reasons : the steep rise of the price of utensils, decrease of the supports, the change of the taste and adherence among people, and the spread of drinking Sencha generally without cultural aspects. But the biggest reason was that Sencha culture didn't ask the support base on the public.

The stream had changed because of the opportunity of reviving cultures after the world war Ⅱ. In this time, there were the people who had an ambition for spreading Sencha-do and trying to realize the ideal based of 流派 Ryuha (schools).They established 京都煎茶家元会 Kyoto Sencha Iemoto Association by 7 schools in 1951. Then, 全国煎茶道連盟 National Sencha-do Federation was founded by about 40 schools in 1956.