〔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.

2017.10

Bunjin Shumi (literati culture) 文人趣味