Sip and savor traditions of Japanese tea ceremonies at Art Complex Museum in Duxbury
DUXBURY – The Japanese Tea Ceremony embodies the culture, history and art of Japan. Above all, the ritual aims to savor the present because every moment is unique and can never be relived.
The tea practice traces back 450 years. The Art Complex Museum in Duxbury aims to preserve and promote the ancient art by holding free tea ceremonies. Its last one of the year will be presented at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25.
“It started with monks, then nobility, the Samarai, merchants, and then to the people,” said Miho Soho Machida, of Urasenke Boston, a Japanese tea ceremony group. She hosted an event at the museum in July.
Traditionally, the ceremony is a show of hospitality between the host and guests involving an appreciation of Japanese artistry, architecture, metalwork, calligraphy, floral arranging (ikebana) as well as food and tea.
While a formal ceremony can last four hours, the 60-minute Sept. 25 event is a chance to learn about the symbolism of this rich tradition. Attendees can sample a Japanese sweet and a sip of Japanese green tea (matcha). The demonstration will be performed at ,a tea house called Wind in the Pines, built in Kyoto in 1967 and reassembled in the Japanese tea garden at The Art Complex Museum in 1975.
At the ceremony, guests learn about Japanese culture and the importance of harmony, respect, purity and tranquility.
Harmony is found in being aware one’s self and surroundings and the beauty of nature.
Respect is seen in the disciplines of a tea ceremony that highlights the beauty found in mutual recognition of roles and boundaries.
Purity involves the attention to cleanliness and the ceremonial washing of utensils, and ritualized handling and placement of items represents the goodness of one’s intentions.
Tranquility is a shared gift and leaves both host and guests calm and centered.
The idea that every experience can never be repeated in exactly the same way is a Buddhist concept. For emotional health, learning to be fully present at a Japanese tea ceremony is a good place to start.
If you want to learn more about ancient tea ceremonies, the next one will be presented at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25 at the Art Complex Museum in Duxbury, 189 Alden St. Admission is free, and outdoor seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. In the event of rain, it will be moved inside the Phoenix Gallery of the museum; artcomplex.org.
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Milton resident Suzette Martinez Standring writes Bright Side, a good news column featuring information on the South Shore and the people who live here. If you have an idea for a future column, reach her at suzmar@comcast.net. Also, visit www.readsuzette.com.
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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Explore traditions: Japanese tea ceremonies Art Complex Museum Duxbury
