Essay and 中文-English speech at Ten Fu College
天福茶学院 九月份 2007年 (Tenfu Tea College) Sep 2007 Published
Speech, “Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony as a Practical Way to Learn Tea Brewing”Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony, Sep 2007演講是 (無我茶會是學習泡茶的好途徑) 九月份 2007年
Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony
as a Practical Way to Learn Tea Brewing
( 無我茶會是學習泡茶的好途徑 )
author and speaker
by: Steven R. Jones (作者： 瓊斯史迪芬), August 11，2007 (Published 2007)
translation by ( 翻譯者 )
Chang Li-Hsiang ( 張麗香 ) 。Tu, Kuo-Juey ( 涂國瑞 )
演講者、中文：Lin Yu-Ching(林雨青)
'
各位女士、先生大家好：
首先，感謝天福茶學院給我這個機會發言，創辦人李總裁瑞河先生(Lee Rie-ho) 在這裡實現了他畢生的願望，我真正相信什麼是成果，希望我能有所幫忙，無論如何我期望茶學院校運昌隆，我還要感謝地方社會人士和天福集團，與天仁集團是發展這所學校關鍵之角色。當然，茶文化系系主任，蔡榮章教授 (Tsai, Rong-Tsang ), 也給予許多的協助。
我的講題是 [ 無我茶會是學習泡茶的好途徑 ]，我記得第一次我和太太要去參加一個大型茶會我們要泡茶和奉茶，我毫無準備所以在無我茶會太太示範最基本的泡法給我看，之後她買一組簡便茶具，一星期後我們去了我感到非常驚訝，參加者他們來自不同國家和團體，圍繞成圈圈約三圈或四圈，令我感到非常激動和滿意的是竟然自己做得也很好，後來有一天，我告訴朋友他們，我曾去一個大型茶會有很多人來自不同國家，我朋友說：“ 茶會 ? ” 這不僅僅是一個茶會，它是第六屈國際無我茶會,在台北舉行,那樣的體驗之後我時常喝茶更專注於茶的事情。
想到喝茶一詞，腦裡便會浮現很多事情，冬天時奶奶的茶是乘熱而飲，在全家笑談之間，或者優雅正式的英國茶會上，呈現莊嚴歡欣景象。但是，當我們想到茶會或大型茶會要泡一壺好茶，並觀看茶會主人那優美熟練的動作，使我們很敬畏，我從未想到能夠做到這一點；這些意想不到的經驗可以使人很驚奇，然而茶和任何事物一樣，實地練習及學習，它並不是很難或無聊，無我茶會是非常開放和簡單易行的，就算你還沒上過課也可隨同參與。我開始參加無我茶會，沒有任何正式訓練，只是有一些簡單的口頭指示和學習，我也隨同一起參加了。
無我茶會參加者來自各種茶學識背景，有些是初學者，其中包括兒童，茶愛好者，而一些是行家，甚至資深的老師，這些人全部聚集在一起，參與茶會，我應該順便一提，任何泡法都可以使用的，不僅小壺茶法“功夫茶”，團體裏有各種形式的泡茶法，泡出不同的茶湯，當然，任何種類的茶都可以泡，例如，用茶筅打的日本抹茶，韓國綠茶，西式紅茶，甚至袋茶，有時，我會帶兩個小型英式茶壺，我將一個當沖泡器，一個當茶盅（茶湯倒入盅）然後分入茶杯，這樣保持每杯濃度相同的茶湯，無我茶會主要的目地是參與和把茶泡好、體驗，共享茶湯，茶藝、茶文化，在這段時間讓學生和老師都能得到平等的一起喝杯茶。
無我茶會來自世界各個角落的人，它是一個國際性茶會，無我茶會可以小至一人或多如至萬人，在兩者之間，留有很大的空間，所以我們可以有大或小的聚會。學泡茶無我茶會是一個切實可行的辦法。事實上，它是一個很有樂趣的社會聚會，並不需要透過那單調的過程，演講、測驗、記憶和複雜動作的泡法，我們只是跟隨著做，如果我們忘記了，只要看一下該團體正在進行的步驟，我們很容易地跟上腳步，參與無我茶會是學習泡茶並將茶與生活結合在一起。
我們在不知不覺中學會去體驗和品嚐多種茶，我們總是精益求精，無論喝到的茶太濃或太淡不是我的標準時，我從未覺得不好，我只喜歡安安靜靜地思考、享受，把它看作是一次機會，來學得經驗和品味茶，如果每杯茶的味道一樣，那會是一個多無聊世界！泡茶是一門藝術，而不是一門科學，因此，無所謂什麼是絕對的答案，泡茶是一個終身課程和終生伴侶，也只有泡者通過不斷與茶接觸才能深入茶的領域。
參與無我茶會是一個進入國際茶界的一個階梯，有如打開一扇門與全球分享茶學知識和學習機會。我喜歡參與國際無我茶會，因為我能欣賞許多不同的茶具及品飲到各式樣的茶，同時我也能夠認識到許多人，看到很多不同的文化。有一句我常說的是：“茶是我們的橋樑”，茶之橋“作為我探索世界的指南，每個國家或地區都有茶葉，哪怕是很小的規模，每次口渴茶是解渴最好之飲料，但更重要的是在那無形中茶己經成為我生活的一部分，它對我的社交生活不斷產生影響，泡茶幫助我修養我的心性和無我茶會己作為修身養性一個重要的管道。
以無我茶會為媒介，人們學會了什麼叫茶與生活和茶學，對謙卑和奉茶變得習以為常，“無我茶會特殊做法和七大精神”， ( The special way of Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony and its Seven Principles ), 了解它是非常有幫助的，並且全神貫注是學習泡茶的好途徑，同時上無我茶會課程是有益的，但真正學習是在於茶會的過程中，於團體律動中體悟茶會的意境。最後，讓我們記住實際體驗是最好的老師。
----English (posted below)-----
= = = 1
Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony
as a Practical Way to Learn Tea Brewing
( 無我茶會是學習泡茶的好途徑 )
by
Steven R. Jones ( 作者：瓊斯史迪芬 )
May 22, 2007 (revised September 11, 2007)
translation by ( 翻譯者 )
Chang Li-Hsiang ( 張麗香 ) 。Tu, Kuo-Juey ( 涂國瑞 )
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen,
I would like to first thank Tenfu Tea College for letting me be a part of this event and giving me this opportunity to speak. I really believe in what the founder Chairman Lee Rie ho(李瑞河) has done here and I hope to help in anyway possible to see this Tea College prosper. I also want to thank the local community, and the Ten Fu Group including the Ten Ren Tea Company for being a key role in the development of this School. And this never could have been put together so completely without the direct academic influence of the Director of the Tea Arts Department, Professor Tsai, Rong-Tsang (蔡榮章教授).
Now for my topic, “Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony as a Practical Way to Learn Tea Brewing”, I remember the first time I went to a large tea function it was with my wife and we were going to make and serve tea. I was not prepared, so she showed me the basics on brewing at a Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony, and she bought me a simple tea ware set. A week later we went to the tea function, I was amazed to see so many people from many different countries; the group was arranged in concentric circles of about three or four. I was so excited and satisfied with how the tea ceremony went and I even felt that I brewed and served the tea OK. Later, one day when talking to some friends, I told them I went to a big Tea Ceremony with many people from different countries, my friends said “Tea Ceremony!?”, that was not just a tea ceremony that was the “6th International Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony”, in Taipei. I had always drunk tea, but it was after this experience that I became more involved in tea.
When one thinks of drinking tea many things can come to mind, the winters spent drinking grandma’s hot tea, while talking and laughing among family, or perhaps the elegance of a formal English Tea Party with all of its grander. But when we think of making great tea for a tea party or tea ceremony, or watching a Tea Master at work with the skill and grace that puts us in awe, and thinking I never could do that; these events can be very intimidating. Yet tea is like anything else. It takes practice to learn; but it does not have to be hard or tedious. Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony is very open and naturally simple to follow without taking classes. I began participating Wu-Wo Tea Ceremonies without any formal training. I only had some simple oral instructions and learned as I went along.
Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony participants are from various tea knowledge backgrounds. Some are beginners, including children, some are tea connoisseurs, some are experienced, and even Grand Masters, all these people make up and attend the Tea Ceremonies. I should mention that any brewing method can be used, not only the small pot tea method, “Gong Fu Tea”. Also groups of all levels with different methods of making the liquid tea, and using any kind of tea; for example: Japanese whisked fine powder tea, Korean brewed green tea, Western style black tea, or even a tea bag can be used. Sometimes I will bring two small English style teapots, I will use one for brewing and then pour the brewed tea into the other teapot, and then pour the tea into the cups, and this way keeps equal tea strength for each cup of tea. The main purpose of the Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony is to brew good tea and, participate, experience, share tea, tea arts, and tea culture. It is a time for student and teacher, to be equal and just enjoy some tea.
People from all corners of the world are part of the Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony as it is an international organization. A Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony can be as small as one person or as big as a million. Now that leaves a lot of room in-between, therefore, we can have large or small gatherings. Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony is a practical way to learn tea brewing. The fact that it is a social event makes it fun and takes away the drudgery of plowing through courses, lectures, tests, and without memorizing complicated movement steps for brewing. We just follow along, if we forget what to do, just a quick glance at what the group is doing, and we are back on track without hardly skipping a beat. And remember participating in a Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony is to learn tea brewing by living with tea.
We unconsciously learn by exposure and acquiring tastes for many kinds of tea and we are always refining our brewing talents. I never feel bad when tasting a tea that is too light or too strong by my standards; I just enjoy it and quietly think about the tea as a chance to use my own tea experience and knowledge to taste the tea. If every cup of tea tasted the same, what a boring world it would be. Brewing tea is an art, not a science; therefore, there are no finite answers to what is a correct cup of tea. Tea brewing is a life long study and tea is a life long companion. And it is only through the constant connection with tea that the tea practitioner stays in tune with the ways of tea brewing.
Taking part in Wu-Wo Tea Ceremonies is a stepping-stone to the international tea community, this invites a vast opportunity to learn and share Tea Studies with the entire world! I really like attending International Wu-Wo Tea Ceremonies, because I can see and appreciate many different kinds of tea ware and drink different varieties of tea. I also can meet many people and see many different cultures. One of my old saying is, “tea is our bridge”, and I use this “tea bridge” often as a guide to explore the world. Every country has tea to some magnitude even if it is small. Tea has quenched my thirst many times. However, more important and often without realizing it tea has become part of my life and it is a constant influence on my social life as well. Tea brewing has helped me to cultivate my heart and Wu-Wo Tea Ceremonies have been an important channel for this cultivation.
Through the Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony, one learns what it means to live with tea and Tea Studies, and become humble and serve tea. It helps greatly to go over, “The special way of Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony and its Seven Principles” ( 無我茶會特殊做法及其七大精神 ). And then to immerse and learn tea brewing practically. Taking Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony classes are helpful; but the real learning is in the ceremony itself. The learning experience is in the involvement and rhythm of the ceremony. Lastly, let us remember that practical experience is the greatest teacher of all.
What does “Wu-Wo” mean?
The term “Wu-Wo” (無我), means; to empty the mind like an endless void and it is without anything to sense; it is just “being” with no physical or mental attachments. So there is group equality without prejudice, and with cooperation, like a flock of birds. This is our concept of “Wu-Wo”. And this is shown in the “Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony”.
Usually we will make tea four times and serve the three neighbors on the left, and spectators.
And receive from three neighbors on the right, and also drink our own tea.
The special way of Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony and its Seven Principles
無我茶會特殊做法及其七大精神
1. Seating arrangement is chosen randomly. --- No priority to seats, no matter of social status.
座位由抽籤決定──無尊卑之分
2. Serving tea in the same direction. --- No reward is expected.
依同一方向奉茶──無報償之心
3. Accept and appreciate different teas. --- No bias.
接納、欣賞各種茶──無好惡之心
4. Brew the best you can. --- Concentrate and improve.
努力把茶泡好──求精進之心
5. No director. --- Everyone follows the public announcement.
無須指揮與司儀──遵守公共約定
6. Remain silent during brewing. --- To cooperate and appear in group rhythm and harmony.
泡茶席間不語──培養默契，體現團體律動之美
7. Not confined to any tea brewing manner. --- No distinction of school or region.
泡茶方式不拘──無流派與地域之分
International Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony Chronicle
( 歷屆國際無我茶會舉辦日期與地點 )
First conducted in Taipei, Taiwan on Dec. 18, 1990 第一屆 1990.12.18
台北市
2. Wuyi Mountain, Fujian, Oct. 17, 1991 第二屆 1991.10.17
福建省武夷山
3. Kyoto, Japan, Nov. 09, 1992 第三屆 1992.11.09
日本京都
4. Seoul and Iksan, Korea, Oct. 13, 1993 第四屆 1993.10.13
韓國首爾 益山
5. Wuyi Mountain, Fujian, Oct. 27, 1995 第五屆 1995.10.27
福建省武夷山
6. Taipei, Taiwan, Nov. 22, 1997 第六屆 1997.11.22
台北市
7. Hangzhou, Zhejiang, Oct. 16, 1999 第七屆 1999.10.16
浙江省杭州市
8. Shizuoka, Japan, Oct. 07, 2001 第八屆 2001.10.07
日本靜岡
9. Singapore, Aug. 23, 2003 第九屆 2003.08.23
新加坡
10. Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Nov. 03, 2005 第十屆 2005.11.03
武夷山
11. Seoul and Iksan, Korea, Oct. 12, 2007 第十一屆 2007.10.12
韓國首爾 益山
12. America, West Coast, Autumn 2009 (scheduled) 第十二屆
2009年 秋天 計劃在美國西海岸舉辦
Thank you all for giving me this opportunity to share my experience on “Learning Tea Brewing”.
謝謝大家給我這個機會來分享我 [ 學習泡茶的經驗 ] 。
= = = end = = = = =
References:
書名 : 無我茶會180條
作者 : 蔡榮章
中華國際無我茶會推廣協會
出版年 : 1999
( Title: Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony, 180 Steps
Author: Tsai, Rong-Tsang
International Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony Association
Published: 1999 )
Speech, “Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony as a Practical Way to Learn Tea Brewing”Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony, Sep 2007演講是 (無我茶會是學習泡茶的好途徑) 九月份 2007年
Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony
as a Practical Way to Learn Tea Brewing
( 無我茶會是學習泡茶的好途徑 )
author and speaker
by: Steven R. Jones (作者： 瓊斯史迪芬), August 11，2007 (Published 2007)
translation by ( 翻譯者 )
Chang Li-Hsiang ( 張麗香 ) 。Tu, Kuo-Juey ( 涂國瑞 )
演講者、中文：Lin Yu-Ching(林雨青)
'
各位女士、先生大家好：
首先，感謝天福茶學院給我這個機會發言，創辦人李總裁瑞河先生(Lee Rie-ho) 在這裡實現了他畢生的願望，我真正相信什麼是成果，希望我能有所幫忙，無論如何我期望茶學院校運昌隆，我還要感謝地方社會人士和天福集團，與天仁集團是發展這所學校關鍵之角色。當然，茶文化系系主任，蔡榮章教授 (Tsai, Rong-Tsang ), 也給予許多的協助。
我的講題是 [ 無我茶會是學習泡茶的好途徑 ]，我記得第一次我和太太要去參加一個大型茶會我們要泡茶和奉茶，我毫無準備所以在無我茶會太太示範最基本的泡法給我看，之後她買一組簡便茶具，一星期後我們去了我感到非常驚訝，參加者他們來自不同國家和團體，圍繞成圈圈約三圈或四圈，令我感到非常激動和滿意的是竟然自己做得也很好，後來有一天，我告訴朋友他們，我曾去一個大型茶會有很多人來自不同國家，我朋友說：“ 茶會 ? ” 這不僅僅是一個茶會，它是第六屈國際無我茶會,在台北舉行,那樣的體驗之後我時常喝茶更專注於茶的事情。
想到喝茶一詞，腦裡便會浮現很多事情，冬天時奶奶的茶是乘熱而飲，在全家笑談之間，或者優雅正式的英國茶會上，呈現莊嚴歡欣景象。但是，當我們想到茶會或大型茶會要泡一壺好茶，並觀看茶會主人那優美熟練的動作，使我們很敬畏，我從未想到能夠做到這一點；這些意想不到的經驗可以使人很驚奇，然而茶和任何事物一樣，實地練習及學習，它並不是很難或無聊，無我茶會是非常開放和簡單易行的，就算你還沒上過課也可隨同參與。我開始參加無我茶會，沒有任何正式訓練，只是有一些簡單的口頭指示和學習，我也隨同一起參加了。
無我茶會參加者來自各種茶學識背景，有些是初學者，其中包括兒童，茶愛好者，而一些是行家，甚至資深的老師，這些人全部聚集在一起，參與茶會，我應該順便一提，任何泡法都可以使用的，不僅小壺茶法“功夫茶”，團體裏有各種形式的泡茶法，泡出不同的茶湯，當然，任何種類的茶都可以泡，例如，用茶筅打的日本抹茶，韓國綠茶，西式紅茶，甚至袋茶，有時，我會帶兩個小型英式茶壺，我將一個當沖泡器，一個當茶盅（茶湯倒入盅）然後分入茶杯，這樣保持每杯濃度相同的茶湯，無我茶會主要的目地是參與和把茶泡好、體驗，共享茶湯，茶藝、茶文化，在這段時間讓學生和老師都能得到平等的一起喝杯茶。
無我茶會來自世界各個角落的人，它是一個國際性茶會，無我茶會可以小至一人或多如至萬人，在兩者之間，留有很大的空間，所以我們可以有大或小的聚會。學泡茶無我茶會是一個切實可行的辦法。事實上，它是一個很有樂趣的社會聚會，並不需要透過那單調的過程，演講、測驗、記憶和複雜動作的泡法，我們只是跟隨著做，如果我們忘記了，只要看一下該團體正在進行的步驟，我們很容易地跟上腳步，參與無我茶會是學習泡茶並將茶與生活結合在一起。
我們在不知不覺中學會去體驗和品嚐多種茶，我們總是精益求精，無論喝到的茶太濃或太淡不是我的標準時，我從未覺得不好，我只喜歡安安靜靜地思考、享受，把它看作是一次機會，來學得經驗和品味茶，如果每杯茶的味道一樣，那會是一個多無聊世界！泡茶是一門藝術，而不是一門科學，因此，無所謂什麼是絕對的答案，泡茶是一個終身課程和終生伴侶，也只有泡者通過不斷與茶接觸才能深入茶的領域。
參與無我茶會是一個進入國際茶界的一個階梯，有如打開一扇門與全球分享茶學知識和學習機會。我喜歡參與國際無我茶會，因為我能欣賞許多不同的茶具及品飲到各式樣的茶，同時我也能夠認識到許多人，看到很多不同的文化。有一句我常說的是：“茶是我們的橋樑”，茶之橋“作為我探索世界的指南，每個國家或地區都有茶葉，哪怕是很小的規模，每次口渴茶是解渴最好之飲料，但更重要的是在那無形中茶己經成為我生活的一部分，它對我的社交生活不斷產生影響，泡茶幫助我修養我的心性和無我茶會己作為修身養性一個重要的管道。
以無我茶會為媒介，人們學會了什麼叫茶與生活和茶學，對謙卑和奉茶變得習以為常，“無我茶會特殊做法和七大精神”， ( The special way of Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony and its Seven Principles ), 了解它是非常有幫助的，並且全神貫注是學習泡茶的好途徑，同時上無我茶會課程是有益的，但真正學習是在於茶會的過程中，於團體律動中體悟茶會的意境。最後，讓我們記住實際體驗是最好的老師。
----English (posted below)-----
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Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony
as a Practical Way to Learn Tea Brewing
( 無我茶會是學習泡茶的好途徑 )
by
Steven R. Jones ( 作者：瓊斯史迪芬 )
May 22, 2007 (revised September 11, 2007)
translation by ( 翻譯者 )
Chang Li-Hsiang ( 張麗香 ) 。Tu, Kuo-Juey ( 涂國瑞 )
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen,
I would like to first thank Tenfu Tea College for letting me be a part of this event and giving me this opportunity to speak. I really believe in what the founder Chairman Lee Rie ho(李瑞河) has done here and I hope to help in anyway possible to see this Tea College prosper. I also want to thank the local community, and the Ten Fu Group including the Ten Ren Tea Company for being a key role in the development of this School. And this never could have been put together so completely without the direct academic influence of the Director of the Tea Arts Department, Professor Tsai, Rong-Tsang (蔡榮章教授).
Now for my topic, “Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony as a Practical Way to Learn Tea Brewing”, I remember the first time I went to a large tea function it was with my wife and we were going to make and serve tea. I was not prepared, so she showed me the basics on brewing at a Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony, and she bought me a simple tea ware set. A week later we went to the tea function, I was amazed to see so many people from many different countries; the group was arranged in concentric circles of about three or four. I was so excited and satisfied with how the tea ceremony went and I even felt that I brewed and served the tea OK. Later, one day when talking to some friends, I told them I went to a big Tea Ceremony with many people from different countries, my friends said “Tea Ceremony!?”, that was not just a tea ceremony that was the “6th International Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony”, in Taipei. I had always drunk tea, but it was after this experience that I became more involved in tea.
When one thinks of drinking tea many things can come to mind, the winters spent drinking grandma’s hot tea, while talking and laughing among family, or perhaps the elegance of a formal English Tea Party with all of its grander. But when we think of making great tea for a tea party or tea ceremony, or watching a Tea Master at work with the skill and grace that puts us in awe, and thinking I never could do that; these events can be very intimidating. Yet tea is like anything else. It takes practice to learn; but it does not have to be hard or tedious. Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony is very open and naturally simple to follow without taking classes. I began participating Wu-Wo Tea Ceremonies without any formal training. I only had some simple oral instructions and learned as I went along.
Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony participants are from various tea knowledge backgrounds. Some are beginners, including children, some are tea connoisseurs, some are experienced, and even Grand Masters, all these people make up and attend the Tea Ceremonies. I should mention that any brewing method can be used, not only the small pot tea method, “Gong Fu Tea”. Also groups of all levels with different methods of making the liquid tea, and using any kind of tea; for example: Japanese whisked fine powder tea, Korean brewed green tea, Western style black tea, or even a tea bag can be used. Sometimes I will bring two small English style teapots, I will use one for brewing and then pour the brewed tea into the other teapot, and then pour the tea into the cups, and this way keeps equal tea strength for each cup of tea. The main purpose of the Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony is to brew good tea and, participate, experience, share tea, tea arts, and tea culture. It is a time for student and teacher, to be equal and just enjoy some tea.
People from all corners of the world are part of the Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony as it is an international organization. A Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony can be as small as one person or as big as a million. Now that leaves a lot of room in-between, therefore, we can have large or small gatherings. Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony is a practical way to learn tea brewing. The fact that it is a social event makes it fun and takes away the drudgery of plowing through courses, lectures, tests, and without memorizing complicated movement steps for brewing. We just follow along, if we forget what to do, just a quick glance at what the group is doing, and we are back on track without hardly skipping a beat. And remember participating in a Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony is to learn tea brewing by living with tea.
We unconsciously learn by exposure and acquiring tastes for many kinds of tea and we are always refining our brewing talents. I never feel bad when tasting a tea that is too light or too strong by my standards; I just enjoy it and quietly think about the tea as a chance to use my own tea experience and knowledge to taste the tea. If every cup of tea tasted the same, what a boring world it would be. Brewing tea is an art, not a science; therefore, there are no finite answers to what is a correct cup of tea. Tea brewing is a life long study and tea is a life long companion. And it is only through the constant connection with tea that the tea practitioner stays in tune with the ways of tea brewing.
Taking part in Wu-Wo Tea Ceremonies is a stepping-stone to the international tea community, this invites a vast opportunity to learn and share Tea Studies with the entire world! I really like attending International Wu-Wo Tea Ceremonies, because I can see and appreciate many different kinds of tea ware and drink different varieties of tea. I also can meet many people and see many different cultures. One of my old saying is, “tea is our bridge”, and I use this “tea bridge” often as a guide to explore the world. Every country has tea to some magnitude even if it is small. Tea has quenched my thirst many times. However, more important and often without realizing it tea has become part of my life and it is a constant influence on my social life as well. Tea brewing has helped me to cultivate my heart and Wu-Wo Tea Ceremonies have been an important channel for this cultivation.
Through the Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony, one learns what it means to live with tea and Tea Studies, and become humble and serve tea. It helps greatly to go over, “The special way of Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony and its Seven Principles” ( 無我茶會特殊做法及其七大精神 ). And then to immerse and learn tea brewing practically. Taking Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony classes are helpful; but the real learning is in the ceremony itself. The learning experience is in the involvement and rhythm of the ceremony. Lastly, let us remember that practical experience is the greatest teacher of all.
What does “Wu-Wo” mean?
The term “Wu-Wo” (無我), means; to empty the mind like an endless void and it is without anything to sense; it is just “being” with no physical or mental attachments. So there is group equality without prejudice, and with cooperation, like a flock of birds. This is our concept of “Wu-Wo”. And this is shown in the “Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony”.
Usually we will make tea four times and serve the three neighbors on the left, and spectators.
And receive from three neighbors on the right, and also drink our own tea.
The special way of Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony and its Seven Principles
無我茶會特殊做法及其七大精神
1. Seating arrangement is chosen randomly. --- No priority to seats, no matter of social status.
座位由抽籤決定──無尊卑之分
2. Serving tea in the same direction. --- No reward is expected.
依同一方向奉茶──無報償之心
3. Accept and appreciate different teas. --- No bias.
接納、欣賞各種茶──無好惡之心
4. Brew the best you can. --- Concentrate and improve.
努力把茶泡好──求精進之心
5. No director. --- Everyone follows the public announcement.
無須指揮與司儀──遵守公共約定
6. Remain silent during brewing. --- To cooperate and appear in group rhythm and harmony.
泡茶席間不語──培養默契，體現團體律動之美
7. Not confined to any tea brewing manner. --- No distinction of school or region.
泡茶方式不拘──無流派與地域之分
International Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony Chronicle
( 歷屆國際無我茶會舉辦日期與地點 )
First conducted in Taipei, Taiwan on Dec. 18, 1990 第一屆 1990.12.18
台北市
2. Wuyi Mountain, Fujian, Oct. 17, 1991 第二屆 1991.10.17
福建省武夷山
3. Kyoto, Japan, Nov. 09, 1992 第三屆 1992.11.09
日本京都
4. Seoul and Iksan, Korea, Oct. 13, 1993 第四屆 1993.10.13
韓國首爾 益山
5. Wuyi Mountain, Fujian, Oct. 27, 1995 第五屆 1995.10.27
福建省武夷山
6. Taipei, Taiwan, Nov. 22, 1997 第六屆 1997.11.22
台北市
7. Hangzhou, Zhejiang, Oct. 16, 1999 第七屆 1999.10.16
浙江省杭州市
8. Shizuoka, Japan, Oct. 07, 2001 第八屆 2001.10.07
日本靜岡
9. Singapore, Aug. 23, 2003 第九屆 2003.08.23
新加坡
10. Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Nov. 03, 2005 第十屆 2005.11.03
武夷山
11. Seoul and Iksan, Korea, Oct. 12, 2007 第十一屆 2007.10.12
韓國首爾 益山
12. America, West Coast, Autumn 2009 (scheduled) 第十二屆
2009年 秋天 計劃在美國西海岸舉辦
Thank you all for giving me this opportunity to share my experience on “Learning Tea Brewing”.
謝謝大家給我這個機會來分享我 [ 學習泡茶的經驗 ] 。
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References:
書名 : 無我茶會180條
作者 : 蔡榮章
中華國際無我茶會推廣協會
出版年 : 1999
( Title: Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony, 180 Steps
Author: Tsai, Rong-Tsang
International Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony Association
Published: 1999 )
