Table of Contents
I The Cup of Humanity 14
Tea ennobled into Teaism, a religion of aestheticism, the adoration of the beautiful among everyday facts-Teaism developed among both nobles and peasants-The mutual misunderstanding of the New World and the Old-The Worship of Tea in the West-Early records of Tea in European writing-The Taoists' version of the combat between Spirit and Matter-The modern struggle for wealth and power
II The Schools of Tea 46
The three stages of the evolution of Tea-The Boiled Tea, the Whipped Tea, and the Steeped Tea, representative of the Tang, the Sung, and the Ming dynasties of China-Luwuh, the first apostle of Tea-The Tea-ideals of the three dynasties-To the latter-day Chinese Tea is a delicious beverage, but not an ideal-In Japan Tea is a religion of the art of life
III Taoism and Zennism 86
The connection of Zennism with Tea-Taoism, and its successor Zennism, represent the individualistic trend of the Southern Chinese mind-Taoism accepts the mundane and tries to find beauty in our world of woe and worry-Zennism emphasises the teachings of Taoism-Through consecrated meditation may be attained supreme self-realisation-Zennism, like Taoism, is the worship of Relativity-Ideal of Teaism a result of the Zen conception of greatness in the smallest incidents of life-Taoism furnished the basis for aesthetic ideals, Zennism made them practical
IV The Tea-Room 128
The tea-room does not pretend to be other than a mere cottage-The simplicity and purism of the tea-room-Symbolism in the construction of the tea-room-The system of its decoration-A sanctuary from the vexations of the outer world
V Art Appreciation 178
Sympathetic communion of minds necessary for art appreciation-The secret understanding between the master and ourselves-The value of suggestion-Art is of value only to the extent that it speaks to us-No real feeling in much of the apparent enthusiasm to-day- Confusion of art with archaeology-We are destroying art in destroying the beautiful in life
VI Flowers 208
Flowers our constant friends-The Master of Flowers-The waste of Flowers among Western communities-The art of floriculture in the East-The Tea-Masters and the Cult of Flowers-The Art of Flower Arrangement- The adoration of the Flower for its own sake-The Flower-Masters-Two main branches of the schools of Flower Arrangement, the Formalistic and the Naturalesque
VII Tea-Masters 240
Real appreciation of art only possible to those who make of it a living influence-Contributions of the Tea-Masters to art-Their influence on the conduct of life-The Last Tea of Rikiu
