Rikyu and Tea

Chanoyu was started as leisure and social occasion for the nobility and wealthy. Luxurious chanoyu evolved to humble version of chanoyu by passing the ideas and manners to Shukou Murata who studied Buddhism under the famous Zen priest Ikyu of Daitoku temple, and Jo-o Takeno who studies Buddhism under Soutou, abbot of Sakai Nansou temple. Then Sen Rikyu came into existence and established his style of Wabicha, and perfected the way of Tea in Japan. Rikyu was born to a merchant family, and he moved from his home of Sakai (Osaka) to Kyoto to study Tea. His first master was 北向道陳 (Kitamuki, Dochin), then he learned tea under Takeno Jo-ou, the most prominent Tea master of his day. With other most influential tea masters of Japan, Soukyu Imai and Soukyu Tsuda, Rikyu served Nobunaga Oda as the tea master. Later Rikyu served Hideyoshi Tokugawa, who was the most powerful man in Japan at that time, and Rikyu became the most well known Tea master in Japan. Rikyu also studied Zen under Kokei Shochin the abbot of Daikokuji temple. The ultimate beauty for Rikyu was simple and quiet (WABI). He innovated the tearoom and make them simple as possible. Also the space of tearoom was reduced from 4.5 tatami mats to 3, 2 or even 1.5 tatami mats. The room which was stressed rusticity and simplicity and avoid any excess decoration gives kind of tension. Chanoyu became not only a social leisure but also a one method for the Zen practice. Conceivably Rikyu was trying to express Zen philosophy in art of his tea. Rikyu added new styles to the traditional tea ceremonial style. One of the Rikyu's disciples Shoji Yamagami wrote about Rikyu, how he always broke the rule of the way of Tea and surprised everyone. However Rikyu's strong belief and confidence often lead the conflict with Hideyoshi Toyotomi. When the people erected a statue to him in the Emperor's garden, Hideyoshi was furious. Hideyoshi ordered Rikyu to commit ritual suicide. After the death of Rikyu, his disciples continued to practice his way of Tea and kept his spirit and his way of Tea till today. Famous disciples of Rikyu who carried down the way of Rikyu's Tea were Oribe Furuta and Sansai Hosokawa.

(Hayao Ono)