首頁 ⁄ English ⁄ Exhibition Description <> Omotenashi: Ceramics for Feasting and for Enjoying the Tea Ceremony Japanese Ceramics from the Seikado CollectionThe Japanese word Omotenashi means hospitality; it is a traditional way of treating guests that has been passing down from the ancient Japan. This exhibition will present the spirit of Omotenashi, sincerity and respect of others, in the Japanese culture through fine and aesthetic ceramics and objects used in Japanese Tea Ceremony and Banquets.2017/6/30～2017/11/12PAST EXHIBITION Introduction Exhibition Description The Seikado Bunko Art Museum and Its Collection Exhibition Description Section 1: For Chanoyu and Kaiseki During the Kamakura period (13th century), tencha (点茶) was introduced from Song Dynasty in China. Tencha, a type of tea drinking method, is produced by pouring hot water on powdered green tea (matcha) and whisking it. In the context of the transmission of Zen Buddhist culture and a variety of Chinese cultural products, the custom of drinking tea took on its own unique form and developed into the culture of chanoyu in Japan. Chanoyu, Japanese Tea Ceremony, is an art generated from an act of tasting and enjoying a bowl of tea. It is a culture that emphasizes on the interpersonal relationship of hospitality through art. At chaji, formal tea gatherings, the host invites his choice of guests and generously welcoming his guests wholeheartedly while the guests being the respectful recipients. Together, they achieve spiritual connections through the bonding process and create an enjoyable space and atmosphere. The ideal beauty in chanoyu, neither showy nor explicit, is based on the beauty of nature throughout the four seasons, which is reflected in the utensils used in tea ceremonies and in every aspect of the chanoyu space. Section 1 introduced various ceramics used in the world-famous chanoyu, the Japanese tea ceremony. Section 2: For Banquets One of the origins of banquets in Japan is Shinto rites and the naorai that followed. Naorai, the post-rite ceremony, is itself a ritual in which the offerings to the gods are removed from the altar and shared by all the participants. It is believed that when God and man, as it were, eat the same food and creates a spiritual bond, the participants’ prayers will be answered. In Japan, the expression “eating out of the same pot” means having close ties. Guests are emotionally and spiritually connected through sharing a meal, which is one of the crucially important goals of omotenashi. During the Middle Ages, banquet was part of a ritual under the religious rite. But the formality of banquet gradually evolved over time and transformed into a relatively informal, merry occasion for omotenashi in the Edo period (17th to 19th centuries). The utensils used at banquets also changed from simple wooden, lacquered, and unglazed pottery objects to high-fired ceramics, porcelains, and lavishly decorated maki-e lacquerware with a wide variety of shapes that helped generate excitement during the event. Section 2 introduced bowls, dishes, and lidded containers for serving food and saké utensils used at Edo-period banquets. Section 3: For Sencha Chinese writers and artists in the Ming Dynasty were men of refinement, they recited poetry, played the lute, appreciated the scholar’s implements and other works of art and craft objects, while savoring richly aromatic tea. At times they would take up the brush to enjoy creating a work of calligraphy. For them, the tea gathering formed an elegant world in which they built deeper friendships. Their way of enjoying tea was called, in Japanese, the sencha method (adding tea leaves to boiling water, letting the tea steep, and then serving it) or the encha method (pouring boiling water on tea leaves and letting them brew). Both methods arrived in Japan in the Edo period (17th to 19th centuries), where they merged with what was known as the "literati hobby", based on an intense longing for Chinese culture, and sencha culture was born. Sencha, which lacked the formality of chanoyu, became popular among Kyoto literati in the 18th century, who appreciated its freedom as well as its Chinese roots. As the tea leaves themselves evolved over time, distinctive Japanese utensils were produced to serve sencha, and, in time, a “Way of Sencha” had also developed its own unique style. Section 3 will introduce implements used for sencha in the Edo and Meiji periods (18th and 19th centuries), including pieces that were created in the context of Ming and Qing tea culture and brought to Japan. 【Exhibition Highlights】