茶の湯 chanoyu Tea Ceremony

茶の湯 is a Japanese word for the art of inviting guests and making powdered tea for them, and for its manners and its gatherings. In the 太平記, of the late fourteenth century, 茶の湯 was the hot water set in a kettle at a party. By 1526 the word, written 茶湯, named a practice held in rooms of four and a half or six mats.

The art's other name, 茶道, came into common use later than 茶の湯, and the Way of Tea is the English of 茶道. Whether it is for your own tea practice or for someone who studies the art is yours.

The word joins 茶, tea, and 湯, hot water, with the particle の, so that it says the hot water for tea; in the late fourteenth-century war tale 太平記 it is the hot water set in a stone kettle for tea, and by 1526, written 茶湯 without the particle, it names a practice held in rooms of four and a half or six mats, which was also called 数寄, while 茶道, the name English renders the Way of Tea, came into common use later, from the later seventeenth or the eighteenth century by some accounts.

We want you to be as happy with the meaning as you are with Master Takase's art. To learn more, visit Philology of 茶の湯.

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