韓國茶生活史 硏究 (Ⅱ) - 行茶法을 중심으로

Studies on the tea Culture In Korea - From the serve of tea and It"s manners-

  The recently accelerated increase of tea-drinking population has given rise around us to the argument of the definition and the form of the "Tao of Tea". As "Tao" itself has been practiced temporally and spacially upon what should be in close relation of human affairs with the exquisite and subtle phenomina of both Nature and the universe, the definition and the form have been unfixedly various and reflexive ; their community may, however, well be defined as what they have all been equitable opportunely. For this reason think I that what the "Tao of Tea" or "Etiquettes of Tea" is very much attracted today by individuals or their communities as a medium to seek for something right is just as a sort of opportune demand in itself. My supposition is that when one examines the nature of tea appropriately, drinks it appropriately, and repeats the processes, one can strike a peculiarly lofty ecstacy where an absolute world is freely frequented, and this, if done in the complicated, troubled reality like our days, will be indeed anything more than one can have. But the problem is that it is not easy of truly appreciating the nature of tea : the nature of tea is never appreciated without its being closely associated with the nature of the person who drinks tea. The close association may have only to be possible through the process of the drinker"s appropriate self-discipline, which is known to be achieved just through the process of "looking back and then looking forward" in his life.   Since it may be, consequently, that many who enjoy tea probably think it thamselves to be a process of looking forward in their life that they wish to know how their ancestral principles of drinking tea were, I would not like to have any hesitation of putting down here, as were, some of them which though one may have heard over and again and I think will be greatly didactic. One ancient sage remarked that, when one begins not to make a bow, civility collapses, and for that reason the world is confused, the laws of Nature are violated, and finally people are all panic-stricken ; I think, therefore, that, when tea men, getting together, make bows respectfully one another, it perhaps mean to bring to rights the laws of nature.   At any rate, when people want to drink, they enter the tea hall ; at that moment, if they make way politely for others one another as our ancesters did, such habitual a civility may as well be a way to attenuating the suffocation of so often competitive occasions in modern days. The manners of walking toward the hall are generally divided into the following : the feet stepped heavily, the hands hung humbly down, the eyes opened uprightly, and the kneck straightened up, in addition to breathing solemnly, which are supposedly believed to bring at once the peace of mind and the graceful figure to one.   The manners of taking seats in the tea hall are traditionally that the quest or gests must be directed to sit In the west, the azimuth of the dignity of both Nature and the Universe, the host in the east, the azimuth of the creation of both Nature and the universe, so that the dignity and the sincerity in drinking tea might be fused into one to produce peace and harmony in human relationship. The host at the side of whom the small table of making tea is set, pulling oneself together to make the tea balanced of its aroma, its color and its taste, opens quietely the lid of the hissing teakettle with the white, clean table napkin, when the sweet shade of the innocence of Nature is exchanged between the eyes of host and quest.   The host plainly warms teapots and teacups with the seething water scooped up into a dipping gourd out of the kettle when the tea-maker"s heart too may get as much warm as to try in earnest letting the guest"s hand have the warmed teacup, and even the guest"s heart may feel deeply thankful upon watching such movements of the forme