the Unstuck Diaries

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June 03, 2008

Tea or insurrection

When someone comes round we generally offer them a drink*. This must date back to those primordial times when we were wandering about on the arid plains of central Africa wondering whether it had been a good idea to come down from the trees.

Today it serves another purpose, it defines the visit. It’s great when someone comes round for something and it’s especially great when someone just calls in.

But the latter instance that can be awkward, without a purpose for your visit, things can get a bit edgy at the outset. Making a cup of tea takes time. Drinking a cup of tea takes time. So once you’ve arrived and accepted the hospitality of a beverage your visit has both a purpose and an end point, which can be extended, if the going is good, with: another cup of tea?.

This was taken to extremes in 17th century Japan. Tokugawa Ieyasu was a clever man, he was also Shogun in a troubled time.

Tokugawa Ieyasu

To prevent the opposing War Lords from attacking his seat of government in Edo, he “invited” the wives and daughters of his enemies to stay with him in his castle.

Now, as there was no television, the good ladies had to find something to occupy their time. They would call on each other in their respective apartments around the castle. The first few visits must have been extremely awkward, Japanese society was very formal and didn’t readily embrace the idea of dropping in for a chat.

So they made tea. But then, when they had drunk the tea, they felt obliged to leave and go back to sitting in solitary silence in their own particular corner of the castle.

So they made making the tea last a bit longer, and a bit longer, until, before you knew it, they’d got the Japanese Tea Ceremony, which, given a good chance, and plenty of hot water, could go on all day.

*and if it’s Paula – a biscuit, obviously

Posted by john at June 3, 2008 12:33 PM

Comments

Posted by: paula moss at June 3, 2008 02:47 PM