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chanoyu-to-wa · 2 years ago

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Nampō Roku, Book 7 (29b): Tanaka Senshō’s Genpon [原本] Version of the Text of Entry 29.

29) When we speak about the chabako-temae [茶筥手前], there are two [different] kinds¹. If it is an occasion where [the kama is] hung up in the wilds, and the tea utensils are collected together [in a box, for transport to the site], [the box in which the utensils are carried] is sometimes referred to as a chabako [茶筥], and sometimes as a cha-bentō [茶辨當]².

This is all we shall say about the handling of the no-gake [野ガケ], [because] the details are difficult to describe³.

Now, as for the other, [this refers to the case where] tea is being sent to a certain person -- [that is,] the tea is sent to them so they may enjoy it⁴.

Or, to accompany the announcement that in the evening, or on that night, [the sender] is intending to pay a visit (or something of that sort), [the tea] is being sent⁵.

If the koicha-ire [濃茶入] is a treasured object, even so it may be included [in the box]⁶; and, [of course,] there is also the case where a brand-new chaire is put into [the box]: there is no problem with [the host's] either⁷. It would be better if usucha is put into something like a natsume or a nakatsugi⁸.

A high-quality box is made of paulownia wood, and it should be one that can accommodate two [containers of matcha]⁹. The lid should be a san-buta [サン蓋]¹⁰, and a himo should not be attached [to the box]¹¹.

By giving [the tape] a small twist, the seal[ing tape] is bound around the very center [of the box]¹². [One should] practice cutting the [ends of the] seal[ing tape] with three slices, as this is a secret¹³.

Generally speaking, [the box] is sealed by twisting [the ends of the paper sealing-tape] like this, with one end [cut] so that it resembles the point of a sword, while one end is straight¹⁴.

Depending on the size of the chaire, the box should be different¹⁵.

_________________________

◎ In this post we will look at Tanaka Senshō’s genpon [原本] version of entry 29, including the marginalia that were appended to this entry in said source.

¹Chabako temae to iu ni, ni-yō ari　[茶筥手前ト云ニ、二樣アリ].

Chabako [茶筥] is a non-standard way of writing chabako [茶箱]. The rarely seen the kanji hako [筥]* appears to have been somewhat popular in certain tea circles during the Edo period. __________ *While the kanji refers to a box-like container, it appears to have originally meant a tightly-woven round-shaped bamboo basket for holding rice (so something like a han-ki [飯器], the round lidded box in which additional rice is served during the kaiseki). As has been mentioned before, during the Edo period, with its culture of secrecy, it became fashionable to use antiquated kanji as one way to disguise ones meaning, or render texts unreadable to anyone other than those who were party to the secret meaning. (The attitude persists in modern-day chanoyu, though with the governmental insistence on keeping to the approved set of kanji, this mechanism has largely disappeared from contemporary tea literature.)

²No-gake no toki, cha-gu wo iri-kumi-taru wo mo, chabako to mo cha-bentō to mo iu　[野ガケノ時、茶具ヲ入組タルヲモ、茶筥トモ茶辨當トモ云].

No-gake [野懸け] means to hang up (the kama) in nature (that is, in an uncultivated or undeveloped natural area).

Chabako to mo cha-bentō to mo iu [茶筥とも茶辨當とも云う] means “it may be called a chabako [tea box] or it may be called a cha-bentō [tea bentō].”

³Kore ha no-gake sabaki ni te sumu-koto nari, isai shirushi-gatashi　[是ハ野ガケサバキニテスムコト也、委細記シガタシ].

The first part of the sentence (kore ha no-gake sabaki ni te sumu-koto nari, isai shirushi-gatashi [これは野懸け捌きにて濟むことなり]), which is all that is found in the other versions of this entry, means “this is all that needs to be said about the conduct of a no-gake (gathering).”

Isai shirushi-gatashi [委細記し難し] means “(because) the details are difficult to describe.”

Thus, according to this version, more is not said about the no-gake use of the chabako because it would be too hard to set everything down here.

⁴Ima ichi-yō ha, hito-no-kata [h]e cha wo okuru-toki, nagusami ni cha wo okuri-sōrō　[今一樣ハ、人ノ方ヘ茶ヲ送ル時、ナグサミニ茶ヲ送リ候].

Hito-no-kata [h]e cha wo okuru-toki [人の方へ茶を送る時] means “when sending tea to someone....”

Nagusami ni cha wo okuri-sōrō [慰みに茶を送り候う] means “the tea is being sent so as to give pleasure (to that person).”

In other words, this seems to be qualifying* that the sending of the tea is not a commercial activity, but done, person to person, so that the other person can enjoy the tea. ___________ *It could, however, also be understood to be an admonition. That is, that when sending matcha to someone in this way, the sender should not be doing so in the expectation of receiving something in return (as a thank-gift).

⁵Arui ha kon-ban, arui ha kon-ya nado motte mairi mōsu-beku nado itte okuru-koto ari　[或ハ今晩、或ハ今夜ナド以參可申ナド云テ送ルコトアリ].

Arui ha kon-ban, arui ha kon-ya nado motte mairi mōsu-beku...itte [或は今晩、或は今夜など以て參り申すべく...云って]: arui ha kon-ban [或は今晩] means perhaps this evening; arui ha kon-ya [或は今夜など] means perhaps tonight or other such times; motte [以て] means on account of, or because of; mairi mōsu-beku...itte [參り申すべく...云って] means (I) am saying that (I) am intending to visit....

Here, the gift of tea accompanies the announcement that the sender is planning to visit the recipient that evening, or night, or whenever.

In other words, the gift of tea (i.e., refreshments) is intended to soften the imposition (on the recipient’s time and resources) that the sender will be making, to be received and entertained.

⁶Koicha-ire ha hizō-no-mono ni mo iru　[濃茶入ハ秘藏ノモノニモ入ル].

Koicha-ire ha hizo-no-mono ni mo [濃茶入は秘藏の物にも] means “even if the koicha-ire is a treasured piece....”

Iru [入る] means put in(to the sa-tsū-bako).

In the present context (where this sentence follows the one that indicates that the tea may be sent along with a message that the sender is intending to pay a visit to the recipient), the inclusion of one of the sender’s treasured chaire might be interpreted as a way of suggesting something like “let’s enjoy this tea together” -- since, obviously, this would not be the usual way for that person to be making a gift of the chaire to the recipient.

However, since that may not have been the intention* (in other words, the text has simply shifted its focus to the way to assemble the contents of the box, thus the author might not be thinking about sending the box to someone as a gift at all, but to the case where the host is using the gift tea he received from someone else during his own chakai), it might be appropriate to repeat something of the history of the sa-tsū-bako here, for clarity. From the fifteenth century† until the time of Rikyū, at least, the sa-tsū-bako contained only gift tea -- which could number up to three tea containers (since a cha-tsubo was traditionally packed with three kinds of tea leaves: hatsu-no-mukashi koicha [初昔濃茶]‡, ato-no-mukashi koicha [後昔濃茶]**, and the lower quality leaves that had been used as packing material, but which were still suitable to be used for usucha††), though often fewer (since this gift tea was usually what was left after the tea that had been ground for some special purpose had been used). Thus, since the early days, sa-tsū-bako had been made in three sizes -- to hold one, two, or three containers of gift tea.

During Hideyoshi’s time as de facto ruler of Japan, fresh matcha was ground every day, whether Hideyoshi was in residence or not, for the use of his household. This tea was used between early morning (the fires in the household were usually started at dawn) and around 10:00 PM (when the fires were traditionally removed). Any tea remaining after the fires were taken away could not be used (since fresh tea would be ground the next morning), and, because Hideyoshi’s personal tea-jars were filled with the finest tea leaves available, rather than discard this tea, Hideyoshi made it available for free to any of his subjects, for which one simply had to apply by having ones name put on the list. Distributing this left-over tea was one of the responsibilities of the sadō [茶頭] -- the eight officials in charge of Hideyoshi’s tea, and his tearooms -- and, at least in theory, they were supposed to send off the tea (apportioned into ko-natsume or chū-natsume) to the next name on the list (though, in practice, people often paid the sadō a substantial tip for moving their name to the top of the list -- and, because Rikyu seems to have remained indifferent unless the tip was very large, this resulted in complaints lodged against him by Imai Sōkyū). This system not unpredictably ground to a halt after Hideyoshi’s death in 1597.

The way that the host handled the sa-tsū-bako had become standardized during the late sixteenth century (primarily based on Furuta Sōshitsu’s personal inclinations), and, once peace had been restored and the place of the machi-shū affiliated with Sōtan recognized, the idea of the sa-tsū-bako (and its special rules and conventions) was revived. And the thriving tea business (the result of Hideyoshi’s encouragement for the establishment of tea plantations all over the country) meant that tea was now more readily available than ever. Furthermore, the intense competition eventually resulted in certain shops offering to grind the matcha for their customers (for free -- which is actually still the case today). Thus matcha could be procured quite easily, easily enough that it became a popular gift‡‡.

Since commercially purchased matcha was generally given to the customer in the shop’s proprietary packaging (either a lacquered container resembling a natsume or nakatsugi, an inexpensive ceramic chaire with ivory lid, usually with the details of the shop stamped onto the side in place of the potter’s seal, or, as the Edo period deepened, and influence from the continent increased, metal cans shaped like a nakatsugi), it seems that the idea of transferring the matcha into one of the host’s own tea containers arose, and this seems to have been the state of things at the time when this entry was modified (to reflect Sen family-approved practices). Thus, when the sa-tsū-bako (which was now provided by the host) was used, even though the tea containers were the property of the host, the tea they contained was gift tea. It was in this context that the chaire contained the koicha-quality tea, while the natsume (or other lacquered container) was filled with the usucha-quality matcha; and it was in this context that the question of whether or not a treasured chaire may be used as the chaire came to be discussed.

Later in the Edo period, this idea evolved further, so that the chaire that was placed inside the sa-tsū-bako contained matcha that had been prepared by the host (meaning he purchased it from a shop for the occasion), while the second container (usually a natsume) contained the tea that the host had received as a gift (often from one of the guests). Whether the natsume contained usucha-quality tea, or tea suitably to be served as koicha, was now an open question (with public opinion generally falling on the side that considered it impolite to give only usucha-quality tea as a gift; thus, if there was only one kind of gift tea, it should be of the highest quality possible, and so should be served as koicha). This generally remains the case today, so the modern version of the sa-tsū-bako temae involves the service of successive bowls of koicha (with no thought given to the possibility of including usucha at all***). ___________ *Though Tanaka asserts that the source of this text was the genpon [原本], which should mean it was part of the original Shū-un-an cache or documents, we must question whether that was, indeed, the case -- since it appears to have been an edited version of the text quoted by Shibayama Fugen. Thus, there may be no intentional, or intended, connection between this sentence and the one that precedes it in this version of the entry.

†At the time when a cha-tsubo was cut open for the first time (since it was refilled), Ashikaga Yoshimasa is said to have been in the habit of sharing some of the tea from the first grinding with those among his retainers who were fond of chanoyu. It is said that the sa-tsū-bako was first used at that time.

‡Hatsu-no-mukashi koicha [初昔濃茶] was produced from leaves that had been picked between the 77th and 87th days of the Lunar Year.

Since the Lunar Year is not in sync with the Solar Year, there could be up to a month’s difference between when the leaves were picked from year to year. Since the tea was harvested during the season when cloud-cover was deepening (that is, as the year advanced the number of sunny days versus overcast days was decreasing), the later the leaves were picked meant the less direct sunlight (and correspondingly higher humidity) to which they had been exposed to while alive. Because the leaves picked over a span of ten days were mixed, there was usually a distinct difference in taste between the earlier and later pickings. (Modern matcha producers, particularly in Uji, cover their tea fields with shade-cloth, and mist the plants at 15 minute intervals, meaning the modern product tends to be, if anything, more bland. Traditional hatsu-no-mukashi tea was rather sharp, while ato-no-mukashi tended to have a milder, more subtle flavor.)

**Ato-no-mukashi koicha [後昔濃茶] came from leaves that had been picked between the 89th and 99th days of the Lunar Year.

††This tea had been picked and processed together with the leaves that were ultimately used for koicha. This fraction was separated only later, because the leaves were subjectively deemed inferior (on account of leaf-size, leaf-color, integrity, and weight -- the processed leaves were tossed up into the air and winnowed with a fan, and the leaves that blew away were rejected from being used for koicha). Since it would be used for packing material (to act as a buffer so that moisture could not infiltrate the high-quality leaves, which were segregated into paper packets) the lower-quality leaves from the two pickings were mixed. Nevertheless, they had been picked and processed in exactly the same way as the high-quality leaves, so they were not completely unworthy of being appreciated.

‡‡As alluded to in this version of the entry (cf. footnote 5), where the gift of matcha was considered an appropriate accompaniment to a message indicating that a guest wished to pay a visit.

***At least in theory, serving the gift tea as usucha would be done in the same way -- just that individual bowls of usucha would be prepared from the second tea in the usual way, rather than a single bowl of koicha. (Nevertheless, since such flexibility has been discouraged since the early 20th century, most modern tea people would be nonplussed to find that the second container of tea in the sa-tsū-bako was supposed to be served as usucha, since the sa-tsū-bako temae is always taught as the service of two varieties of koicha)

⁷Shin-chaire ni iru-koto mo ari, izure ni te mo kurushi-karazu　[新茶入ニ入ルコトモアリ、イヅレニテモ不苦].

Shin-chaire [新茶入] means a new chaire, a newly-made chaire*. The expression might also be intended to imply that the chaire is being used for the very first time on this occasion.

Izure ni te mo kurushi-karazu [何れにても苦しからず] means “either way, it does not matter†.” __________ *In Rikyū’s period, and even into the early Edo period, newly-made pieces were considered easily replaceable, expendable, and so could not generally be regarded to be treasured objects.

With the great expansion in the number of people participating in chanoyu that occurred during the early Edo period, coupled with the need for all of those people to be able to serve tea (the rule was still that the host should always use the “best” utensils to serve his guests as possible), the collection of meibutsu tea utensils that had passed through the decades of warfare unscathed proved vastly inadequate; thus a new class of “suitable” utensils had to be created. First, overlooked pieces from the previous century were added (this was one of Kobori Masakazu’s [小堀政一; 1579 ~ 1647] jobs when he was ordered to organize the meibutsu utensils, at which time he created the category of chū-kō meibutsu [中興名物] in an effort to expand the pool of available treasures to satisfy the demands of at least the upper classes), but eventually specific craftsmen had to be designated, whose products would be deemed “suitable” when nothing better was available.

It was at this time, too, that the idea of hako-gaki [箱書] and iemoto-gonomi [家元好み] -- both of which were intended to elevate ordinary pieces to an acceptable standard of quality -- made their appearance.

†Kurushi-karazu [苦しからず] means things like “it doesn’t matter,” “it is not a problem,” “there is no difficulty with doing that,” and so forth. The meaning is related to something that the reader might imagine is a theoretical violation of the rules, which this expression is intended to lay to rest (rather than referring to something that is physically challenging to accomplish).

In this case, the author is saying that enclosing a treasured chaire, or a brand-new chaire (these two possibilities represent the opposite extremes, in so far as the host’s personal collection of utensils is concerned), either is just as acceptable as using the host’s “ordinary” chaire (one that is neither his great treasure, nor one that was just purchased and is being used for the first time on this occasion).

⁸Usucha ha natsume・nakatsugi nado ni ire-beshi　[ウス茶ハナツメ・中次ナドニ入ベシ].

Natsume・nakatsugi nado [ナツメ・中次など] is referring to lacquered containers. While a nakatsugi could fit in an ordinary futatsu-ire sa-tsū-bako, it could not be wrapped by a modern-day temae-fukusa (which was based on the size of the purple furoshiki designed by Rikyū* for wrapping a container of gift tea†).

Again, this reflects the evolving interpretation put forth by the machi-shū followers of Sōtan, and has nothing to do with Rikyū or the chanoyu of his period‡.

During the Edo period the rule was articulated that the koicha-ire was supposed to be a ceramic piece, and the usucha-ire was supposed to be a lacquered piece (thus forcing the host to buy at least one example of each) -- and this remains the modern schools’ teaching even today. __________ *While the purple color of this wrapping cloth was determined by Rikyū, the formula for calculating its size had been developed long before (though in earlier times imported Chinese donsu was used for these furoshiki, rather than Japanese-made purple-dyed silk).

Because the size of this cloth had more or less been fixed by his day, and because this size did not permit the wrapping of a nakatsugi, Jōō created an alternate version of the nakatsugi that had the corners of both the lid and the body beveled to fit. This version of the nakatsugi is known as a fubuki [吹雪].

The reason for his concern over the nakatsugi was because this kind of container provided the best hope of protecting the flavor of the tea, on account of the way the lid fits onto the body. A high-quality nakatsugi was secure enough that it did not need a covering cloth to keep the tea fresh; by contrast, something like a natsume needed to be wrapped in a cloth, in order to press the lid tightly against the body, thus preventing the volatile elements from escaping: this was always the most important consideration, and why chaire were provided with ivory lids backed by gilded paper, and then tied in shifuku (the gilded paper became air-tight when the slightly malleable ivory was pressed against the mouth of the chaire by the pressure of the shifuku, the paper between the ivory and the gold foil allowing the lid to meld into the slight irregularities of the mouth of the chaire). The shifuku, or purple furoshiki, was not there to protect the chaire, but to protect the tea. That was its only purpose.

Of course, in the early days the lids were always custom made, so the fit was good. In the modern day lids are mass produced, and fitting is done based on the outer diameter. As a result, the “sealing” potential of the lid might not always ba apparent.

†This covering was first used as a fukusa by Furuta Sōshitsu.

According to the story, Oribe was hosting a chakai when a container of gift tea arrived (the sending off of this tea, which was from one of Hideyoshi’s tea-jars, had been facilitated by Rikyū). Deciding that he would like to share the tea with his guests (since it would never be any fresher than at that moment), he brought the sa-tsū-bako into the room. But since he did not have a new fukusa (the rule was that when a different kind of tea was going to be served, the fukusa and chakin -- at the very least -- had to be changed). So, when he had taken the gift tea out of the sa-tsū-bako, Oribe got the idea to use the little furoshiki in which the tea container had been wrapped as a temae-fukusa.

At a later time, he told Rikyū what he had done; and, after giving the matter some thought, Rikyū approved of this idea -- and when serving tea from a natsume that had been tied in a furoshiki in this way, Rikyū also did the same thing. The size of the modern temae-fukusa, then, was determined based on the size of furoshiki needed to tie up a small natsume.

‡In Rikyū’s day, the first consideration was the size of the tea container, especially in the small room, since it was supposed to be no larger than necessary to serve the number of guests who had been invited (this would help to prevent the waste of matcha, the leavings of which could not be reused on another occasion; meanwhile the classical rule was that tea container should always be filled fully, since a large amount of empty space would allow the volatile components of flavor and aroma to evaporate into the air, thereby negatively impacting the taste of the tea). After recognizing the size of tea container necessary, the host was supposed to use the best container of that type that he owned when serving tea to his guests. If the best container was a lacquered piece (usually decorated with gold or colored lacquer), then that is what he used; if it was a ceramic piece, then that is what he used. There could not be a rule, because the availability of utensils naturally varied from person to person.

Plain black-lacquered natsume were made as storage containers, and they came in several sizes, since the size used depended on how much tea was left: when the host (or his assistant) ground the matcha in the early morning, the tea container that he intended to use during that day’s chakai was filled first. Then any matcha that remained was put into a black natsume and kept in a cool place until later (for drinking by members of the household -- since usucha was still considered ordinary drinking tea at that time).

If an unexpected guest arrived later in the day, this stored matcha would be used (since tea was only supposed to be ground in the early morning). But since transferring the tea into a chaire would expose it to the air (and so degrade the taste), Rikyū took the black storage container and used that during the temae. This was not an aesthetic choice on his part, but done because, in the small room, the taste of the koicha was the most important element of the chakai.

⁹Jō-bako ha kiri-no-ki ni te futatsu-ire ni sasu　[上筥ハ桐木ニテ二ツ入ニサス].

Jō-bako [上筥 = 上箱]* means a high-quality box.

Kiri-no-ki ni te futatsu-ire sasu [桐木にて二つ入れ指す] means “this indicates (sasu [指す]) that (the box) is made from paulownia wood (kiri-no-ki ni te [桐木にて]), and accommodates two containers (futatsu-ire [二つ入れ]) of matcha. __________ *Some commentators interpret this word to be uwa-bako [上箱], which would mean an outer box (since, at least originally, the gift or gifts of matcha were, in turn, put in lacquered containers, which are also a type of box).

¹⁰Futa ha san-buta nari　[蓋ハサン蓋ナリ].

San-buta [棧蓋] means the lid consists of a single flat piece of wood, to the underside of which two san [棧] (crosspieces) are attached (these can be seen in the photo, which shows the underside of this kind of lid).

The crosspieces are attached so that they fit inside the mouth of the box*, so they will keep the lid in place without needing to be secured (by a sealing tape, or a himo, or something of that sort). __________ *The distance between the san and the edge of the lid is the same as the thickness of the walls of the box. The fit is usually fairly tight, in the case of a high-quality box, so that the lid will not fall off easily.

¹¹Himo wa tsukazu　[緒ハ不付].

Tsukazu [不付 = 付かず] means not attached.

The box is kept closed by the sealing tape that is bound around it, rather than by a himo (such as is found on tea-utensil boxes).

¹²Ko-yori ni te, mannaka kukurite fū wo tsukuru　[小ヨリニテ、眞中クヽリテ封ヲツクル].

The expression ko-yori ni te [小よりにて] is difficult to interpret without further qualification. (This is clarified in the statement that follows the drawing.)

Mannaka kukurite fu wo tsukeru* [眞ん中括りて封を付ける] means the seal is attached by binding it around the very middle (of the box). ___________ *Tsukeru [付ける] is the modern equivalent of the classical verb tsukuru [付くる].

¹³Ji-fū no mi-katana to iu narai hiji nari　[自封ノ三刀ト云習秘事ナリ].

This means that the host should practice cutting the ends of the tape using three strokes of his knife (to produce the effect described in the previous footnote).

While mi-katana [三刀] originally referred to the way that the sealing tape was cut off, in the presence of the guests, at the beginning of the koicha-temae, Hideyoshi's objection to the presence of the knife (which was naturally needed to cut through the tape) meant that this practice was discontinued (at least on occasions when he was present)*.

The Edo period machi-shū, remembering the phrase mi-katana, but not knowing to what it referred, interpreted it in the way explained here. __________ *And it seems that the chance to receive tea leftover matcha from the ruler's household also ended upon Hideyoshi’s death. Thus, all that survived, was the memory that the sa-tsū-bako had been sealed with a paper tape, and that the paper tape was somehow associated with three cuts of a knife.

¹⁴Oyoso kaku-no-gotoki koyori fūjite ippō ha ken-saki, ippō wa ichimonji nari [凡如此小ヨリ封ジテ一方ハ劍先、一方ハ一文字也].

Oyoso kaku-no-gotoki [凡そ此のごとき] means “in roughly the manner shown [in the sketch*]

Koyori fūjite [小縒り封じて] means to seal (the tape) by giving it a small twist. The exact intention is not completely clear†.

Ippō ha ken-saki, ippō ha ichimonji nari [一方は劍先、一方は一文字なり]: this is referring to the two ends of the sealing tape. One end is cut off straight (ichimonji [一文字]), with a single slash of the knife; while the other end is cut into a point, with two slashes, so it resembles the tip of the blade of a sword (ken-saki [劍先]).

The way the ends of the tape are supposed to be cut -- with one cut straight (with a single slice of the knife), and the other pointed (requiring two slices) is interpreted to be the meaning of mi-katana [三刀] (see the previous footnote). __________ *I have redrawn the sketch because the illustration was reproduced at too small a scale to see what is intended: the end of the paper seal on the left is pointed, while that on the right was cut off straight.

†That is, whether the two ends were literally twisted together, one was twisted around the other, or even the two were tied with a simple knot), but, in any case, the two ends of the tape were supposed to be free and visible.

This is different from what was done in Rikyū’s period, where the tape was actually pasted to the box (so it could not be removed without cutting the tape).

Presumably the reason the tape was not pasted to the box in the present case was because, if that were done, the box could not be reused later. Since it is specified that the box was supposed to be of high quality, it would consequently have been quite expensive -- so throwing it away after a single use would have been wasteful (and so distasteful, at least to chajin of the merchant class).

¹⁵Chaire dai-shō ni yorite hako no dai-shō onaji-karazu [茶入大小ニヨリテ筥ノ大小不同].

Chaire dai-shō ni yorite [茶入大小によりて] means depending on the size of the chaire....

Hako no dai-shō onaji-karazu [筥の大小同からず] means the size of the box is not the same.

In other words, depending on the size of the chaire that will be enclosed in the box, the size of the box needs to be different.

Today the sa-tsū-bako has been standardized, supposedly based on the futatsu-iri sa-tsū-bako [二つ入茶通箱] purportedly used by Rikyū*. And though it is still the rule that the chaire (containing the host’s matcha) is supposed to be enclosed in the box together with the container of gift tea (usually a natsume -- either tied in a fukusa or in a shifuku, depending on the preferences of the school with which the host is affiliated), this not infrequently means that the host has to rework his tori-awase at the last minute†, so he can actually put his chaire of tea into the box‡. __________ *Though there is no evidence surviving from his period that Rikyū actually used a box with a yarō-buta [藥籠蓋] -- and the fact that one or more sa-tsū-bako would have been dispatched from Hideyoshi’s residence every day (which would just be thrown away after they were opened), tends to argue against the use of a box with an elaborate lid.

Furthermore, the insistence that the box should have a san-buta [棧蓋], in every version of this text, would seem to impute a degree of historical validity to this counter-argument.

The purpose of a yarō-buta [藥籠蓋] was to prevent medicinal herbs, that would be boiled at home, from becoming contaminated with dust while being carried from the shop. And that is logical, since the portions of the herbs were wrapped in paper and then put into the box. But in the case of a sa-tsū-bako, the matcha was placed in lacquered tea containers (usually natsume or fubuki) that usually were made with yarō-buta, and these were tied in individual furoshiki made from new cloth (that was free of lint) -- the purpose of which was to press the lid tightly against the body of the tea container, so that the tea would be completely insulated from any contact with what was outside -- before the containers were put into the box. Thus the question of contamination would seem to be irrelevant (since even if dust somehow got into the box, the furoshiki and the yarō-buta of the lacquered tea containers would prevent its getting into the tea).

†Since very few chaire, of the sort that have been preferred since the Edo period, will actually fit into the box -- they are usually too tall.

‡The necessity of dumping the tea from one chaire into another would have shocked the chajin of Rikyū’s generation, who considered that each time the tea was exposed to the air, its quality decreased. Unfortunately, modern-day chanoyu is not especially concerned about the tea -- koicha (especially) is viewed as something that has to be endured, in order to have the chance to enjoy the more pleasurable elements of the gathering: the delicious meal, the kashi, and the chance to appreciate rare (and costly) utensils.

==============================================

❖ Appendix II: the Way to Handle a Ni-shu-iri Chabako [二種入茶筥]¹⁶.

￮ The way to handle a chabako that holds two varieties [of matcha]: after the koicha-ire has been taken out, the usucha-ire is still [in the box]¹⁷. In the sukiya, after the [koi]cha-ire has been brought out, the usucha-ire is also lifted out to the same place [on the mat]¹⁸.

At this time that [paper] seal[ing tape] should be cleaned away, so the seal[ing tape] is placed inside the box, and [the box] is lifted into the katte¹⁹.

Then, when [the service of] koicha has been finished, thereupon, if a mizusashi was placed [on the utensil mat], water is added [to the kama], and then usucha should be [served]²⁰. Because things will be done in this way, after the guests have finished looking at the koicha-ire, it is appropriate for it to be placed on the kagi-datami, approximately midway between the ro and the wall of the katte²¹.

When [the host is using] a fukuro-dana, a kyū-dai, or something like that, when the usucha-ire is taken out as [described] before, it should be raised up onto the shelf²² -- in the case of the kyū-dai, it should be placed on the “right seat²³.”

In general, during an ordinary temae, when the koicha-ire is returned, the teishu enters the katte [taking the chaire with him], and then closes the shōji²⁴. However, when the chaire is brought back to the utensil mat, depending on [the way that the host feels it is appropriate to handle that] chaire, it might be placed in the very center of the mat as an hitotsu-mono (and remain there until the end of the gathering) -- or else, if it is an ordinary chaire, it would be placed so that it overlaps the very center by one-third²⁵.

Or again, depending on the host, while [the guests] are looking at the chaire, there are people who open the shōji and speak with [the guests]²⁶.

Perhaps on other occasions, when deciding about usucha, there is the possibility of its being carried out [from the mizuya], or something of that sort²⁷. But in any such case, if there is something that prevents [the host] from [placing the chaire on] the utensil mat, naturally it should be returned to the kagi-datami²⁸.

_________________________

◎ The first part of this explanation closely parallels the text from the Book of Secret Teachings that was translated in Appendix I (which was included at the end of the previous post)*. Consequently, it will be best to keep the footnotes related to that part of the present essay to a minimum, especially when things have already been explained elsewhere.

Meanwhile, while the first part is a fragmentary recitation of the supplementary material that is found in the relevant passage from the Book of Secret Teachings, the second part bears a similar (and equally incomplete) relationship with the contents of the kaki-ire [書入] that was appended to entry 29 in both the Enkaku-ji manuscript, and Shibayama Fugen’s teihon. The incompleteness is a strong indication that the present text represents a pared-down version of what must clearly have been earlier sources: Tanaka does not clarify what his source was in this instance (though the material he quotes is in fact much more expansive† than what I have quoted here‡); but it appears suspiciously similar in format and tone to sections that he acknowledges to have been derived the rufu-bon [流布本] block-printed edition of the Nampō Roku elsewhere in his commentary -- a version designed for release as a popular block-printed set of books, in which an overt attempt was made to make the text appear significantly different from earlier editions (by the inclusion of “newly discovered” material**), as a way to capture the attention (and the contents of their pocketbooks) of the tea-practicing public of the day.

Nevertheless, I wanted to write the entire passage out in full here, however, so that a complete record of the text will be available to anyone who wishes to review it (since Tanaka’s commentary is not especially easy to come by -- particularly outside of Japan). ___________ *That said, it is an abbreviated recitation, with several sentences completely absent from this version of the entry.

†As mentioned before, his quotes go on for several pages, but a close examination of the text reveals it to be a dubious reshuffeling of the material found in the Enkaku-ji and Shibayama versions of the text -- as, indeed, we find in the contents of the present post. My reason for going as far as I have in translating this questionable mélange of confusing misquotes is because it shows how misinformation in chanoyu not only arose, but alos how it then became enshrined in the teachings of the major schools (while the actual teachings were suppressed or lost).

The rufu-bon edition might, in several respects, seem to be the more palatible version of the Nampō Roku -- to us -- but this is more indicative of the way that chanoyu has evolved over the centuries after Rikyū’s seppuku, than because the rufu-bon edition is any more faithful to Rikyū’s teachings, or accurate in its interpretation of Tachibana Jitsuzan’s eventual understanding of the text that he had produced.

‡For clarity, the material translated here is complete, in so far as it goes. However, Tanaka also quotes several other passages, of similar character, which are more closely related to what is said in the Enkaku-ji manuscript’s kaki-ire, so I will refrain from saying anything more until the next post -- when we will look at that kaki-ire.

**The information contained in the Book of Secret Teachings, for example, was closely guarded (indeed, it was intended to be a reference manual only for the first group of Enkaku-ji scholars, an aid to keeping their explanations in order, and was supposed to be destroyed in its entirety once their efforts to establish a definitive interpretation of the text had been realized). Thus, the inclusion of even fragments of that (unidentified) document would have made the rufu-bon edition appear strikingly different from other versions of the Nampō Roku that were, at that time, available to the public -- and that was its main selling point.

¹⁶Ni-shu-iri chabako [二種入茶筥] means a chabako (what is called a sa-tsū-bako [茶通箱], in the modern language of chanoyu) that was made to hold two containers of matcha.

Since the advent of the Sen family’s way of performing the sa-tsū-bako temae (where the host puts his own chaire -- containing his own matcha -- into the box together with a container of gift tea), the futatsu-ire sa-tsū-bako [二つ入茶通箱] has been the kind most commonly seen and used version*. (Some schools also recognize the mitsu-ire sa-tsū-bako [三つ入茶通箱], the sa-tsū-bako made to hold three containers of tea; but that box is rarely seen, and primarily used as part of the mizuya-kazari [水屋飾] -- the formal arrangement of the large mizuya-dana for inspection by the guests, which became popular during certain periods of the Edo period, though less common in the present day when anything that is not provided for in the usual series of tea lessons is eschewed). ___________ *The hitotsu-ire sa-tsū-bako [一つ入茶通箱], which was, by far, the most commonly used variety during Rikyū’s period, is completely unknown today.

Wooden boxes of that sort are still being made, of course; but they are used as storage boxes for chaire, and are only known as such today.

��⁷Ni-shu chabako no sabaki ha, koich-ire tori-dashi-taru ato ni usucha-ire ari　[二種入茶筥ノサバキハ、濃茶入取出タル後ニウス茶入アリ].

Ni-shu-iri chabako no sabaki [二種入茶筥の捌き] means the way to handle a chabako (= sa-tsū-bako) that contains two varieties of tea.

¹⁸Sukiya ni te ha, kono chaire dete sono seki ni usucha-ire mo tori-dashi　[スキヤニテハ、コノ茶入出テ其席ニウス茶入モ取出シ].

Kono chaire [この茶入] seems to be a corruption in the text. In the Book of Secret Teachings version, the word is koicha-ire [濃茶入].

¹⁹Sono toki ka no ji-fū no aratame wo shite, hako no naka ni fū wo irete katte [h]e yaru nari　[其時カノ自封ノ改メヲシテ、筥ノ中ニ封ヲ入テ勝手ヘヤル也].

Ka no ji-fū [彼の自封] means “that” ji-fū -- the aforementioned ji-fū.

²⁰Sate koicha sumite, sunawachi mizusashi oki-nagara mizu tsugi-soe, usucha ni kakaru-beshi　[サテコイ茶スミテ、即水サシ置ナガラ水次ソヘ、ウス茶ニカヽルベシ].

Usucha ni kakaru-beshi [薄茶に掛るべし] means “should start (the service of) usucha.”

²¹Kaku no gotoki suru yue, koicha-ire wo kyaku mi-owatte modosu toki, kagi-datami ro to katte-kabe no mannaka-hodo ni oite yoshi　[如此スルユヘ、コイ茶入ヲ客見終ヘテモドス時、カキ疊爐ト勝手カベノ眞中ホドニ置テヨシ].

When compared to the other version, this sentence adds modosu toki [戻す時], which means “when (the guests) return (the chaire)....”

The significance of the words mannaka-hodo [眞中ほど] -- roughly in the very center -- only becomes clear when this expression is considered in light of footnote 25* (which says, briefly, that the chaire is placed in the very center of its space, squarely on the midline† when it is a treasured piece, or overlapping the midline by one-third when it is an ordinary chaire): a treasured chaire would be placed as close to the center as the eye could discern, while an ordinary chaire would be oriented so that it overlaps that center point by one-third. ___________ *Which comes from the part of this entry that was not included in the Book of Secret Teachings explanation, which is why I did not mention it in the previous post.

†As this entry was written by someone who was not familiar with Rikyū’s idea of kane-wari, the expression chū-ō [中央], meaning the exact center of a space, is referring to the central kane.

²²Fukuro-dana, kyū-dai nado no toki ha, usucha-ire migi no gotoku dashite, tana no ue ni ageru nari　[袋棚、休臺ナドノ時ハ、ウス茶入右ノゴトク取出シテ、棚ノ上ニアゲル也].

Kyū-dai [休臺]* is another really weird way to write kyū-dai [及臺] -- as an abbreviation of the name kyū-dai daisu [及第臺子].

But what is more, this shows us the way that confusion entered the world of Edo period chanoyu, since Kyū-dai [休臺] was the name by which Rikyū generically referred to his pair of mizusashi-dana, the precursors of the tsuri-dana. Today these tana are called the maru-joku [丸卓] and the shi-hō-dana [四方棚] (also pronounced yo-hō-dana), though Rikyū considered them to be simply furo-season and ro-season counterparts of each other: the maru-joku was created to be used beside a ko-ita furo, and the shi-hō-dana was intended to be placed next to a mukō-ro -- both in a 3-mat room†.

Unfortunately, as a result of this erroneous use of the word Kyū-dai [休臺] to mean a kyū-dai daisu, the Senke interpreted Rikyū’s writing (in the Nambō-ate no densho [南坊宛ノ傳書]‡) to mean that the kyū-dai daisu can be used with both the furo and the ro** -- which is completely wrong, according to all of the documents that survive from Jōō’s and Rikyū’s period††. But this is still being done today (even though the presence of the leg next to the furo means that it is impossible for the host to raise or lower the kan -- which is the reason why this daisu was not used during the furo season in the first place‡‡). __________ *In the Enkaku-ji and Shibayama versions of this entry, kyū-dai was written kyū-dai [弓臺] -- which, at least, would not lead to confusion as the form used here did.

†As mizusashi-dana, these seem to have been the inspiration for the tsuri-dana -- or, perhaps more directly, for Nambō Sōkei’s Shū-un-an tana [集雲庵棚] (which is a tsuridana suspended in the corner of the room, rather than from a sode-kabe).

The Shū-un-an contained two three-mat rooms, one in the “modern style” (with three mats of identical size, and a ro cut in the mat to the right of the utensil mat, so it was used like a daime), and one in the “old style” -- and it seems that these tana were used in the ko-shiki [古式] setting.

‡Which was the only one of his densho that was fairly well known during the Edo period, on account of Furuta Soshitsu’s having copied it out (while he was supposed to be overseeing the decimation of Sakai in 1595). Oribe shared this document with some of his machi-shū admirers, so that its contents were whispered about in machi-shū tea circles around the beginning of the Edo period (from whom it came to the attention of the Sen family).

**The entry, which is the introductory passage to the part of the densho dedicated to the seven arrangements for the Kyū-dai [休臺] reads Kyū-dai no kazari, kore nana-kazari, saki ha aru-koto nari, furo ni te mo irori ni te mo onaji kazari nari [キウダイの餝、是七カザリ、先ハ有事ナリ、風呂ニテモい呂りニテもヲナジカザリ也]. This means “[with respect to] the arrangements for the Kyū-dai, there are seven; but first there is an important matter [that must be made clear]: the arrangements are the same with the furo, and with the ro.”

Rikyū does not distinguish between the maru-joku and the shi-hō-dana because the setting for which each was intended was obvious -- at least to the chajin of his day. The maru-joku (the diameter of the shelves of which are based on two of the large trays that were used with the daisu) elevates the mizusashi to the same height as it has when placed on the shin-daisu; and the shi-hō-dana was designed to occupy the portion of the mat to the left of the mukō-ro in exactly the same way as the kyū-dai daisu does the full width of a kyōma mat (that is, the ten-ita of the shi-hō-dana extends from the left heri to the middle of the mat, while the ji-ita is 2-me away from the left-heri and the midline: this compares with the kyū-dai daisu, the ten-ita of which extends from the inner edge of the left heri to the inner edge of the right heri, while the ji-ita is 2-me away from the heri on both sides).

††While the kyū-dai daisu had been brought to Japan during the fifteenth century, it was first used for chanoyu by Jōō, after he created the irori.

‡‡Even if the argument is made that raising the kan when a nobleman comes into the room, and lowering them again when he leaves is antiquated, and so irrelevant to modern-day chanoyu, there is still the problem of the sumi-temae, where lowering the kan was appropriate, because otherwise the host will not be able to dust the furo properly with the habōki.

²³Kyū-dai ha migi-za [h]e agaru nari　[休臺ハ右座ヘ上ル也].

As mentioned in the previous post, migi-za [右座] (“right seat”), when used with reference to the daisu, refers to the left half of the ten-ita.

The usucha-ire was lifted up to the left half of the ten-ita to keep it out of the host’s way while he was serving koicha. Since the tea container was not being “displayed,” there was no need for the host to take especial care when placing it on the shelf.

²⁴Sōjite tsune-no-temae no toki, koicha-ire modosu-toki, teishu ha katte ni irete, shōji wo sashite-iru　[総テ常ノ手前ノ時、コイ茶入モドス時、亭主ハ勝手ニ入テ、障子ヲサシテ居ル].

With this sentence, the narrative shifts away from summarizing the Book of Secret Teachings material, and into new territory.

Tsune-no-temae no toki [常の手前の時] means when (the host) is performing an ordinary temae (rather than one in which a sa-tsū-bako is used).

Koicha-ire modosu-toki [濃茶入戻す時] means when the koicha-ire is returned (to the host) -- after the guests have finished their haiken.

Teishu ha katte ni irete, shōji wo sashite-iru [亭主は勝手に入れて、障子を指している] means after the teishu enters the katte*, the shōji are closed.

In the case of the sa-tsū-bako temae, when the koicha-ire was returned to the host, it was placed on the kagi-datami, more or less midway between the ro and the wall at the lower end of the mat. ___________ *This is referring to the case where usucha will be served during a separate temae, according to the Sen family’s system, where the go-zumi-temae [後炭手前] is interposed between the services of koicha and usucha.

The host retires to the katte so he can ready the utensils needed when adding charcoal to the fire.

The primary reason for serving koicha and usucha separately was to encourage the practitioners of chanoyu to acquire more utensils (in keeping with the Tokugawa bakufu’s recommendations on the matter).

²⁵Dōgu-tatami ni chaire wo jisan-shi, chaire shidai chū-ō no hitotsu-mono, mata sa-mo-nakuba tsune no chaire naraba, chū-ō no san-bun kakari ni mo oki nari　[道具疊ニ茶入ヲ持參シ、茶入次第中央ノ一ツモノ、又サモナクバ常ノ茶入ナラバ、中央ノ三分カヽリニモ置也].

Dōgu-tatami ni chaire wo jisan-shi [道具疊に茶入を持參し] means “when the chaire is brought to the utensil mat” (after it has been returned to the host following their haiken).

Chaire shidai [茶入次第] means according to what the host believes is the appropriate way to handle that specific chaire.

In other words, if the host has a reason for the chaire to remain in the room until the end of the gathering*, he should follow his intentions. In such circumstances, the chaire would be placed somewhere where it would not interfere with the sumi-temae and the subsequent service of usucha. A treasured (hizō [秘藏]), karamono, or meibutsu chaire would be handled a little differently from an ordinary chaire, as will be explained next.

Chū-ō no hitotsu-mono [中央の一ツ物] is describing the placement of a meibutsu, karamono, or treasured chaire. That is, when returned to the host, he places it in the exact center of the utensil mat†.

Chū-ō no san-bun kakari [中央の三分掛り] explains how an ordinary chaire is handled -- it overlaps the midline by one-third‡. __________ *In certain circumstances, the chaire would be lifted into the toko (perhaps after being placed on a tray that was brought out for this purpose). Here, however, that seems to be impossible (usually because the small size of the room makes it difficult or impossible for the host to access the toko); so it is kept on the utensil mat, where it remains until the end of the chakai (just as if it had been moved into the toko).

As for why it was not moved onto the tsuri-dana, if there is such a tana in the room, it will already be occupied by the usucha-ire. Furthermore, doing so would prevent the guests from inspecting it again when they are leaving the room (which would go against the reason for leaving the special chaire in the room to begin with).

†This discussion assumes that things are being done on a daime, or at least in a comparable setting where the ro is cut in the mat to the right of the utensil mat, as shown below (this sketch shows how a treasured chaire would be arranged).

‡Again, we have to remember that the people who wrote this had an incomplete understanding of kane-wari (and this, unfortunately, slowly changed the actual explanation of what is done, as the Edo period progressed and fewer and fewer people remembered what Rikyū had actually taught).

“Overlapping by one-third” originally meant that the foot of the chaire (or other utensil) was placed immediately to the right (or left) of the kane with which it was to be associated, so that the swell of the body projected over the kane.

²⁶Mata shu ni yorite chaire mi-mono no aida mo katte-guchi hiraki oite, aisatsu-suru-hito ari　[又主ニヨリテ茶入見物ノ間モ勝手口ヒラキ置テ、挨拶スル人アリ].

Mi-mono no aida [見物の間]: mi-mono-suru [見物する] means to look at something intently, to inspect something carefully. Consequently, mi-mono no aida [見物の間] would mean “while (the guests) are looking at (the chaire).”

When a chaire is especially interesting or worthy of being appreciated -- whether because of its inherent beauty or, (and probably more to the point here) because it was associated with a famous chajin of the past -- a recitation of certain details (by the host, while the guests are inspecting it) will surely enhance the guests’ appreciation of what they are seeing.

Aisatsu-suru [挨拶する], in this case, means to address the guests.

In other words, even though the host goes out of the room while the guests are inspecting the chaire, if it is a very special piece, he might decide to open the katte-guchi again as soon as he has put the other koicha utensils out of the way, so he can talk to the guests, explain to them about the chaire, and perhaps answer any questions that they might have.

²⁷Arui ha, usucha yō-i hakobi nado suru mo ari　[アルイハ、ウス茶用意ハコビナドスルモアリ].

Arui ha [或は] means perhaps, perchance, maybe, sometimes. In other words, this sentence is going to suggest a possible way* of dealing with the service of usucha on very special occasions.

Usucha yō-i [用意] means preparing for usucha, getting ready for usucha, thinking about how to serve usucha.

Hakobi nado suru mo ari [運びなどするもあり] means there is also (the possibility) that usucha can be carried (out).

In other words, rather than performing a separate usucha-temae, in order to keep the emphasis on the koicha-ire, the host might refrain from doing anything more in the room at all, and simply serve usucha “hakobi-date-style†” from the katte.

During a private tea gathering this would be highly unusual, to be sure; but it would be one way to insure that the guests’ focus remains squarely on the chaire (that is resting in the center of the utensil mat). __________ *This is a suggestion, rather than a recommendation. The difference is important.

Context would suggest this is referring to the case where the koicha-ire is greatly treasured by the host for some reason -- meaning that he might not want to risk eclipsing it by doing anything else afterward.

†For those who do not know, this is the way tea is served at an ō-yose-chakai [大寄せ茶會] (a mass tea gathering): bowls of usucha are brought out from the katte one by one, and then taken back after the guests have drunk their tea.

In this way the host could serve his guests usucha, without disturbing their focus on the special chaire.

²⁸Sayō no koto ni ha dōgu-tatami sawari-araba, mochiron kagi-datami ni modosu-beshi　[サヤウノ事ニハ道具疊サハリアラバ、勿論カキ疊ニモドスベシ].

Sayō no koto [然様のこと] means under those circumstances, in such a situation.

Dōgu-tatami sawari-araba [道具疊障りあらば] means “if there is some obstacle to (displaying the chaire) on the utensil mat...;” “if something hinders (the display of the chaire) on the utensil mat....”

Mochiron kagi-datami ni modosu-beshi [勿論鍵疊に戻すべし]: “of course (mochiron [勿論]) it should be returned to the kagi-datami (kagi-datami ni modosu-beshi [鍵疊に戻すべし])” -- referring to the chaire.

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