The Book of Tea

Name: The Book of Tea
ISBN: 9787511347961

冈仓天心 / 徐恒迦China Overseas Publishing House · ChinaJan 2016

4.0

Word count: 36K words
Chapters: 12
ISBN: 9787511347961

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Summary

In the early twentieth century, while traveling in England and America, Okakura Tenshin realized that Westerners were full of absurd ideas and misunderstandings about the East. He therefore wrote, in English, The Ideals of the East, The Awakening of Japan, and The Book of Tea, together known as his 'English Trilogy.' Of the three, The Book of Tea had the greatest influence, translated into French, German, Spanish, Swedish, and other languages, and selected for American secondary-school textbooks. While earning Okakura worldwide fame, it also offered the West a profound ode to the Way of Tea. Reading The Book of Tea, one is deeply moved by Tenshin's surging poetic genius; one must conclude that this is the tea discourse of a gifted Eastern artist, and it was precisely by borrowing the wings of art that the Japanese tea ceremony has taken flight in the sky of global culture.

Editor's review

Kakuzo Okakura's The Book of Tea is a classic that uses the tea ceremony as a lens to explore Eastern aesthetics and the philosophy of living. Though brief, it goes beyond a mere description of tea-making techniques, elevating the way of tea to a spiritual plane where art, religion, and the wisdom of living converge. Drawing on deep cultural knowledge and a distinctive international perspective, the author explains to the Western world the ideals of harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility behind the tea ceremony, along with the essence of Daoist and Zen philosophy it carries. For modern readers, the book's value lies not only in understanding Japanese tea culture but also in guiding us to reflect on how, amid the noise and restlessness of contemporary life, ritualized focus and simplicity can help us find inner calm and establish order. The prose is elegant and concise, the arguments penetrating; the act of reading is itself a pleasure and a cleansing of thought. It is not a how-to manual but a key to understanding Eastern aesthetics and the spiritual world.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Eastern aesthetics, Japanese culture, or the art of tea who want deeper cultural understanding
People worn out by a fast-paced life and longing for inner calm and a sense of ritual
Thinkers who enjoy philosophical reflection and hope to glimpse universal wisdom in concrete things
Those working in art, design, or cultural studies who need inspiration from classical Eastern aesthetics

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking only a practical technical guide to brewing steps or tea knowledge
Readers who prefer strongly plotted, tightly narrated fiction

Reading tips

Read in a quiet setting, perhaps with a cup of tea, to better appreciate the mood of the book
Do not rush; it rewards slow, thoughtful reading and repeated savoring of its philosophical passages
After reading, explore Daoist thought and Zen culture to deepen your understanding of the book's background

About the publisher

China Overseas Publishing House China · Founded in 1988

China Overseas Publishing House focuses on philosophy, history, world classics and mystery and detective fiction, with a secondary interest in foreign literature and folk literature. Its catalogue of roughly 960 titles includes Wittgenstein's Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, Jiang Tingfu's Modern Chinese History, Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind, Arthur Conan Doyle's Complete Sherlock Holmes, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince, as well as Classic Collected Edition of Greek Myths and a beautifully illustrated edition of Zhuangzi, giving it a publishing profile centred on classic translations and traditional Chinese culture. Its authors and translators range from Wittgenstein, Jiang Tingfu, Mitchell, Conan Doyle and Saint-Exupéry to Huang Min, Fu Donghua and Liu Shijie. Public information about its editorial philosophy and series system is limited.

版权信息
再版序
序
仁者之饮
饮法流变
禅道渊源
茶室幽光
品鉴艺术
莳花弄草
茶师之死
译后记
附录茶室器物图四种

FAQ

Is this book about how to brew tea?

Not exactly. Its core is the philosophy, aesthetics, and way of life represented by the tea ceremony, not a manual of brewing techniques. It focuses on the spiritual and cultural dimension.

Can I understand this book without any background in the tea ceremony?

Absolutely. One of the author's aims in writing was to explain it to readers unfamiliar with Eastern culture. The book moves from the accessible to the profound, weaving deep philosophy into its description of the art of tea, so beginners can be inspired too.

What is the writing style of this book?

The prose is elegant and refined, rich in poetry and philosophical thought, while the argument follows a clear logic. It is both essay and cultural treatise, offering sensual pleasure and intellectual reward in equal measure.

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About the author

冈仓天心 Author

Okakura Tenshin was an important Japanese thinker and writer on art in the modern era. Public information about his dates of birth and death and his education is limited, but the six works collected here clearly show the concerns of his writing. He is best known in China for The Book of Tea, which uses the tea ceremony to explain Eastern aesthetics and spiritual life in an elegant, reflective style that combines argument and lyricism. The Ideals of the East: The Construction of Japanese Art History reflects his systematic survey of Japanese and Eastern art traditions, while The Book of Tea: The Structure of Suki and the Eastern Aesthetics Collection: Tea Ceremony X Porcelain X Gardens extend into specific cultural fields such as the tea ceremony, porcelain, and gardens. His works, often classified under culture, world history, inspirational growth, and food, have had an influence across national borders and remain important reading for understanding Eastern aesthetics.

徐恒迦 Author

Xu Hengjia — public information about this author is limited, and details of identity and life remain unavailable; only the works held in the collection offer a glimpse of the author's academic and translation interests. The four titles span decorative art, traditional Chinese culture, language and thought, and tea culture, combining informative content with readability. The Decoration of Houses and its sequel, The Decoration of Houses 2: Chinese Patterns, suggest a systematic interest in ornamental pattern systems, with Chinese motifs given a dedicated volume that reflects attention to local visual traditions. Language Shaping Human Thought touches on linguistics and cognitive science, while The Book of Tea concerns food and everyday aesthetics. Classified under architecture, language, and food, these works show that Xu's writing or translation is not confined to a single discipline but is characterized by cross-disciplinary cultural knowledge. Given the lack of biographical detail, the author's style and specific contributions require further evidence.