Zen Buddhism is very important in cha-no-yu because Zen priests introduced tea into Japan.There are four main principles that people have to remember and follow when they are taking part in tea ceremony - harmony, respect, purity and tranquility.

Zen priests introduced tea to Japan from China in the Eighth Century. Tea was used by the priests as a medicine and to help them stay awake while meditating. Tea drinking became popular with the nobles of Japan and tea was served in elaborate ceremonies. In the 16th Century, Sen Rikyu, the founder of the Urasenke School of tea, established tea ceremony, as we know it. Sen Rikyu brought tea ceremony to the ordinary people of Japan and emphasized simplicity and naturalness in the making of tea. Today, the Urasenke School is the largest of the tea schools, with over 3,000,000 followers in Japan and overseas.

Tea ceremony can be made anywhere - in a specially designed teahouse or tearoom, in your living room, in a temple tearoom, or outside in a garden or park. Perhaps the most delightful place for holding a tea ceremony is in a small hut specially designed for cha-no-yu, looking like a little hut in the mountains. With a small, plain room with tatami mats on the floor, an alcove with a hanging scroll and simple flower arrangement, and the host and guests seated on the floor.

A full tea ceremony lasts for about four hours and includes a meal, two different types of tea with sweets, and a restful stroll in the garden. A short tea ceremony can be held in about 20 minutes when only one type of tea is served with sweets. The tea used in the tea ceremony is very high quality tea. It is bright green in color as the leaves are simply steamed, dried, and ground into a fine powder. The host follows set movements in making the tea. These movements have been refined over the centuries to make them as efficient and as beautiful to watch as possible. The host puts the tea powder directly into the bowl from which the guests drink. Boiling water is poured onto the tea and a bamboo whisk is used to dissolve the tea powder in the hot water.

THINGS TO NOTICE WHEN WATCHING TEA CEREMONY

:: The movements of the person making tea re very precise and careful and have been learned rather as you would the steps of a dance.
:: The host or hostess does not drink with the guests but concentrates only on serving them as well as possible.
:: The host and guests do not talk to each other much, only exchanging a few polite words of thanks or apology, or some discussion about the food, tea and utensils.
:: Everyone concentrates on what is happening at any moment.
:: After drinking their tea the guests take some time to admire and enjoy the beauty of the tea bowl they have used.
:: The tea utensils are works of art and often very valuable and handled with great care.
:: You should notice particularly how harmony and respect are shown between the host and guests, how purity is achieved in their minds through the cleaning of the utensils, and how this all leads to the atmosphere of tranquility.