* The 家元's 茶杓 * How to carve one * Different ivory 茶杓 * ➡️ I have the {{ :restricted:shibano.pdf |great notes}} from Shibano-先生 from 2025 ====Materials==== * In China, they used to be made of gold, silver or bamboo * The first 茶杓 were imported from China, and made of ivory (牙 or 骨). The Japanese copied these in bamboo, leading to the first 節無-style. * In Japan, they are made from ivory, too, water buffalo horn (水牛), tortoise shell (鼈甲); and of course, bamboo * There are also pieces made from plain wood (cherry, apricot; but also pine, plum), and lacquered ones ====Carving==== * You can buy 荒曲げ茶杓 (pre-bent blanks) and start your carving from there. ====Shape==== * They are usually 18 cm long (= 12.5 畳 weaves); but, for example, 利休's student 勢田掃部 had a famous, large 茶碗, so the 茶杓 利休 made for it was 14.5 weaves long (CQ21) * When 利休 carved 茶杓, he always wanted to have the 茶入 or the 茶碗 it was to be used with to be next to him ([[https://chanoyu-to-wa.tumblr.com/post/682993528932122624/namp%C5%8D-roku-book-7-17-seta-kamons-chashaku|Nampō Roku 7-17]]). Burkus thus argues that a 茶杓 is specific to a 茶入 (or in rare cases, the 茶碗). * There are also scoops with seven nodes, good for auspicious situations (sais [[https://miharakeiji.com/chashaku/|mihara]]) * They should have a grove or gutter (called 樋); and if the grove is above the node (in direction of the bamboo's growth, it's called 本樋 or 順樋; otherwise it's 逆樋). 利休 seemed to prefer the latter. * He was also fond of raised waist shape called 蟻腰, which supposedly is really hard with 順樋 茶杓. * Points of interest are thus the tip, the grove, the bending, the node and how it is cut at the end. ====Ranking==== * 武野紹鴎 is said to have invented the 止節-shape; and 利休 then the 中節 ^ Rank ^ Bamboo ^ Other materials ^ use ^ | 真 | 節無 | ivory | [[restricted:bondate|盆点]] and above | | 行 | 止節 | | [[restricted:karamono|唐物]] | | 草 | 中節 | other woods, even if 節無 | | ====Practical==== * Comes with a 共筒; but you could have a 仕覆 for the 茶杓, one for the 共筒, and put all of that into one or two boxes. * It's the only 道具 that officially a host can make and use themselves. Cadwallader suggests to only use a 茶杓 you carved for 薄茶. ====名物==== * 泪 is said to have been carved when 利休 was waiting for the official who was supposed to witness his suicide (CQ21). It was sent to 織部, who treasured it greatly (CQ21). * 勢多 is the 茶杓 mentioned above, made for the 水海 茶碗. * [[people#裏千家|People]] has a list of all 家元 with their 茶杓!