- In principle, everything that has a lid can be a 茶器 and can be theoretically used for 濃茶 or 薄茶 (KM26). For 濃茶, you want something more formal or traditional; 薄茶 can be a bit more playful. Where you draw those lines, however, depends on your sensitivity and having a good reason if deviating from the norm.
- It terms of handling, there are 3 important categories. The lid position is the same for 薄茶 and 濃茶.
| Category | Lid Position |
|---|---|
| 茶入 | 3 o'clock |
| 棗 | 4:30 o'clock |
| Rest | 6 o'clock |
- KM26 and I figured that whether you do
胴拭き (the turning of the 茶器 to purify its body) depends on whether the 茶器 came onto the stage in a 仕覆 or not. The 大津袋 allows you to use an item without 仕覆 for 濃茶, but then it doesn't get purified as much. (The 仕覆 really acts as a “beatifying agent” here.) The 四方捌, however, is something reserved for 濃茶. - The purifyication of non-茶入 茶器 repends on the shape of the top part. If it has rounded corners, you clean it in a こ way, it not, then with two straight strokes (ニ) (with a few exceptions like the 老松).
- Cleaning for 拝見, this is my conjecture, has the following rules: If the tea was only scooped for 濃茶, then there's no cleaning of the rim (like in 台天目). For 薄茶, however, the rim is always cleaned (even though you only scoop).
茶入
- Traditionally ceramic, but you find them also made from glass. So if you're looking for a fixed definition, you could say: “A 茶入 needs to be fired”. A genealogical argument, however, might be better suited (if it's trying to be a 茶入, it's a 茶入).
- Some famous shapes:
槍の鞘 , of which 不昧 also had one made by the founder of a Seto kiln, としろう I.- 大海, of course, named so because the tea when seen through the opening looks like the big sea between Japan and China 1). It's supposedly what
栄西 used to bring in tea seeds from China. 米市 , named so by 小堀遠州 and thus a 中興名物, because it looks like a bale of rice straw. The golden brocade carries the name of the 茶入.
- Storage: white_dew.pdf explains that the “proper” 茶入 is wrapped in a 'storage' 仕覆, and then in her wood-turned jar (
挽家 , boxes etc; and that they may have different 'display' 仕覆 for 真, 行 and 草. - Theoretically, you could use them also for 薄茶, in which case you present them without 仕覆 and
薄茶器
- In want for a better word (because these containers could also be used for 濃茶), I'm listing all non-茶入 茶器 under 薄茶器.