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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 どうぶき 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).
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:
肩衝, of course, of which
不昧's most beloved
油屋 is a good example.
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 its 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
油屋
槍の鞘
米市
棗
-
I think Burkus somewhere explains that the
棗 is modeled after the
茶入's 挽家: