This is an old revision of the document!
CQ51 and CQ52 have a great overview: conceptually, all 棚 are baby-台子; and as such, we have four categories:
-
-
小棚, which is really what we usually mean by
棚 today.
仕付棚(しつけ), which are permanently affixed
History
台子 brought from China to Japan in 1267 by a monk together with a 皆具 set; and this came to be used for preparing tea. At first in a separate room, then, around 1450, in front of the guests; still with the
台子.
Jōō was then the first to deviate from the
台子 with the use of the 袋棚(ふくろ), a staggered 大棚 inspired by 香道.
棚 are not used in the small room, or in large rooms where for example the
風炉 is on the ふみこみ畳, or if the
炉 is in the host's
畳.
Principles
The 薄茶器 is 陽, the
柄杓 is 陰 (and I suppose the
蓋置, as well). In most cases, this means that the
柄杓 is above the 薄茶器 (on two-tiered shelves). Exceptions are the 更好棚 and the 千歳棚.
If they are on the same level, the 薄茶器 is always right of the
柄杓. If it is in the middle of the self, the latter is placed diagonally (and the
蓋置 left in front of it).
蜻蛉荘り is used for square or round shelves: Here, the
柄杓 and
蓋置 are place like in the beginning (入荘り), and the 薄茶器 is placed to the R of the
柄杓.
For long shelves, the 薄茶器 is in the very middle, with the
柄杓 and
蓋置 forming their own group farther away from it.
List
点前
片口 if the
棚 has 3 legs or fewer; where you don't need to remove the
水指
こしぐろやかん for
棚 with 4 legs
Generally, the
茶杓, when resting on the 棗(なつめ)or
茶入, never protrudes into the space of the
棚. This dictates the distance of the
茶入 etc. from the
棚. This is also true for boards as in 中置き(なかおき), for example.
When
棚 is used, we don't use a bamboo ふたおき.
When finishing, take 柄酌, hold with L, then turn R away from you to hold from below, and place on
棚. Make sure it's not sitting on the edge of the
棚, but within. For
濃茶, this happens after putting out the items for
拝見, but
薄茶 before.
Then take 蓋置き on L, R on knee, and shift in front of
棚.
Also, when you start with the
棗 on the
棚, something needs to change before you go. Either take it with you, or put it on the shelf differently.
炭 炉
Entering and unpacking
Depending on
棚,
羽 and
香合 are on it already. In that case, shift in front, put
羽 down in front of it, pick up
香合 and then with both shift to face the
炉. Put down
羽 next to
炭斗, and
香合. Then 鐶, then
火箸.
Otherwise, enter with
炭斗 and place it next to the
炉; then unpack:
羽, 鐶,
火箸 and then
香合.
Close the lid with the
帛紗
When moving
釜, shift to face
棚 and move it to its left side.
薄茶 炉
水指 lid with R, L (for opening during tea, and when filling it)
Closing: first
棗 (one hand), then
茶碗 (two hands)
For
拝見: Shift to 0° to pick up
棗, clean it at 90°, then to 45° to get
茶杓 and put it down from there.
After
拝見, shift in front of
棚, place
茶杓 on
水指 lid if it's lacquered, or on the
棚 if it's ceramic (?), put
棗 on
棚, and just go out with the
茶杓
総荘
You can display the
茶碗 and
棗 on practically every shelf (except for the だんす).
If you do, you clean the
茶碗 as in 入子点
However, unlike 入子点, you come in with the 水次 and you don't decorate the
棚 with the
帛紗.