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陆羽茶道教室的经营模式-20130925周三小方块-蔡荣章

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陆羽茶道教室的经营模式

蔡荣章

20130925周三小方块WEDNESDAY TEA CORNER

台北陆羽茶艺中心的茶道教室1981年1月4日开始第一个班别“茶艺讲座”的上课，这个阶段的上课是免费的，包括上课使用的茶叶、茶具与非泡茶课时每人的盖碗茶（泡茶课时已经有茶喝了）。但必须繳交新台币500元的保证金，8次课上完，泡茶考试与学科考试及格取得结业证书后退回保证金。缺课时可以在以后任何一期补上所缺的那次课，考试不及格时也可以在以后任何一期的同样考试时补考，不必再繳费用，补完课、补完试，依旧发给原期的结业证书并行退费。

除了基础班的茶艺讲座，后续开设的班别亦复如此。为执行上完课才可毕业的规定，每次上课必须签到，缺席的那次必然是空白，等补课时方行补签。

保证金的收费方式一直维持到1986年，为求茶文化教育的独立发展，改变成收费的制度。开始是将保证金的500变成收费的500，然后逐渐调高，从800到1000，从1000到1200、2000元不等，依课程所需的成本而定。收费的制度下，依然是上完全部学时并通过考试才发证，补课补考依然不另行收费。但是这样的收费标准，直到目前仍然无法支付包括房租在内的所有成本，除非班别密集得天天午晚皆是，每班的学员数都能够在30以上。

陆羽茶艺中心之所以能够采取这种几近公益式的教学方式，是因为它另有茶具开发部门，生产的茶具透过关系企业天仁茗茶与天福茗茶的销售网向外销售。“陆羽茶艺”品牌的茶具支持着教学，教学支持着茶具的研发（包括知识的与形象的），但这种做法要依赖经营者对茶文化的支持、相信茶文化与企业的永续经营是相互链接的，而且拥有经济支撑项目的营利能力。还得告诉学员，让有心办好茶学教育的单位能够赚钱，我们才能够享受更好的品茗氛围。陆羽茶道教室至今仍然处于需要扶持的状况，茶文化的私塾教育要能健康发展，学习费用还得提高，大家享受茶汤与茶道艺术（不只是茶叶商品）的需求还待大大醒觉。

1996年4月13日为期一年的师资班开课后，上完全部课程后才能结业的办法改成了：出席率达到80%以上（长年上课要一次不缺是不容易的）。补课的规定依旧，虽然必须等到一年后（尚无法并排开两个师资班）。可以补足80%的出席率，也可以补满全部课时。

陆羽茶道教室为了可以贯彻泡好茶的理念，制定了两个非得把茶泡好的制度与课程：

a. 从1983年起每年举办1-2届的泡茶师检定考试。检测的办法是在各类茶中抽取三样，依指定的茶具与供茶需求（如泡几道、泡给几个人喝），在40分钟内把茶泡出。如果能将茶汤泡出一定标准，且有80%以上的稳定度，就可通过术科考试，再通过学科考试（制茶、识茶、泡茶、茶具、茶史等方面的知识），就可以取得泡茶师证书。这个泡茶师检定考试的制度，除引导大家重视泡茶、重视茶汤外，也培养一些能够泡好茶的茶文化工作者、在茶事活动上有批精炼的先锋部队。

b. 除了1982年12月开设的泡茶讲座外，复于1999年10月25日起开设了“泡茶研习班”，利用“车轮式泡茶练习法”，一组五六位学员轮番上阵，第一位就坐后“置茶”与泡第一道，第二位泡第二道，第三位泡第三道，—-第五位泡第五道并去渣清具。每道茶冲泡之前都将茶壶传阅，每人看淸壶内的茶况，记录下自己所判断的“浸泡时间”。等茶泡好，大家品赏过茶汤，老师做出标准浸泡时间的判断（茶汤浓度标准时则依原冲泡时间，不标准时则提出标准时间）。每人算出自己的误差值（秒数），五道以后再计算总误差。就这样一次又一次地练习，以不同的茶叶与茶具为题，求得误差值的减少。这种泡茶练习除对茶况的认知外，必须关注置茶量、水温、前数泡的太浓或太淡、与前泡“间隔时间”的长短、茶壶出水的速度等等，是学习掌握茶汤浓度很有效的办法。

上面不厌其烦地介绍陆羽茶道教室在“学茶者必须认真且付出代价的学习” 、“必须具备泡好茶能力”的理念下所做的努力，也说明一个茶道教室，不论是学校体系还是民间的单位，有了思想与目标的指引，它的课程体系才容易显得有个性与富生命力。

 

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無我茶會Sans Self Tea Gathering (Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony)-Chapter 13 A Brief History of Sans Self Tea Gathering-蔡荣章Rong-tsang Tsai

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《無我茶會Sans Self Tea Gathering (Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony)180條》

蔡荣章著Author:Rong-tsang Tsai

ISBN 978-957-9690-08-9,“无我茶会Sans Self Tea Gathering(Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony) 180” ,First edition: 1999.9, Second edition: 2010.9.《无我茶会180条》,1999.9第一版，2010.9第二版.台北陆羽茶艺股份有限公司.2012.05.20修订版.-English Translator : Katherine Yip,英语翻译：叶德明.

Chapter 13  A Brief History of Sans Self Tea Gathering

172. The Origin of Sans Self Tea Gathering

The prevailing ethos pertaining to tea in Taiwan in the 1990s gave birth to a unique form of tea gathering. The concept was initiated by Rong-tsang Tsai, then general manager of Taipei’s Lu Yu Tea Art Centre in 1989. The inaugural Sans Self Tea Gathering was held in 1990.

173. What led to the birth of Sans Self Tea Gathering?

There were both internal and external factors.  The one mentioned above was an internal factor. Meanwhile, there were two external factors.  Firstly, as was the tradition, a person would brew and serve tea to a few guests; or, a few brewers serving a larger number of guests. The problem was, this hardly reflected the spirit of the Way of Tea. There was the need to introduce a new format whereby everyone brews, serves and enjoys tea. Secondly, it was hard to effectively promote the Way of Tea because the number of participants was small. An aspiration to host a new kind of tea gathering for a larger group of people to share the Way of Tea became the catalyst behind Sans Self Tea Gathering.

174. The first-ever Sans Self Tea Gathering.

On May 26, 1990, Rong-tsang Tsai presented the draft of the ‘Sans Self Tea Gathering’ framework during the first ‘Teacher Training Course of the Way of Tea’ by Lu Yu Tea Art Centre; feedback and comments were collected from those present. At the end of the discussion, it was decided that a pilot Sans Self Tea Gathering for 12 participants would be held at the妙慧佛堂 near Lu Yu Tea Art Centre.  This was the first -ever Sans Self Tea Gathering. A review was held immediately afterwards, and the decision for a second Sans Self Tea Gathering was made. The format of Sans Self Tea Gathering was subsequently confirmed after three experimental tea gatherings.

175. The first Sans Self Tea Gathering in public

It has been the practice to have a tea gathering after the certificate presentation ceremony of ‘Assessment Examination for Lu Yu Tea Brewers’. On June 20, 1990, a Sans Self Tea Gathering was held at the Guangfu Auditorium of the Zhongshan Hall in Taipei in tandem with the 13th Certificate Presentation Ceremony. There were 70 participants, comprising both veteran and new tea brewers.  The Tea Brewer Certificates were presented to the graduates by the veterans after the tea gathering. This was the first Sans Self Tea Gathering held in public.

176. The first International Sans Self Tea Gathering

Sans Self Tea Gathering was first introduced to members of the Japanese and Korean tea fraternities during one of the gatherings for the exchange of tea culture. They were bowled over by this unique form of tea gathering, and brought back writings and videos for sharing with fellow tea drinkers.  On December 18, 1990, the first International Sans Self Tea Gathering took place at the Meditation Centre of 「十方禪寺」in  Taipei.  More than 70 fellow tea drinkers from China, Japan and Korea attended the tea gathering. In the earlier days, Sans Self Tea Gathering were mostly held at  Buddhists temples or meditation centres because of the spacious environment.

177. Publications of Sans Self Tea Gathering

To promote Sans Self Tea Gathering, ‘Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony’ was launched in March 1991.  Available in Chinese, Japanese, Korean and English, it is a concise guide to the format and spirit of Sans Self Tea Gathering.

At the beginning of 1997, a set of teaching materials about Sans Self Tea Gathering was compiled to facilitate class discussion. This was essentially a set of 180 related issues observed over the years.  In early 1999, the ‘Chinese International Sans Self Tea Gathering Promotion Association’, in response to the need of the ‘Classes on the Way of Tea’, undertook to produce six textbooks for tea studies. ‘Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony, 180 Steps’ was selected as one of the six textbooks. It was published in September the same year, ahead of the others. This was a more comprehensive record of the ideologies and served as an ‘operational manual’ of Sans Self Tea Gathering.

In the winter of 2012, we updated ‘Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony 180’ and incorporated some conceptual interpretation. It was translated into English and renamed  《Sans Self Tea Gathering: Tea Gathering as an artistic manifestation of the Way of Tea》.

178. The First Sans Self Tea Gathering Stone Tablet at the Wuyi Mountain

At the second International Sans Self Tea Gathering held on October 17, 1991, a memorial stone tablet was erected in the courtyard of the Wuyi Mountain Villa located at the foothill of the Manting Peakt, a day before the morning event, thanks to the effort of everyone concerned, and in particular the assistance of deputy managing director Liu Caihua and director Lin Xing of the Wuyi Mountain Villa. On the front of the stone tablet was carved the subject of the event: ‘Sans Self Tea Gathering at Manting Peak’ and an inscription translated as follows: ‘On October 17, 1991, more than a hundred tea aficionados gathered together at the Manting Peak. Each person brought along his/her own tealeaves and tea ware. Seated in a circle, each participant brewed four cups of tea, and offered three of these to fellow drinkers on the left while reserving one for own consumption. This way, everyone brewed and served tea on equal standing’. On the back of the stone tablet was carved: ‘The Spirit of Sans Self Tea Gathering’ and an inscription translated as follows: ‘Seats are decided by random drawing, not seniority and status. Tea is served to the left and received from the right, without expectation of reciprocation.  Tea, regardless of its quality, is received readily. Brew the best tea possible and aspire to keep improving. The event proceeds as agreed without the need of direction for the cultivation of understanding and cooperation as a team’.

Our gratitude also goes to renowned calligrapher Huang Meifeng for the calligraphy of the tablet inscription and famous stone carver He Shuangshui  for carving it out.

179. From ‘Sans Self Tea Gathering Promotion Committee’ to ‘Chinese International Sans Self Tea Gathering Promotion Association’

During the fledgling period of its development, Sans Self Tea Gatherings were held at the Lu Yu Tea Art Centre; seminars and related activities were organized in the name of Sans Self Tea Gathering Promotion Committee. In August, 1994, the ‘Chinese International Sans Self Tea Gathering Promotion Association’ was established with the approval of the Taiwanese Government. It is an independent incorporated association with its registered address at the Lu Yu Tea Art Centre, where the office of the Association was located, thanks to the Lu Yu Tea Art Centre.

180. Milestones of Sans Self Tea Gathering （1989～2012）

1990.05.26　Discussion of the draft proposal of Sans Self Tea Gathering

1990.06.02　The 1st pilot Sans Self Tea Gathering

1990.06.23　The 1st Sans Self Tea Gathering in public was held in tandem with the 13th Certificate Presentation Ceremony for Tea Brewers

1990.11.14　This unique idea was introduced to overseas tea drinkers during the ‘Purity’ Sans Self Tea Gathering held at a Buddhist Temple where 20 Chinese and Japanese tea drinkers gathered together

1990.12.18　The 1st international Sans Self Tea Gathering was held in Taiwan. Participants included Chinese, Japanese and Korean tea drinkers.

1991.03.01　 ‘Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony’, a book dedicated to Sans Self Tea Gathering, was published in Chinese, Japanese, Korean and English.

1991.03.27　Sans Self Tea Gathering was incorporated into the curriculum of Lu Yu’s the Way of Tea classes from its 50th Tea Brewing Seminar onwards.

1991.05.12    70 people participated in the ‘Mother’s Day Familial Bonding’ Sans Self Tea Gathering held at the National Chiang Kai Shek Cultural Centre, Taipei.

1991.08.04　100 fellow tea drinkers gathered by the Lily Pond at the Taipei Botanical Garden for the ‘Lily Appreciation’ Sans Self Tea Gathering.

1991.09.08　50 tea drinkers organized a ‘Back to the Basics’ Sans Self Tea Gathering at the浩然敬老院.

1991.10.17　About 100 Chinese, Japanese and Korean tea drinkers participated in the 2nd International Sans Self Tea Gathering held at the Wuyi Mountain. A stone tablet was erected to commemorate the occasion.

1991.10.20　Members from the Taiwan delegation who had attended the 2nd International Sans Self Tea Gathering hosted a Sans Self Tea Gathering briefing at the Hong Kong Museum of Tea Ware.

1992.05.05　A briefing on Sans Self Tea Gathering was held during the 3rd Festival of Ceramics Art at Yixing.

1992.05.07　A briefing on Sans Self Tea Gathering was held at the Huxin Ting, Shanghai

1992.09.20　60 people from Taipei and Kaohsiung participated in the ‘Monastery’ Sans Self Tea Gathering held at the Main Shrine of Fo Guang Shan Monastery, Kaohsiung

1992.11.09   The 3rd International Sans Self Tea Gathering took place in Japan, with one session each at Kinkaku-ji , Choan-ji  and Amanohashidate. These gatherings were attended by 200 Chinese, Japanese and Korean tea drinkers.

1993.02.06　Rong-tsang Tsai suggested using rainbow as the source of  inspiration for the design of the flag of Sans Self Tea Gathering during the ‘YuanXiao Lantern’ Sans Self Tea Gathering at the house of fellow tea drinker Liao Chunyu.

1993.10.13    The 4th International Sans Self Tea Gathering was held at the Imperial Palace (Gyeongbokgung) of Korea, with 350 Chinese, Japanese and Korean tea drinkers attending the event.

1994.05.01　The Lu Yu Tea Art Centre set up the ‘Sans Self Centre’ dedicated to the training of Sans Self Tea Gathering.

1994.05.08　500 people attended the ‘Jiaxu Mother’s Day Familial Bonding’ Sans Self Tea Gathering at the Square of the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.

1994.08.10　120 international students attending the annual general meeting of the International Association of Students in Economics and Business Management participated in a Sans Self Tea Gathering Demonstration and Practice session held at Lai Lai Sheraton (now Sheraton Grande Taipei Hotel), Taipei.

1995.05.31　The Way of Tea Society of the Christ’s College in Guandu, Taipei, hosted the inaugural Tea Studies Seminar. A Sans Self Tea Gathering was held in the evening in tandem with the certificate presentation ceremony.

1995.10.27　The 5th International Sans Self Tea Gathering had two tea gatherings held at Wuyi Mountain’s scenic spots of Yun Wo and Peak Yunu respectively, each with about 200 participants.

1996.05.05    The year’s ‘Mother’s Day Familial Bonding’ Sans Self Tea Gathering was simultaneously held in 10 cities and towns in Taiwan, attended by more than 1,200 people.

1996.09.25　An evening Sans Self Tea Gathering attended by the Prison Warden and 50 inmates was held at the Taiwan Wuling Open Prison, Taitung. The gathering was themed ‘Celebrating the Moonlight of Wuling with Fragrant Tea’.

1997.01.12　A talk and demonstration on ‘The Organization and Spirit of Sans Self Tea Gathering’ was held at the Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Museum of Art during the Hong Kong Tea Art Competition. A 50-people Sans Self Tea Gathering was held after the session at the Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront.

1997.01.14　30 Malaysians participated in a Sans Self Tea Gathering Workshop at the Chan She Shu Yuen (Chan Clan Temple Library) located in Jalan Petaling

1997.02　　A set of teaching materials about Sans Self Tea Gathering was compiled as ‘Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony, 180 Steps’ for class discussion.

1997.03.08　Taiwan’s United Daily News published a 2/3 page story on Sans Self Tea Gathering and Tea ware on-the-go. The title was: ‘Renaissance of Chinese Tea – a world with no seniority, reciprocation and preference – Sans Self Tea Gathering expresses the Beauty in Quietude’.

1997.11.22　The 6th International Sans Self Tea Gathering was held at the National Chiang Kai Shek Cultural Centre, Taipei with a thousand people attending; following which a Sans Self Tea Gathering was held at the Koahsiung Chiang Kai Shek Cultural Centre on 26th November with 500 participants.

1998.03.07　The tea fraternity in Singapore hosted a multi-racial Sans Self Tea Gathering with 100 participants.

1998.05.04　The University of Peking’s Society of Oriental Tea Culture Research organized a Sans Self Tea Gathering to celebrate the university’s centennial.

1999.10.16　The 7th International Sans Self Tea Gathering, co-organized by  the Zhejiang Tea Society and the Zhejiang Association of Science and technology, was held at Hangzhou, Xincheong and Tiantai respectively.

2001.05.06    A ‘Global Mother’s Day Familial Bonding’ Sans Self Tea Gathering took place in 11 cities around the world; these include 8 areas in Taiwan, and Hanzhou, Italy and Singapore, among others. More than 1,000 tea drinkers celebrated Mother’s Day by participating in the dedicated Sans Self Tea Gathering.

2001.10.07   The 8th International Sans Self Tea Gathering took place in Japan with one session each in Aichi (October 7), Shizuoka (October 8) and Inasa (October 9) ; there was a total of 250 participants

2003.04       A Lu Yu Tea Art Centre was opened in Beijing. The teaching of Sans Self Tea Gathering has since been incorporated into its Tea Art Seminars.

2003.10.16   A ’Commemorative Lu Yu Sans Self Tea Gathering’ was organized at Tianmen of Hubei Province  in tandem with the seminar on Cross-Strait Lu Yu Tea Culture and Development of the Tea Industry; in addition, a ‘Cross-Strait Tea Drinkers’ Golden Autumn Sans Self Tea Gathering’ was held at the Anhui Agricultural University on October 20.

20040.05      The annual ‘Mother’s Day Familial Bonding’ Sans Self Tea Gathering evolved to the ‘World Tea Offering Day’. Tea drinkers the world over are invited to offer tea to family, friends and strangers during the first weekend of May through the participation in Sans Self Tea Gathering.

2004.08.21    The 9th International Sans Self Tea Gathering was held at the Marina City Park in Singapore with 500 participants.

2005.11.02    The 10th International Sans Self Tea Gathering took place at the Wuyi Mountain of Fujian Province, with one session each at the Wuyishan National Tourism Resort (November 2) and Wuyishan Town Stadium (November 3); there was a total of 300 participants.

2007.09.28    Tenfu Tea College (now Zhangzhou College of Science and Technology) was set up in Pantuo of Zhangzhou, Fujian Provice. The one-semester Sans Self Tea Gathering course was incorporated into the curriculum of its Tea Culture studies.

2007.10.13    The 11th International Sans Self Tea Gathering was organized in Korea, with one session each at the Wonkwang University, Iksan (October 13) and Changgyeongung Palace, Seoul (October 14); there was a total of 400 participants.

2009.10.18      The 12th International Sans Self Tea Gathering took place in San Francisco with the attendance of more than 100 tea drinkers from China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and the United States.

2011.05.28      The 13th Sans Self Tea Gathering took place in Taiwan; a thousand-participant Sans Self Tea Gathering was organized at the National Chiang Kai Shek Cultural Centre, Taipei on the May 29. This was followed by the ‘Daybreak’ Sans Self Tea Gathering by the side of the Sun Moon Lake on the May 30 with 400 participants, and the ‘Dawn’ Sans Self Tea Gathering at the Amitabha Buddhist Temple, Alishan on May 31 with 300 participants.

2011.06.17      Documentation of information and reading materials related to Sans Self Tea Gathering began. Website: http://www.contemporaryteathinker.com

2012.05.27  美國拉斯維加斯茶文化學會在當地舉辦一場「沙漠甘泉無我茶會」。

2012.09.09  汶莱中华文艺联合会邀當地居民30人舉行無我茶會，馬來西亞紫藤文化企業集團茶藝學習中心主任許玉蓮前往指导。

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無我茶會Sans Self Tea Gathering (Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony)Chapter 12 Promoting Sans Self Tea Gatherings and its Meaning-蔡荣章Rong-tsang Tsai

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《無我茶會Sans Self Tea Gathering (Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony)180條》

蔡荣章著Author:Rong-tsang Tsai

ISBN 978-957-9690-08-9,“无我茶会Sans Self Tea Gathering(Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony) 180” ,First edition: 1999.9, Second edition: 2010.9.《无我茶会180条》,1999.9第一版，2010.9第二版.台北陆羽茶艺股份有限公司.2012.05.20修订版.-English Translator : Katherine Yip,英语翻译：叶德明.

Chapter 12  Promoting Sans Self Tea Gatherings and its Meaning

156. How should we promote ‘Sans Self Tea Gathering’?

To promote Sans Self Tea Gathering, the Chinese International Sans Self Tea Gathering Promotion Association has engaged ‘Sans Self Tea Gathering Instructors’ and ‘Teachers of the Way of Tea’ to conduct classes and training at both permanent and ad hoc locations, while encouraging these teachers to introduce systematic ‘Classes on the Way of Tea’ at fixed venues. The curriculum covers not only Sans Self Tea Gathering but also other areas of the study of tea.

157. Incorporating Sans Self Tea Gathering into the curriculum of courses on the Way of Tea

Following the initial efforts in promoting Sans Self Tea Gathering, this unique form of tea gathering has been incorporated into the curriculum of various courses of the Way of Tea. Sans Self Tea Gatherings are organized the world over. 《Sans Self Tea Gathering: Tea Gathering as an artistic manifestation of the Way of Tea》is an elementary textbook for the teaching of Sans Self Tea Gathering.

158. Setting up ‘Sans Self Tea Gathering’ Community Centre

We wish that ‘Sans Self Tea Gathering’ Community Centre can be set up at different places for fellow tea drinkers to attend regularly-held Tea Gatherings. A weekly Sans Self Tea Gathering could be scheduled, and participants may get acquainted with each other before and after the tea gathering. Practices can be held regularly at the Community Centre when it is not used for hosting Sans Self Tea Gatherings. Similarly, the venue can be used for imparting knowledge about tea.

159. The importance of integrity to Sans Self Tea Gathering

The tea ware for Sans Self Tea Gathering can be of any design, which makes it simple for a beginner to put together a tea set for the occasion.  Meanwhile, a complete set of user-friendly tea ware not only boosts one’s interest but also the desire to acquire the necessary items when one has built up his confidence.

It is fine to prepare ten to twenty sets of spare tea ware for beginners for practice purposes, but the students must be asked to acquire their own set when they have reached a certain stage in course of practice.

160. Flexibility and Reach of Sans Self Tea Gathering

Sans Self Tea Gathering is a very flexible form of gathering. It encourages floor seating, thus eliminating the need of tables and chairs. Participants bring along their own tea ware, seating mat and boiled hot water. As such, it is possible to have the tea gatherings both indoors and outdoors.

For Sans Self Tea Gathering, there is no need of any event conductor or leader.  There is also practically no limit to the number of participants — it does not matter if some participants are blocked by buildings or knolls on site, or they spread across miles. Meanwhile, participants can offer tea to onlookers during a Sans Self Tea Gathering if this is intended for the event. For example, if there are 100 participants, and each brews four cups of tea for the onlookers, 400 onlookers will be served; and if each participant brews two rounds of four cups each, they will be brewing a total of 800 cups, which means that 800 onlookers will be served.  If the Organizer has arranged for a presenter, he will brief a substantial number of onlookers the nature of ‘Sans Self Tea Gathering’ and ‘the Way of Tea’ as the event progresses. The reach and spread that can be achieved by a Sans Self Tea Gathering needs no further illustration.

161. How could we highlight the style and characteristics of Sans Self Tea Gathering?

It is important to emphasize the characteristics of a Sans Self Tea Gathering as soon as you begin promoting it.  Make it clear that no one should speak once brewing starts, and there is no arrangement for guests to make speeches, etc. Otherwise, the special style of Sans Self Tea Gathering will be overlooked and undermined. If the Organizer fails to insist on the standard practice right from the start – for fear of the gathering becoming too serious – and allows fellow tea drinkers to engage in conversation while sipping tea and taking snacks, participants will think that there is no difference between Sans Self Tea Gathering and ordinary tea gathering, with the only exception being the loop formation and floor seating. This way, the unique characteristics of Sans Self Tea Gathering will become oblivious in due course.

 

To promote Sans Self Tea Gathering the way it should be, a clear understanding of the practice and meaning is essential. This is the only way to stay true to the format and convince participants and partners.  For example, if a co-organizer requests to have the person-in-charge of their company deliver a speech, explain to him that this is inappropriate. Or, the musician invited for the post-tea performance may think that a five-minute performance is too short and ask for a longer introduction, explain clearly the reason behind this arrangement. Such clarification is important to the promotion of Sans Self Tea Gathering.

162. Why is there no arrangement for VIP seating and speech of attending officials?

There is no special seating arrangement – in the midst, outside or inside the loop formation – for local celebrities or attending officials.  We welcome these guests to draw lots for seating and brewing as other participants. This is every way as appropriate as having these guests seated ‘apart from the rest’. If they are unable to brew with the others but like to learn more about or advocate such tea gatherings, invite them to stay outside of the loop formation and observe or be served tea like the other onlookers.

Likewise, speech-giving by the attending official would clash with the unique style of Sans Self Tea Gathering. Instead, invite the official to brew and serve tea along with the participants. This could be more impactful.  Our experience shows that the official would agree to substitute speech-giving with tea-brewing, provided we explain the procedure and meaning of Sans Self Tea Gathering in details. If he wants to give special  messages during the occasion, the Organizer may suggest to have him do so during the group photo session, or after the tea gathering, or during ‘post event activities’.

163. Why don’t we have background music during a Sans Self Tea Gathering？

No music is played or being performed throughout a Sans Self Tea Gathering –  from the time when registration begins to packing up – because it may weaken the ‘flavour’ of such a unique tea gathering and does not serve the purpose of music appreciation.  Some people may think that background music can contribute to the atmosphere; the reality is, music can be a source of distraction; this would be worse if the songs are familiar to us. Without music, we will channel all our attention to tea, brewing, interpersonal relationship and the spirit of the tea gathering. This way, the style of Sans Self Tea Gathering will become more prominent, and the impact of the Way of Tea on everyone present will be stronger.

 

Music can be introduced after the last cup of tea to accentuate the ‘beauty of the void’. At this juncture, everyone at the tea gathering can sit back and listen to the music, while relishing the aftertaste of the tea. If more time for music appreciation is preferred, the Organizer may allocate a longer period for music performance as part of the ‘post-event activities’.

164.  ‘Post-tea activities’ would best be carried out by participants

Organizing a Sans Self Tea Gatherings should be hassle-free.  It is important to keep administration to a minimum; there are no specially-appointed organizing team members – tasks are shared by fellow tea drinkers (with the exception of special tasks such as video filming).  By the same token, it would be best if participants are responsible for post-tea activities. They may stay in their respective places, or move slightly to the side where the musical instrument is, and sing or play a piece of music. This is the easiest way to fulfil the intention of illustrating the ‘beauty of the void’ because the performers are also participants.

165. Organizing a promotional Sans Self Tea Gathering

Any quiet place will be good for a Sans Self Tea Gathering among friends. However, if a Sans Self Tea Gathering is to be organized to create awareness among members of the public, it is advisable to find a popular spot with a lot of traffic. It is essential to have a presenter at promotional Sans Self Tea Gathering; otherwise, onlookers would be at a loss. Meanwhile, it would be more effective to get onlookers warm up to the idea of Sans Self Tea Gathering if they will be offered tea.

To enhance the effect of a Sans Self Tea Gathering where the public will be briefed, prepare a set of written information introducing this form of gathering, including places where those interested can take relevant lessons. It is even better if the Organizer can include a ‘trial’ tea gathering at the end of the tea gathering. Find out how many people are interested, and assign one participant as mentor to each person interested. These mentors would lend their sets of tea ware to the newcomers. As the presenter explains the procedure, the newcomers will practise with the help of their mentors by the side. This is ideal as the newcomers can put into practice – with readily-available tea ware –what they saw and heard a while ago. Pre-event preparation would be necessary. The Organizer should remind participants to bring one extra flask of hot water (or have hot water refill on site), an additional cup (or have paper cups for everyone), and put more tealeaves in the teapot (the same tealeaves can be used for brewing during this trial round).

166. Application of Sans Self Tea Gathering for other occasions

Sans Self Tea Gathering is an occasion when tea is used as a means to get together. It can also be adopted in the following ways:

a. As a teaching method for ‘tea identification’ in the study of the Way of  Tea. For example, the teacher will divide students into groups of four and ask each one in a group to bring along a certain kind of tea. Adopting the format the Sans Self Tea Gathering, each member of a group will serve the tea brewed with tealeaves he has brought along. As the end, each member of a group would have sampled and learned about the characteristic of each of the four teas.

b. As a form of practice for brewing in the study of the Way of Tea.  For example, the teacher will bring along, or ask the students to bring along a particular tea, with which everyone will practice brewing according to the format of Sans Self Tea Gathering. This way, each student will be able to drink four cups of the same kind of tea (assuming each serves four cups) and assess if each cup is well brewed or poorly brewed.

c. As a form of engagement or wedding ceremony.  The time for ‘Tea Ware Appreciation and Networking’ session can be used for the engagement or wedding ceremony, after which the newly-wed couple can brew with fellow tea drinkers.  The bride and groom serve tea to each other’s parents; while other participants serve tea according to the agreed conditions of Sans Self Tea Gathering (The seats of the bride and groom are considered those of non-brewers). ‘Serving tea to onlookers’ is effectively serving tea to guests attending the ceremony.  Post-tea activities could be singing by friends and relatives, and the tea gathering may or may not be followed by a wedding banquet.  What’s being advocated by Sans Self Tea Gathering can be applied to marriage, and adopting the tea gathering as a form of wedding ceremony is both symbolic and appropriate.

d. The tea gathering can also be held in memory of a person.  For this purpose, The time for ‘Tea Ware Appreciation and Networking’ session can be used for ‘paying tribute to a person ’, followed by participants offering their first cup of tea to the subject of tribute. After this, tea could be offered to fellow tea drinkers or other participants of the memorial gathering. Post-tea activities could be chanting or group singing of remembrance. Such arrangement enables the subject of tribute to take the same cup of tea with everyone present – and ‘drinking literally from the same cup’ makes the occasion so much more touching and memorable.

167. ‘Sans Self Tea Gathering’ in English, Japanese and Korean

Sans Self Tea Gathering is known as 「無我茶會」in Chinese, Japanese and Korean, as  the Chinese-, Japanese- and Korean-speaking  audiences can readily recognized the term. In English, this unique form of tea gathering was first translated as Anatman Tea Convention, followed by Wu-wo Tea Ceremony. In spring 2012, we decided to rephrase it to ‘Sans Self Tea Gathering’, given the fact that the tea gathering celebrates the realization of ‘無’, literally ‘the absence of’ or ‘void’. ‘無我’ should be understood as ‘I who understand the idea of nothingness’. Sans, an archaic French word meaning ‘without’, has been made popular by some of the greatest literary works through the ages, including William Shakespeare’s comedy “As You Like It”. To call it a tea gathering, instead of a tea ceremony, is to better reflect its nature as the founders see it.

168. What is the International ‘Sans Self Tea Gathering’ Organization?

Tea drinkers in different countries and regions have undertaken to promote Sans Self Tea Gathering. They take turn to host large scale ‘International Sans Self Tea Gathering’ at regular intervals at agreed locations. The Organizer of an international Sans Self Tea Gathering is the Sans Self Tea Gathering Organization of the country or region. The Leaders’ Convention of an International Sans Self Tea Gathering is the occasion when member organizations of the International Sans Self Tea Gathering Organization meet up to discuss issues pertaining to the promotion of Sans Self Teat Gathering and the host of the upcoming event.

169. Is there a need of a standardized flag and anthem for the Sans Self Tea Gathering?

We had introduced a flag and an anthem for Sans Self Tea Gathering when it was first launched. These are still used in certain countries and regions. However, they have not been stated as the standardized flag and anthem, because we do not regard this an important issue.

170. What is the meaning behind ‘Sans Self Tea Gathering’ ?

‘Sans Self Tea Gathering’ is a way of thinking and a form of tea gathering pertaining to the study of tea. ‘Sans Self’ should be understood as ‘I who understand the idea of nothingness’. Only in the state of ‘nothingness’ can ‘something’ be born. One can hardly attain wellbeing if one’s mind is preoccupied with wealth, fame, status, beauty and endless chores. The state of nothingness is neither a state of ignorance nor death.  An analogy of such a state will be the colourless light which is effectively a convergence of different colours. The colours in our life are distilled by ‘tea’; this enables us to enter into a state with an ‘absence of colours’.

171. Sans Self Tea Gathering for one to thousands and millions of participants

Sans Self Tea Gathering may have begun with one person.  When a person brews and enjoys tea with no disturbance or distraction, it is more likely that he can savour the taste of tea, understand the brewing process, contemplate how a brewer’s state of mind affects the taste of tea, calm himself and come face to face with his true self. In fact, we encourage everyone to take tea alone, and look upon this as the basis of the Way of Tea.

When you have a clear idea of what it is like having tea on your own, you may invite your closest friend and ‘have both drinking tea alone’ –  the two of you will brew tea on your own, serve each other tea, all in silence. A deeper understanding between you two can be achieved in the course of brewing, serving and drinking tea. As distraction is kept to the minimum, you will understand each other better. You will be able to experience more and learn the way to staying quiet in others’ presence. When you have achieved an understanding of a state of nothingness in the presence of another person, you may proceed to invite a small group of three to five good friends, and introduce them to this way of having tea. Practise the Way of Tea together in the spirit of ‘emptiness and solitude’. Feel the tranquility and freedom in the midst of a larger group. This way, the number of people for a Sans Self Tea Gathering can reach thousands and millions.

 

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第十二章 無我茶會的推廣-蔡荣章

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《無我茶會Sans Self Tea Gathering 180條》

蔡荣章著Author:Rong-tsang Tsai

ISBN978-957-9690-08-9 “无我茶会Sans Self Tea Gathering180,” First edition: 1999.9, Second edition: 2010.9《无我茶会180条》1999.9第一版 2010.9第二版 台北陆羽茶艺股份有限公司.2012.05.20修订版-English Translator : Katherine Yip英语翻译：叶德明

第十二章 無我茶會的推廣

156.「無我茶會」推廣工作如何進行

為推廣無我茶會，臺灣的「中華國際無我茶會推廣協會」在各地設置有「無我茶會指導老師」與「茶道老師」，從事定點與非定點式的教育與訓練。並鼓勵茶道老師進而設置定點的「茶道教室」，有計劃地開班授課，除了無我茶會的課程外，還可以延伸至其他茶學領域。

157.將無我茶會列入茶道教育課程

隨著無我茶會的普遍推展，無我茶會已逐漸被列入各茶道教育的課程之中，無我茶會的舉辦也自行在世界各地進行。這本《無我茶會Sans Self Tea Gathering—茶人的茶會作品》即為無我茶會的基本教材。

158.「無我茶會道場」的設置

我們希望「無我茶會道場」在各地方設置，作為茶友們定期舉辦無我茶會的場所，每週固定時間都有一場無我茶會，茶會前後是大家聯誼的時間。定期無我茶會之外的時間則作為無我茶會演練場所，並可從事其他茶學教育。

159.無我茶會茶具完整性的重要

無我茶會的茶具並沒有要求一定的款式，所以每人不難湊出一套可用的茶具，但在初學階段，一套完整好用的茶具是很重要的，一方面引起興趣，二方面在信心建立後比較願意花心思去購置必需的設備。

所以各訓練單位不妨預備一、二十套無我茶會的茶具供初學者練習時使用，但規定在一定階段後就必須自己購置。

160.無我茶會的機動性與擴充性

無我茶會鼓勵席地而坐，所以無需桌椅，茶具、坐墊、開水都是每人自備，不論室內外，不論國內外，到處可以舉辦，是機動性很強的一種茶會形式。

無我茶會無需指揮，所以隊形拉得多長多遠皆無所謂，甚至於中間被一棟建築或一座小山擋住也無妨，人數可以無限制地擴充。無我茶會還可以奉茶給圍觀的人，一百人泡茶、每人奉四杯茶給圍觀的人，就有四百個圍觀的人可以喝到茶；若每人奉八杯茶（分二次）給圍觀的人，就有八百個圍觀的人可以喝到茶。這個時段若設有解說員從旁解說，很容易地就可以讓那麼多圍觀的人瞭解何謂「無我茶會」、何謂「茶道」。所以說無我茶會是擴充性、傳播力很強的一種茶會形式。

161.如何使無我茶會的風格與特性凸顯出來

一開始推動時，就要將無我茶會的幾項特殊做法，如開始泡茶後不准說話，不設貴賓致詞等徹底表現出來，否則大家不容易體會到無我茶會的獨特風格。例如推廣初期，有個單位不敢徹底要求，怕茶友們認為太嚴肅，就允許大家聊天，並且一邊喝茶一邊吃零食，結果大家覺得與一般茶友的聚會沒有什麼兩樣，還是聊聊天、吃吃東西，只不過是圍成一圈席地而坐罷了，以後也就不了了之。

要有效地推動無我茶會，就要徹底瞭解無我茶會的諸多特殊做法與其意義，如此才有勇氣徹底執行，也才能夠說服參加者及配合各項活動的人們。例如聯合主辦的其中一個單位要求泡茶之前讓他們的主管說幾分鐘的話，您如何說服他那是不適當的。例如您邀請於品茗後從事音樂演奏的音樂家，認為五分鐘太短了，而且要求做番介紹，您如何將「為什麼如此安排」的道理完善地表達出來，這些都是推動無我茶會很重要的準備工作。

162.無我茶會為什麼不設貴賓席與長官致詞的時間

無我茶會不在圍成圈圈的座位上設置貴賓席供地方知名人士或長官就坐，也不在圈外或圈內設置這樣的席位。我們歡迎地方人士與長官與大家一起抽籤泡茶，而且這樣所顯現的效果絕不輸給「一旁就坐」。如果他們無法一起泡茶，但有心瞭解或鼓勵這樣的茶會，我們歡迎，但請他們與其他圍觀者一樣，站在圈外觀看或接受奉茶。

同樣道理，在茶會間安排長官致詞，不但與無我茶會的風格不一致，而且效果也沒有讓這位長官一起泡茶、奉茶的好。依過去的經驗，只要有耐心地將無我茶會的做法及其意義說明給這位長官瞭解，他都同意改致詞為參與泡茶。如果另外需要傳達一些訊息，可以在會後全體合影的時候撥出一點時間給他，或在茶會之後，另外為他安排一場「會後活動」。

163.無我茶會進行間為什麼不放音樂

無我茶會進行間，從報到到收拾茶具、結束茶會，是不播放音樂或有人從旁演奏音樂的，因為這樣做徒然減弱茶會的「茶味」，也無益於音樂欣賞。有人認為若播放音樂相襯，氣氛會更好，但事實上，是部分心情與部分注意力轉移到音樂上去而已，若是一首大家熟悉的樂曲，更是厲害；如果沒有了音樂，大家的精神全神貫注在茶上、泡茶上、人我關係上、茶會的精神上，無我茶會的風格會更加凸顯，人們被茶道感染的效果會更加強烈。

與音樂的搭配是放在喝完最後一道茶的「空白之美」上，這時大家放下一切，專心聆聽音樂，回憶茶味。如果尚需要增加音樂欣賞的時間，可在茶會結束後作為「會後活動」來安排。

164.「品茗後活動」演出人員最好也是參加無我茶會的人

無我茶會舉辦起來要很輕鬆、自然才好，儘量將行政工作化為無形。所以無所謂專任的工作人員，一切工作都由參加茶會的茶友來分擔（除了攝錄影等特殊的任務）。基於這項理念，品茗後活動的演出最好也是由參加茶會的茶友擔任。泡完茶，就在原地或移動到鄰座放樂器的地方，或高歌，或演奏一段樂曲。這樣的安排，其空白之美的效果最容易掌握，因為演出的人就是喝茶的人。

165.推廣性無我茶會的舉辦

如果只是一群朋友相聚，找個寧靜的地方舉辦茶會便罷，如果為讓更多的人知道，並進而能一起參與無我茶會，那就要找個有眾多人群的公共場所舉辦。推廣性無我茶會必須設有解說人員，否則圍觀的人看不懂這群人在做些什麼，若能同時奉茶給圍觀的人，更能將大家融成一體。

設有對外解說的無我茶會，最好能提供大家一分書面資料，上面有無我茶會簡介，並告訴大家什麼地方可以學習到這樣的茶道知識。若能在茶會之後舉辦一場練習性無我茶會則效果更佳，方法是公開徵求願意參與練習的人，有多少人參加，無我茶會的茶友就多少人當指導老師，一個搭配一個，將全套茶具借給新人使用。解說員一面解說，練習的人即一面操作，指導老師從旁協助。由於有茶具，而且剛才方看過、聽過一次，這樣學習的效果會很好。只不過事先要有所準備，如要求大家多帶一支熱水瓶（或現場可以補充熱水）、多帶一份杯子（或統一以紙杯代替）、茶葉多放一些入壺（繼續沖泡原來的茶葉即可，若茶葉多放一些，練習時還可以繼續使用）等。

166.無我茶會在其他場合的應用

無我茶會除了作為大家以茶會友的一種聚會方式外，尚可在下列場合中使用：

a.茶道教學中，作為「各種茶之認識」的教學方法。例如每四個人一組，每人帶老師事先約定的一種茶，奉茶時改為每組四人以無我茶會的方式輪流供茶。這樣每人就可以喝到、認識到四種茶。

b.茶道教學中，作為“泡茶練習”的方式之一。例如統一帶某種茶，或由老師統一提供茶葉，依無我茶會標準方式奉茶。這樣每人就可以喝到、體會到泡得好或壞的四杯茶（假設每人泡四杯）。

c.以無我茶會作為訂婚或結婚的方式。「茶具觀摩與聯誼」的時間改為訂婚或結婚的儀式，然後新人與茶友一起泡茶，新娘新郎奉茶給對方父母，其他的人依無我茶會事先的約定奉茶（新娘新郎的位子視為不泡茶者），「奉茶給圍觀來賓」時則是奉茶給其他參加典禮的親友。品茗後活動可以改為親友合唱團的禮贊，茶會結束後進行餐會（或逕行結束）。無我茶會的許多理念是可以應用到婚姻生活中的，以無我茶會作為婚姻的儀式有其積極意義。

d.以無我茶會作為紀念某人的方式。這時的「茶具觀摩與聯誼」時間可以改為「紀念事項的陳述」，接著第一道首杯全奉給所要追念的人，以後才奉給圈內的茶友或其他參加追念的人，品茗後活動可以改為追念性的吟詩或合唱。這種紀念方式讓大家與所追憶的人共飲一杯茶，此種「一飲同心」的體會將使紀念活動更為感人。

167.「無我茶會」的英、日、韓譯

在中、日、韓三種語文裡，「無我茶會」都可以通用，大家也都看得懂，在英文裡，最早譯為Anatman Tea Convention, 後改為音譯的Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony, 2012年春，我們決定將無我茶會的英譯定為“Sans Self Tea Gathering”。 茶會的意義著重於對“無”的體悟，無我應被解釋為“懂得無的我”。sans 一詞取自於莎士比亞劇作《皆大歡喜》，原為法文，是“無”的意思，gathering取其聚會之意，這樣比較接近創建者對“無我茶會”的詮釋。

168.什麼是「無我茶會」的國際組織

無我茶會由茶友在各國與各地推展，並定期在某個國家或地區輪流舉辦大型的「國際無我茶會」，承接國或地區的無我茶會組織即為主辦單位。每屆國際無我茶會的領隊會議就是無我茶會的國際組織，討論有關推展事宜，並決定下屆承辦的單位。

169.無我茶會需要統一的會旗與會歌嗎

無我茶會在創辦時設有會旗與會歌，也有些國家與地區延用，但沒有將之設定為統一的會旗與會歌，因為那並不是很重要的。

170.「無我茶會」的字面意義是什麼

「無我茶會」是一種茶道思想、一種茶會形式的名稱，無我應被解釋為〝懂得無的我〞。「無」中才可以生「有」，心中充滿了財富、名譽、地位、美麗與忙碌，幸福無從產生。無我的無也不是白癡、不是死亡，而是有如光線的無，乃由七彩融合而成，紛雜的生命色彩藉「茶」將之純化為無。

171.一人到千萬人的無我茶會

無我茶會是從一人獨飲演化而來。一人中規中矩地泡茶，然後一人獨自品飲，由於沒有他人的干擾，最易體會茶味，最易瞭解泡茶過程、泡茶心情之影響茶味，最易讓自己安定下來，最易看清楚自己。所以我們鼓勵大家獨飲，甚至於認為獨飲是茶道之始。

當您能掌握自己一人獨飲的狀況後，再邀請您最親密的朋友一起「二人獨飲」，兩人靜靜泡茶，泡好茶，我給你一杯、你給我一杯。從靜靜地泡茶、奉茶、喝茶間，逐漸加深彼此的交流，由於降低了其他的干擾，彼此會看得更清楚、體會得更多，而且學會與別人一起安靜。熟悉了兩人的「無我」，開始邀集三五好友，將這種喝茶方式介紹給他們，與他們一起練習「空寂」之下的茶道，也學習多人之下的寧靜與自在，就這樣逐漸增加人數，直到千萬人。

 

  (1720)

無我茶會Sans Self Tea Gathering (Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony-Chapter 11 Pre-event Preparation and Things that Matter to the Organizer -蔡荣章Rong-tsang Tsai

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《無我茶會Sans Self Tea Gathering (Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony)180條》

蔡荣章著Author:Rong-tsang Tsai

ISBN 978-957-9690-08-9,“无我茶会Sans Self Tea Gathering(Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony) 180” ,First edition: 1999.9, Second edition: 2010.9.《无我茶会180条》,1999.9第一版，2010.9第二版.台北陆羽茶艺股份有限公司.2012.05.20修订版.-English Translator : Katherine Yip,英语翻译：叶德明.

Chapter 11 Pre-event Preparation and Things that Matter to the Organizer –蔡荣章Rong-tsang Tsai

144. The opportune time for a Sans Self Tea Gathering

  1. For Learning:  As a channel for those who want to familiarize themselves with the Way of Tea.
  2. For Personal Improvement: As an invaluable opportunity for the betterment of oneself.
  3. For Highlighting Seasonal Changes: As a reminder of the changes in nature in tune with the seasonal cycle, e.g. when maple leaves turn red, when snow falls deep in the night, when plum blossoms are in full bloom….
  4. For Celebration: As a form of celebration, be it wedding anniversary, special anniversaries, career promotion, windfall, and any other occasions that call for celebration.
  5. For Commemoration:  As an occasion dedicated to a special day; to bid farewell or to pay tribute to someone.
  6. For Promotion: As a great platform to introduce the idea of Sans Self Tea Gathering and encourage more people to join.

145. How should we name a Sans Self Tea Gathering

With the exception of Sans Self Tea Gatherings organized for the sake of practice, each gathering could be given a name for easy reference and a clear focus on the theme. It should reflect the objective – for example, ‘New Leaves of Spring” Sans Self Tea Gathering held in a budding beech-maple forest as a reminder of the arrival of spring; ‘Breaking Dawn’ Sans Self Tea Gathering for sharing the experience of a moment at daybreak; or ‘Familial Bonding’ Sans Self Tea Gathering held on Mother’s Day to reiterate the strong tie between parents and children.

146. Reconnaissance

It is important for the Organizer to carry out a field visit before or after decision is made on the venue. This will shed light on the following:

a. How many people can the place accommodate? What kind of seating plan should be adopted? How flexible it is with regard to the number of seats?

b. Contingency plan for rainy day or bad weather

c. Routes, aisles and registration counter on site

d. Position of the audio console and amplifiers and sound effect, if required

e. Arrangement for the arrival of participants and parking

f. Facilities including lavatories

g. Movement and traffic of non-participants and possible crowd interruption

h. Control of lighting for evening event

i. Location for post-event group photo session

j. What kind of ‘Post-event Activities’ can be lined up?

k. How large should the signage be? Is it necessary to prepare some directional signs for the venue?

147.  Which tasks are to be handled by specific personnel during the preparation and when the tea gathering is in progress?

The ‘Task List’ featured in the ‘Notification’ ensures that the persons involved are aware of their respective tasks and their contribution to successful event organization acknowledged. This ‘simplified’ way of announcement does away with separate notification and printing materials.

The ‘Task List’ details the tasks before and during a Sans Self Tea Gathering, and those responsible for these tasks. The list would include: The Organizer, the Convener, Venue Committee (which handles seat arrangement, seat number plates, seating plans, directional signs and audio setup, etc); General Affairs Committee (which is responsible for signing-in, time-synchronizing, drawing of lots, distributing tea cups for onlooking guests and stamping of passbook, etc); Networking Committee (which helps participants get to know each other and welcomes members of the media); Social Committee (which takes care accommodation, dining, transportation and health concerns of participants, especially overseas participants, as well as taking charge of on-site order and security); Record Committee (which is in charge of video filming, photography and recording of the Tea Gathering); Post-tea Activities Committee (which organizes post-tea activities);and Post-event Activities Committee (which is responsible for the arrangement of post-event photo session and post-event activities).

148. Who are the members of the Organizing Committees?

It would be ideal to have participants helping out. This way, they can move on to brew tea with the others when their tasks are completed.  However, large-scale Sans Self Tea Gatherings would require video recording crew and photographers.  It may also call for a dedicated service desk to attend to urgent matters throughout the event, or security personnel keeping order at the venue.  In these cases, it is necessary to hire professional assistance.

149. How to inform participants of the procedure of the tea gathering (preparation of the ‘Notification’)

Prior to a Sans Self Tea Gathering, each participant will receive a ’Notification’. Besides the ‘Task List’, the ’Notification’ also specifies the following: name (theme) of the tea gathering, date and time, venue, number of participants, matters pertaining to brewing  (including number of cups to be served, number of teas to be brewed and rounds of brewing), serving method (including the parties to be served, and whether onlookers are to be served), seating arrangement, post-event activities, procedure of the tea gathering and the contingency plans for rain and wet weather.

The procedure should specify both the ‘time’ and ‘procedure’, including the starting time of venue set up, participants signing-in, tea ware appreciation and networking session, brewing, post-tea activities, packing up, group photo session, post-event activities as well as the end of the post-event activities.

Inclusion of the name of companies, organizations or political parties; occasion; trade name of teas and the tea production areas in the name of Sans Self Tea Gatherings is considered inappropriate. The same goes with tea gatherings dedicated to a particular type of tea. The exception would be tea gatherings held in memory of or as a tribute to a person. This is to ensure that the tea gatherings would not be abused and turned into advertising time.

In principle, there should not be any restrictions with regard to the choice of tealeaves, unless for special reasons, such as for commemorative tea gatherings. In such cases, non-commercialized names such as ‘non-fermented teas’ or ‘post-fermented teas’ could be included in the name of the gathering.

As for ‘other agreed-upon matters’, there should not be any restrictions on the tea ware and brewing method, as well as particular style of clothing.

  Sans Self Tea Gathering: Notification                                                              No:

Name of the Tea Gathering

Date and Time

Venue

Venue                      (for rainy weather)

No. of participants

No. of types of tea

Number of cups

No. of brews for each tea

Serving method

Other agreed-upon matters

Post-tea activities

Post-event activities

Procedure

Task list

：

 Venue set-up begins

The Organizer

：

 Participants registration and seating allocation begins

The Convener

Followed by

 ‘Tea ware and networking’ session begins

Venue Committee

：

 Brewing begins

Signing-in Committee
After the last brew has been taken ’Post-tea’ activities begin

Lot Drawing Committee

Followed by

 Packing up

Networking Committee

Followed by

 Group photo session

Social Committee

：

 ’Post-event’ activities begin

Record Committee

：

 ’Post-event’ activities end

Post-tea Activities Committee

Post-event Activities Committee

‘Pre-event briefing and tea-brewing practice’

Date, time, venue and instructor

Person in Charge

Telephone No.

E-mail

（Contact information of The Organizer）

150. How could we explain to participants the spirit and procedure of the tea gathering (Organizing the ‘Pre-event Briefing’)

Enabling participants to fully understand the spirit and procedure is a prerequisite to a successful Sans Self Tea Gathering. Information about Sans Self Tea Gathering may have been imparted during tea culture classes; however, it is absolutely necessary to host a ‘Pre-event Briefing’ for first-time participants. While the participating groups may brief their members, dedicated briefings could also be put together by the Organizer.  Such ‘Pre-event Briefings’ should be clearly stated in the ‘Notification’, along with details of the date, time, venue and instructor.

It will be best if demonstration and practice could be arranged besides verbal presentation during the Pre-event Briefing.  Tea ware could be brought along by the participants attending the training, or provided by the party responsible for the training.  However, participants must bring along their own tea ware when they attend the Sans Self Tea Gathering, after which they can use the tea ware in their daily lives.

151. How to make sure preparation is in place before the tea gathering? (The use of ‘Task Checklist’)

Prepare a checklist with details of each task for pre-event preparation to avoid  oversight.

         Sans Self Tea Gathering: Task Checklist

NO.          Description           Remarks  Checked

1

 Venue Planning

2

 Notification (including details of each task)

3

 Pre-event Briefing

4

 Audio Equipment

5

 Signage (name of the tea gathering, directional signs, etc)

6

 Number of Participants and Seat Control (projection of absentees)

7

 Seating and Serving non-brewing participants

8

 Seat Number Plates

9

 Venue Boundary Markers

10

 Seating Plan

11

 Sign-in Book at the Registration Counter

12

 Paper Strips for seat numbers and signing

13

 Time Synchronizing Tools

14

 Identification Tags

15

 Venue Coordination

16

 Guest Reception and Social Networking

17

 Post-tea Activities

18

 Post-event Activities

19

 Post-event Venue Clear-up

20

 Announcement and Briefing at the Group Photo Session

21

 Contingency Measures for rainy weather

22

 Cup Position Indication Plan for a commemorative Sans Self Tea Gathering

23

 Cups for the Onlookers

24

 Distribution of Promotional Leaflets

25

 Coordination with the Presenter

26

 Keeping Order at the Venue

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

 

152. Record of the Tea Gathering

Compile a record of the Sans Self Tea Gathering for each ‘Organizer’. Each record should include basic information about the tea gathering, registry, key photos or video recording.

Revise, amend and make addition to the original ‘Notification’ to come up with the basic information about the tea gathering.  Affix the signed strips of paper in a book according to the order of the numbers to produce a registry.

153. How to control the number of participants

The Organizer should have kept a detail record of each participant’s name, organization and contact telephone number, regardless of the fact the person registers on his own, or as part of a group. A rough estimate on the number of participants does not suffice. Furthermore, information of participants will have to be verified one by one when the date of the tea gathering draws near. Identification tags, if used, can be issued to the individuals once the personal information is confirmed to alleviate the workload at the registration counter on the day of the tea gathering.

If participants have to pay to attend the tea gathering, try to collect the fees prior to the tea gathering when they sign up, and issue identification tags accordingly when payment is made. The Organizer must think of a way to make it convenient for participants to make payment beforehand; payment on the spot is not only likely to cause delay but also makes it hard for the Organizer to control the number of participants.

154. How much time should be allocated to each step of the procedure?

Time allocated for signing in depends on the number of participants and tasks involved. A large gathering would require more time (in this case, the Organizer may consider setting up a few lot drawing stations). A paid event with an extensive task list and accommodates on-the-spot registration (whereby participants did not sign up before the day) will naturally call for longer time; all the more if cups for onlookers are to be distributed to the participants when they sign in. As such, time allocated for signing-in needs to be adjusted accordingly. Nevertheless, try to finish it within half an hour even if it is a tea gathering with a thousand participants – otherwise, the entire tea gathering may seem to drag on too long.

For the duration for the ‘Tea ware Appreciation and Networking’ session, the Organizer may want to consider the number of participants and if they know each other well.  If the group is small, and degree of familiarity high, it does not require a long time – 20 minutes or less for not more than 50 people is about right. If participants are not familiar with each other, and come from different countries or regions, the duration may be extended to 30 minutes. However, if there are hundreds of participants from overseas, it is not practical to calculate the allocated time on this basis as appreciating tea ware alone may take up a lot of time. Try to limit the duration to 50 minutes to avoid having the tea gathering last for too long.  For a tea gathering with 20 to 30 friends who get together often, a 10-minute session is good enough; ‘sitting quietly’ for a few minutes could be an alternative.

For a tea gathering serving three rounds of tea, 20 minutes would be enough for brewing and serving. This could be extended to 30 minutes if the gathering serves four rounds of tea, two each to onlooking guests and fellow participants.  The environment rather than the ‘number of people’ is a major factor in this case.  For example, it will require a longer duration if the tea gathering takes place at a scenic spot with more space in between seats; by the same token, the duration could be shortened if the tea gathering is held indoors in a small, enclosed venue.

Five minutes could be the norm for the duration of ‘Post-tea activities’ regardless of the number of participants – a duration any longer than this may undermine the impact of the ‘beauty of the void’ after tea is served and taken.

For a tea gathering with no more than 50 participants, allocate five minutes for packing up. Make it ten minutes if there are more than a hundred participants.

All in all, a Sans Self Tea Gathering should be over in an hour regardless of the number of participants. We do not encourage one that drags on – for an exceptionally large-scale event, it should not exceed two hours.

155. How to identify participants of a Sans Self Tea Gathering?

Identification is not a cause for concern among a small group of friends meeting up for a Sans Self Tea Gathering.  However, it becomes a reason to worry if the tea gathering is meant for a large crowd, or participants unfamiliar with each other. Use identification tags which have the added benefits of breaking the ice among strangers.

  (1944)

無我茶會Sans Self Tea Gathering (Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony)-Chapter10Problem Solving-蔡荣章Rong-tsang Tsai

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《無我茶會Sans Self Tea Gathering (Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony)180條》

蔡荣章著Author:Rong-tsang Tsai

ISBN 978-957-9690-08-9,“无我茶会Sans Self Tea Gathering(Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony) 180” ,First edition: 1999.9, Second edition: 2010.9.《无我茶会180条》,1999.9第一版，2010.9第二版.台北陆羽茶艺股份有限公司.2012.05.20修订版.-English Translator : Katherine Yip,英语翻译：叶德明.

Chapter 10  Problem Solving for Sans Self Tea Gathering(Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony)

128 How do we remedy the situation if an error occurs when tea is served?

Each participant is expected to know all the rules of a Sans Self Tea Gathering by heart. But errors do occur. Rectify the situation where possible if this does not disrupt the progress of the tea gathering. Leave it the way it is if you are not sure how to set it right, or if doing so will undermine the event flow. For example, your fellow participant has misplaced the cup served to you. All you need to do is to gesture him to move the cup back to the right position. This is considered a correctable error. However, if the person has mixed up the person to be served, which is hard to set right without disturbing the progress, then just let it be and consider this an uncorrectable error.

129. What if you are served one cup less?

You may start drinking when you have returned to your place after serving the others, and when your fellow participants have finished serving tea to you. However, if you have waited for an extended period, and there is yet one cup to be filled, then you may want to start drinking to avoid lagging behind. Sometimes, the other party may have taken too much time serving, or he may have simply made a mistake. It is more important to keep pace with the progress.

130. What if I can’t finish pouring the tea I have brewed and there is some left behind?

The amount of water for each brew is determined by the number and size of the cups you have brought along (as well as the ones provided by the organizer for serving onlookers). Calculation has to be done beforehand to ensure there is no surplus or shortage of tea. If the amount of water falls short, or the teapot is too small, then pour a little less tea into each cup. Conversely, if there is too much tea and can’t be finished in one round, then keep it till the next. If there is still some left behind at the end of the last round, just take it yourself.

Some people prefer to bring this surplus infusion home in the thermal flask; the problem is, it is hard to eliminate the smell of tea afterwards.  Some people may keep this surplus infusion in the upturned cap of the thermal flask, and pour it away when the tea gathering ends; others may even pour the infusion away there and then if the gathering is held in the countryside.  None of these ways are advisable; the fact that you have made an effort to brew well makes the infusion ‘precious’.  Discarding it would go against the intention to serve the best brew possible. Just bear in mind that controlling the amount of tea infusion and brew well is very important; should there be any infusion left behind, the best way is to take it yourself.

131. If the tea infusion is too difficult to stomach, what should I do?

When the tea is described as ‘difficult to stomach’, it probably means that the tea is too strong for the palate.  If this is the case, and the infusion is bearably strong, just drink it. You may also dilute it with some water if you worry that you body may not be able to take it because of the concentrated strength.  If the cup is filled to the brim, you may pour half of the infusion into a cup you have finished drinking from and add water to the infusion.

Such a cup of tea reminds us that we should make it a point to brew well and spare the others of the frustration. In any  case, if you have made an effort to bring along the tea, tea ware and hot water for brewing and serving, but come up with a brew that is ‘too difficult to stomach’, it will be a disgrace to not only you but also the tea.

132. If I attend the tea gathering but am not able to take tea on the day, what should I do?

This is rare and very unlikely. Having said that, there may be people who ‘are not tea drinkers but enjoy such an activity’; or, someone may not want to take tea at this juncture out of health considerations. If this is the case, fill each cup with hot water after taking the first brew.  This sends the signal to fellow participants that you would not be taking any more tea. If you are not able to take even the first brew, just leave the cups of tea as they are at the original spots. When it time to wipe the cups after the last brew, pour the tea infusion in each cup into the upturned cap of the thermal flask and discard it when the tea gathering is over.

Sans Self Tea Gathering is an activity of tea aficionados that promotes the Way of Tea. A ‘love of tea’ is essential in nurturing an enjoyment of this ‘activity’. If one enjoys the ‘activity’ but lacks a ‘love of tea’, he will be taking away the aura of ‘nothingness’ that makes a Sans Self Tea Gathering so special.

 

133. What should I do if the previous cup served has not been taken when I am about to serve the second brew?

When you serve with the ‘pitcher’ (or ‘spouted tea bowl’ for powdered tea) after finishing brewing for a second round, you discover that the first cup you served has not been taken. What should you do? At this juncture, observe and decide if the person has yet to do so, or he does not want to take it anymore.  If he is about to finish the cup when you show up, you may wait for a little while. If he does not want to drink, then there is no need to offer tea to him.  Consider health condition rather than the quality of the brew as the primary reason for his declining the offer.

The situation would have been handled differently if we are serving tea at home. Teachers of the Way of Tea would advise us to ask, “Would you like a cup of freshly-brewed tea?” If your guest agrees to this, pour away the tea which has become cold into the crucible, and refill the cup with some fresh brew. As the spirit and act of ‘frugality’ is embraced by the Sans Self Tea Gatherings, such follow-up offers are not promoted.

134. What if there is still tea infusion in the cup when I come to collect it?

A Sans Self Tea Gathering could be organized in honour of a dedicated person or occasion known as ‘an identified target’, to whom or to which the first cup of the first brew would be offered. One can drink the tea after collecting the cup if the infusion remains not taken at the end of the gathering. For Sans Self Tea Gatherings in general, however, any infusion not taken is considered the responsibility of the person to whom the tea is offered, in the sense that he is the one to clear the teacup of any content even if the tea infusion, for some reasons (such as the brew is too difficult to stomach, too much to finish or being left there out of oversight), remains in the cup when it is time for cup collection. What if the other party has overlooked this rule of a Sans Self Tea Gathering when you turn up to collect the cup? Just take your cup back and pour the infusion into the upturned cap of the thermal flask, and discard it after you have packed the tea ware (you may also pour it away at a suitable spot if the tea gathering is held in the countryside). It pays to find out if it has something to do with poor brewing or other reasons.

135. Is there anything I can do if the tea is not brewed to perfection?

Brewing a good pot of tea is a must for anyone serious about tea. Do the necessary if you notice that the tea infusion is either too strong or too weak before you serve – if the infusion is too weak, you may pour it back into the pot and steep a little longer; if the infusion is too strong, you may add some hot water to the infusion. If the infusion is far too strong and you want to dilute it but the tea pitcher is already full, you may pour a cup first and keep it for yourself. Take others’ tea first, pour half of the strong infusion into one of the emptied cups and add water to dilute.

If you are not sure whether the infusion is too weak or too strong when you pour the tea, you may pour some into your own cup first and try it to make sure it is of the desired strength.

136. If I don’t have enough water for brewing, or there is clearly too little tea infusion, what should I do?

Both scenarios may be attributed to inadequate preparation, or an unexpected increase of cups to be offered to onlookers. When you notice that there is not enough water for brewing during the last round, and there is no supply of hot water on site, you may gently ask the neighbours on your left and right if they have some to spare. If you have finished brewing and discover that there is a lot less infusion than you intend to serve, and the shortage could not be made up by simply having less infusion for each cup, you may need to brew one more time; the amount water would have to be adjusted according to what is needed. In this case, the two rounds of brewing would combine to make one brew.

137. May I offer a cup to my neighbour in the opposite direction?

In the event that there is still some infusion left in the pitcher after serving, you want to know if you could pour some tea into an emptied cup of your neighbour whom you want to get acquainted with but in the opposite direction (for instance, the neighbour to your right, if it is agreed to serve fellow participants to your left).  By the same token, you want to know whether you could offer a cup to a senior some distance away whom you want to introduce yourself to. The answer is ‘no’, given the fact that each activity has its own rules and restrictions instrumental to its success.

138. Concerns about hygiene for teacups

Each participant of Sans Self Tea Gathering brings along his own tealeaves and tea ware.  At the gathering, everyone brews, and takes tea brewed and offered in teacups by fellow participants. This has prompted some doubt about hygiene. Some people have come up with ideas about alternative arrangement. They suggest that one’s teacups be placed at one’s own ‘tea serving area’, and fellow participants pour tea into the teacups using tea pitchers (or spouted tea bowls). While this may allay worries about ‘the cleanliness of others’ teacups’; it will nonetheless create unnecessary distance among participants which should not be the case.  Come to think about it, human interaction is not as clinically hygienic as we imagine it to be – we shake hands with each other and we hug each other ever so often. What Sans Self Tea Gathering advocates is a natural and truthful flow of feeling among individuals; and hence the particular way of tea serving. Having said that, we should make sure the cups, tea ware, our hands and body are clean before attending the tea gathering.  Equally important are quality tealeaves and clean water for brewing.  At the tea gathering, we use the best of our knowledge and skill in brewing a good pot.  Not to be forgotten is a pleasant disposition and positive mindset to make you a great person to be with.

139. Could we find out the name of the tea we are served? And utter some words of praise if appropriate?

Sans Self Tea Gathering is to proceed in silence and no one should speak. As such, you should not try to find out what kind of tealeaves it is when you are enjoying the tea. But it would be hard to have the question hovering in your mind throughout the event, wouldn’t it? This is why you should focus on the brew without bothering about its name.  Likewise, when we offer tea to, say, the first, third and fifth fellow participants to our left, we do not need to know their names. We do not need to know the name of the mountain to appreciate its grandeur, nor the name of the cloud to appreciate its ethereal beauty. But if you just happen to know that the cup of tea was brewed by a certain participant, it is acceptable for you approach him after the tea gathering and find out more about his brew. Furthermore, if the brew is a very good one, it is perfectly fine to let the person know by way of praising. Tea drinking will become a chore if you keep bothering yourself about the name of the brew and its respective brewer, or reminding yourself how poor the brew is.

140. After offering the last brew, would it be possible for me to approach the tea guru I revere for his brew?

There were past incidents where participants went up to meet a certain tea guru after offering the last brew.  It might have started with just one participant, but before long, others followed suit until the crowd disrupted the procedure of the rest of the tea gathering. This was brought up during the post-event review, and it was felt that such disruption should be stopped. It is understood that the opportunities to get up close and personal with famed tea gurus may be difficult to come by; but this is best done during the ‘tea ware appreciation and networking’ session, or the ‘post-event activities’. One should bear in mind that in this case, reverence shown to some could be the cause of suffering, inconvenience and unpleasant experience of the others. This is certainly what tea aficionados would not want to happen.

 

141. Is it fine to exchange tea ware with fellow participants at the end of the tea gathering?

At the end of the Sans Self Tea Gatherings held over the past few years, some participants were seen exchanging tea ware as mementoes. At the beginning of the post-event review session, some people thought this was quite meaningful, especially for tea gatherings with international participants. As the discussion progressed, there were more and more opposing voices — they worried that if this becomes a trend, participants would have to make great mental effort in choosing the tea ware in case they need to exchange it with fellow participants.  While tea ware which has long been in one’s possession may not be highly-priced physically, it could have great emotional value, and the possibility of parting with it during a tea gathering could put one in distress. With this in mind, it is agreed that there should not be any exchange of tea ware during a Sans Self Tea Gathering.

142. Is it permissible to ask a few friends to stay back for more brews when the tea gathering is over?

Seating arrangement of a Sans Self Tea Gathering is decided by random drawing. As a result, friends and old acquaintances may not be sitting next to each other. Some of them tend to stay back after the tea gathering and continue to make more tea together.  This may create the impression that they only enjoy each other’s company and were forced to offer tea to other participants just now.

It is natural that people sit with their friends if not for seating arrangement by random drawing; for international events, people from the same country or region will certainly frock together. And yet, this would not have any contribution to the spirit of a Sans Self Tea Gathering. The tea gathering may be a picture of harmony free from national divides, ideological differences and personal relationship; but the small circles emerged after the event would surely defeat the purpose of a tea gathering that is supposed to be ‘san self’. Considering this, the organizer would not approve of any self-formed groups staying behind for more brews.

143. Is beverage other than tea allowed during Sans Self Tea Gatherings?

A ‘Sans Self Tea Gathering’ is the expression of the unique characteristics of ‘tea’ in the form of a tea gathering.  It is certainly not an occasion that picks ‘tea’ as the beverage of choice. To fully appreciate the spirit of a ‘Sans Self Tea Gathering’, the ‘love of tea’ is imperative.  It will be superficial and manipulative if one adopts its format and rules without the tea.

As such, non-tea beverage is not advisable. However, there is no restriction as to the type of tea used, and whether it is flavoured or floral-scented.

  (2114)

第十章 茶會間衍生的問題-蔡荣章

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《無我茶會Sans Self Tea Gathering(Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony) 180條》

蔡荣章著Author:Rong-tsang Tsai

ISBN978-957-9690-08-9 “无我茶会Sans Self Tea Gathering(Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony)180,” First edition: 1999.9, Second edition: 2010.9《无我茶会180条》1999.9第一版 2010.9第二版 台北陆羽茶艺股份有限公司.2012.05.20修订版-English Translator : Katherine Yip英语翻译：叶德明

第十章 茶會間衍生的問題

128.奉茶方法發生了錯誤怎麼辦

我們希望每位參加無我茶會的人都熟知茶會的規則，但若臨時發生錯誤，在不影響大會順利進行下，可修正就修正，不知如何修正，或修正會影響茶會正常運作時就不修正。例如前來奉茶的人把杯子放錯地方，用手筆劃一下，他就意會到了，這是可修正的狀況；若這個人連奉茶的對象都弄錯了，而且不是一下子可以調整過來的，就讓它去了，這是不修正的狀況。

129.別人奉給您的茶少了一杯，怎麼辦

出去奉完茶回座位，等別人奉過來的茶到齊後，就可以開始飲用，但等了半天還是少一杯，眼看進度就要落後了，這時就不要再等了，可能對方的動作太慢，也可能弄錯了，為顧全大局，先把茶喝了，繼續前面的進度。

130.所泡的茶倒不完怎麼辦

每一道茶的沖水量要以自己所帶杯子（及奉茶給圍觀者的杯子）的數量與大小而定，使能一次恰好倒滿所需的杯數與份量，若沖水太少，或茶壺太小，則每杯少倒一些，若沖泡的茶量太多，一次奉不完，可留待下次再奉，若已到了最後一道，只好自己將它喝掉。

有些人將奉不完的茶倒於熱水瓶帶回去，這樣熱水瓶內的茶味不容易清除；有些人將之倒於熱水瓶的外蓋上，茶會結束後拿去倒掉；若在野外泡茶，有人直接將它倒掉。以上這些處理方法都不好，畢竟茶是您用心帶來，且盡全力將之泡好，用以呈獻給茶友們的「珍貴之物」，這樣糟蹋，總與前面奉茶心意格格不入。所以用心地把茶泡好，把茶量控制好，萬一多出來了，將它喝掉，是比較妥當的做法。

131.遇到自己喝不下的茶怎麼辦

這裡所指的「喝不下」大概是指泡得太濃、難以下口，若只是量太多，喝了頂多肚子撐一些而已，不至於「喝不下」。若遇到泡得太濃，在可以忍受的情況下，還是喝了。如果擔心身體會因此不舒服，可加些水稀釋，如果杯子倒得滿滿的，無法稀釋，可倒一半到已喝過的杯子再補白水。

喝了這樣的茶，應更加要求自己把茶泡好，免得同樣給別人造成困擾，而且辛辛苦苦地帶茶、帶茶具、帶熱水來泡茶、來奉茶，居然還泡得別人喝不下去，如何對「自己」、對「茶」交代？

132.今天不能喝茶，但又參加了茶會，怎麼辦

這是很特殊的例子，不容易發生，但也不排除「並不是愛茶，只是愛這樣的活動」的人參加，或是因為身體的關係，這段時間不宜喝茶。遇到這種狀況，可在喝完第一道茶後，把每只杯子都用熱水佔滿，這樣別人前來奉茶時，就知道您不能再喝了。若連第一道茶都不能喝，那就將茶原封不動地放著，到了大家喝完最後一道茶，要擦杯子時，把每杯茶倒於熱水瓶的外蓋上，茶會結束後拿去倒掉。

無我茶會是一群愛茶人的茶道活動，「愛茶」是喜愛這項活動的根本要素，純粹只是愛茶的「活動」，無我茶會將失去它之所以為「無」的光彩。

133.奉茶時，發現自己的前一杯茶尚未被喝掉，怎麼辦

泡完第二道以後的茶，持「盅」（或泡末茶時的「有流茶碗」）出去奉茶，發現自己的前一杯茶尚未被喝掉，這時若被奉者也在座，應觀察是還來不及喝呢，還是已不想再喝？如果還來不及喝，等它一下，若不想再喝，就不要奉茶給他了。這時不要只想到是自己把茶泡壞了，別人喝不下去，應考慮到或許是因為對方身體不適的關係。

如果是在家裡待客，遇到這種情形，茶道老師會教我們問對方一下：「還想要喝一杯新泡的茶嗎？」對方如果說要，那就備一只水盂，把原來那杯已變冷了的茶倒掉，再為他倒一杯新的茶。但在無我茶會的場合，因為它的行為、精神基礎在「儉約」，所以不再有這段後續的動作。

134.收杯時，遇到剩有茶湯怎麼辦

為「特定對象」而舉辦的無我茶會，第一道茶的第一杯都會奉給「特定對象」，這杯茶如果未被喝掉，在收回後是自己將它喝掉。但如果是一般性的無我茶會，收杯時，遇到剩有茶湯，那是屬於對方的問題，如何說呢？因為不論是難喝、喝不完、忘了喝……，都應該將茶杯清出來，以便別人收回去，但如果確是遇到了剩有茶湯怎麼辦？就當他未弄清無我茶會的遊戲規則，將杯子收回，將茶湯倒於熱水瓶的外蓋上（野外泡茶時，直接倒於不影響的地方），收拾好茶具後再拿去倒掉。但檢討自己是不是把茶泡壞了，或是其他的原因造成對方無法將茶喝掉。

135.茶沒泡好，可以做些補救措施嗎

把茶泡好，這是茶人必須有的修養，如果在奉茶之前發現茶淡了或濃了，應行補救：淡了，再倒回壺內浸泡一下，濃了，倒些熱水稀釋。若屬太濃，想稀釋，但裝茶湯的茶盅已滿滿的，可先倒一杯出來，這杯就留給自己。到了飲用時，先將別人的茶喝完，倒一半到別人的杯子上，再稀釋。

您說：那我怎麼知道太淡了還是太濃了？若在倒茶時無法察知，可先倒一點在自己的杯子內試飲一下。

136.泡茶時發現水量或泡出的湯量明顯不足，有何應變方法

這兩種現象可能發生在事先的準備不足，或奉茶給圍觀來賓時，杯數臨時增加所致。泡到最後一道，發現帶來的熱水已不敷使用，現場又沒有熱水供應，這時可輕聲問一下左右鄰座的茶友是否有多餘的熱水，把熱水瓶借您使用一下。若泡完茶，發現茶湯少得太厲害，不是每杯少倒一點可以解決的，這時可以再補泡一次，沖水量視需要而定，就這樣兩泡當一泡使用。

137.可以倒一杯給反方向的芳鄰嗎

喝完茶後，發現盅內還剩有茶湯，今天約定向左奉茶，右鄰又是一位很想跟他攀談的朋友，能不能趁他喝完茶，杯子有空時，倒一杯茶給他喝？同一個問題的延伸：不遠處坐著一位久仰的前輩，能不能也趁這個機會走過去奉一杯茶給他？答案都是不可以，因為每一件事、每一項活動都有它的規則與限制，無規矩不能成方圓。

138.杯子的衛生問題

無我茶會是自行攜帶茶葉、茶具，一起泡茶，飲用的是別人的茶杯與茶。有人擔心衛生問題，建議改為將自己帶來的杯子擺在自己的「奉茶區」上，奉茶時是每人以自己的茶盅（或有流茶碗）將茶倒到被奉者自己的茶杯內。這樣子是省卻了「別人的杯子是否衛生」的那一半擔心，但同時也割去了不少人們交互奉茶的那份親切之情。人在交往中往往不能那麼「衛生」的，否則相互握手、相互擁抱等行為都要檢討。無我茶會想要推動的是人際間自然、真誠的那份情感，所以採取這樣的奉茶方式。當然每人要把自己的杯子、茶具、雙手、身體洗得乾淨，並攜帶高品質的茶葉、潔淨的水，以精湛且認真的技藝泡茶招待別人，還要把自己的身心修養得健康、快樂與進取，以便與大家共處。

139.不知道喝的是什麼茶，可以問嗎，可以讚美他嗎

無我茶會從泡茶開始後就不可以說話了，所以喝茶時，想知道那是什麼茶，是不可以開口發問的。那憋在心裡不是很難過嗎？所以我們喝茶時，只要專心品賞，不必管它叫什麼名字，就如同我們奉茶給左鄰第一、第三、第五位茶友，也不必管他叫什麼名字，我們欣賞一座山，也不必管它叫什麼名字，我們欣賞天上的一朵雲，也不必管它叫什麼名字。當然，如果您在很自然的情況下知道那杯茶是誰泡的，茶會結束後，可以當作談話資料問他；喝到一杯泡得很好的茶，在這種情況下讚美他一番也無妨。但若一面品飲一面操心著這杯茶是誰泡的？這杯茶叫什麼名字？這杯茶怎麼泡得那麼難喝……，就喝得太辛苦了。

140.最後一道茶奉完，可以走到景仰的人那兒要杯茶喝嗎

過去舉辦國際性無我茶會時，曾發生奉完最後一道茶，有茶友跑到他景仰的茶人那兒要茶喝，先是一個人，後來有人仿效，一時造成風氣，影響了茶會後半段的秩序，活動後有人提出討論，大家都認為不妥，雖然國際知名茶人難得一見，但盡可利用「茶具觀摩與聯誼」時間或「會後活動」的機會。否則對某些人的崇敬會造成對某些人的傷害，難免引起不愉快，這是愛茶人不喜歡看見的。

141.會後可以與別人交換茶具作紀念嗎

前幾屆的國際無我茶會曾發生茶會結束後有人互相交換茶具以為紀念。檢討會上，起初有人認為很有意思，尤其是國際性的茶會，交換得異國茶友的茶器很有紀念價值，但討論到後來，反對的人越來越多，大家擔心此風盛行後，出發參加茶會前就得操心要帶哪套茶器以便與人交換。雖然這套茶器不怎麼名貴，但陪我半輩子了，萬一有人要與我交換怎麼辦？所以後來大家有這麼一個默契：無我茶會上不可交換茶具。

142.茶會結束後可以再約些人原地繼續泡茶嗎

無我茶會以抽籤決定座位，所以一些熟識的朋友不一定坐在一起，因此就會發生會後這些人相約留在原地繼續泡茶的情事。這種現象看在大家眼裡，好像他們這一群才是好朋友，剛才奉茶給我只是形勢不得不如此。

如果不是以抽籤決定座位，一定是熟悉的人坐在一起，國際性的場合，同國家、同地區來的人聚在一起，這樣，無我茶會的精神如何推動？茶會時一幅無國界、無流派、無私情的樣子，會後馬上又成群結黨，哪能成就「無」的境界？所以茶會結束後是不可再約些人在原地繼續泡茶的。

143.無我茶會可以使用非茶的飲料嗎

是因為「茶」的德性讓我們以具體的茶會方式，將它體現出來而成就了「無我茶會」，並不是先有茶會形式才找到「茶」作為沖泡的飲料，所以要能深刻體驗無我茶會的精神，非要「愛茶」不可，若只是喜愛「無我茶會」的形式與教條，只是浮面的利用而已。

據此推論，無我茶會上不宜使用非茶的飲料，但何種茶，是否調了味、熏了花就不受限制了。

  (1754)

茶文化复兴初期的台湾茶学教育-20130828周三小方块-蔡荣章

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茶文化复兴初期的台湾茶学教育

蔡荣章

20130828周三小方块WEDNESDAY TEA CORNER

台北陆羽茶道教室隶属于台北陆羽茶艺中心，是民间的茶学教育机构。台北陆羽茶艺中心由陆羽茶艺股份有限公司设置，该公司成立于1980.08.24，陆羽茶艺中心于1980年10月1日开始营运，1980年12月成立“陸羽茶學講座”（1990.12.1改名为“陆羽茶道教室”）。这是台湾首次持续开设的茶学讲座，时间为当代茶文化复兴的初期，这样民间的茶学教育当然要从基层做起、茶道教室的课程要从初级班设置起。什么是人们需要的入门知识呢？我们认为要让喝茶人对茶、泡茶、茶具、茶史有个初步认识，于是着手设计课程纲要，将1980年12月首次开班的课程定名为“茶艺讲座”，每周上课二次，每次二小时，四周完成八次一期的讲座。

因为是针对社会人士，而且来上课的不是上班族就是家庭主妇，所以每期课程不宜排得太长，否则大家不容易排出时间。大家都在忙碌的生活中排除困难，一有机会就先上一期课再说，如此上完一期又一期，总有一天可以把各种茶学知识上完。经验告诉我们，一个月八次课左右是最容易被接受而且有效的排课方法，若只是三次四次，要教完一种课目而且深植学习者的心中是不容易的。

茶艺讲座初期的八次课是如此安排的：第一次茶的制造（含学员自我介绍），第二次茶的认识，第三次如何泡好一壶茶（泡茶原理），第四次泡茶演练（分组练习），第五次陶艺与茶艺，第六次茶的历史文化，第七次茶艺观摩（即泡茶考试），第八次学科考试与问题研讨（含颁证）。这样的课程内容一直实施了23年, 直至2003.03北京陆羽茶艺中心成立, 陈莉经理认为应该把无我茶会列入初级班的茶艺讲座内（台北陆羽茶艺中心已在1991.03.27将无我茶会列入中级班的“茶法與茶会研讨” 课之中），因此北京的茶艺讲座增加了一次二小时的无我茶会而变成九次课。后来台北陆羽茶艺中心也在举办了398期后，于2003.11.26将无我茶会增列入茶艺讲座399期及以后的课程之中。

台北陆羽茶道教室的茶艺讲座到2013.08.14截止一共举办了453期，每期约30位学员。若将1980视为茶文化复兴的起始，2013的今日已是过了33个年头，茶文化的种种现象已进入了发展期，但虽说纲目已举，然而“茶道艺术”尚未能普遍被认知与呈现，“茶文化”的独立体系尚未成熟，我们还不能停用“茶文化复兴”的字眼。

我们关注茶文化复兴初期的茶学教育，关注当时台北陆羽茶艺中心的发展情况，关心那个时候在哪里开设了什么基础课程、这个课程的内容包括什么内容、是哪些人参与学习、踊跃的程度如何，方便进一步了解现代茶学及茶文化的种种现象。

 

  (2468)

我如此享用一杯茶-蔡荣章-20130814周三小方块

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我如此享用一杯茶

蔡荣章

20130814周三小方块WEDNESDAY TEA CORNER

在我想喝茶的时候,我会选一款让我喝了很舒服的茶, 所谓很舒服是指喝了顺口，不会很快产生饥餓感, 不会有难以下咽的感觉。经验告诉我,这样的茶都与品质有关。我不在意茶的不同种类与风味差异,我很关注这款茶是否依它的天性将它做得到位。做得到位的茶不一定就是市场价位最高的茶,我会避开供不应求的时段与类别,我会随时储备一些这样的茶在身边。

放在身边的茶是要照顾的,我会依它们的需要放置在不同湿度与温度的地方(晒太阳与有异味是不行的),需要的时候给予适当的复火或常温式的干燥, 喝饼茶时提早二三天将茶剥离到接近散茶的程度。

泡茶的用水是平时就会准备的, 这时要关注的是这泡茶所需的温度。是这泡茶, 不是这种茶也不是这包茶, 因为这泡茶的茶况不见得与这一包茶一样,更不见得与这一种茶一样, 最明显的是细碎的程度不同, 或是多拨了一些较老的叶子入壶。这时的水温就需要微调。

我会选一把适合这包茶的壶, 所谓适合是指能将这包茶的特性表现得最好的壶, 如应选银壶、紫砂壶、或瓷壶？若是陶瓷壶还要决定不同的烧结程度。我会拿出喝茶最佳的杯子, 这是累积经验逐步留下来的杯子, 无需另行挑选, 这样的杯子才不会折损用心冲泡出来的茶汤。

我会依拟冲泡的次数在壶内置入适量的茶叶, 冲入该茶喜欢温度的热水, 精准地计算浸泡的时间, 然后将茶汤倒出。我会将茶汤倒干, 以免影响这一道预期的浓度以及下一道茶汤浓度的控制。我会很有耐心地等茶汤滴干。

我会使用一把附有细密滤网的茶盅（滤网经常是架设在盅口上）, 这样将茶汤一次倒入茶盅时可以将茶末过滤得很干净, 接着分倒入杯饮用, 就可以欣赏到完整的茶汤颜色,饮用时也不必担心茶渣进入口中。这时我可以完整地享用茶汤。

喝完第一道通常会继续冲泡第二道, 等壶内的茶叶稍微降温后, 闻闻壶内的香气, 从浓郁、尚足、或是清微，判断该泡茶的质量与水可溶物的多寡, 水可溶物丰富者接下来的浸泡时间不必太长。还要看看茶叶舒展的状况，如果原本紧结的茶这时才刚刚松开，接下来浸泡的时间是要缩短得厲害的，剥得不是很散的饼茶或砖茶亦是如此。第二道缩短的程度还要看置茶量的多少，置茶量愈多缩短的幅度要愈大。如置放了四分之一壶的高质量球型高山乌龙茶，第一道浸泡了一分二十秒得出标准浓度的茶汤，第二道的浸泡时间应是三十秒，当置茶量增加到三分之一壶，同样的水温，第一道若浸泡了一分十秒得出标准浓度的茶汤，第二道的浸泡时间就要缩到十秒。

假设第三道茶是隔了一段时间再泡，这时除继续闻茶叶的香气与看茶叶舒展的状况外，还要将间隔的时间因素加进去。如果上述第二道三十秒出汤的例子，在停了三十分钟再泡第三道，浸泡时间可以不必延长，依旧三十秒即可（若不暂停而是继续冲泡，则要四十五秒）。若是上述第二道十秒出汤的例子，停了三十分钟再泡第三道，这时的浸泡时间应是即冲即倒（就是冲了水，盖上壶盖，就要将茶汤倒出来了）。

我爱茶，我如此细心与它为伍，包括事前的选茶、平时的储存与再度让它精炼、饮用时的冲泡。我有条件可以欣赏、享受到美好又准确的茶汤。

  (1882)

茶道艺术家精炼功夫 五. 如何让品茗者专心品茶-20130812周一喝茶慢-许玉莲

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茶道艺术家精炼功夫

五. 如何让品茗者专心品茶

许玉莲

20130812周一喝茶慢MONDAY SLOW TEA

「茶汤作品欣赏会」的举办，是要安排一个专门的地方来品茗（包括茶席设置、泡茶、奉茶），就彷如人们也去听演奏、去欣赏画作的一种艺术爱好。品茗会中的「茶」成分含量高达百分之百，就是为了「茶」而来，故此人们都会为了「茶」而努力，除了茶席、茶具、茶叶、水、茶法直接影响茶的事物要完善以外，细节甚至包括不要有多余器物、手势、色彩、气味、声响的干扰，以便专心一致品茗。

这和某个活动为庆祝开幕、公司为庆祝佳节、茶界为了推广茶叶商品上市、或大家到林园赏梅花开了庆祝好天气的「茶会」是不一样的。后者之茶会中的「茶」含量相对的弱，人们举办和出席这类茶会另有社交、露脸、广宣、给面子、谈生意经、认识新朋友、叙旧聊天等其他目的，茶并不是人们在乎的对象，完成交际和交流才是相对重要的事。

也有另一种以茶为媒介，但重点放在空间的「装置艺术」以及在这空间里的「人结合其他艺术的演出」的「茶会」，那与我们要说的「茶汤作品欣赏会」里的「茶」成分并不一样。

有些泡茶师以为要吸引品茗者的注意力，莫不如将珍贵的茶器都摆上茶席吸睛。披挂一身「戏服」如将军袍、皇妃袍来震慑现场。把泡茶动作做得夸张一点。加一段故事进去泡茶的过程。这样就不怕品茗者不专心看了。若然这样，就属于「茶艺表演」了，不算「茶汤欣赏」。

「茶汤作品欣赏会」泡茶师要如何让已经养成错误「茶会习惯」的茶友进入「茶汤作品欣赏会」要的品茗状况？泡茶师不能把品茗会想要达到的目的变成一套书面规则比如：「勿喧闹聊天」、「尊重泡茶师」等字条张贴就可达到预期效果，也不是拿着麦克风一直指令：「安静、专心」，茶友就可以安下心来品茗的。这些流于表面的、浮躁的举动让品茗者更骚动。

预先邀约品茗者出席是必要的，让他们知道这场品茗会是什么形式、所需时间等资讯，以便品茗者可充分安排自己当天的约会行程，安排好一些事务才放松心情参加品茗会。开始和结束要守时，人们的生活才不会因为品茗而被耽误，也就无须那么紧张兮兮的了。泡茶师要锻炼规划的能力，笃定的把整个过程按部就班呈现，不要把「泡茶」看得太随便，泡茶师要训练不对的时间不泡茶的坚持。

品茗空间可大可小、可以在户外或室内，重点不是那处地方有多美的风景或布置，泡茶师要做的是付出真心来做，要先感受品茗者的感受，比如当天气候炎热，提早准备一个清凉的环境，有适温的饮品做接待，化妆间要干净、提供面巾使用，让大家整装待发。别用发热的照射灯照在人们的头顶、脸上。泡茶师要锻炼到有洞悉能力，在他人未说之前已万事俱备。

泡茶师要学习各方面的艺术、美术、科学等知识，这样才有办法辨别其中品质如何，知道怎样爱惜手上的茶器、茶叶。那不止泡茶席上的事物，那还包括泡茶师知道要怎样把头发梳理好、把手维持干净、把衣服穿好，泡茶师要有「锻炼一丝不苟」的精神。

泡茶师了解茶、物、人要够深，够柔软，他知道要怎么做才能将「茶汤作品」创作得最好的面貌，并且将之做出来让人们看到、嗅到、尝到。够深刻，泡茶手势才不会机械化，有些泡茶师动作虽熟练，但仍然觉得他刀斧味重，因为他眼神焦虑，肢体僵硬，那是生吞活剥的交差。够柔软，泡茶师才不会时刻带着审判之心泡茶，泡茶师不但了解、并很容易就可以说出每个茶的特性以及很轻易就泡得很好喝，他享受和茶溶为一起，他享受泡茶给别人喝。

如有这样的泡茶师往茶席轻轻一站，所有的人都会静下来，安心专心等茶喝。

  (1791)

「无我」与「茶会」如何理解-蔡荣章

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「无我」与「茶会」如何理解

蔡荣章

201305《海峡茶道》月刊专栏

〝无〞是一个很可爱的字眼，因为只要无了，一切就可以重新开始。所有的事物都是从无中产生的，要在这片土地上种玫瑰花，就得先把杂草除掉，盖房子也是从无中起造的。您说：〝不是的，有些只是改造。原本对自己的工作很不满意，经过一番心情改造与努力，现在已天天过得很高兴。〞但这也是把先前的坏心情排除掉了才重新塑造的新乐园呀。

我爱极了这个无字，于是在构想了一个类似性质的〝茶会作品〞时，就想把它叫做〝无茶会〞，但是这样的名称太不合逻辑了，于是就在无字的后面加了一个我字，而变成无我茶会。但是等无我茶会叫开后，很多人却将这里的无我解释为不自私或理解为空。我八五高龄的老师特别爬上楼来告诉我：不要把自己给忘了。我告诉老师，不会的。无当然要在有的对照下才能被认知（没有〝有〞哪有〝无〞？），而且这个有是要我来排除的，如果无法将有排除，我喜爱的无也就没有办法产生了。

为什么说无我茶会是与无同性质呢？因为无我茶会是围成圈圈泡茶，大家抽签决定座位，无尊卑之分，这是第一个无。泡好了茶，大家依同一方向奉茶（如规定向左，则大家都要向左，奉茶给左边的茶友，但喝的是右边奉过来的茶），无报偿之心，这是第二个无。喝到的茶都是茶友自己带来，可能都是不一样的茶，都要一一欣赏，无好恶之心，这是第三个无。喝到泡得又苦又涩的茶，要反省自己是不是也把茶泡坏了，存着求精进之心（无傲慢之心），这是第四个无。茶会间大家依事先的约定（即公告事项）进行各项进度，不设司仪，无需指挥，这是第五个无。茶具自备，泡法不拘，无流派与地域之分，这是第六个无。泡茶奉茶间不准说话，又无指挥，体现群体律动之美（学习无干扰的大自然节奏），这是第七个无。这七个无也就是无我茶会的七项特殊做法与七大茶道精神。因为具备了这么多的无，所以说无我茶会与无的意义同性质。

再说茶会，有人认为茶会必须从头到尾有完整的仪轨，英译的时候会用tea ceremony。有人认为茶会就等同于聚会，英译的时候会用tea gathering。我对无我茶会的茶会是采用后者的解释，虽然无我茶会有七大特殊的做法，形成了一定的聚会程序，但不要把它仪式化了，应该将重点放在内涵上。除了上述两种对〝会〞的解释外，对〝茶〞的解释有其绝对的约束力，也就是必须要以〝茶〞会友，以酒会友不能叫做茶会，在无我茶会的時候甚至不可以使用非茶的茶（如药草茶或米漿）。上述这个对茶会的解释也影响了对茶道的理解，有些人以为要有一定的形式才能叫茶道，有些人则认为只要有目标与内涵。

无我茶会早期英译成Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony，后来发现使用英语的人们不理解Wu-Wo的意义，而且会从Tea Ceremony将无我茶会视为一种茶道表演。二0一二年春（2012.04.18），我们决定将无我茶会的名称英译定为「Sans Self Tea Gathering」。sans 一词取自于莎士比亚剧作《皆大欢喜》，原为法文，是「无」、「没有」和「不」的意思，莎士比亚借用此词形容人生七个阶段，意境深邃，后来sans一词被广泛应用于英语著作中，成了中古英语，且沿用至今。gathering正表示聚会的意思，调整了ceremony被误为是一种表演形式。

 

  (2558)

無我茶會Sans Self Tea Gathering(Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony)-Chapter 9 Problem Solving for Sans Self Tea Gathering-蔡荣章Rong-tsang Tsai

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《無我茶會Sans Self Tea Gathering (Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony)180條》

蔡荣章著Author:Rong-tsang Tsai

ISBN 978-957-9690-08-9,“无我茶会Sans Self Tea Gathering(Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony) 180” ,First edition: 1999.9, Second edition: 2010.9.《无我茶会180条》,1999.9第一版，2010.9第二版.台北陆羽茶艺股份有限公司.2012.05.20修订版.-English Translator : Katherine Yip,英语翻译：叶德明.

Chapter 9  Problem Solving for Sans Self Tea Gathering(Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony)

128 How do we remedy the situation if an error occurs when tea is served?

Each participant is expected to know all the rules of a Sans Self Tea Gathering by heart. But errors do occur. Rectify the situation where possible if this does not disrupt the progress of the tea gathering. Leave it the way it is if you are not sure how to set it right, or if doing so will undermine the event flow. For example, your fellow participant has misplaced the cup served to you. All you need to do is to gesture him to move the cup back to the right position. This is considered a correctable error. However, if the person has mixed up the person to be served, which is hard to set right without disturbing the progress, then just let it be and consider this an uncorrectable error.

129. What if you are served one cup less?

You may start drinking when you have returned to your place after serving the others, and when your fellow participants have finished serving tea to you. However, if you have waited for an extended period, and there is yet one cup to be filled, then you may want to start drinking to avoid lagging behind. Sometimes, the other party may have taken too much time serving, or he may have simply made a mistake. It is more important to keep pace with the progress.

130. What if I can’t finish pouring the tea I have brewed and there is some left behind?

The amount of water for each brew is determined by the number and size of the cups you have brought along (as well as the ones provided by the organizer for serving onlookers). Calculation has to be done beforehand to ensure there is no surplus or shortage of tea. If the amount of water falls short, or the teapot is too small, then pour a little less tea into each cup. Conversely, if there is too much tea and can’t be finished in one round, then keep it till the next. If there is still some left behind at the end of the last round, just take it yourself.

Some people prefer to bring this surplus infusion home in the thermal flask; the problem is, it is hard to eliminate the smell of tea afterwards.  Some people may keep this surplus infusion in the upturned cap of the thermal flask, and pour it away when the tea gathering ends; others may even pour the infusion away there and then if the gathering is held in the countryside.  None of these ways are advisable; the fact that you have made an effort to brew well makes the infusion ‘precious’.  Discarding it would go against the intention to serve the best brew possible. Just bear in mind that controlling the amount of tea infusion and brew well is very important; should there be any infusion left behind, the best way is to take it yourself.

131. If the tea infusion is too difficult to stomach, what should I do?

When the tea is described as ‘difficult to stomach’, it probably means that the tea is too strong for the palate.  If this is the case, and the infusion is bearably strong, just drink it. You may also dilute it with some water if you worry that you body may not be able to take it because of the concentrated strength.  If the cup is filled to the brim, you may pour half of the infusion into a cup you have finished drinking from and add water to the infusion.

Such a cup of tea reminds us that we should make it a point to brew well and spare the others of the frustration. In any  case, if you have made an effort to bring along the tea, tea ware and hot water for brewing and serving, but come up with a brew that is ‘too difficult to stomach’, it will be a disgrace to not only you but also the tea.

132. If I attend the tea gathering but am not able to take tea on the day, what should I do?

This is rare and very unlikely. Having said that, there may be people who ‘are not tea drinkers but enjoy such an activity’; or, someone may not want to take tea at this juncture out of health considerations. If this is the case, fill each cup with hot water after taking the first brew.  This sends the signal to fellow participants that you would not be taking any more tea. If you are not able to take even the first brew, just leave the cups of tea as they are at the original spots. When it time to wipe the cups after the last brew, pour the tea infusion in each cup into the upturned cap of the thermal flask and discard it when the tea gathering is over.

Sans Self Tea Gathering is an activity of tea aficionados that promotes the Way of Tea. A ‘love of tea’ is essential in nurturing an enjoyment of this ‘activity’. If one enjoys the ‘activity’ but lacks a ‘love of tea’, he will be taking away the aura of ‘nothingness’ that makes a Sans Self Tea Gathering so special.

 

133. What should I do if the previous cup served has not been taken when I am about to serve the second brew?

When you serve with the ‘pitcher’ (or ‘spouted tea bowl’ for powdered tea) after finishing brewing for a second round, you discover that the first cup you served has not been taken. What should you do? At this juncture, observe and decide if the person has yet to do so, or he does not want to take it anymore.  If he is about to finish the cup when you show up, you may wait for a little while. If he does not want to drink, then there is no need to offer tea to him.  Consider health condition rather than the quality of the brew as the primary reason for his declining the offer.

The situation would have been handled differently if we are serving tea at home. Teachers of the Way of Tea would advise us to ask, “Would you like a cup of freshly-brewed tea?” If your guest agrees to this, pour away the tea which has become cold into the crucible, and refill the cup with some fresh brew. As the spirit and act of ‘frugality’ is embraced by the Sans Self Tea Gatherings, such follow-up offers are not promoted.

134. What if there is still tea infusion in the cup when I come to collect it?

A Sans Self Tea Gathering could be organized in honour of a dedicated person or occasion known as ‘an identified target’, to whom or to which the first cup of the first brew would be offered. One can drink the tea after collecting the cup if the infusion remains not taken at the end of the gathering. For Sans Self Tea Gatherings in general, however, any infusion not taken is considered the responsibility of the person to whom the tea is offered, in the sense that he is the one to clear the teacup of any content even if the tea infusion, for some reasons (such as the brew is too difficult to stomach, too much to finish or being left there out of oversight), remains in the cup when it is time for cup collection. What if the other party has overlooked this rule of a Sans Self Tea Gathering when you turn up to collect the cup? Just take your cup back and pour the infusion into the upturned cap of the thermal flask, and discard it after you have packed the tea ware (you may also pour it away at a suitable spot if the tea gathering is held in the countryside). It pays to find out if it has something to do with poor brewing or other reasons.

135. Is there anything I can do if the tea is not brewed to perfection?

Brewing a good pot of tea is a must for anyone serious about tea. Do the necessary if you notice that the tea infusion is either too strong or too weak before you serve – if the infusion is too weak, you may pour it back into the pot and steep a little longer; if the infusion is too strong, you may add some hot water to the infusion. If the infusion is far too strong and you want to dilute it but the tea pitcher is already full, you may pour a cup first and keep it for yourself. Take others’ tea first, pour half of the strong infusion into one of the emptied cups and add water to dilute.

If you are not sure whether the infusion is too weak or too strong when you pour the tea, you may pour some into your own cup first and try it to make sure it is of the desired strength.

136. If I don’t have enough water for brewing, or there is clearly too little tea infusion, what should I do?

Both scenarios may be attributed to inadequate preparation, or an unexpected increase of cups to be offered to onlookers. When you notice that there is not enough water for brewing during the last round, and there is no supply of hot water on site, you may gently ask the neighbours on your left and right if they have some to spare. If you have finished brewing and discover that there is a lot less infusion than you intend to serve, and the shortage could not be made up by simply having less infusion for each cup, you may need to brew one more time; the amount water would have to be adjusted according to what is needed. In this case, the two rounds of brewing would combine to make one brew.

137. May I offer a cup to my neighbour in the opposite direction?

In the event that there is still some infusion left in the pitcher after serving, you want to know if you could pour some tea into an emptied cup of your neighbour whom you want to get acquainted with but in the opposite direction (for instance, the neighbour to your right, if it is agreed to serve fellow participants to your left).  By the same token, you want to know whether you could offer a cup to a senior some distance away whom you want to introduce yourself to. The answer is ‘no’, given the fact that each activity has its own rules and restrictions instrumental to its success.

138. Concerns about hygiene for teacups

Each participant of Sans Self Tea Gathering brings along his own tealeaves and tea ware.  At the gathering, everyone brews, and takes tea brewed and offered in teacups by fellow participants. This has prompted some doubt about hygiene. Some people have come up with ideas about alternative arrangement. They suggest that one’s teacups be placed at one’s own ‘tea serving area’, and fellow participants pour tea into the teacups using tea pitchers (or spouted tea bowls). While this may allay worries about ‘the cleanliness of others’ teacups’; it will nonetheless create unnecessary distance among participants which should not be the case.  Come to think about it, human interaction is not as clinically hygienic as we imagine it to be – we shake hands with each other and we hug each other ever so often. What Sans Self Tea Gathering advocates is a natural and truthful flow of feeling among individuals; and hence the particular way of tea serving. Having said that, we should make sure the cups, tea ware, our hands and body are clean before attending the tea gathering.  Equally important are quality tealeaves and clean water for brewing.  At the tea gathering, we use the best of our knowledge and skill in brewing a good pot.  Not to be forgotten is a pleasant disposition and positive mindset to make you a great person to be with.

139. Could we find out the name of the tea we are served? And utter some words of praise if appropriate?

Sans Self Tea Gathering is to proceed in silence and no one should speak. As such, you should not try to find out what kind of tealeaves it is when you are enjoying the tea. But it would be hard to have the question hovering in your mind throughout the event, wouldn’t it? This is why you should focus on the brew without bothering about its name.  Likewise, when we offer tea to, say, the first, third and fifth fellow participants to our left, we do not need to know their names. We do not need to know the name of the mountain to appreciate its grandeur, nor the name of the cloud to appreciate its ethereal beauty. But if you just happen to know that the cup of tea was brewed by a certain participant, it is acceptable for you approach him after the tea gathering and find out more about his brew. Furthermore, if the brew is a very good one, it is perfectly fine to let the person know by way of praising. Tea drinking will become a chore if you keep bothering yourself about the name of the brew and its respective brewer, or reminding yourself how poor the brew is.

140. After offering the last brew, would it be possible for me to approach the tea guru I revere for his brew?

There were past incidents where participants went up to meet a certain tea guru after offering the last brew.  It might have started with just one participant, but before long, others followed suit until the crowd disrupted the procedure of the rest of the tea gathering. This was brought up during the post-event review, and it was felt that such disruption should be stopped. It is understood that the opportunities to get up close and personal with famed tea gurus may be difficult to come by; but this is best done during the ‘tea ware appreciation and networking’ session, or the ‘post-event activities’. One should bear in mind that in this case, reverence shown to some could be the cause of suffering, inconvenience and unpleasant experience of the others. This is certainly what tea aficionados would not want to happen.

 

141. Is it fine to exchange tea ware with fellow participants at the end of the tea gathering?

At the end of the Sans Self Tea Gatherings held over the past few years, some participants were seen exchanging tea ware as mementoes. At the beginning of the post-event review session, some people thought this was quite meaningful, especially for tea gatherings with international participants. As the discussion progressed, there were more and more opposing voices — they worried that if this becomes a trend, participants would have to make great mental effort in choosing the tea ware in case they need to exchange it with fellow participants.  While tea ware which has long been in one’s possession may not be highly-priced physically, it could have great emotional value, and the possibility of parting with it during a tea gathering could put one in distress. With this in mind, it is agreed that there should not be any exchange of tea ware during a Sans Self Tea Gathering.

142. Is it permissible to ask a few friends to stay back for more brews when the tea gathering is over?

Seating arrangement of a Sans Self Tea Gathering is decided by random drawing. As a result, friends and old acquaintances may not be sitting next to each other. Some of them tend to stay back after the tea gathering and continue to make more tea together.  This may create the impression that they only enjoy each other’s company and were forced to offer tea to other participants just now.

It is natural that people sit with their friends if not for seating arrangement by random drawing; for international events, people from the same country or region will certainly frock together. And yet, this would not have any contribution to the spirit of a Sans Self Tea Gathering. The tea gathering may be a picture of harmony free from national divides, ideological differences and personal relationship; but the small circles emerged after the event would surely defeat the purpose of a tea gathering that is supposed to be ‘san self’. Considering this, the organizer would not approve of any self-formed groups staying behind for more brews.

143. Is beverage other than tea allowed during Sans Self Tea Gatherings?

A ‘Sans Self Tea Gathering’ is the expression of the unique characteristics of ‘tea’ in the form of a tea gathering.  It is certainly not an occasion that picks ‘tea’ as the beverage of choice. To fully appreciate the spirit of a ‘Sans Self Tea Gathering’, the ‘love of tea’ is imperative.  It will be superficial and manipulative if one adopts its format and rules without the tea.

As such, non-tea beverage is not advisable. However, there is no restriction as to the type of tea used, and whether it is flavoured or floral-scented.

  (1801)

第九章 品茗後活動與收拾-蔡荣章

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《無我茶會Sans Self Tea Gathering(Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony) 180條》

蔡荣章著Author:Rong-tsang Tsai

ISBN978-957-9690-08-9 “无我茶会Sans Self Tea Gathering(Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony)180,” First edition: 1999.9, Second edition: 2010.9《无我茶会180条》1999.9第一版 2010.9第二版 台北陆羽茶艺股份有限公司.2012.05.20修订版-English Translator : Katherine Yip英语翻译：叶德明

第九章 品茗後活動與收拾

113.何謂「品茗後活動」，如何進行，與「會後活動」有何不同

所謂品茗後活動是指喝完最後一道茶，大家靜坐原位，聽一段音樂，回味一下茶的滋味，回味一下剛才大家泡茶、奉茶、喝茶的情景，等樂聲消失後，擦拭自己用過的杯子，出去收回自己的杯子，收拾茶具，結束茶會。這段品茗後靜坐聆聽音樂的過程是無我茶會「空白之美」的應用。

無我茶會的「品名後活動」是視為品飲的一部分，所以大家喝完最後一道茶，自動靜坐於原位上，演奏或演唱的人看到大家大致坐定，即開始他的音樂時間，不必有解說或介紹式的開場白，以免打斷茶香、茶味與寧靜氣氛的綿延；音樂結束後，也不要鼓掌，讓大家在樂聲的迴響消失後，從靜穆中覺醒過來繼續收拾茶具。

由於是品飲後空白之美的應用，所以時間不宜長，三分鐘即可，不要超過五分鐘，否則氣氛不容易連貫。品茗後活動除了音樂演奏與演唱外，也可以安排大家閉目靜坐幾分鐘。喝完最後一道茶，個別自動閉目靜坐，到了約定時間，開始擦拭杯子收拾茶具。

茶會結束，大家收拾好茶具，主辦單位還可以安排一些「會後活動」，如茶會在山上舉辦，可繼續登山、健行，若在室內舉辦，可繼續一場演講或研討會。所以「品茗後活動」是無我茶會的一部分，而「會後活動」是無我茶會後的另外一個活動。不論是「品茗後活動」還是「會後活動」，都要在「公告事項」上說明清楚，讓與會者知所遵循。

114.品茗後活動為什麼不能太長，如何搭配為妥

品茗後活動是品茗後的一段「回味」時間，時間只宜三、五分鐘，太長了，延續性效果會斷裂。要把這種安排的意義充分讓演出者知道，否則他會覺得怎麼才讓他演出那麼短的時間！尤其是特別邀請來參加的專業性音樂家更會覺得委屈。

如果讓邀請來的音樂家只做品茗後短暫的演出會覺得遺憾，可在收拾完茶具，茶會結束後再以「會後活動」的方式安排一次音樂會，大家輕鬆就坐，好好欣賞一下的音樂。

同樣這種觀念，如果有其他如插花、書畫、舞蹈等團體參與無我茶會，為讓大家也能欣賞插花、書畫、舞蹈之美，將之作為會後活動，比安排在茶具觀摩與聯誼時間更恰當，因為保持了無我茶會的完整性。

115.品茗後活動要不要設置表演台

品茗後活動是視為品茗的一部分，所以不要有凸出的做法。演奏者或演唱者就在泡茶的隊伍裡面，如果參與泡茶，就在泡茶席上演出，如果樂器必須另外有個空間擺置，則放在泡茶席的旁邊，等到要演奏的時候才移到樂器放置的地方。表演者有數人時，只要讓他們坐在一起即可。若是脫離泡茶者的座位，在中央區設置表演台是不恰當的，容易將品茗與表演分割成兩部分。

大家席地而坐時，表演者也席地表演是最佳的方式，有所不便時才起立或坐在椅子上。但不論以何種方式表演，都不可於表演時才入場，即使不泡茶，也要在茶會開始時就到位。至於「會後活動」就可以設置表演台或演講台了，不再受「品茗後活動」的種種限制。

116.泡完茶，要不要清洗茶具

無我茶會是採用簡便泡茶法，泡完茶後不當場去渣、涮壺，等回去後才清洗茶具。

旅行中，晚上清洗茶具，壺、盅等可用高溫熱水燙過，開口向上放著，借著熱氣的蒸發，很快就會乾燥，出門前將茶放入壺內就沒什麼問題了。

117.如何預防收拾茶具後，壺盅的殘水外流

由於泡完茶沒當場去渣清理茶具，所以最後一道茶的「倒茶」要將茶湯倒得特別乾，這樣收拾茶具後，才不會有殘水流出弄濕了杯套、包壺巾等物品，包紮後，也儘量把壺正放於茶具袋內。最後一道的奉茶，要留意有沒有把茶盅內的茶倒完，如果還留有一些，自己將它喝掉，免得等一下不小心就這樣把茶盅打包起來。

118.收拾茶具前之擦杯動作，意義何在

品賞完最後一道茶，如果安排有音樂欣賞，也聆聽過了，這時把自己用過的杯子用茶巾或紙巾擦拭一下，放在原來的地方讓別人前來收拾回去，自己也出去收回自己奉出去的杯子。

將杯子擦拭一下，一方面是表示禮貌，一方面是預防自己在杯子上留有口紅或杯內尚留有一些殘水，別人收拾時不方便。但這畢竟只是初步的清理，回去後大家還是會徹底清洗的，所以茶會上擦拭杯子只要輕輕擦拭即可，不要太用力而顯得粗糙。

119.何時開始擦拭自己用過的杯子

喝完最後一道茶，如果大會沒有安排「品茗後活動」，就可以開始擦拭自己用過的杯子，如果安排有品茗後活動，則在「品茗後活動」結束後才擦拭自己用過的杯子。

在沒有「品茗後活動」時，如果自己的動作稍慢，別人前來收杯子時自己尚未喝完茶或尚未擦拭完杯子，應優先將前來收杯那人的杯子清理出來（如果您知道是哪一杯的話）。在安排有「品茗後活動」時，如果自己的動作稍慢，在活動開始後尚有茶未喝完，可繼續喝完它。

120.收杯禮節

無我茶會所謂的「收杯」是指出去收回原先自己奉出去的杯子。收杯時是端著奉茶盤，自行取回杯子，即使被奉者也在座位上。平日茶道的禮節是由被奉者端取杯子放回主人的奉茶盤上，但無我茶會是由奉茶的人自行為之，因為只有奉茶的人才知道自己的杯子放在哪裡，被奉者也被要求不要特意去知道哪杯是哪個人的。

收杯時如果被奉者也在座，收完杯要相互行禮致意，若自己正要出去收杯，巧遇有人前來收杯，應稍候一下，等對方收完杯子，行禮致謝後才離開。收杯時如果發現對方尚來不及喝茶或擦杯子，可先收拾下一位的，免得對方心慌。收杯子時若發現對方未將杯子擦拭，可能他忘了，或許他未帶茶巾或紙巾，依舊將杯子收回，回座位後自行擦拭。

若曾奉茶給圍觀的來賓，收回茶友的杯子後也順便將來賓手上的一次性杯子收掉，這時不一定是收回您原來奉出去的那些，多收幾個、少收幾個無妨。

121.茶具如何收拾

茶具的擺置與收拾沒有一定的程席要求，只要有規劃、有條不紊地進行即可，因為雜亂無章地擺置與收拾會破壞寧靜的心情，所以妥善地規劃、事先的演練是必要的。

122.泡茶結束後還剩有茶湯怎麼辦

應該帶多大的茶壺，應該沖多少的水方能恰好供應所需要的杯數，這是事先需要作準備的。臨場操作時，萬一湯量少了，每杯可以少倒一些，或是不足的一杯留給自己。萬一多了，下一道少沖一點水，若是到最後一道還剩有茶湯，那就自己多喝一些把它喝掉。不要忘了，做什麼事都要有足夠的準備，將湯量控制得剛剛好是無我茶會的要求。

123.個人泡茶位子的復原

收拾完茶具，自己的座位與周遭環境應該是乾淨、整潔的。座位號碼牌如果是紙片做的，就坐時就把它收掉，連同報到時抽到的號碼簽一起放入茶具袋內；如果號碼牌是件紀念品，泡完茶收拾茶具時一併收拾起來。在室內泡茶，收拾完泡茶巾，發現地板或地毯弄濕了，要用茶巾、紙巾擦乾或吸乾。若曾奉茶給圍觀的來賓，檢查一下有沒有遺留下來的杯子。

茶會開始前，若發覺場地不夠整潔，負責場地佈置的茶友與到達會場的與會人員都應該及時清理。茶會進行間，有一塊紙屑在走道上是錯誤的。

124.茶會如何結束

茶會在收拾完茶具，若沒有安排全體合影，就算結束；若安排有合影，則拍完照後結束。若沒有安排合影，個人收拾完茶具，看一看有沒有可以幫忙收拾的公共物品，如果沒有，與鄰近的茶友打打招呼，然後回家。離開會場的路上，遇見茶友，不論熟與不熟的都要打招呼，因為奉茶給陌生人都要恭恭敬敬，哪能見面不打招呼？自己收拾完畢，鄰座還只是開始收拾，不妨陪他一下，免得大家都走了，留下他一人太孤單。

125.公共設施的收拾

無我茶會要求各項行政工作儘量簡化，桌椅等不便搬運的設備儘量不用，如抽籤時不用籤筒而改以紙袋或布袋，簽名簿改以「簽名條」回收黏貼的方式，座位標示圖平躺於地面而不設「立式看板」……，所以公共設施的收拾應該不太費力氣，但原則上還是由負責該項工作的茶友負責回收。如何在輕鬆愉快的情況下辦好活動是無我茶會的一項考驗。

126.茶會後全體合影

茶會後大家合拍一張紀念照是很有意義的，把茶會名稱的標示牌也移過來拍攝進去作紀念。會後合影、以及在什麼地方拍攝，也要注明於公告事項上。

127.有些「人」或「事」需要特別感謝或說明時，怎麼辦

無我茶會並沒有在茶會間安排主辦單位說話的時間，有什麼「人」或「事」需要特別感謝或說明時，可利用大家拍團體照，集合好，拍攝前為之。如果人數眾多，需要擴音設備時，剛才品茗後活動的音響可移作這時使用。

 

  (2796)

茶道艺术家精炼功夫 三.报到时的准备-20130708周一喝茶慢-许玉莲

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茶道艺术家精炼功夫

三.报到时的准备

许玉莲

20120708周一喝茶慢MONDAY SLOW TEA

「茶汤作品欣赏会」注重纯品茗的效果，纯品茗的环境要空气流通洁净，四周不要有过分杂乱的色彩与挂饰，不要多余的声响，不要有闲杂物品，而且这段时间要特别空出来不再处理其他事务，就是为茶而来，专心在茶上的。

泡茶师或主办方要为这些目的作出准备，而且需将这些与品茗者说清楚，还要为品茗者抵达茶会现场后可能会碰到的难题一一提供解说与服务，让品茗者感觉心安理得，品茗者才不会怯场，最后大家才会产生默契，如何使品茗者在陌生环境里处之泰然，泡茶师要不厌其烦的为对方着想做好种种安排。

「茶汤作品欣赏会」要采取「闭门」方式进行，所谓「闭门」即整个茶会环境（如第一段所述）为茶而设置，故要有场内、场外之分，此举让大家在场内可更投入。场外要有报到处，品茗者可提早十五、二十分钟到场，此处负责事务有:

一.接待-品茗者抵达后可在这里歇息、问候。寒暄完毕就要收拾心情进场品茗，进场后便不需要很多语言。

二.接受讯问-品茗者对如何入座、茶会进序等情况可能有不清楚的地方，可给予说明。因为「茶汤作品欣赏会」的举办形式属于茶道新兴方向，有必要安排工作人员在报到处做之前解说引导。

三.存放私人物品-如果属于家庭、公司等小型邀请式的茶会，有能力的话都要预备衣帽间帮忙品茗者收放外套、提袋、手机等物品。因为品茗者坐下来后如果怀里抱着一堆提袋、外套等，活动能力会降低，进行品茗没那么方便。但如果属于大型公开售票式的茶会，要处理这么多私人物品并不容易，不设衣帽间了，「茶汤作品欣赏会」的活动一旦普遍后，品茗者就渐渐知道不适宜带太多物品入场。

四. 提醒-工作人员要提醒品茗者不要带水和食物进场、手机要关掉或灭音、不可拍照（或可允许拍照，但限制于开场十分钟而已，并且拍照不可用闪光灯、照相机需灭音等）、不可录影。

五.衣装预备-「茶汤作品欣赏会」需要有「衣着规定」，大家可根据该次茶会的隆重和正式程度的规范来着装出席，这样大家处在同一种氛围才不会引起尴尬和不快。故报到处需要准备几件干净、正式上衣（男、女装都要），以备穿得不符合现场所需的品茗者借穿。不要因为品茗者的衣着「不符合规定」而拒绝他入场，应提早未雨绸缪为不及预备的人预备。

六.洗手间-附近要有洗手间以方便品茗者。

七.如果是次茶会采取席地而坐方式，要提早告知品茗者，品茗者便可安排适合席地而坐的衣装，比如需要较宽松的长裤，女士穿裙子需留意长度，坐下来要将两脚完全遮盖。如果该场合要脱掉鞋子，提早通知品茗者带一双干净的袜子来替换。报到处要预备一些新袜子给忘记带的人。

 

  (1767)

职业高校的茶文化专业-20130703周三小方块-蔡荣章

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职业高校的茶文化专业

蔡荣章

20130703周三小方块 WEDNESDAY TEA CORNER

如果茶文化系与茶叶加工系同时并列讨论，茶叶加工系的核心是茶叶制造，茶文化系的核心是茶叶饮用，前者的任务是将茶青制成可泡来饮用的成品茶，后者的任务是将成品茶冲泡成可饮用的茶汤。现在我们只谈茶文化系，难道只是将成品茶冲泡成可饮用的茶汤就是茶文化系的任务了吗？当然还包括茶叶、茶具、文化的应用、推广与销售。

依上面的理念说来，茶文化系的中心是茶，是偏重于可饮用的成品茶，但在对成品茶的认识、应用与谈论茶的文化性时是包括茶树与茶青的，所以我们说茶文化系的课程中心是〝茶〞而不是说〝成品茶〞。所以在课程安排上会有茶叶加工这门课，只是没有进一步再细分成绿茶加工、乌龙茶加工、红茶加工、普洱茶加工而已。

茶文化系课程中心点的茶是包含着茶汤、泡茶、茶器、奉茶、品饮、茶食、环境等的大〝茶〞。这个大茶要依靠什么课程来表现呢？要有十大泡茶法来作技术的支撑，要有五大茶会形式来提供给大家享用，茶法与茶会就形成了支持这个茶核心的二大平台。十大茶法的基础课程是制茶（即茶叶加工）与识茶（即茶叶审评），五大茶会的基础课程是插花、香道、空间设计、舞蹈等。

十大泡茶法与五大茶会形式是漳州科技学院（原天福茶学院）创校时茶文化系提出的核心课程，十大泡茶法包括小壶茶法、盖碗茶法、大桶茶法、含叶茶法、浓缩茶法、旅行茶法、冷泡茶法、泡沫茶法、抹茶法、煮茶法。五大茶会形式包括茶席式茶会（如茶汤作品欣赏会）、宴会式茶会（如庆祝茶会）、流觞式茶会（如曲水茶宴）、环列式茶会（如无我茶会）、礼仪式茶会（如四序茶会）。

在有能力把茶泡好，有能力利用各种茶会形式将茶呈现给别人后，茶文化系的学生就要进一步将茶的文化、艺术、思想、道德传播给大众。他用以传播的媒介是茶，是包括茶汤、泡茶、茶器、奉茶、品饮、茶食、环境所构成的大茶，他要藉着这个媒介传播给大家的是茶的文化历史、是茶道艺术、是茶道空寂精俭与无的思想、是清和利他健康的德性。系里开设的历史文化课程、音乐美术陶艺文学课程、哲学宗教课程、伦理医药课程，都是培养他们从事文化、艺术、思想、道德传播所需的基本功夫。把茶泡好，有能力利用各种茶会形式将茶呈现给别人后，他就可以进入职场销售他的茶叶与茶汤，如果进一步能将文化、艺术、思想、道德藉着茶叶与茶汤介绍给别人，他就拥有把茶的事业经营得更好的条件。

漳州科技学院茶文化系安排有培养学生传播茶文化、茶艺术、茶思想、茶道德所需的课程，其中茶艺术的单元是特别要将茶的美学內涵突显出来，将泡茶、奉茶、茶汤视为一种媒介来显现茶道艺术。老师们要求的是泡茶的美、茶汤的美，这些课程不只将学生陶冶得有品味，在学生获得泡茶师的能力之后，可以修炼成茶道艺术家，他就可以举办茶汤作品发表会，他就可以开设有泡茶师为客人泡茶的品茗馆。

漳州科技学院是所职业高校，他的茶文化课程是以应用于职场为目标，太多的学术课程如深入的茶文化史、纯茶文化学、专业的茶叶化学、哲学性质的美学是来不及开设的，但在泡茶的理论基础、美学的正确概念、器物对茶汤与艺术表现的关系、泡茶基本功夫、茶会举办能力是要下足课时量与成本投入的。

 

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