Dec,  r,  1896.] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
393 
while  ia  another  room.  The  host  then  makes  his 
appearance  and  expresses  in  a few  words  his  cordial 
welcome  to  the  guests,  whereupon  the  head  guest 
makes  some  complimentary  remarks  on  the  neat 
appearance  of  the  garden.  The  host  then  brings 
forward  a charcoal  basket  and  piles  some  charcoal 
on  the  brazier,  and  when  later  he  burns  incense  on 
the  fire,  the  guests  will  ask  the  privilege  of  looking 
at  the  incense  case.  This  being  finished,  a meal  is 
served.  One  characteristic  point  in  this  feast  at  the 
Chanoyu  meeting  is  that  the  host  waits  on  the  guests 
iiimself.  Here  we  might  devote  a page  or  two  to  the 
particulars  of  the  meal,  not  so  much  as  to  the  menu, 
whichis  simplesofaras  courses  are  concerned,  buttothe 
elaborateness  of  the  table  etiquette  observed  on  the 
occasion  ; we  will,  however,  hurry  on  to  the  tea  cere- 
mony proper. 
llight  in  this  connection,  I must  crave  the  reader's 
indulgence  should  the  ensuing  description  be  found 
tediously  minute,  yet  I am  disposed  to  trespass  on 
his  patience  in  order  to  satisfy  his  curiosity  in  re- 
gard to  the  intricacies  that  are  involved  in  the  per- 
formance of  Chanoyu. 
After  the  repast,  the  host  asks  the  guests  if  they 
would  be  pleased  to  retire  for  Nukculachi,  or  recess, 
upon  which  they  temporarily  withdraw  to  the  wait- 
ing room.  Meanwhile  the  host  removes  the  screen 
from  the  tohonouia  and  sets  a flower  vase  in  it,  con- 
tiiniu"  a few  sprays  of  flowers.  After  this  the 
kettle°is  filled  with  water,  and  more  charcoal  piled 
upon  the  brazier.  This  being  done,  the  water  jar 
and  te  i caddy  are  brought  and  arranged  on  the  mat 
as  in  Figure  1.  Everything  is  now  ready;  the  host 
steps  out  into  the  garden  and  beats  a gong  upon 
which  the  guests  proceed  to  the  room  in  the  same 
way  they  aid  at  first.  When  they  are  all  seated, 
the^  host  brings  forward  a cup,  a beater,  and  a scoop), 
and  sitting  in  front  of  the  water  jar  he  sets  them 
thus.  (Figure  2.).  Next  in  order  come  a slop-bowl, 
a lid  stand  and  a ladle.  The  host  makes  a bow  to 
the  guests,  then  taking  up  the  cup  places  it  before 
him.  Next  he  takes  the  tea  caddy  from  its  wrap- 
pings which  are  intended  to  protect  it,  and  re-ar- 
ranges the  utensils  as  in  Figure  .H.  The  host  then 
wipes  the  tea-caddy  and  the  lid  of  the  water  jar 
with  a piece  of  cloth  which  he  always  carries  in 
his  belt.  Taking  the  ladle  with  bis  right  hand 
and  transferring 'it  to  the  left,  he  removes  the  lid 
of  the  kettle  and  dips  out  hot  water  and  pours  it 
into  the  cup.  The  lid  is  then  set  on  the  kettle, 
and  the  ladle  on  the  ‘‘  lid  stand.”  The  Chascn 
(beater)  is  rinsed  in  the  hot  water  in  the  cup  and 
set  aside  while  the  cup  after  being  emptied  is  wiped 
clean.  With  the  right  hand  the  scoop  is  held  and 
with  the  left  the  tea  caddy,  the  cover  of  which 
being  removed,  is  placed  at  the  right  of  the  cup. 
Finally  some  powdered  tea  is  measured  into  the 
cup.  Then  scooping  out  hot  water  from  the  kettle, 
the  host  pours  it  into  the  cup  end  briskly  stirs  up 
the  tea  witn  the  beater.  The  foaming  tea  is  now 
ready  for  the  guests.  The  head  guest  respectfully 
holds  the  cup  in  his  hands  and  takes  a sip  where- 
upon the  host  will  ask  if  the  tea  tastes  right.  An 
answer  having  been  received,  the  host  put  the  lid 
on  the  kettle  and  sets  the  ladle  against  the  slop- 
jar  while  the  guests  in  rotation  dnnk  a little  and 
examine  the  cup  after  drinking.  The  host  then  re- 
moves the  lid  of  the  kettle  and  lays  it  on  the  lid 
stand  and  then  place  the  ladle  across  the  top  of 
the  kettle  and  awaits  the  return  of  the  cup  from 
t le  last  guest.  When  the  cup  is  returned,  he  lays 
it  before  him,  and  pours  some  hot  water  into  it 
and  rinses  it.  He  then  announces  that  he  would 
be  pleased  to  offer  them  the  usucha  (weak  tea).  With 
this  remark  he  pours  some  water  from  the  water  jar 
into  the  cup  for  cleaning  the  beater,  after  this  he 
empties  the  water  from  the  cup  and  wipes  the  latter 
with  a “ tea  cloth.”  Three  scoopfuls  of  water  are 
now  added  to  the  kettle  and  the  ladle  is  set  against 
the  “I'd  stand.”  Just  at  this  juncture,  the  guests 
ask  the  privilege  of  examining  the  three  articles, 
viz  the  tea  caddy,  its  bag  and  the  tea  scoop  which 
after  being  examined  are  stowed  away.  After  this 
the  guests  and  the  host  may  enjoy  themselves  in 
49 
iiiJulgiug  in  informal  conversation.  Tha  meeting  is 
closed  with  the  offering  of  (weak  tea)  prepared 
iu  a manner  similar  to  that  described  above. 
With  slowness,  to  a degree  trying  to  one’s  nerve, 
composure  and  precision  the  above  ceremony  is  exe- 
cuted, and  it  is  difficult  to  analyze  the  impression 
of  one  who  for  the  first  time  beholds  this  much- 
spoken-of  ceremony  of  Japan. 
HOW’  TO  DRINK  THE  TEA  AT  TUE  PLACE  OF  CEHEJIONV. 
On  reading  the  following  description  of  the  ortho- 
dox way  of  holding  the  cup  and  drinking  its  con- 
tents, it  is  bewildering  to  think  that  one  should  go 
through  all  this  trouble  for  the  simple  refreshment 
of  a cup  of  tea.  The  tea  may  be  served  in  two 
different  styles,  viz.,  the  loiclia  (strong  tea)  and  the 
UHUcha  (weak  tea) ; in  one  the  guests  drink  each  a 
little  from  the  same  cup,  while  in  the  other  a fresh 
cup  of  tea  is  prepared  for  each  individual.  The 
forms  to  be  observed  in  each  case  are  somewhat 
different  as  regards  minor  points. 
As  the  host  offers  a cup  of  tea  {Ic  iclnt),  the  head 
guest  advances  a little  and  taking  hold  of  the  cup 
he  sets  it  in  front  of  him.  Next  he  takes  the  napkin 
offered,  and  lays  it  by  the  side  of  the  cup.  Itesuming 
his  seat,  he  bows  to  the  rest  of  the  guests,  and 
then  begins  to  do  his  part.  With  the  right  hand  he 
spreads  open  the  napkin  on  his  left  palm,  and  places 
the  cup  on  it.  Touching  a side  of  the  cup  with  his 
right  hand,  he  respectfully  holds  up  the  cup  as 
far  as  to  his  ej'es — a sign  of  reverence.  This 
being  done,  he  takes  a sip,  and  after  three  and 
a half  sips,  he  wipes  with  his  index  finger  the 
part  of  the  cup  which  his  lips  have  touched  and  then 
wipes  his  soiled  finger  with  a sheet  of  paper.  The 
cup  is  then  passed  to  the  second  guest  who  receives 
it  with  both  hands  and  drinks  his  portion  in  the 
same  manner  as  his  predecessor.  After  the  last  guest 
has  drunk  the  last  droxi  of  tea,  he  sets  the  cup  with 
napkin  on  the  mat  and  then  admires  t. 
In  case  of  usucha  (weak  tea),  while  the  host  is 
measuring  the  x^owdered  tea  into  the  cup,  the  head 
guest  bowing  to  the  one  sitting  next  to  him,  takes 
the  cake  dish  in  both  hands  and  sets  it  before  him, 
(by  the  way,  cake  is  not  served  in  connection  with 
Icoicha).  Then  spreading  open  before  him,  a sheet  of 
paper,  he  lays  a piece  of  cake  on  it.  The  cake  dish 
will  then  be  passed  on  to  the  next  guest  who  helps 
himself  to  a cake  in  the  same  manner.  The  one 
taking  the  last  seat,  x>asse3  back  the  dish  to  the 
head  guest  who  places  it  where  it  was  before.  When 
a cup  of  tea  is  offered,  the  guest  first  eats  the  cake, 
then  takes  up  the  cup  with  his  right  hand  and 
lays  it  on  the  left  palm.  If  three  draughts  and  a 
half  he  drinks  the  contents,  after  which  he  wipes 
off  the  part  his  lips  have  touched  with  his  first  and 
third  fingers. 
In  the  above  I have  described  the  general  pro- 
cess of  Chanoyu,  leaving  out  many  minute  points 
fearing  lest  my  naiwative  should  become  blurred  in 
the  intricacy  of  details.  For  the  sake  of  clearness 
let  me  summarize  the  programme  of  an  ordinary 
Chanoyu  Meeting. 
1.  Preparations  of  the  host  for  the  meeting. 
2.  Arrival  of  the  guests  at  the  waiting  room. 
3.  Entrance  of  the  guests  in  the  roji  i.e.  garden. 
4.  Entrance  of  the  guests  to  the  room. 
5.  Greeting  of  the  host. 
0.  Dinner. 
7.  Nakadachi  i.e.  recess. 
8.  Second  entrance  of  the  guests  in  the  room. 
9.  The  hoicha  ceremony. 
10.  The  Usucha  ceremony. 
— The  Far  East  for  Sept.  Takashijia  Steta. 

THE  AMSTERDAM  MARKET. 
Our  Amsterdam  correspondent  writes  on  October 
10th; — “The  total  exports  of  cinchona-bark  from 
Java  were  extremely  heavy  last  month.  The  figures 
now  are  as  follows  (in  half-kilos.): — 
1S9G  1895  1894  1893 
September  1,789,000  816,000  1,071,000  500,000 
Jan.  to  Sept.  7,818,000  5,829,700  6,625,000  5,876,000 
— Chemist  and  Dnti/gist,  Oct,  17. 
