第十一三屆 2011夏天,台北市13th International Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony, Taipei, Taiwan, Summer 2011

13th International Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony,  Taipei, Taiwan, Summer 2011
第十一三屆 2011夏天 台北市
International Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony Chronicle ( 歷屆國際無我茶會舉辦日期與地點 )  

Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony

1. “Wu-Wo” is a style of tea ceremony. People bring simple tea ware and enjoy tea together in a circle. When there are many people, we can make two or more circles.

2. Seats are determined by drawing lots, to see who will sit next to each other and who will serve tea to one another, no one knows before. There will be no class distinction and everybody just accommodates oneself to the circumstances.

3. After setting up the tea ware, we can appreciate other’s tea ware, and get to know one another. This session is called “tea ware appreciation and friendship time”.

4. When it’s “brewing time”, everybody goes back to their seats to make tea. There is no director at a Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony; everything is based on the “public announcement”. The aim of this is to develop participants to follow some conventions.

5. After the first brew, participants take their cups to serve the tea. If, the “public announcement” states to “make four cups of tea, serve the three participants on the adjacent left and keep one teacup for oneself”, please follow the public announcement. At a Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony, tea is served in one direction, with the aim of to let participants serve without waiting for compensation; this is part of the Wu-Wo principles “no reward is expected’.

6. If the recipient is sitting when you serve tea to him, please bow to one another without speaking. Participants remain silent at a Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony, when the brewing begins. This will give the appearance of group rhythm.

7. One may begin to enjoy the tea when one has received all. All participants must prepare the tea by themselves; therefore, everyone may have the chance to taste different kinds of tea and appreciates the different teas, this is the “no bias” principle of tea ceremony. When a cup is unpleasant, still accept it, as a reminder to brew good tea, this is the “concentrate and improve” principle of tea ceremony.

8. Start brewing the second brew when everybody has finished the first round. Pour the second brew into four disposable cups and serve four spectators then return to your seat. For the third brew, pour tea into the tea pitcher and pour in the same cups from the first brew; then return to your seat and give yourself some tea.


9. If it is in a public place, you can arrange a narrator to tell the public who are watching in order to let them understand what is going on. Also there can be an arrangement to serve the public for the second brew using disposable cups and forth brew using disposable cups or serving by pitcher.

10. There is no restriction on the tea ware and the brewing methods. However, to make good tea for everybody is the basic principle. Therefore, Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony is a style of tea ceremony with “no distinction of school or region”.

11. Setting up on the ground is for convenience. There are not any seats that would separate us. But there are no definite restrictions on sitting; one can even bring a small seat.

12. The tea ceremony can be held in the evening. Participants should bring themselves a personal light. An evening tea ceremony is an occasion for people to appreciate the beauty of the evening.

13. After the last cup, we can arrange some music or mediation for about 3 to 5 minutes. This is an opportunity to recollect on the tea ceremony, this session is called the “post tea drinking activity”.

14. “Post tea drinking activity” then, everybody should clean the cups and collect back one’s own cups. After everything is packed, the tea ceremony is over.

15. Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony reminds people of the significance of “emptiness”. Nothingness is not what we are pursuing, but the “having” then “emptiness”. Just like pure light which is formed by all the colors of the rainbow.

16. Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony began in Taiwan in 1990. It shortly became an international tea cultural activity. And, a large International Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony is held every two years in one country or region.

17. To promote Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony, the International Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony Association recruits “Tea Instructors” and “Tea Ceremony Instructors” and establishes “Tea Ceremony Classrooms” to promote tea arts and tea ceremony and provide training for participants of Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony through a 3-level education program.

International Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony
3F, #64, Heng-Yang Rd.,
Taipei, Taiwan, 10003
Tel: +886-2-2331-6636
FAX: +886-2-2331-0660

國際無我茶會推廣協會
地址:10003台北市衡陽路64號3樓
http://www.wu-wotea.com.tw/

Steven R. Jones
(revised 2010.8)

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