Welcome to my research blog. I'm a Ph.D. candidate in premodern Japanese history at the University of Kansas, where I'm currently at work on a dissertation which concerns early modern tea practice in Japan. This blog is designed to be a public outlet for sharing some of them more compelling glimpses into the world of early modern tea practitioners that are being uncovered by my ongoing research in the field.
I imagine this content may be of interest to tea practitioners, fellow historians and all Japanophiles.
Comments and questions are welcome! Let's share a (virtual) bowl of tea together!
Welcome to my research blog. I'm a Ph.D. candidate in premodern Japanese history at the University of Kansas, where I'm currently at work on a dissertation which concerns early modern tea practice in Japan. This blog is designed to be a public outlet for sharing some of them more compelling glimpses into the world of early modern tea practitioners that are being uncovered by my ongoing research in the field.
I imagine this content may be of interest to tea practitioners, fellow historians and all Japanophiles.
Comments and questions are welcome! Let's share a (virtual) bowl of tea together!
I have a question that you might be able to answer: how did early chanoyu practitioners light the charcoal they used to heat water? I'm talking about the initial ignition, not the charcoal that's added to already-lit charcoal in a hearth or brazier. And by "early" I mean at any/every time in Japanese history until, say, the Meiji era. I'm just curious.
ReplyDeleteYou know, Katie, the bulk of my study has taken place in the US, where we rarely use charcoal, so my experience with sumi-temae is quite limited to a few instances in Japan, where I seem to recall that a live coal was laid first and then other unlit pieces arranged over it, but I must admit that my level of confidence in the accuracy of this answer is low. I will consult with my sensei and follow up!
ReplyDeleteI found your blog very interesting, and wonder if it would be possible to see a copy of your dissertation. I study and teach chado in the Urasenke tradition, in the San Francisco Bay Area.
ReplyDeletethank you,
Meiya