the book of tea(茶书)-第12部分
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recorded in story and song。 With the development of ceramics during the
Tang and Sung dynasties we hear of wonderful receptacles made to hold
plants； not pots； but jewelled palaces。 A special attendant was detailed to
wait upon each flower and to wash its leaves with soft brushes made of
rabbit hair。 It has been written ＇〃Pingtse〃； by Yuenchunlang＇ that the
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peony should be bathed by a handsome maiden in full costume； that a
winter…plum should be watered by a pale； slender monk。 In Japan； one of
the most popular of the No…dances； the Hachinoki； composed during the
Ashikaga period； is based upon the story of an impoverished knight； who；
on a freezing night； in lack of fuel for a fire； cuts his cherished plants in
order to entertain a wandering friar。 The friar is in reality no other than
Hojo…Tokiyori； the Haroun…Al…Raschid of our tales； and the sacrifice is not
without its reward。 This opera never fails to draw tears from a Tokio
audience even to…day。
Great precautions were taken for the preservation of delicate blossoms。
Emperor Huensung； of the Tang Dynasty； hung tiny golden bells on the
branches in his garden to keep off the birds。 He it was who went off in
the springtime with his court musicians to gladden the flowers with soft
music。 A quaint tablet； which tradition ascribes to Yoshitsune； the hero of
our Arthurian legends； is still extant in one of the Japanese monasteries
＇Sumadera； near Kobe＇。 It is a notice put up for the protection of a certain
wonderful plum…tree； and appeals to us with the grim humour of a warlike
age。 After referring to the beauty of the blossoms； the inscription says：
〃Whoever cuts a single branch of this tree shall forfeit a finger therefor。〃
Would that such laws could be enforced nowadays against those who
wantonly destroy flowers and mutilate objects of art！
Yet even in the case of pot flowers we are inclined to suspect the
selfishness of man。 Why take the plants from their homes and ask them
to bloom mid strange surroundings？ Is it not like asking the birds to sing
and mate cooped up in cages？ Who knows but that the orchids feel stifled
by the artificial heat in your conservatories and hopelessly long for a
glimpse of their own Southern skies？
The ideal lover of flowers is he who visits them in their native haunts；
like Taoyuenming ＇all celebrated Chinese poets and philosophers＇； who sat
before a broken bamboo fence in converse with the wild chrysanthemum；
or Linwosing； losing himself amid mysterious fragrance as he wandered in
the twilight among the plum…blossoms of the Western Lake。 'Tis said that
Chowmushih slept in a boat so that his dreams might mingle with those of
the lotus。 It was the same spirit which moved the Empress Komio； one
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of our most renowned Nara sovereigns； as she sang： 〃If I pluck thee； my
hand will defile thee； O flower！ Standing in the meadows as thou art； I
offer thee to the Buddhas of the past； of the present； of the future。〃
However； let us not be too sentimental。 Let us be less luxurious but
more magnificent。 Said Laotse： 〃Heaven and earth are pitiless。〃 Said
Kobodaishi： 〃Flow； flow； flow； flow； the current of life is ever onward。
Die； die； die； die； death comes to all。〃 Destruction faces us wherever we
turn。 Destruction below and above； destruction behind and before。
Change is the only Eternal；why not as welcome Death as Life？ They
are but counterparts one of the other；The Night and Day of Brahma。
Through the disintegration of the old； re…creation becomes possible。 We
have worshipped Death； the relentless goddess of mercy； under many
different names。 It was the shadow of the All…devouring that the Gheburs
greeted in the fire。 It is the icy purism of the sword…soul before which
Shinto…Japan prostrates herself even to…day。 The mystic fire consumes
our weakness； the sacred sword cleaves the bondage of desire。 From our
ashes springs the phoenix of celestial hope； out of the freedom comes a
higher realisation of manhood。
Why not destroy flowers if thereby we can evolve new forms
ennobling the world idea？ We only ask them to join in our sacrifice to
the beautiful。 We shall atone for the deed by consecrating ourselves to
Purity and Simplicity。 Thus reasoned the tea…masters when they
established the Cult of Flowers。
Anyone acquainted with the ways of our tea… and flower…masters must
have noticed the religious veneration with which they regard flowers。
They do not cull at random； but carefully select each branch or spray with
an eye to the artistic composition they have in mind。 They would be
ashamed should they chance to cut more than were absolutely necessary。
It may be remarked in this connection that they always associate the leaves；
if there be any； with the flower； for the object is to present the whole
beauty of plant life。 In this respect； as in many others； their method
differs from that pursued in Western countries。 Here we are apt to see only
the flower stems； heads as it were； without body； stuck promiscuously into
a vase。
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When a tea…master has arranged a flower to his satisfaction he will
place it on the tokonoma； the place of honour in a Japanese room。
Nothing else will be placed near it which might interfere with its effect；
not even a painting； unless there be some special aesthetic reason for the
combination。 It rests there like an enthroned prince； and the guests or
disciples on entering the room will salute it with a profound bow before
making their addresses to the host。 Drawings from masterpieces are
made and published for the edification of amateurs。 The amount of
literature on the subject is quite voluminous。 When the flower fades； the
master tenderly consigns it to the river or carefully buries it in the ground。
Monuments are sometimes erected to their memory。
The birth of the Art of Flower Arrangement seems to be
simultaneous with that of Teaism in the fifteenth century。 Our legends
ascribe the first flower arrangement to those early Buddhist saints who
gathered the flowers strewn by the storm and； in their infinite solicitude
for all living things； placed them in vessels of water。 It is said that Soami；
the great painter and connoisseur of the court of Ashikaga… Yoshimasa；
was one of the earliest adepts at it。 Juko； the tea…master； was one of his
pupils； as was also Senno； the founder of the house of Ikenobo； a family as
illustrious in the annals of flowers as was that of the Kanos in painting。
With the perfecting of the tea…ritual under Rikiu； in the latter part of the
sixteenth century； flower arrangement also attains its full growth。 Rikiu
and his successors； the celebrated Ota… wuraka； Furuka…Oribe； Koyetsu；
Kobori…Enshiu； Katagiri… Sekishiu； vied with each other in forming new
combinations。 We must remember； however； that the flower…worship of the
tea…masters formed only a part of their aesthetic ritual； and was not a
distinct religion by itself。 A flower arrangement； like the other works of
art in the tea…room； was subordinated to the total scheme of decoration。
Thus Sekishiu ordained that white plum blossoms should not be made use
of when snow lay in the garden。 〃Noisy〃 flowers were relentlessly
banished from the tea…room。 A flower arrangement by a tea…master loses
its significance if removed from the place for which it was originally
intended； for its lines and proportions have been specially worked out with
a view to its surroundings。
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The adoration of the flower for its own sake begins with the rise of
〃Flower…Masters；〃 toward the middle of the seventeenth century。 It now
becomes independent of the tea…room and knows no law save that the vase
imposes on it。 New conceptions and methods of execution now become
possible； and many were the principles and schools resulting therefrom。
A writer in the middle of the last century said he could count over one
hundred different schools of flower arrangement。 Broadly speaking；
these divide themselves into two main branches； the Formalistic and the
Naturalesque。 The Formalistic schools； led by t
