Chasho is the collective term for books recording the precepts, utensils, etiquette, and lineages of tea practice, and they are the foundation of both transmission and scholarship. Practice itself is transmitted orally and physically, but the reasons behind judgements — what is held beautiful and what avoided — have been entrusted to texts.
Origins
The Chinese *Chajing* came first as a classic treating tea itself. In Japan, from the medieval period onward, transmission documents were written to convey the precepts of tea to students. In the early modern period these divided into books said to transmit Rikyu's teaching, books recording the provenance of celebrated utensils, and books setting out an author's own view of tea. Many involve uncertain dates of composition and later additions, so reading them requires attention to when and from what position they were written.
In practice
Phrases from the chasho are quoted in lessons and at gatherings. The *Namporoku* is the most frequently cited and also the most contested: current scholarship holds that much of it was composed by its Edo-period editor rather than recorded from Rikyu.
Sources
- 茶書（改訂新版 世界大百科事典） / コトバンク
Supports: 茶書が「茶の種類、製法、喫茶法などを記載した書物の総称」であること
About this article
Edited by the operator of Chaen (a one-person operation) / Last updated:
Tea ceremony descriptions can vary by school and source. Where interpretations differ, this glossary avoids definitive claims and focuses on broadly shared understandings. If you notice an error, please let us know viaContact. To learn about our organization, seeAbout Chaen.
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