Meibutsu is the collective term for celebrated tea utensils possessing provenance, a record of transmission, and a name. It denotes the highest rank in the classification of tea objects. Value rests not merely on age or price but on the story of whose hands the object passed through, supported by documentation such as inscriptions on its boxes. The stories of tea containers said to be worth a province and a castle indicate the weight involved.
Origins
Against a background in which imported Chinese objects were prized among the shogunal house and the daimyo, meibutsu came to be ranked in stages. The traditional division is threefold: o-meibutsu, with transmission running back to the Ashikaga shoguns; meibutsu proper, for pieces from before the Momoyama period; and chuko meibutsu, the Edo-period pieces identified by Kobori Enshu.
In practice
Using a meibutsu raises the standing of a gathering, and guests are told about it during the examination of utensils. Because provenance is part of the object, the documentation travels with it: a meibutsu separated from its boxes and papers loses much of what made it one.
Sources
- 名物（日本大百科全書 / 改訂新版 世界大百科事典 / デジタル大辞泉） / コトバンク
Supports: 茶道具の格付けが「大名物」（利休以前・東山時代のもの、足利義政の東山御物が中心）、「名物」（利休時代のもの）、「中興名物」（小堀遠州が選定したもの）の三段階に分かれること
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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