Reaching “Kissa Ko”

“Zen and Calligraphy: A Dialogue on Kissa Ko”
William Reed × Kenshu Furukawa, Senior Zen Master

Column: Reaching “Kissa Ko”
Representative of LLC WANOMORI

Shinji Kasai of Nishijima had crafted a large sheet of handmade washi paper, and I found myself pondering what words to write on it.
That’s when my eyes fell upon the Zen phrase “Kissa Ko” (“Have a cup of tea”).
It seemed to fit perfectly.
The phrase would suit both the size of the paper and the brush.
It would also harmonize well with the texture of the washi.

ー趙州喫茶去　引用ー
師問二新到。上座曾到此間否。
云不曾到。
師云。
「喫茶去」
又問。那一人曾到此間否。
云曾到。
師云。
「喫茶去」
院主問。
和尚不曾到教伊喫茶去即且置。
曾到為什麼教伊喫茶去。
師云院主。
院主應諾。
師云。
「喫茶去」

– To Arrive, Not to Arrive, and Emptiness –

Whether a monk comes to practice for the first time, has visited several times, or has served for many years, there is no true “arrival” at the end.
Even when one thinks they have reached the conclusion, it is not truly the end.
The path continues to shift and flow. Like waves that ebb and flow, sometimes we ride them, sometimes we resist them, but the waves never cease.

Even winning an Olympic gold medal does not mean one has “arrived.”
It is merely an achievement in comparison to other participants.
In comparison to oneself over time, one might still be far from “arrival.”

That said, a gold medal is a gold medal.

Have Some Tea. (喫茶去 / Kissa Ko)

Take a moment to pause, enjoy the tea, and then begin your next step forward.

Kaori Icho, who has stood at the Olympic pinnacle four times, continues her career.
This is precisely the essence of Have Some Tea (喫茶去 / Kissa Ko).

Have Some Tea.

Last year, during an event held on the temple grounds to write the Zen phrase Kissa Ko (Have Some Tea), I learned that Zen Master Kenshu Furukawa chose “Kissa Ko” as the central theme for his lecture at Erinji Temple.

Without prior consultation, I had also chosen to write “Kissa Ko” for the event.
This felt like a case of serendipity or synchronicity—terms in English that capture the essence of such meaningful coincidences.

There are moments when we encounter unexplainable coincidences.

Perhaps those who keep their hearts wide open are more likely to experience such gentle, fortunate encounters.
And sometimes, these simple coincidences give birth to rare and valuable new ideas.

Zhaozhou and the Spirit of Endless Pursuit

Zhaozhou (778–897), a Zen master during the Tang Dynasty, is said to have lived an extraordinary 120 years.
Perhaps his relentless pursuit of the Way and his dedication to unending practice made such a long life possible.

At the age of 60, he embarked on a new journey of training.
His attitude of living each day without being consumed by time offers a profound and inspiring example.

Tea and Its Evolution in Zhaozhou’s Era

Around this period, Lu Yu (733–804) authored the Classic of Tea (Cha Jing), the oldest book on tea.
Thanks to this work, we can gain insight into tea culture during Zhaozhou’s time.

The tea of that era was prepared from bǐng chá—compressed tea cakes that were dried, ground into powder, and then brewed.
This method, designed for ease of transport, reflected the practical needs of the time. Tea culture has continually evolved, adapting to the environments that surround it.

And thanks to this evolution, we can enjoy the delicious teas we have today.

Tea’s Journey to Japan

Tea may have arrived in Japan as a medicine during the time of Xu Fu’s legend.
However, the custom of drinking tea is believed to have been brought over by the Japanese envoys to Sui and Tang China.

Later, the monk Eisai introduced the Kissa Yōjōki (Drinking Tea for Health), further embedding tea into Japanese culture.
Today, tea is deeply intertwined with Japan’s cultural fabric.

In Europe, the establishment of the East India Company brought about that fortunate moment.

Dr. John Coakley Lettsom, an English physician, documented this history in his The Natural History of the Tea Tree (1772).
Although it contains considerable bias, its detailed explanations and illustrations make it a natural history work worth reading.

Among those who were skeptical of tea, rumors spread that the green color came from artificial coloring using verdigris.
Accepting something new takes time.

The book also notes that tea was initially imported via the Netherlands, primarily from Japan, but gradually shifted to China.
Had it not been for Japan’s isolationist policy (sakoku), British tea-drinking habits might have revolved around matcha or sencha instead of black tea.
Cultural development, after all, is often influenced by political factors.

In the West, tea spread primarily because of its taste and health benefits.
In Japan, however, tea incorporated philosophy, spirituality, and unique cultural ideals, leading to a distinct evolution.
The Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu) is generally said to have been completed through the contributions of Juko, Jo-o, and Rikyu.
By the time the British first tasted tea, it had already been perfected as an art form and cultural expression.
This is something Japan can be proud of.
Okakura Tenshin, in his The Book of Tea, pointed out that the tea ceremony is one of the best tools for conveying “us” to people of other cultures.

That said, contemporary tea ceremony often faces criticism for being overly formal and commercialized, failing to generate the profound values it once did during its formative years.
This may be understandable to some extent.

During an era when people lived with swords at their sides, desperate to survive, the impermanence of life—symbolized by the friend sitting next to you in the tearoom vanishing like dew on the battlefield—nourished the world of wabi-cha.
Perhaps it is impossible to recreate such a world in modern times.

Yet, traditions that exist only for preservation will one day be forgotten.
They must evolve in the present to remain relevant.

And So…

A dialogue that delves into the spiritual culture underpinning Zen, ink calligraphy (bokuseki), and the tea ceremony from a contemporary perspective is bound to be rich with insight—a starting point to transform stillness into movement.

With that,

Have Some Tea (喫茶去 / Kissa Ko).

<Reference Books>

Cha Jing” (The Classic of Tea)
The Classic of Tea: Complete Translation and Commentary (Kodansha)
By Chofu Nunome

“Kissa Yōjōki” (Drinking Tea for Health)
Eisai’s Kissa Yōjōki (Kodansha)
By Shokin Furuta

“The Natural History of Tea”
The Natural History of Tea: A Study on the Tea Plant and Tea Drinking (Kodansha)
By John Coakley Lettsom, Translated by Akiko Takiguchi

※Please note: This event concluded on February 22, 2022.