The Life of Sen no Rikyu and His Influence on the Tea Ceremony: A Deeper Look at the Founder of Wabi-cha

Introduction

Sen no Rikyu (Sōeki / 1522-1591) was a tea master active from the Sengoku period to the Azuchi-Momoyama period, and is known as the person who built the foundations of modern-day tea ceremony.

During the Azuchi-Momoyama period, with the appearance of Sen no Rikyu, chanoyu reached perfection as the tea ceremony, but at the same time, it began to be used for political purposes by those in power.

The era in which he lived was one of constant warfare and people's mental instability. In this climate, Sen no Rikyu sought to bring people peace of mind and a sense of beauty through the tea ceremony.

Sen no Rikyu as a tea master

Sen no Rikyu studied the tea ceremony under Jōō and hosted a tea ceremony at the age of just 16, and later served as tea master to Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582).

The tea head is a position that first appeared in the Azuchi-Momoyama period and was a person in charge of serving the Shogun and various daimyo, preparing for the tea ceremony, decorating the rooms, appraising and purchasing art pieces, etc.

Nobunaga, who aimed to unify the country, is said to have been a fan of the tea ceremony, but he also used it for political purposes, such as by collecting historical tea utensils (known as meibutsu hunts) to demonstrate his power.

At the time, the tea ceremony was regarded as a political ceremony.

In 1582, after Nobunaga was defeated by Akechi Mitsuhide, Rikyu was conscripted as the tea master for Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598), and his status as a tea master rose.

Three years later, Hideyoshi became the regent and held a tea ceremony called the Kinchu Tea Ceremony at the Imperial Palace, inviting the Emperor and Shennong.

It is well known that Hideyoshi built a tea room where the walls, ceiling and tea utensils were all gold for the "Imperial Tea Ceremony" where he performed tea ceremony for the Emperor.

The Golden Tea Room gives the impression of being a nouveau riche affair, which is the polar opposite of the wabi-cha style that Sen no Rikyu originally aimed for.

However, Rikyu had a strong desire to spread the tea ceremony to as many people as possible.

In his relationships with those in power, he gained their trust by proposing lavish tea ceremonies that suited their tastes, while at the same time aiming to adhere to his own philosophy of wabi-cha tea.

Participating in lavish tea ceremonies to demonstrate one's authority was not in keeping with his ideals, but at the same time, it was also an important opportunity to spread the tea ceremony and Rikyu's ideal of the world of wabi-sabi.

Sen no Rikyu may have been hoping to contribute to the spread of the tea ceremony through such opportunities.

In fact, at this tea ceremony, Rikyu presented tea to Emperor Ogimachi and was given the title of Rikyu Koji, becoming recognized as the greatest tea merchant in the world.

This is said to have been the first time that an emperor officially attended a tea ceremony, and it is said to have been the catalyst for tea ceremony spreading beyond merchants and military commanders to the world of court nobles.

The "equality" world of tea that Sen no Rikyu aimed for

The thoughts that Sen no Rikyu put into the tea ceremony are truly the spirit of wabi.

For Sen no Rikyu, the tea ceremony was "a place to enjoy tea purely on an equal footing." He believed that nobles, samurai, farmers, merchants, peasants, and other people of various classes could participate equally in the tea ceremony.

Following the success of the "Imperial Tea Ceremony", Sen no Rikyu gained even more trust from Hideyoshi and was finally able to hold his ideal tea ceremony, the "Northern Great Tea Ceremony".

The "Northern Great Tea Ceremony," which could seat 800 people and was open to everyone, regardless of social status, including townspeople and peasants, was certainly Rikyu's ideal.

Rikyu, who was entrusted with producing the tea room, also created a small entrance measuring 2 shaku 2 sun (approximately 66 inches) on each side called the "nijiriguchi," which served as the entrance to the tea room.

The entrance was intentionally made small to convey the idea that everyone, regardless of status, whether samurai or merchant, must bow in order to enter, and that all people are equal once inside the tea room.

Sen no Rikyu and his final days

Sen no Rikyu, famous as the founder of the tea ceremony, perfected the wabi-cha style and trained many disciples.

However, it was Toyotomi Hideyoshi's order for him to commit seppuku that put an end to his glorious life.

Rikyu's death in 1582 at the age of 70 is still shrouded in mystery to this day.

It is not clear why Hideyoshi ordered Rikyu to commit seppuku.

There are theories that the wooden statue of Rikyu placed at the Sanmon gate of Daitokuji Temple is disrespectful, and that there was a difference in views on the tea ceremony, but none of these have been conclusively proven.

Perhaps the cause was Hideyoshi's jealousy or slander from those around him.

The feud between Rikyu and Hideyoshi was not simply a matter of personal feelings, but was also thought to be deeply rooted in their differing views on the culture of tea ceremony.

Hideyoshi, like Nobunaga, tried to use the tea ceremony as a tool to demonstrate power, while Rikyu viewed it as a place for spiritual training. This contrast can be said to symbolize the tragic endings of both men.

Finally

The spirit of wabi-cha established by Sen no Rikyu came to be known as "tea ceremony" over time, and its style has been passed down to the present day.

In particular, the three schools of Omotesenke, Urasenke, and Mushakojisenke, collectively known as the "Three Senke" schools, which all trace their roots to Sen no Rikyu, are known as representative of the tea ceremony.

Although these schools share a common origin, each master has established a variety of styles using unique techniques and tools passed down from generation to generation by his or her master.

While modern tea ceremony is based on the teachings of Sen no Rikyu, it has developed into a rich culture in which a wide variety of schools have flourished.