''Chabana'' (茶花, literally "tea flowers") is a generic term for the arrangement of flowers put together for display at a

Japanese tea ceremony The Japanese tea ceremony (known as or ) is a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of , powdered green tea, the procedure of which is called . While in the West it is known as "tea ceremony", it is se ...

, and also for the wide variety of plants conventionally considered as appropriate material for such use, as witnessed by the existence of such encyclopedic publications as the ''Genshoku Chabana Daijiten'' ll-color encyclopedia of chabanaGenshoku Chabana Daijiten, supervising editor Tsukamoto Yōtarō. . The method of arranging the flowers is according to the ''nageire'', or thrown in, style of flower arranging.Genshoku Chadō Daijiten, Iguchi Kaisen et al., ed. (Kyoto: Tankosha Pub. Co., 10th printing, 1975). (in Japanese) Entry for "chabana". In turn, nageire is recognized as a certain stylistic category of

Kadō is the Japanese art of flower arrangement. It is also known as . The tradition dates back to Heian period, when floral offerings were made at altars. Later, flower arrangements were instead used to adorn the (alcove) of a traditional Japan ...

, the Japanese "Way of Flowers". These all developed from

ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arrangement. It is also known as . The tradition dates back to Heian period, when floral offerings were made at altars. Later, flower arrangements were instead used to adorn the (alcove) of a traditional Japan ...

, which had its origin in early Buddhist flower offerings (kuge).Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japan (1983, 1st ed.), entry for "flower arrangement". Chabana, however, refers specifically to the flower display in the room or space for

chadō The Japanese tea ceremony (known as or ) is a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of , powdered green tea, the procedure of which is called . While in the West it is known as "tea ceremony", it is sel ...

, and though it fundamentally is a form of ikebana, it comprises a genre unto its own.

History

The history of ''chabana'' follows hand-in-hand with the history of ''chadō'', and within that historical milieu, ''chabana'' emerged in tandem with the rise of ''

wabi-cha ''Wabi-cha'' (; ; ), is a style of Japanese tea ceremony particularly associated with Sen no Rikyū, Takeno Jōō and its originator Murata Jukō. ''Wabi-cha'' emphasizes simplicity. The term came into use in the Edo period, prior to which it was ...

'' around the

Momoyama period Momoyama may refer to: History *Azuchi–Momoyama period, the final phase of the Sengoku period in Japanese history 1568–1600 People * Ion Momoyama, Japanese singer and voice actor * Momoyama Kenichi (1909–1991), Korean prince and cavalry offi ...

Sen no Rikyū , also known simply as Rikyū, is considered the historical figure with the most profound influence on ''chanoyu,'' the Japanese "Way of Tea", particularly the tradition of '' wabi-cha''. He was also the first to emphasize several key aspects ...

is considered the most influential person in the development of wabi-cha, and is also credited as the originator of the accompanying ''nageire'' mode of flower arrangement, which is characterized by freedom and spontaneity in expressing the natural beauty of the material. Among the statements attributed to him, the first one in the set of seven known as "Rikyū's Seven Precepts" (''Rikyū shichisoku'') concerns ''chabana''. It goes, "The flowers

habana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

should be such as they are in the moor." In the history of ikebana, the ''nageire'' style was added to the more stylized

rikka is a form of ''ikebana''. History The origins go back to Buddhist offerings of flowers, which are placed upright in vases. This style was established in the Muromachi period (1333–1568). The term came to be a popular synonym for in th ...

arrangement around the end of the 1600s, as influenced by chabana.''Genshoku Chadō Daijiten'', entry for "Kadō". This new style had fewer rules and appealed to those who were searching for a more simple and natural look. Early tea masters used the nageire style until it further divided into the seika, pure chabana, tea flower, styles. The ''chabana'' style, with no formal written rules, became the standard style of arrangement for ''chanoyu''.

Usage

The ''chabana'' is among the main focuses of attention for the guests at a tea gathering, being displayed in the ''

tokonoma A , or simply , is a recessed space in a Japanese-style reception room, in which items for artistic appreciation are displayed. In English, a could be called an alcove. History There are two theories about the predecessor of : the first is ...

'' or other such area set aside for displaying the key thematic elements for the gathering. The main thematic element would be the ''

kakemono __NOTOC__ A , more commonly referred to as a , is a Japanese hanging scroll used to display and exhibit paintings and calligraphy inscriptions and designs mounted usually with silk fabric edges on a flexible backing, so that it can be rolled fo ...

'', usually a hanging scroll featuring a Zen phrase or similar words written in brush and ink. Usually, the chabana will share the tokonoma space with the kakemono, but depending on the circumstances the ''kakemono'' might be up in the ''tokonoma'' when the guests first enter the room, and the ''chabana'' displayed later, at the main portion of the gathering following the intermission when the guests go out once. In either case, when the guests enter/reenter the room, they first take note of the item or items displayed in the ''tokonoma'', which set the tone for the gathering.

Stylistic traits

''Chabana'' comes with minimal rules and appeals to those who prefer a simple, natural look in their creation. The arrangement is a seasonal expression of flowers placed in a simple vase or basket. It is intended to both heighten and deepen the atmosphere of the tea gathering as called for by the occasion.''Urasenke Chadō Textbook''. (Kyoto: Tankōsha Publishing Co., 2011, 1st ed.) p. 180, The materials for the vases range from bronze to both glazed and unglazed ceramics as well as

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, bu ...

glass Glass is a non-crystalline, often transparent, amorphous solid that has widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in, for example, window panes, tableware, and optics. Glass is most often formed by rapid cooling (quenching) of ...

and other materials. An important concept in ''chadō'' is the distinction between ''shin'', ''gyō'', ''sō'', which may be rendered as "formal, moderate, relaxed", a distinction which informs every aspect of chadō. If the space where the tea gathering is taking place is a formal venue, such as a large ''

shoin is a type of audience hall in Japanese architecture that was developed during the Muromachi period. The term originally meant a study and a place for lectures on the sūtra within a temple, but later it came to mean just a drawing room or stu ...

'' style reception room, then the ''chabana'' suitably should be in a formal vase or basket. When arranging ''chabana'' the host first selects the flowers and then an appropriate vase. No props are used as in ''ikebana'' and the finished arrangement of flowers should evoke a feeling similar to what one feels in the natural

garden A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate both ...

setting. There are flowers which are considered inappropriate for ''chabana''. They are referred to as ''kinka'', literally "forbidden flowers". According to the ''Genshoku Chadō Daijiten'', they are flowers with unpleasant names, unpleasant odors, strong odors, no clear seasonality, and blooms which are long-lasting.

References

External links

{{commons category-inline Chadō Ikebana