Spring enters a thousand forests, and everywhere, nightingales sing.
“A line displayed in the tea room: ‘Spring enters the thousand forests, and everywhere, the nightingales sing.’”
As we welcome the New Year, this line carries special meaning during the season of the first tea ceremony. The words, celebrating the arrival of spring, symbolize nurturing a heart in harmony with nature alongside the beginning of the new year in the world of tea ceremony. The sound of the nightingales resonating in the thousand forests invites us to feel the changing of the seasons and gently reminds us of the signs of spring hidden in the cold. This sound echoes the quiet, the essence of the tea room, and conveys joy that resonates within the heart.
In the first tea ceremony (Hatsu-kama), through such hanging scrolls, the “spirit of welcoming the new year” embedded in the tea ceremony’s philosophy is expressed. The host’s feelings of welcoming guests and the hopes for the coming year are entrusted in this line.
How to Enjoy “Spring enters the thousand forests, and everywhere, the nightingales sing” in the Tea Room:
• Feel Spring with Your Heart
Appreciate the heart that seeks to find signs of spring even amidst the cold. Through the line displayed in the tea room, imagine the blessings of nature and the rhythm of life.
• Harmony with the Tools
It’s a delight to choose tea bowls and sweets that evoke the feeling of spring, creating a story through all the elements during the first tea ceremony. For example, offering sweets shaped like nightingales adds an extra layer of charm.
• New Year’s Resolutions
“Spring enters the thousand forests, and everywhere, the nightingales sing” also hints at the vastness of spring’s arrival. Why not take this opportunity to reflect on how you want to expand your heart through the tea ceremony this year, and which people you wish to resonate with?
The first tea ceremony marks the start of a new year of tea practice. Displaying the line “Spring enters the thousand forests, and everywhere, the nightingales sing,” enjoy this New Year’s moment in the tea room with a rich and full heart.
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