A Celebration of Tea: A Monk Sips Tea

Posted by GJC (Kyoto, Japan) on 13 December 2011 in Lifestyle & Culture.

This image is part of a short series, A Celebration of Tea, which began here.

As I mentioned earlier, of course the Japanese enjoy many kinds of tea, not only the matcha used in the formal tea ceremony. Here the autumn sun visits a temple and picks out a monk's well-loved teapot, bringing to mind a poem by Japan's greatest haiku poet, Matsuo Bashō, written in the fall of 1690:

朝茶飲む僧静かなり菊の花

A monk sips morning tea,
it’s quiet,
the chrysanthemum’s flowering.

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Comments (17)

Nazzareno from Rome, Italy

Very cool details, colors and presentation!

13 Dec 2011 9:11am

Lougris from Toulouse, France

belle lumière dorée !!:)

13 Dec 2011 9:51am

Riccardo from Rome, Italy

Great light!!! And I like Bashō!! But it's so difficult to find his poems.. Could you post more??

13 Dec 2011 11:34am

Eric Cousineau from Sherwood Park, Canada

Beautiful light and framing in this shot GJC! ;-)

13 Dec 2011 12:11pm

Lena from San Francisco, United States

Great framing ! nice image.

13 Dec 2011 2:06pm

Victoria from Sweden

Very nice picture!

13 Dec 2011 2:26pm

Anita from West Nottingham, Pennsylvania, United States

Perfect simplicity.

13 Dec 2011 2:30pm

ordinaryimages from Kentucky Bluegrass, United States

the harried parents,
long for quiet,
chrysanthemum is playing.

13 Dec 2011 2:46pm

@ordinaryimages: Your talents and your thoughtfulness know no bounds.

Veronique from Suisse/, France

wow the teapot !!!!!!!! Excellent picture 5*

13 Dec 2011 6:00pm

Denny Jump Photo from Easton, PA, United States

Just a magnificent composition and I do so love the teapot as it is graced by the light - Just marvelous! Wonderful series, GJC ;-)

13 Dec 2011 6:40pm

Pixim from Nice, France

I really love this picture. First of all the rich color, as an invitation to an intense moment. Then this excellent composition, which leads to your main subject without much proof, but with art Bravo ;-)

13 Dec 2011 6:54pm

@Pixim: Thank you very much for such a kind comment.

Larry Lefever from Lititz, United States

I love haiku for it understated nature and find that form fitting for your photographs. Beautiful image with the subtlety of the hands on the teapot. The image A Celebration of Tea: Humility, from a few days ago is also gorgeous with just the right amount of focus. Thanks very much for visiting my site and though I don't often comment, I do still follow your work.
http://lefeverphotoblog.wordpress.com/

13 Dec 2011 10:01pm

ania.the.map.cutter from Seattle, United States

so beautiful!!! thank you for sharing the poem too... do you mind if i feature this photo on my blog in my "admirations"? i've been following your blog for a while & love many, many captures of yours. this one is just stunning

14 Dec 2011 3:34pm

@ania.the.map.cutter: Thank you for following this blog for so long. I am touched. And I would be honored to be mentioned in your "admirations" section. Thank you for your thoughtfulness.

Steve Rice from Olympia, United States

The photo and the poem are one.

14 Dec 2011 9:53pm

Japanalia from Yokohama, Japan

Light surrenders
to the kingdom of shadows,
chrysanthemums go to sleep.

16 Dec 2011 6:43am

Japanalia from Yokohama, Japan

I think that this is the image of YOURSELF.....your naked soul....

16 Dec 2011 6:45am

ania.the.map.cutter from Seattle, United States

Thank you for your permission to feature your work on my blog! Here it is: http://papercuthearts.wordpress.com/2012/01/06/his-valentine-to-kyoto
Looking forward to continuing visiting your beautiful blog...

7 Jan 2012 3:28am

next day →

Nikon D300
1/40 second
F/5.6
ISO 200
84 mm (35mm equiv.)