The Quiet Etiquette of Japanese Tea Ceremony

课文

1. Before entering the tea room, guests rinse their hands and mouths at a stone basin to purify body and mind.

   进入茶室前，宾客需在石盆中净手漱口，以净化身心。

2. They walk along a gravel path slowly and quietly, noticing seasonal details like fallen cherry blossoms or moss.

   他们沿着碎石小径缓缓静行，留意樱花飘落、青苔萌生等季节细节。

3. Once inside, guests admire the scroll and flower arrangement before sitting in seiza — kneeling on the floor with back straight.

   入室后，宾客先欣赏挂轴与插花，再正襟跪坐（正坐）。

4. The host prepares matcha with precise, unhurried movements, and every gesture carries symbolic meaning about harmony and respect.

   主人以精准而从容的动作点茶，每个动作都蕴含和谐与敬意的象征意义。

5. Guests rotate the bowl twice before drinking to avoid touching the front, which is considered the most honorable side.

   饮茶前，宾客将茶碗旋转两圈，避开正面——此面被视为最尊贵之处。

6. After finishing, they compliment the bowl’s texture or glaze, never its price or rarity, to honor the maker’s spirit.

   饮毕，宾客赞颂茶碗的质感或釉色，从不提其价格或稀有性，以致敬制作者的精神。

7. Leaving the ceremony, guests bow silently to the host and thank them with sincere, understated words.

   离席时，宾客向主人默然躬身，以真诚而含蓄之语致谢。

8. Even laughter is softened during the ritual, because stillness itself is seen as a form of deep listening and presence.

   仪式中连笑声也须轻柔，因寂静本身即被视为一种深切的倾听与在场。