The Book of Tea by Kakuzo Okakura (1863—1919)–scholar, well-known art critic, and curator of the Chinese and Japanese art collection at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts–devoted his life to the preservation and reawakening of traditional Japanese culture.

Tea was first used as a medicine and an alchemical elixir by the ancient Chinese Taoists, who praised its spiritual powers. Buddhist monks made drinking tea part of a tradition honoring the founder of Zen; this ritual was later refined in the performance of the Japanese tea ceremony as a meditative practice. The Book of Tea describes the rich aesthetic of Asian culture through the history, philosophy, and practice of brewing and drinking tea.

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