The Art Exhibition Korean Traditional Tea Ceremony, performed by Seiryun Chun, will be held at the Sylvia Wald and Po Kim Art Gallery in East Village, New York City.

Exhibition: September 1st – 7th, 2010

Opening Reception: September 8th, 6-8 pm. Tea Ceremony at 7 pm

The Sylvia Wald and Po Kim Art Gallery, 417 Lafayette Street, 4th Floor, New York City, NY 10003 t.212-598-1155

Four Words Representing Korean Tea Sprit;

순 (SOON, Genuine), 청 (CHUNG, Pure), 온 (OHN, Modest), 공 (GONG, Humble)

The English word for ‘TEA’ is called “CHA’ in Korean. I believe that ‘Naturalism’ and ‘Substantialism’ are the two most emphasized and underlying philosophies throughout the 1,400-year-old Korean tradition of tea culture.

‘Cha’ was introduced to Korea around the sixth or seventh century from China. In the Koryo Dynasty (918-1392) succeeding to Silla, Korean tea culture was most popularized with the rising of Buddhism as a national religion. During the Yi Dynasty (1392-1910), the Korean tea culture declined as Confucianism replaced Buddhism as a spiritual mainstream. Buddhism was repressed and became separated from the public.

In the early 19th century, a great scholar Da-San (1762-1836, meaning tea mountain) and a Buddhist monk, Cho-Ui (1786-1866, meaning grass garments) played key roles for reviving the long lost Korean tea tradition and restored the Korean Way of Tea Life.

Korean tea culture is not artificial but natural and not complex but simple.

- Professor Keun Soo Lee, Ph. D