Sadly, as is often the case in LA, the stress accrued in getting to an appointment counteracts the relaxation the appointment is designed to deliver.  But despite the fact that it was Parents’ Weekend at UCLA and the campus was teeming with proud parents and their UCLA sons and daughters, the extra traffic and dearth of parking spots were no match for the calming and peaceful Korean tea ceremony that awaited my friend and me.  Thankfully, we had planned well and arrived nearly half an hour early – in spite of Parents’ Weekend - giving us the opportunity to decompress in the Fowler Museum’s lovely courtyard.  So when it was time to enter the room where the ceremony was to be held, we had not only caught our breaths, but taken a few deep ones as well.  We were prepared.

Seated before us on bright yellow and red cushions were Bong Hwa Kim, an LA-based artist, and one of her students.  Wearing the traditional Korean dress – the hanbok – in soothing pastel colors, the two greeted each guest with a nod of the head and a warm smile.  Before them were the accoutrements of the Korean tea ceremony – tea kettles, tea bowls, tea pots, tea cups, and, of course, the tea itself.

Once the 25 or so guests were assembled in the room, Kim and her student demonstrated the basics of the formal ceremony.  Freshly drawn water was boiled and then cooled slightly in the kettle.  That water was then used to warm the bowl, the pot, and the cups.  Next, the water was recycled back into the bowl and loose-leaf green tea – not the powdered green tea (matcha) typical of the Japanese tea ceremony – was added to the pot.  Then the water from the bowl was poured into the pot, allowing the leaves to steep.  With the steeping complete, the liquid in the pot was poured back into the bowl to prevent further steeping and the tea was ready to serve.

In the formal Korean tea ceremony, guests are served their tea with an assortment of just slightly sweet treats made with sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, pinenuts, almonds, rice, and beans.  The focus is on beauty and simplicity.

Once we had all partaken of the delicious tea and goodies, Kim spoke about the philosophy behind the tea ceremony and some of the guidelines she follows to enhance the practice:

-    Drink the tea first and then eat the food that accompanies it.  If you drink and eat and drink again, the flavor of the tea is compromised.
-    Avoid wearing fragrances, makeup, or bright/provocative clothing while serving or drinking tea because such things will distract from the scent and experience of the tea.
-    Remember that all aspects of the tea ceremony are designed to remind you of the important values of respect, honesty, and gratitude.
-    Hold the tea cup with the right hand, but lift it with the left hand.  Let the scent of the tea wash over you; don’t sniff it.
-    Thank your host by dancing, singing, or reciting poetry.
-    Drink tea with just one or two persons; any more than that will distract from the ceremony.
-    Infuse your tea leaves up to three times, if you wish.

At the end of the ceremony, Kim thanked us all for attending and thereby doing our part to make the world a more peaceful place.  Certainly a feeling of peace followed us all out the door.

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