Chado: The Way of Tea
Save PDFSyllabus: ARTJ 209: Chado, The Way of Tea
Created By: Lindsey Stirek, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Creation Date: June 8, 2024
Keywords: Japanese tea, aesthetics, philosophy, asynchronous online learning, reflection focused
ARTJ 209: Chado, The Way of Tea
Target Audience:
Undergraduate students
Credits:
3
Course Duration:
16 weeks
Enrollment Cap:
20-75
Background Information for Instructors:
This course is an asynchronous, online course that uses Canvas LMS and a proprietary online textbook (eText) created at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. While the instruction is asynchronous, assignments are due regularly during the semester and due to the asynchronicity, the volume of assignment feedback given is often quite large, so the number of students we can enroll in the course is highly dependent upon the availability of graders/TAs. At the time of writing, the eText is not yet available for use outside UIUC, however a new edition that can be made available to the general public is currently under development.
[Institution-Specific Land Acknowledgement Declaration]
ARTJ 209: Chado, The Way of Tea
Fall 2023 Online - Asynchronous Credit Hours: 3
Instructor: Dr. Lindsey Stirek (stirek1@illinois.edu)
Grading Assistant: Samantha Shoppell (ss156@illinois.edu)
Course website: Canvas
Office Hours: By appointment.
Course Description
The main focus of this course is the exploration of the Japanese Way of Tea and how lessons from it can be applied to different disciplines as well as to one's everyday life. Through the study of the Way of Tea and its associated philosophical concepts, it is hoped that students will acquire a better understanding of Japanese culture and also come to see their own culture in a new light.
Course Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
Describe the basic history of the Way of Tea and its connections to other traditional Japanese arts.
Contribute your perspective during discussion of the Way of Tea and associated philosophical concepts.
Identify and explain different aesthetic concepts related to the Way of Tea.
Recognize and reflect upon connections between the philosophy and principles of the Way of Tea and your own life.
Reading Materials
Required Textbooks:
Tea Life, Tea Mind (TLTM) by Sōshitsu Sen XV
Available online through the Internet Archive or for purchase via Japan House—see Canvas for details on how to access
Chadō and Kokoro by Kimiko Gunji and Lindsey Stirek
Available online through the University Webstore—see Canvas for details on how to access
Optional Additional Readings:
The Spirit of Tea by Sōshitsu Sen XV
Cultivating Femininity: Women and Tea Culture in Edo and Meiji Japan by Rebecca Corbett
Making Tea, Making Japan: Cultural Nationalism in Practice by Kristin Surak
Japanese Tea Culture: Art, History, and Practice by Morgan Pitelka
Course Structure & Evaluation
Grading Policy
100%+ A+
93-100% A
90-92 A-
87-89 B+
83-86 B
80-82 B-
77-79 C+
73-76 C
70-72 C-
67-69 D+
63-66 D
60-62 D-
0-59 F
Tokonoma Responses 13%
Contemplate Responses 20%
Discussions 12%
Activities 15%
Reflection Papers 10%
Final Proposal 5%
Final Progress 5%
Final Draft 5%
Final Project Video 15%
Assignments
Tokonoma Responses
Tokonoma responses are made within the Chadō and Kokoro eText after viewing the tokonoma video. They are intended to provide a space for you to reflect on different tokonoma scroll statements and connect them to your life. Responses must address at least one of the statements displayed on the scrolls.
Contemplate Responses
You will need to complete four responses in total. Prompts will be more in-depth and personalized questions that will require more thoughtful and contemplative answers. Each answer should be no less than 250 words to receive full credit. Rubrics and specific grading criteria are found in Canvas.
Discussions
There will be five discussion assignments corresponding to chapters 3, 5, 7, 9, and 14 during which you will hold a discussion with your classmates or other individuals as described in the prompts on Canvas.
Activities
In chapters 11, 12, and 13, you will be asked to try making your own chabana and wagashi and to create an experience that aligns with the goals and spirit of a chaji. More details will be provided on Canvas.
Reflection Papers
At two points in the semester (midterm and final), you will write a reflection paper that will ask you to go further in-depth about certain aspects of the Way of Tea and how they connect to your own life and way of thinking. More details will be provided on Canvas.
Final Project
The final project in this course will be a short video essay (1min 30sec ~ 2min 30sec) composed of photos and short video clips that you take. Throughout the semester, you will be asked to develop your observational skills by noticing often overlooked moments in your everyday life and these captured moments will form the basis of your video essay. This video project will be thematically and conceptually guided by a philosophical statement that you develop over the course of the semester. Your video will also have a person to whom it is dedicated, which can either be yourself or an important person in your life. Your final project will consist of four parts: a proposal, a progress report, a draft, and the final video. More details will be provided on Canvas.
Schedule
Week 1: Navigating the Course
Week 2: Chapter 1 "Introduction" and Using the eText
Week 3: Chapter 2 "What is the Way of Tea?"
Week 4: Chapter 3 "Kokoro: The Heart of Tea"
Week 5: Chapter 4 "The Four Spirits of Rikyū"
Week 6: Chapter 5 "Chaniwa (Tea Garden)"
Week 7: Chapter 6 "Chashitsu (Tea Room)"
Week 8: Chapter 7 "The Threefold Principle of Formality"
Week 9: Chapter 8 "Zen and Tea as a Meditative Art"
Week 10: Chapter 9 "Japanese Aesthetics from Opulence to Minimalism"
Week 11: Chapter 10 "The Power of Ma"
Week 12: Chapter 11 "Chabana"
Week 13: Chapter 12 "Wagashi"
Week 14: Chapter 13 "Chaji"
Week 15: Chapter 14 "Conclusion"
Week 16: Final Project Week
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