On the Double Ninth Festival’s Tea culture in Medieval Zen Temples

Abstract

Chōyō or the “Chrysanthemum Festival,” on the 9th of September is one of the special days (sekku 節句), which originated in China. The folk custom of drinking “Euodia wine (茱萸)” on the Chrysanthemum Festival was adopted by Zen temples as instead drinking Euodia tea.

The records of tea are found in historical materials of the Southern Song Dynasty, and as with the example of “Acorus Calamus tea,” it seems to have originated in Chan temples of the Northern Song Dynasty, and was introduced to Japan through Zen temples in the Southern Song Dynasty.

The References of Euodia tea are found exclusively in historical materials related to Zen temples, and it is regarded unique to Zen culture. In Japan, Euodia tea was enjoyed by placing Euodia fruits on green tea, but as no Euodia fruits grew in Japan, the only way to drink Euodia tea was by importing the fruits. With such difficulties in obtaining Euodia fruits, it is not hard to imagine that quite a few Zen temples were unable to provide Euodia tea.

Under these circumstances, Chrysanthemum tea was highly appreciated in Japan, enjoyed by placing flowers of chrysanthemums on green tea. In the Southern Song Dynasty, Euodia wine was very popular, where as Chrysanthemum wine was seen only in a few court events. Moreover, there is no record of drinking Chrysanthemum tea in Chan temples of China. This shows that Chrysanthemum tea was an aspect of tea culture developed strictly in Japan’s Zen temples, due to the fact that as much as they were willing to follow the folk customs and Chan culture of China, it was not easy to drink Euodia tea in Japan.

To drink Euodia tea on the “Double Nine” day was a Chan practice of the Southern Song Dynasty, and was practiced in Zen temples of medieval Japan. But given the fact that no Euodia fruit grew in Japan, Chrysanthemum tea was substituted, giving birth to an aspect of Zen culture that was totally unique to Japan.