Chinese Tea Ceremony for the Year of the Dragon. A Lecture and Demonstration Workshop By Jongrak Kittiworakarn and John J. Toomey
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In unity of spirit, sharing cups of tea, an ancient ritual exercise in enlightenment becomes a fresh experience. The sharing of tea by its very nature is intimate; guests experience harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility.
The demonstration of what is often awkwardly termed a ‘ceremony’ cannot lead you to that rare experience. But, by showing you the outward form and discussing its inner meaning, you will come to appreciate the beauty and harmony of the Chinese ‘Way of Tea’. Join us for this enlightening event and enjoy Chinese teacakes and a cup of tea. Mr. John Toomey will give a brief introduction to the history and art of Chinese tea ceremony. Then Dr. Jongrak and his assistants will have the participants in groups of four actually make Chinese tea for each other.
Join us for this enlightening event and enjoy Chinese teacakes and making and sharing cups of tea with each other.
Our presenters today are Dr. Jongrak Kittiworakarn and some of his tea friends. Dr. Jongrak earned his PhD in molecular biology from the Musee Nationale d'Histoire Naturel, Paris, and taught bio-chemistry at Mahidol University for 10 years. He learned tea as part of his family background and is the master of Chinese tea at the tea salon of the Bangkok Folk Museum. The Siam Society member John J. Toomey, is a fully certified teacher of both Japanese (tea name Sofu, 1988) and Korean (tea name DaMi, 2000) Ways of tea. He is the only foreigner ever to be appointed head of a tea school in the Far East (Seoul 2003-05, and Thailand area since retirement in 2005 to the present).
Booking in advance: Participants limited to 30 people.
Date: 25 February 2012 (Saturday)
Time: 10.30 a.m.
Place: The Siam Society, 131 Asoke Montri Rd, Sukhumvit 21
Non-members donation: B200. Siam Society members, members’ spouses and children, and all students showing valid student ID cards are admitted free of charge. For more information, please contact Khun Arunsri at 0 2661 6470-7 ext 126, fax 0 2258 3491, or e-mail info@siam-society.org. Office Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 9:00am. – 5:00pm.
The Siam Society is deeply grateful to the James H.W. Thompson Foundation for its generous support of the 2011-2012 Lecture Series.