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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Tea-masters justify the cutting of flowers by viewing it as what?

2. What is the purpose of the garden path?

3. Even the tea-master was ______ himself.

4. Where are a massive amount of flowers used and then tossed out, with no appreciation or consideration for the sacrifice of the flower?

5. If something is ancient, is it valuable?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the inside of a tea room.

2. How have tea-masters furthered art in Japan? What else have they influenced?

3. How did Rikyu's life come to an end?

4. Why does Okakura use this tale?

5. How does Okakura illustrate this attitude towards life?

6. How did tea-masters think of art?

7. Why is the tea room intended to be barren?

8. What does Okakura say about modern art appreciation?

9. What is the connection between man and flowers?

10. How are art masters immortal?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Tea began as a medicine and only gradually grew into a beverage.

Part 1) Describe the medicinal uses of tea. How did this gradually lead to tea being a beverage? How did this beverage then spread throughout the world?

Part 2) What are the three main tea eras? How did each begin? How is each era unique? What commonalities exist between these eras? What influenced how tea was made and how it was served? How important is the tea room in the tea service? How does the tea room reflect the tea master and the tea that is being served?

Part 3) How has the U.S. been affected by the spread of the popularity of tea? How is tea a part of our culture today? How does U.S. tea culture compare to the Japanese tea culture described in the book? Is one tea culture superior? If so, how? If not, why not?

Essay Topic 2

Zennism is Taoism's successor.

Part 1) Describe Zennism. How did Zennism become Taoism's successor? How did Zennism affect tea rituals?

Part 2) How are the various religions and philosophies tied to the three tea eras? How is all of this then tied to the culture?

Part 3) How could Americans benefit from both Taoist and Zennist beliefs? How might it change our society for the better?

Essay Topic 3

Okakura laments modern art appreciation.

Part 1) Describe modern art appreciation from Okakura's point of view. Why does he lament it? How does it compare to older forms of art appreciation?

Part 2) Do you agree with Okakura? Why or why not? Do you believe that everything was better in the past? Why or why not?

Part 3) What improvements have taken place in modern times? What about modern life do you see as an improvement from the past? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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