Autumn Chaxi

POLSKI 한국어

The Chinese word 'chaxi' (茶席) could be translated as 'a place to make tea'. I first came across the concept of Chaxi while reading the Tea Masters blog. It inspired me a lot and I decided to start arranging my own Chaxi. I like the idea that it should reflect the season, the weather, my own mood.

It is autumn now and so I needed something related to this season and used two little pumpkins and a chestnut istead of a flower composition in a vase. At first I intended to find a piece of fabric which would correspond to the natural elements but while I was looking for it I found something I had forgotten a long time ago - a set of trayclothes hand made by my Grandmother many years ago. Moreover, they have a shape of chestnut leaves, and I do not think I could ever find anything more suitable for my autumn Chaxi.

But using my Grandmother's clothes was not easy. Usually, while arranging Chaxi, a Chabu (茶布, teacloth) is used and usually Chabu has an easy to arrange rectangular shape. My cloths with their leafy shape were a bit of a problem. Eventually I decided to use the biggest cloth for my gaiwan, the chahai and my tea cup (I was drinking on my own) and I used the little cloths for the pumpkin composition, for tea utensils, for the tea container etc.

While trying to use pieces of tea ceramics which could suit most I decided to use a gaiwan and a chahai from one tea set. They look like Yixing but are definitely everything but not Yixing (telling from the price). 

The tea I was drinking using this Chaxi was a Chinese red tea (aka black tea in the West) Keemun Mao Feng, a perfect choice for this time of year. Arranging my Chaxi itself was so enjoyable that I will definitely start doing it more often :)