"Proper Moments for Drinking Tea"

[Tea Boy Tom]

"When one's heart and hands are idle.
Tired after reading poetry.
When one's thoughts are disturbed.
Listening to songs and ditties.
When a song is completed.
Shut up at one's home on a holiday.
Playing the Ch'in and looking over paintings.
Engaged in conversation deep at night.
Before a bright window and a clean desk.
With charming friends and slender concubines.
Returning from a visit with friends.
When the day is clear and the breeze mild.
On a day of light showers.
In a painted boat near a small wooden bridge.
In a forest of tall bamboos.
In a pavillion over looking Lotus flowers on a summer day.
Having lighted incense in a small studio.
After a feast is over and the guests have gone.
When children are at school.
In a quiet, secluded temple.
Near famous springs and quaint rocks."

Hsu Ts'eshu
I found this while leafing through "How to be Idle" By Tom Hodgkinson. I particularly like line 10...

[24061314]

Line 13 would be nice.

I'm going to sea.

[morsey]

Playing the Ch'in

Both look like tea moments :-)

[Scuba Dave]

There is no better moment for drinking tea than when sat at the top of low force:



Dave

[Tom_Laws]

Slender concubines? In Bangor? Where!!??

Tom

[benjamin]

Mr Parker I found this and thougt of you.

[Tom_Laws]

Alas, the only one that Howies didn't reduce in their sale :(

Tom

[Randy Fandango]

While Mr Parker may like drinking tea, it seems his "close personal friend" prefers a slightly different tipple.....