Matcha: Tea & Spice
In Japan, Matcha is a variety of fine, powdered green tea used particularly in traditional Japanese tea ceremony, as well as to flavour and dye foods such as mochi and soba noodles, and of course, green tea ice cream.In Japan, Matcha is a variety of fine, powdered green tea used particularly in traditional Japanese tea ceremony, as well as to flavour and dye foods such as mochi and soba noodles, and of course, green tea ice cream.
But at the San Francisco Asian Art Museum (SFAAM), the name Matcha has become synonymous with the museum’s monthly Matcha events, where patrons can watch cultural performances, explore the galleries, create art, take category_ided tours, mingle over cocktails, and enjoy live music.
Like the vibrant Japanese powdered green tea renowned for its richness and flavor, each Matcha event has its own distinctive theme and flair designed to entertain patrons seeking to indulge in a healthy dose of the arts.
Held the first Thursday of the month from 5 to 9 pm, Matcha events have become a popular addition to the SFAAM programs. The Matcha program runs June through November 2008, and are free with museum admission ($5 after 5 pm).
In September, SFAAM’s Matcha: Tea & Spice event drew hundreds of tea connoisseurs, who savored floral, earthy Chinese Oolong teas inside Tea Alchemy’s Tea Temple, a massive tent celebrating the trade history of the legendary Silk Routes of China. Patrons also enjoyed teas from India, Iran and Tibet, as well as, having the opportunity to grind their own Chai tea blend. Additionally, various galleries displaying spice-related objects were on display, as well as tea samples offered by Samovar Tea (www.samovartea.com), Teance (www.teance.com), and traditional Pu’er tea from China’s Yunnan Province offered by Zen and Tea Co (www.zenandtea.com).
Those familiar with the cultures of Asia and Europe are familiar with the historic ‘Silk Road’ trade routes linking East and West, but there was also a lesser-known route that parallels the ‘Silk Road’ in cultural and historical importance. This other ancient trade route spanned an impressive 2,350 km, covering challenging weather and terrain that included heavy snow, hail, burning sun and heavy winds, with extreme variations in temperature.
Known in Chinese as the ‘Chamadao,’ which literally translates as ‘Tea Horse Road’ or ‘Tea Horse Path,’ was a central trade route for exchanging Tibetan horses and Chinese tea. The corridor came to play a crucial role in the communication and exchange between the cultures of present-day Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet. The Tea Horse Road had two main routes stemming from two different major points of tea production (Pu’er in Yujnna and Ya’an in Sichuan) which converged before continuing through the mountains into Tibet. These routes existed for over a century until World War II, when trade was blockaded and modern transportation systems replaced caravan travel with roads and railways.
In October, author and prolific tattoo artist Takahiro Kitamura (artist name Horitaka,apprentice to the revered Japanese master, Horiyoshi III) giving a talk about the centuries-old art of traditional Japanese tattooing. There will be live demonstrations of this art by various tattoo artists using both time honored and modern techniques. Patrons can also dip into the world of Zen among ancient samurai warriors through a category_ided tour of the galleries, learn about Japanese altars through a talk with author John Nelson, sample teas by Ito En, and soak up the DJ’s aural offerings.
For November, Afghan art and culture takes center stage. Patrons can witness a colorful performance by Ballet Afsaneh, enjoy traditional foods, create jewelry inspired by ancient Bactrian gold in the special, Afghanistan exhibit, and enjoy the special category_ided tours.
Previous Matcha themed events for this year, included, the June presentation of Healing Arts, focusing on detoxifying with Asian healing arts such as Chinese acupuncture and Qi Gong, Korean hand therapy and Thai foot massage, as well as pulse readings and herbal teas. In July, patrons were treated to the Sound of the Sages, which featured stirring melodies performed on one of China’s oldest instruments, the guquin, played by award-wining musician Wang Fei. Patrons were also given the opportunity to try their hand at traditional brush painting, and category_ided tours of various musical instruments and Ming Dynasty artifacts. In August, martial arts enthusiast were able to witness champions Phillip Wong, Zhang Hong Mei and others of Pacific Wushu in a live demonstration of Wushu, as well as view gallery tours of samurai and daggers, while learning about Shaolin martial arts history.
For more information about Matcha events programs, please visit the website at: www.asianarts.org/matcha.htm