Though many people drink tea, if you do not know the Way of Tea, tea will drink you up.
	Rikyu

WA KEI SEI JAKU (harmony, respect, purity and tranquillity) are the four principles of Chanoyu as left by tea master Sen Rikyu. They are the principles that practitioners of tea endeavor to integrate into their daily lives. These principles are a reflection of the pure spirit and soul of Sen Rikyu. While not a true ZENGO (Zen phrase) these four simple words can be realized after much practice.

Sen Rikyu was born to a merchant family. He was born Soeki, but the emperor changed his name to Rikyu, to give him the status of a distinguised Buddhist layman. This allowed Rikyu to surpass his commoner status. As one of the most influential tea masters of Japan, he would serve both Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Rikyu emphasized the wabi aesthetic which stressed rusticity and simplicity in the tearoom and in life.

Then, on an occaision in Japan, Emperor Hideyoshi proclaimed that all people, rich or poor, high or low born might bring one pot for hot water and one bowl for tea, and attend a gathering at his shrine. Over a thousand people from all walks of life assembled at the shrine. Hideyoshi erected a solid gold tea house while Rikyu used his preferred thatched hut. Thus both extremes of tea, the flamboyant utensil-tea, and the restrained wabi tea were represented at Kitano. At this time, Hideyoshi and Rikyu were very close.

However, Rikyu's fame as grand tea master grew past his control, and when the people erected a statue to him in the Emperor's garden, Hideyoshi was furious. He ordered Rikyu to commit ritual suicide.

After bidding family and disciples good-bye, he composed his death poems, one in Chinese and one in Japanese.

I raise the sword,
This sword of mine,
Long in my possession
The time is come at last.
Skyward I throw it up!

And died. But as his spirit left his corporal form, he felt a calling, a pull that brought him to Divunal. Tsiale, the spirit of the library, had summoned Rikyu to Divunal to fufill the Archetype of The Naturalist, he who sees and preserves the beauty inherent in nature and rusticity. In time, Rikyu learned to harness the new powers granted to him, and began to erect his garden...