Post by Mariko on Sept 19, 2012 10:06:57 GMT -5
I have noticed recently, particularly in public settings such as Tavern Nights, that a few of our people have been turning their tea cups or tea bowls three times before drinking. The act of turning the tea bowl three times clockwise before drinking is a very formal act and is generally reserved for the Traditional Tea Ceremony. To do so in a public setting may be interpreted as the drinker of the tea “putting on airs” and thus acting more important than their station may permit. Unless they are sharing the same tea-bowl with others at the same table, then it would be acceptable to turn the tea-bowl twice before drinking so as not to drink from the same spot as someone else.
When invited to have tea with a person of much higher rank than oneself, such as the Shogun or the Empress, one might turn the tea bowl twice before drinking or, better still, turn ones head away and drink the tea so the higher ranking person will not see you drink. And always, always, never, ever drink before the person of higher rank but only after. The same goes for eating. No one eats before the Empress has first tasted her food or drink.
I do not know how formal we want to get in our role-play with regards to these points but there are, quite literally, hundreds of such points of etiquette surrounding the culture of Tokuno; many even about the proper drinking of Sake.
When invited to have tea with a person of much higher rank than oneself, such as the Shogun or the Empress, one might turn the tea bowl twice before drinking or, better still, turn ones head away and drink the tea so the higher ranking person will not see you drink. And always, always, never, ever drink before the person of higher rank but only after. The same goes for eating. No one eats before the Empress has first tasted her food or drink.
I do not know how formal we want to get in our role-play with regards to these points but there are, quite literally, hundreds of such points of etiquette surrounding the culture of Tokuno; many even about the proper drinking of Sake.
