Tea Scoop Names (Mei) for February

Table of Contents

• What is a chashaku mei?
• Mei inspired by the twenty-four solar terms
• Seasonal themes for February
• Mei for early February
• Mei for mid to late February

What is a chashaku mei?

What does "mei" mean?

The mei of a chashaku is the name given to the tea scoop.

Types of mei

In tea ceremony, mei generally fall into two broad groups:

1. Seasonal poetic names

• Names that express flowers, birds, wind, moon, and seasonal feeling
• Names chosen to suit each month from January through December

1. Zen phrases or non-seasonal names

• Names drawn from Zen sayings, Chinese poetry, or classical sources
• These are often used for koicha

How is a mei chosen?

A mei may come from several elements:

• Shape and appearance: a name suggested by the form of the chashaku
• Background: when, where, and by whom it was made
• Wordplay and refined association: wit, seasonal words, or literary references
• Zen and classical literature: Buddhist teaching, poetry, or old texts

Why does a mei matter?

The purpose of a mei is to:

• Express the character of the utensil
• Reflect the feeling of the owner
• Create shared feeling with guests
• Add depth and meaning to a tea gathering

A mei is not just a label. It expresses the feeling, season, and sometimes the philosophical meaning held within the chashaku. In general, seasonal words are not used after their proper time has passed.

Mei inspired by the twenty-four solar terms

Setsubun (節分)

• The day before Risshun
• A seasonal turning point from winter toward spring
• It suggests driving away misfortune and welcoming good fortune, often through mamemaki and the phrase "Fuku wa uchi"

Risshun (立春 / Beginning of Spring)

• Around February 4
• The first day of spring in the traditional calendar
• A useful seasonal source for mei that suggest the first movement of grasses and trees

Usui (雨水 / Rain Water)

• Around February 19
• The time when snow begins to turn to rain and ice starts to loosen
• It suggests thawing snow, spring water, and distant mountains softened by early spring air

Seasonal themes for February

Mamemaki (豆まき / Bean Throwing)

• The Setsubun custom of scattering beans to drive away misfortune and invite good fortune
• A bright, approachable mei for the turning from winter to spring

Harutsugedori (春告鳥 / Bird That Announces Spring)

• A poetic name for the Japanese bush warbler
• It suggests the hope of early spring and the first sign that spring is near

Zansetsu (残雪 / Lingering Snow)

• Snow that remains even as spring approaches
• A mei that holds both the last trace of winter and the beginning of spring

Mei for early February

Moyuru Haru (萌春 / Spring Beginning to Sprout)

• A mei for the first inner movement of grasses and trees
• It brings a bright sense of spring beginning within cold weather

Fuku wa Uchi (福は内 / Fortune In)

• A phrase chanted during Setsubun bean throwing
• Suited to a tea gathering that welcomes good fortune after driving misfortune away

Kusamoe (草萌 / Sprouting Grass)

• Grass beginning to sprout
• A mei that suits the days after Risshun, when spring seems to begin under the soil

Mamemaki (豆まき / Bean Throwing)

• A direct reference to the Setsubun custom
• Friendly and easy to connect with seasonal conversation

Zansetsu (残雪 / Lingering Snow)

• Snow left on the ground or mountainside
• It keeps a quiet winter aftertone within the brightness of early spring

Harutsugedori (春告鳥 / Bird That Announces Spring)

• Another name for the Japanese bush warbler
• A gentle mei for the time when people wait for the first song of spring

Mei for mid to late February

Kanbai (寒梅 / Plum Blossoms in the Cold)

• Plum blossoms opening in cold weather
• A dignified mei that suggests fragrance and strength in winter cold

Toyama (遠山 / Distant Mountains)

• A view of far mountains, perhaps still holding snow or softened by haze
• Well suited to the milder air around Usui

Mikaiko (未開紅 / Unopened Red Blossom)

• A red plum bud not yet fully open
• A refined mei for the quiet expectation of spring flowers

Hatsune (初音 / First Song)

• The first song of the warbler heard in the year
• A mei that lets the arrival of spring be felt through sound

Keichitsu (啓蟄 / Awakening of Insects)

• A solar term in early March, but late February already carries its first signs
• It suggests hidden life beginning to stir after winter

Hana no Ani (花の兄 / Elder Brother of Flowers)

• A poetic name for the plum
• A dignified mei for the plum, which blooms before the other spring flowers