Gomei

Gomei are poetic names given to some utensils.

Gomei are usually given to an item by a distinguished ChajinOiemoto for instance makes a lot of gomei for Chashaku.

Items that often have gomei are:

When preparing and planing a Chaji or Chakai one should try to make some relations between the different dogo through the gomei’s.

Chashaku

 

For Koicha the names are usually heavy and zen related, while those for Usucha are light and seasonal.

Gomei lists

 

Lists of gomei sorted by month can be found here:

Below is a list of formal gomei from http://nihonjinron.wordpress.com/2013/03/22/formal-gomei/:

相生

あいおい

aioi

double life (pecifically, this refers to the famed double-trunked pine tree at Takasago)

 

永寿

えいじゅ

eiju

longevity

 

老松

おいまつ

oimatsu

ancient pine

 

果報者

かほうもの

kahoumono

the fortunate

 

嘉祥

かしょう

kashou

herald of joy

 

かつ

katsu

thirst

 

閑居

かんきょ

kankyo

idyll (leisure)

 

感謝

かんしゃ

kansha

gratitude

 

吉祥

きっしょう

kisshou

auspicious

 

慶雲

けいうん

keiun

auspicious clouds

 

好意

こうい

koui

favour

 

好日

こうじつ

koujitsu

fair day

 

高台寺

こうだいじ

koudaiji

Koudai-ji (the zen temple)

 

古今

こきん

kokin

then and now

 

心の友

こころのとも

kokoro no tomo

friend of the heart

 

寿

ことぶき

kotobuki

longevity

 

独楽

こま

koma

koma top (the koma top was a crest given to Rikyu by Hideyoshi, thus we can see its colours or shape often used in tea utensils)

 

寿老

じゅろう

jurou

longevity

 

しずか

shizuka (sei)

quiet

 

初心

しょしん

shoshin

beginner’s heart

 

瑞雲

ずいうん

zuiun

auspicious clouds

 

末広

すえひろ

suehiro

deep and wide

 

静寂

せいじゃく

seijaku

stillness

 

洗心

せんしん

senshin

pure heart

 

高砂

たかさご

takasago

high embankment (Takasago is a place near Sumi-no-ye famed for its antiquity and double-trunked pine tree)

 

宝船

たからぶね

takara-bune

treasure boat

 

知足

ちそく

chisoku

contentment (from Laozi: “He is rich who knows contentment.”)

 

千歳

ちとせ

chitose

thousand years

 

鶴亀

つるかめ

tsuru kame

turtle and crane

 

徒然

つれづれ

tsure-dzure

idleness (there is a famous work of literature called “Tsure-dzure Kusa” or “Essays in Idleness”)

 

天下泰平

てんかたいへい

tenka taihei

peace on earth

 

常盤

ときわ

tokiwa

evergreen

 

和やか

なごやか

nagoyaka

gentle

 

ひじり

hijiri

sacred

 

福笑

ふくわら

fukuwarai

laughing fortune

 

無事

ぶじ

buji

safety

 

万古

ばんこ

banko

from on old

 

平安

へいあん

heian

peace (the former name of the former capital of Japan)

 

直心

まごころ

magokoro

true heart (a related term is “Sekishin” or “Crimson Heart”)

 

mu

nothingness

 

無一

むいち

muichi

nothing (from the zen phrase “Honrai Muichi Motsu” or “In the beginning, we have nothing.”)

 

無心

むしん

mushin

no mind

 

山里

やまざと

yamazato

mountain village

 

ゆめ

yume

dream

 

喜び

よろこび

yorokobi

joy

 

wa

harmony

 

和敬

わけい

wakei

harmony and respect

 

若人

わこうど

wakoudo

young man

 

和楽

わらく

waraku

peace and quiet

 

Another brief list can be found at http://nihonjinron.wordpress.com/gomei-%E9%8A%98/.

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