5th East Asia Tea Culture Symposium & 5th Panel Discussion on Culture and Peace in East Asia

5th East Asia Tea Culture Symposium
& 5th Panel Discussion on Culture and Peace in East Asia

The 5th East Asia Tea Culture Symposium and 5th Panel Discussion on Culture and Peace in East Asia respectively took place at Chung-Ang University and the Shilla Hotel in Seoul, Korea, on October 23 and 24, 2009. The Urasenke Tankokai Inc. NPO sponsored both programs, with the Institute for Cultural Studies of Korea and Japan at Chung-Ang University co-hosting the symposium, and the United Nations Association of Japan co-hosting the panel discussion.
The idea for organizing such a symposium and panel discussion was initiated by Urasenke Daisosho SEN Genshitsu seven years ago, and the pair of programs was first realized in 2004. The site that year was Tianjin, China. Since then, they have taken place in Seoul, Korea (2005), Tokyo, Japan (2006), Hawaii, USA (2007), and now again Seoul, Korea. (They were not held in 2008) For these programs, scholars and experts are invited to present papers in order to promote understanding of the realm of tea that developed in East Asia, and to exchange opinions in the interest of achieving long-lasting peace and stability in East Asia.

5th East Asia Tea Culture Symposium

Chung-Ang University Graduate School


Chung-Ang University President PARK Bum-Hoon and Daisosho SEN Genshitsu present opening remarks


Japanese Ambassador SHIGEIE Toshinori	Chairman KIM Yong-Woon of the Korea-Japan Cultural Exchange Council

The symposium took place on October 23, in the International Conference Hall at the Graduate School of Chung-Ang University. At the opening ceremony, Chung-Ang University President PARK Bum-Hoon and Daisosho SEN Genshitsu, representing the co-hosting organizations, presented opening remarks, and there were congratulatory speeches by Ambassador SHIGEIE Toshinori of the Japanese Embassy in Korea, and Chairman KIM Yong-Woon of the Korea-Japan Cultural Exchange Council. Professor PARK Jeon-Yull of Chung-Ang University then presented the keynote address, entitled "Mutual Understanding of the Culture Realized through Tea."


PARK Jeon-Yull presents the keynote address

The paper presentations through the day were as follows:
"The Aesthetic Sensibility in Chado: From Shuko to Joo to Rikyu,"
    by TODA Soan (Urasenke Konnichian deputy tea master; Professor, Souzou Gakuen University, Japan).
    Commentator: ZHANG Jianli (Professor, Japan Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)
"Tea Culture and the Ideology of Japanese Waka Poetry,"
    by LIM Chan-Soo (Professor, Chung-Ang University). Commentator: SEN Genshitsu
"The Influence of Confucianism on the Aesthetic Sensibility in Chanoyu,"
    by SEKINE Hideji (Director-General, Urasenke Office of Management; Visiting Professor, Heian Jogakuin
    University, Japan). Commentator: YEE Milim (Professor, Sungkyul University, Korea)
"About the Tea Ceramics of China and Japan,"
    by GAO Zhenyu (Researcher, Ceramics Research Center, Chinese Academy of Arts). Commentator:
    CHOE Yongchui (Professor, Korea University)
"The Aesthetic Sensibility of Sen Rikyu,"
    by TSUTSUI Hiroichi (Vice Director, Chado Research Center; Professor, Kyoto Gakuen University,
    Japan).Commentator: KIM Changdok (Professor, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Korea)


TODA Soan and ZHANG Jianli


LIM Chan-Soo and SEN Genshitsu


SEKINE Hideji and YEE Milim


GAO Zhenyu and CHOE Yongchui


TSUTSUI Hiroichi and KIM Changdok

5th Panel Discussion on Culture and Peace in East Asia

Shilla Hotel Guest Palace


Daisosho SEN Genshitsu presents opening remarks	Ambassador SHIGEIE Toshinori presents congratulatory speech

The panel discussion took place on October 24, in the Yeong Bin Gwan (Guest Palace) at the Shilla Hotel. At the opening ceremony, SEN Genshitsu, representing the co-hosting organizations, presented opening remarks, and Ambassador SHIGEIE Toshinori of the Japanese Embassy in Korea presented a congratulatory speech. Professor Kent E. CALDER, who is director of the Reischauer Center at the School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University (USA), was the keynote speaker as well as discussion moderator. His keynote lecture was entitled "Peace and Culture in East Asia: From Confrontation to Accommodation." The panelists one at a time explained their view on some aspect of the main theme, as listed below, and then they exchanged opinions and answered questions from the floor.

AKASHI Yasushi (Former United Nations Under-Secretary-General): "The History and Future of East Asia:
    The Entwining of Culture and Peace"
CHEN Shiqiu (Vice President, United Nations Association of China): "Peace in East Asia: The Road that
    Must be Taken"
JING Dunquan (Vice President, China-Japan Friendship Association): "To Strengthen Cultural Exchange,
    Increase Mutual Understanding, and Make Progress in the Cooperative Development of the East Asian
    World Region"
KIM Yong-Woon (Chairman, Korea-Japan Cultural Exchange Council): "Culture and Peace in East Asia"


Kent E. CALDER delivers the keynote lecture	from the left: Kent E. CALDER, AKASHI Yasushi, CHEN Shiqiu, JING Dunquan, KIM Yong-Woon

Scene during the Q&A period

Members of the Urasenke Tankokai Seoul Association, assisted by the Urasenke International Association (UIA) members who attended the seminar and panel discussion as a study trip, served sweets and usucha tea to all the attendees at the tea service area that was arranged at both program sites. The evening of October 24, Daisosho SEN Genshitsu hosted a banquet in the Dynasty Room at the Shilla Hotel, inviting all those who had been involved in the two programs.


Scenes at the tea service areas at both venues

Banquet hosted by Daisosho SEN Genshitsu