 
japanese art and skills have been influenced by their contact with china 
and korea. 
however, they have been so developed and refined that they have become 
strictly japanese. 
the tea ceremony (chanoyu) is an example. 
it features the serving of matcha, powdered green tea. 
it is prepared for a few art lovers in a simple bare room close to the 
beauties of nature. 
the tea is prepared in slow, graceful motions and drunk slowly from a 
bowl. 
the bowl and other articles used are then admired and discussed. 
the ceremony is designed to make a person one with nature, to see beauty 
in simplicity and economy of movement. 
it is an art, not a means of offering refreshment. 
every detail of participation is governed by tradition, and the ceremony 
is both a spiritual experience and a mental exercise. 
ikebana is the art of flower arrangement. 
in this art, as in chanoyu (tea ceremony), zen buddhism has played an 
important role. 
ikebana uses line, color, and rhythm to create floral designs; branches, 
stems, and flowers are the materials. 
ikebana tries to show the slow passage of time. 
this is shown both in materials and types of arrangement. 
blossoms in full bloom or dried leaves are used to show the past. 
the present is shown by half-open blossoms or perfect leaves. 
buds are used to show the future. 
curves are used to suggest spring; a full spread of blossoms and leaves to 
show summer; a thin, square grouping, autumn; and a dark, quiet arrangement, 
winter. 
the three stem lines symbolize: heaven (the tallest stem), man (the second 
stem), and earth (the shortest stem). 
