In the third chapter of his book The Book of Tea, Kakuzo Okakura eloquently explains the influence of taoism and zen to Japan's tea ceremony (or Teaism, in Okakura's words). So eloquent that you might get bored. In my blog I will quote only those paragraphs that I think are most relevant.
III. Taoism and Zennism
The connection of Zennism with tea is proverbial. We have already remarked that the tea ceremony was a development of the Zen ritual. The name of Laotse（老子）, the founder of Taoism, is also intimately associated with the history of tea. It is written in the Chinese school manual concerning the origin of habits and customs that the ceremony of offering tea to a guest began with Kwanyin（関尹）, a well-known disciple of Laotse, who first at the gate of the Han Pass presented to the "Old Philosopher" a cup of the golden elixir. We shall not stop to discuss the authenticity of such tales, which are valuable, however, as confirming the early use of the beverage by the Taoists. Our interest in Taoism and Zennism here lies mainly in those ideas regarding life and art which are so embodied in what we call Teaism.
(The Book of Tea by Kakuzo Okakura)
Okakura Kakuzō (1863 - 1913), Japanese art critic
茨城県天心記念五浦美術館蔵 (Public domain, Wikimedia Commons)
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