Kakuzo Okakura was a Japanese scholar. He was from an upper class family and tutored in English and Western thought as a child. He wrote The Book of Tea, a long essay which discusses Teaism, Zen, Buddhism, philosophy and the Japanese tea ceremony and its influence on all aspects of life and society in Japan.
It is a very good read, and I highly recommend reading it.
You can find royalty-free online and downloadable versions of the book The Book of Tea at Project Gutenberg here:
I am so happy to be able to share with the world… the opening of… Jasmine Dragon Tea!
This is truly a dream come true for me, and if it hadn’t been for the help and support of all my friends and family, especially my beloved nephew Zuko, this dream could never have become reality.
So, once again, thank you to everyone! As a token of my gratitude I would like to formally invite persons of all nations to come drink deep the sweet essence of tea with me… and the first cup is on the house. All week long! So come one, come all!
We are located in the Earth kingdom city of Ba Sing Se, in the upper ring. If you have trouble finding us, remember, just ask where you can find the finest tea in Ba Sing Se!
-Iroh
… because tea is more than just hot leaf juice…