From England to the Monasteries of Korea

Born in England and a member of the ecumenical community of Taizé, Brother Anthony settled in Korea in 1980, initially to teach English literature at Sogang University in Seoul. What was meant to be a temporary mission became an entire life's work.

From his first years in Seoul, he was drawn to the traditional tea houses of the Insadong district, to the silence of Buddhist monasteries, and to the precise gestures of tea masters. He discovered a practice radically different from the Japanese ceremony he knew: less codified, closer to spontaneity, rooted in a blend of Confucian and Buddhist philosophy.

For him, Korean tea is not a performance, it is a conversation. A conversation with oneself, with one's guest, with nature. This revelation would shape the rest of his life.

Translator of the Invisible: Chou-ui and the Dondasong

Brother Anthony's most important work in the field of tea is the English translation of classical texts by Korean tea masters. In particular, he translated the works of the Buddhist monk Chou-ui (초의, 1786–1866), considered the greatest reformer of Korean tea culture.

Chou-ui had written the Dondasong (동다송, "Ode to Oriental Tea") and the Dasinjeon (다신전), two foundational texts that define the philosophy of Korean tea: the search not for technical perfection, but for natural harmony between man, tea, and his environment.

Thanks to Brother Anthony's translations, these texts, previously inaccessible to Western readers, became available in English and influenced an entire generation of scholars and tea lovers in Europe and the United States.

He also translated dozens of poems by Korean tea masters, revealing the profound poetic dimension of this culture, so different from the technical Japanese approach or the commercial Chinese approach.

The Philosophy of Korean Tea According to Brother Anthony

What Brother Anthony teaches us above all is the fundamental difference between Korean tea and its Japanese and Chinese neighbors.

Japanese tea (Japanese chado) is a codified discipline, with precise gestures, strict rules, and a constructed aesthetic of wabi-sabi. Korean tea (Korean dado, 다도) seeks something else: natural simplicity, the right gesture without artifice, presence without protocol.

Brother Anthony often describes Korean tea preparation as an act of sincerity: one prepares tea as one welcomes a friend, with everything one has, without pretense. It is this vision that has deeply inspired us at Maison Boseong.

He also emphasizes the importance of the Korean terroir in the tea experience: the misty mountains of Boseong, the wild tea plants of Hadong, the volcanic island of Jeju. For him, drinking real Korean tea is like drinking a landscape.

His Legacy for Tea Culture Today

Brother Anthony's legacy in the world of Korean tea is considerable. Without his translations, Chou-ui's thought would have remained largely unknown outside of Korea. Thanks to him:

Western studies of Korean tea have been able to rely on reliable primary sources. Researchers from across Europe and the United States have been able to discover the philosophical depth of Korean tea culture. Korean dado has begun to be recognized as a tradition in its own right, distinct from Japanese chado.

Brother Anthony still teaches at Sogang University and continues to translate Korean poetry texts. His presence in the tea houses of Insadong remains that of a respected, silent, attentive regular.

Tea as a Bridge: Our Vision at Maison Boseong

Brother Anthony's vision — a tea without artifice, close to nature, sincere — is exactly what we advocate at Maison Boseong. Established in Seoul since 2011, we select our teas directly from producers in Boseong, Hadong, and Jeju, with the same conviction as him: each cup is an invitation to presence.

To explore this philosophy in your cup, we recommend starting with the teas that come closest to it: the grand cru teas from Boseong, the wild teas from Hadong, and the ceremonial accessories that transform preparation into ritual.