Zen

A plate on which tableware is placed. In ancient times, food was served on oak leaves, and in archaic Japanese it was called kashiwade. It is said that the term has come to refer to the plate on which food is placed, and the people in charge of meal preparation. In Japan, curved square trays such as oshiki, kigu, sanpo, and kakeban, made by bending a single piece of cypress wood, have been used since ancient times. Zen is a variation of orishiki, and it was probably only after plate stands made of turned wood or sashimono came into use that the name zen came to refer to a tray on which tableware is placed. Turned-wood trays made by woodturners are called round trays or wooden trays. Sashimono trays are made from materials such as cedar and cypress and finished with lacquer, and come in a variety of types, including four-legged trays, two-legged trays, flat trays, and box trays. Four-legged trays have feet attached to the four corners of the board, and depending on the shape of the feet, they are classified as butterfly-legged trays (lacquered red on the inside and black on the outside, for celebratory occasions), Sowa-legged trays (lacquered red on the inside and black on the outside, as preferred by tea master Kanamori Sowa, for guests), cat-legged trays, and ginkgo-legged trays (both lacquered black, informal). Walnut-legged trays, which have feet made from halved walnut shells, were used by servants. Kaiseki trays, which have no feet and are used at banquets, have been used as meals for guests in ordinary households since the Meiji period. Box-shaped trays with lids were once widely used as everyday trays in townhouses and farmhouses, with each family member having their own. One person's worth of dishes is placed inside, the lid is turned upside down to use as a board, and the dishes are arranged on top of it to eat. After eating, the dishes are wiped with a cloth and placed back inside. The word "zen" also refers to the food and menu that is served on the meal, such as the main meal, second meal, and third meal.

[Kensaku Uchida]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

食器をのせる盤台。古代、カシワの葉に食物を盛ったことから、古語ではカシワデといった。転じて食事をのせる盤の名や、食膳調理をつかさどる人々をさすようになったものという。わが国では古くから檜(ひ)の片木板(へぎいた)を折り曲げてつくった折敷(おしき)、木具(きぐ)、三方(さんぽう)、懸盤(かけばん)などの曲物(まげもの)の角膳が使われていた。膳は折敷の変化したもので、食器をのせる盤台を膳とよぶようになったのは、のちに挽物(ひきもの)や指物(さしもの)の盤台が使われるようになってからであろう。木地師が木地をひいてつくる挽物膳は、丸膳とか木地膳とよばれる。スギ、ヒノキなどを材料とし漆を塗って仕上げる指物膳には、四足膳、両足膳、平膳、箱膳などの種類がある。四足膳は盤の四隅に足をつけたもので、この足の形によって蝶足(ちょうあし)膳（内朱外黒の漆塗り、祝儀用）、宗和足(そうわあし)膳（茶人金森宗和好みの内外朱または黒漆塗り、客用）、猫足(ねこあし)膳・銀杏足(いちょうあし)膳（ともに黒漆塗り、略式）などがある。二つ割りにしたクルミの殻を足とした胡桃足(くるみあし)膳は下人用であった。足なしで会席に用いる会席膳は、明治以降一般家庭で客膳として使用された。蓋(ふた)付き箱形の箱膳は、かつては町家や農家で普段の膳として広く使用され、家族各人がそれぞれ自分のものをもっていた。中に1人分の食器を入れておき、蓋を裏返して盤とし、その上に食器を並べて食事をする。食後はふきんでぬぐって食器を中に納める。なお膳ということばは、本膳、二の膳、三の膳など膳に供える食物や献立をもさしている。

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