A Single Line of Heart in Heesum Tea room

©️Heesum Tea room

At Heesum, the phrase “Da Hyang Man Dang” hangs on the wall. It means the fragrance of tea fills the entire house. These words serve both as a greeting to guests and as a quiet promise to myself. They reflect the philosophy of this space, valuing process over outcome and time spent together over explanation. The calligraphy in the tearoom changes naturally with the seasons.

Lately, the phrase I return to most is “Se Han Song Baek”. It reminds us that only in the coldest season do we recognize the enduring green of pines and cedars. Some qualities reveal themselves only through time and long relationships, and some bonds do not waver easily. This idea aligns closely with what a tearoom stands for.

This is why I choose to hang this calligraphy here. I do not want the words to speak first. I want them to quietly do their work as part of the atmosphere. Just as tea can calm a person without saying anything, a line of writing can be enough simply by being present, even if it is never read. Though the scroll may seem unobtrusive, it is often the first thing to reach someone’s heart when they sit down. In that sense, a single sentence arrives before the tea is served. I hope that this one line gently bridges the space between the tea and the person.