Chinese tea culture is undoubtedly a brilliant pearl in the long river of Chinese history and culture. From the initial consumption of tea to the current practice of drinking and tasting tea, the Chinese way of drinking tea has undergone a long and rich evolutionary process. Today, let us travel through the ages to trace the historical footprints of Chinese tea culture.
Eating Tea: An Ancient and Unique Tea Drinking Method
In the Han Dynasty, the Chinese had already begun to enjoy tea by eating it. In many areas where Hakka people gather, an ancient tea drinking custom called Le Cha is still preserved. The production process of Le Cha is quite particular: First, tea leaves are put into a special pottery mortar with serrated patterns on the inner wall. After moistening, a hard wood pestle about 3 feet long is used to stir and crush the leaves.
Then, roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, and basil (also known as ‘Jin Bu Huan’) are successively added into the mortar and crushed into a paste. An appropriate amount of salt is added, and boiling water is used to brew. Finally, a large amount of fried rice and other ingredients are sprinkled into the bowl containing the salty tea, which is then served steaming hot to the guests. During holidays, people gather around the living room, drinking and chewing while chatting about family matters or discussing current events.
The host occasionally tops up the salty tea and fried rice to encourage drinking, creating a joyful and unique atmosphere. This unique tea drinking method contains a strong regional cultural color.
Winter Water Boiling Tea: A New Trend in Tang Dynasty Tea Drinking
Matcha, originating from the Wei and Jin dynasties, became popular in the Tang Dynasty. With the prosperity of society and the flourishing of culture, the way of drinking tea also underwent new changes. Drinking matcha became fashionable, where the picked tea leaves were steamed and ground into powder, then poured into a tea bowl and filled with boiling water. The tea whisk was used to fully stir the tea in the bowl, creating a frothy texture that could be consumed immediately.
This tea brewing method not only retains the original flavor of the tea leaves but also adds a unique taste and aroma. It is worth mentioning that in the Tang Dynasty, Buddhist culture had a profound influence on the evolution of tea drinking methods. Buddhism advocated not eating after noon, and monks used tea drinking to alleviate the hunger during the long summer days. This method of tea drinking gradually became popular in Buddhist monasteries and spread to the people, becoming a fashionable way of drinking tea at that time.
Light Snow Boiling Tea: The Zen of Tea Tasting in the Ming and Morning Light
A New Peak in Song Dynasty Tea Art
Entering the Song Dynasty, China’s tea drinking method once again underwent a significant transformation. The emergence of dragon and phoenix group tea required intricate and costly processes. The process of drinking tea was also not simple. Each time a piece of tea group was used, it had to be roasted, crushed, and then the tea powder was placed into a bowl. Through multiple steps of adding water and whisking, the tea soup and tea powder were completely integrated. People then judged the level of tea-making skills by comparing the color, taste, and aroma of the tea soup, and they would taste and evaluate each other’s teas to determine the best.
During the Song Dynasty, the trend of ‘dui cha’ (tea dueling) gradually evolved into a refined interest pursued by the leisurely and elegant, becoming a popular pastime. Amidst heavy snow, brewing tea and tasting its essence under the bright moonlight and dawn’s early light: the innovation of tea drinking methods in the Ming Dynasty. At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang did not approve of the tea customs left over from the Song period.
In the 24th year of the Hongwu era, Zhu Yuanzhang issued an imperial decree: ‘Abolishing the production of dragon pellets, only buds of tea to be presented.’ This meant that the tribute tea was no longer in the form of tea pellets but was to be processed from picked tea buds into loose tea. Concurrently, he abolished the Northern Garden tribute tea garden from the Song Dynasty, discontinuing the royal tea garden.
As a result, tea pellets and tea cakes gradually faded from the Chinese mainland, and except for remote areas like Yunnan that still preserve the custom of making tea cakes, loose tea began to prevail across China. The trend of ‘dui cha’ also gradually waned. From eating tea to drinking tea, witnessing the evolution of Chinese tea culture. It can be seen that the development of Chinese tea culture has experienced a transformation from an ingredient to a beverage, reaching its peak during the Tang and Song dynasties and further developing during the Ming and Qing dynasties, ultimately forming a distinctive modern tea culture.
In this process, the cultivation, production techniques, and methods of drinking tea have all been continuously improved and developed, making Chinese tea culture a treasure of the Chinese nation. Life should also be like tea, without pretense or ostentation, high temperature stimulates the rich aroma, preserving freshness without deterioration. A shallow pour, the fragrance is rich and clear.
