The Tang Dynasty writer Lu Yu (AD 733-804) is known as “Sage of Tea” for his contribution to Chinese tea culture. He wrote “The Classic of Tea,” or “Cha Jing,” the very first monograph on tea in the world, including chapters on its origin, history, implements, methods of preparation and the other subjects. 

 

The Cha dao(茶道chádào) is a way of socializing, or it can be useful for meditation(meditation is the act of thinking about something very carefully and deeply for a long time) and reflection. To perform a proper tea ceremony(茶艺cháyì), it’s not necessary to have a large, elaborate space; a quiet corner at home is fine, as long as it’s a place where people feel relaxed, such as a living room or study, says Jiang Yi, who has been studying cha dao since 2005. With just a small, palm-sized(means very small) pot and a cup, some hot water and a favorite tea, anyone can lower their stress and enjoy the beverage.

Tea ceremony as a lifestyle can be enjoyed by everyone, though not many young people favor this way of unwinding and prefer beverages with a more straightforward taste.

“Young people have less life experience, while tea is just like life,” says Shi Jue, founder of the China Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Fund. “Tea has a rich texture, not just the subjective experience of the presentation.”

Still, some young people are taking up tea culture.

Jiang, who’s in her 30s, runs a factory and says she becomes happier as she learns more about tea. “The culture is so rich that you can never finish learning about it,” she says.

Jiang drinks tea every day. It’s not addiction, but a way of life. She can spend 10 or 15 minutes to calm down and brew some tea. “Having the opportunity to stop for a moment in life is very nice, and your own pace slows as well,” she says.

Originally, tea was used as a medicinal herb and cooking ingredient. The art of tea making started in the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) and people considered it a way to cultivate the mind and spirit.

From noblemen to monks, scholars to ordinary people, almost everyone would drink tea and it became very common, certainly appreciated because it improves alertness. Scholars and writers started to combine preparing and savoring tea with writing and poetry.