Over the past few years I've devoted myself to the study of Chinese tea. From the very first time I sat down and learnt to consciously drink and enjoy tea, I knew it was the direction that I wanted to take with my life. By chance, I once happened upon a teahouse, where I sat down to drink a cup of tea with the owner. I fell in love immediately, and there was no turning back. I can't remember how many years it has been, but I have never ceased to be enthralled by the world of tea. From knowing nothing to not a single day passing without experiencing tea in some form. When a day does rarely pass without a cup of tea being drunk, my stomach starts to growl, wondering where its daily dose of wonder has gone to hide!
I confess: I'm a tea addict! But its not just me; tea has captivated people for thousands of years, treasured by the housewife who welcomes guests in with a warm cup, written of by men of letters in their poems of crisp, cool flavours. Tea has played and continues to play the remarkable role of mediator, the common ground between the vulgar and refined, to produce a lifestyle that keeps us both grounded, yet with our head in the clouds.
But why such a timeless appeal? Perhaps the most obvious answer is in its intrinsic links to living a healthy lifestyle. In ancient China, early emphasis was given to the philosophy of 'sheng', or 'life'. From the Taoist pursuit of Longevity to the calls for 'wellbeing' in the present day, no matter what shape or form it takes, if something is seen as beneficial to life and health, it is sure to endure the test of time.
The Chinese 'Elixer of Life'?
Over the few thousand years of its history, tea in China has transformed from a mysterious elixer into a drink that permeates our everyday lives. Aside from the health benefits that tea can bring, it has developed into a way of life that can complement and deepen our understanding of what makes a 'beautiful' life. With tea comes a myriad of colour in its different leaves, strains and blends, it brings with it the pottery and handicrafts that we make and drink tea with, and it can create environments and moods that cause one to really stop, appreciate and consider life.
For those of us who drink Chinese tea on a daily basis, we almost certainly all have a small (or large!) space just for drinking tea. And it really doesn't matter how big or how small your house is, when you have a place to drink tea, whether it be alone or with friends, you will always find peace and laughter.
The Nature of Chinese Tea
Tea is not just tolerant, it is inclusive. A strip of bamboo can become a chopstick for measuring out leaves, a pebble can be used to rest the lid of a teapot. Tea leaves can be scolded with water in the depths of winter, or they can sit shivering in icy water on a summers day. They can be ground up, pounded into fine powder, as those in the Song dynasty liked to enjoy, or can be brewed intact as whole leaves, as many of us do today. We can add milk and sugar, we can mix with ginger and spices, or we can simply drink it as it comes: tea is happy to take us on a new enlightening journey with every different choice we make.
And throughout, in all its myriad of forms, tea remains the mediator, guiding us through a simple cup of leaves.
There is nothing mystical or magical about tea in itself, there is nothing high and mighty to grasp or comprehend. Tea is simply tea, and that is ultimately what makes it so special, so comforting, endearing and lifechanging: despite all our differences, everyone is welcome to come in, sit down, and enjoy.
-the end-
written by Fang yaoyao
translated by Thomas Staniforth
以下文字為中文原文
中國茶生活
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