Chinese Panorama: Tea

By: Crazy 13459111233

 An Introduction of Tea

Tea and Confucianism

Contents
Tea and Daoism

Tea and Buddhism

 01
PART ONE

An Introduction of Tea
1. properties
name: 茶 chá, neither a grass nor a wood, is
a bush-like plant, often called tea crops.
The name tea has its origin of a Fujian dialect.
2. categories
green tea, scented tea, oolong tea, black tea, dark tea
 02
PART TWO

Tea and Confucianism

Leisure V.s. Household regular
1. Confucian Embodiment of Tea
Tea works well in coordinating human relations and
strengthening social ties.
2. Tea virtues
tea is tasty; tea can maintain health; tea can drive away
stinking odors; tea can prevent diseases; tea can
cultivate energy in the human body; tea can relieve
depression; tea can improve manners; tea can convey
respect; tea can soothe the mind; and tea can uphold
justice.
3. Tea in elevating characters
Drinking tea is to the body and the mind as well. Tea is
believed to be able to cleanse the mind and to escape for leisure.
Mostly tea grows in high mountains and is nurtured with
pure essence from the nature. This quality of cleanness is
always connected to purity of human quality. Drinking
tea is a process of soul cleaning and is just like a road of
practising zen or meditation, which concerns more with
human soul and is supposed to have an effect to help lift
up people’s souls.
 03
PART THREE

Tea and Daoism

Tea Drinking as an art
1). Factors in influencing tea
a. water --- high mountain water is the best; water from rivers
and streams (brooks) ranks second; water from wells comes
the third; tap water is the least choice.
b. tea leaves: high mountains nurture high quality tea; sun-
shiny locations will produce a strong fragrance tea than
shadowy positions; minerals in the soil will affect tea flavor;
the seasons also have an effect on the fragrance of tea
leaves.
c. tea sets: boccaro teapot is often people's favorite, followed
by porcelain tea pot, and glass or other materials are last
choice.
d. fire: live fire (charcoal fire) --- slow but constant
2). experience the miracles of nature: in drinking
tea, people is integrated with the transformations and
changes of nature.
 04
PART FOUR

Tea and Buddhism

 Drinking tea is in the resemblance of
practising zen ---meditation
1. experience the changes and transformations on one's
own.
2. Drinking tea is a minicking process of life experience:
philosphically, drinking tea involves a complicated
process similar to a life journey which starts with a
slight difficulty (bitterness) and then is followed by
gradual increasing sweet from the accustomed life
(life reflections).
3. In drinking tea, people experience the miracles
and changes of nature.
4. Drinking tea helps people realize the essence of
life (the vitality of withering creature).
THANKS