There are different opinions on when China started drinking tea. There are official records of tea drinking during the Western Han Dynasty, and the start time of tea drinking should be earlier than this. Tea emerged with a cultural appearance during the Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties.
In a broad sense, tea culture refers to the sum of material and spiritual wealth related to tea created in the process of human social and historical practice, divided into two aspects: the natural science of tea and the humanities of tea. Narrowly speaking, focusing on the humanities of tea mainly refers to the spiritual and social functions of tea. Due to the independent system of natural science in tea, the commonly discussed tea culture tends to focus on humanities.
Tea Culture Before the Three Kingdoms
Many books date the discovery of tea to 2737-2697 BC, and its history can be traced back to the Three Emperors and Five Emperors. In Hua Tuo’s “Shijing” of the Eastern Han Dynasty, it is recorded that “bitter tea is beneficial when consumed for a long time”. During the Western Han Dynasty, the county where tea was produced was named “Tuling”, which is the tea tomb in Hunan.
Tea Culture of the Jin Dynasty
With the rise of literati drinking tea, poetry, songs and prose related to tea have gradually emerged. Tea has moved away from being a general form of food and entered the cultural circle, playing a certain spiritual and social role. During the Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the system of feudal lords had already been formed. Not only did emperors and nobles gather and become a common practice, but also ordinary officials and even scholars took pride in boasting about their wealth and fighting for it, often resulting in a rich and generous reputation. In this situation, some knowledgeable individuals have raised the issue of “maintaining integrity”. So, Lu Na and Huan Wen took the initiative of replacing wine with tea. Emperor Wu, the founder of Southern Qi, was a relatively enlightened emperor who did not enjoy banquets. Before his death, he issued a testament stating that his funeral should be as frugal as possible after his death, and that he should not use the three sacrificial animals as sacrifices. Only dry rice, fruit cakes, and tea and rice should be included. In the eyes of Lu Na, Huan Wen, and Emperor Wu of Qi, drinking tea was not only to refresh the mind and quench thirst, but also to generate social benefits. It became a means of treating guests with tea, offering sacrifices, and expressing spiritual and emotional sentiments. Drinking tea is no longer solely for human use based on its natural value, but has entered the spiritual realm.
During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the world was in turmoil, and various cultural and ideological ideas blended and collided, making metaphysics quite popular. Metaphysics was a philosophical trend during the Wei and Jin dynasties, mainly combining the ideas of Laozi and Zhuangzi with the teachings of Confucianism. Most metaphysicians are so-called famous scholars, who value their social status, appearance, and manners, and enjoy empty and profound conversations. During the Eastern Jin and Southern Dynasties, the prosperity of Jiangnan provided temporary satisfaction for scholars, who spent their days wandering between green mountains and beautiful waters. The trend of tranquility continued to develop, leading to the emergence of many talkers. At first, there were many talkers and drinkers, but later on, the style of conversation gradually developed into that of ordinary literati. Metaphysics scholars enjoy giving speeches, and ordinary talkers also enjoy speaking eloquently. Alcohol can make people excited, but drinking too much can lead to confusion, nonsense, and loss of elegance. Tea, on the other hand, can be consumed for a long time and remain clear headed, making one’s thoughts clear and their mentality calm. Moreover, for ordinary literati, they spend their days dealing with alcohol and meat, and economic conditions do not allow it. So many mystics and talkers shifted from good wine to good tea. In their place, drinking tea has been treated as a mental phenomenon.
With the introduction of Buddhism and the rise of Taoism, drinking tea has been associated with Buddhism and Taoism. In the eyes of Taoism, tea is a good way to help refine “inner alchemy”, elevate clarity and reduce turbidity, lighten the body and transform bones, and cultivate an immortal body; In the eyes of Buddhism, tea is also a necessary thing for meditation and tranquility. Although a complete religious tea drinking ceremony and elucidation of the ideological principles of tea have not yet been formed at this time, tea has departed from being a physical form of food and has significant social and cultural functions, giving rise to the emergence of Chinese tea culture.
Tea Culture of Sui and Tang Dynasties
According to the fact that tea was previously used for medicinal purposes, it was widely consumed by the general public during the Sui Dynasty and was often believed to be beneficial to the body. The Sui Dynasty basically formed Chinese tea culture, and in 780 AD, Lu Yu wrote the “Classic of Tea” based on it, which was a unique symbol of the formation of tea culture in the Sui and Tang dynasties. It summarizes the dual content of natural and humanistic sciences in tea, explores the art of tea drinking, integrates Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism into tea drinking, and innovates the spirit of Chinese tea ceremony. In the future, a large number of tea books and poems appeared, including “Tea Description”, “Fried Tea Water Record”, “Picking Tea Record”, “Sixteen Soup Products”, and so on. The formation of tea culture in the Tang Dynasty was related to the rise of Zen Buddhism. Due to the refreshing and stimulating functions of tea, as well as the ability to produce fluids and quench thirst, temples revered drinking tea. Tea trees were planted around the temples, tea ceremonies were established, tea halls were set up, tea heads were selected, and tea activities were specifically organized. The Chinese tea ceremony formed in the Tang Dynasty was divided into palace tea ceremony, temple tea ceremony, and literati tea ceremony.
Tea Culture of the Song Dynasty
The tea industry in the Song Dynasty had a great development, promoting the development of tea culture. Professional tea tasting societies emerged among literati, such as the “Tang Society” composed of officials and the “Thousand People Society” of Buddhists. Zhao Kuangyin, the founder of Song Dynasty, was a tea enthusiast who established tea service agencies in the palace. The tea used in the palace was already graded. The tea ceremony has become a ritual, and giving tea has become an important means for the emperor to win over ministers and pay tribute to relatives. It has also been given to foreign envoys. As for the lower class society, tea culture is even more vibrant and lively. Some people migrate, neighbors should offer tea, guests come, and respect the precious tea. When getting engaged, tea should be served, when getting married, tea should be served, and when having sex, tea should be shared. The rise of folk tea fighting has brought about a series of changes in the selection and cooking of dishes.
Since the Yuan Dynasty, tea culture has entered a period of tortuous development. The Song Dynasty expanded the social and cultural aspects of tea culture, and tea culture flourished. However, tea art became complex, trivial, and luxurious, losing the profound ideological connotations of Tang Dynasty tea culture. The overly refined tea art drowned out the spirit of tea culture and lost its noble and profound essence. In the court, aristocrats, and literati, drinking tea has become a “drinking ritual”, “drinking grandeur”, and “playing with tea”.
In the Yuan Dynasty, on the one hand, although ethnic minorities in the north also liked tea, it was mainly for their daily and physiological needs, and culturally, they did not have much interest in tea tasting and brewing; On the other hand, Chinese cultural figures, faced with the fragmentation of their homeland and oppression from other ethnic groups, have no intention of expressing their charm and elegance through tea. Instead, they hope to express their sentiments and hone their willpower through drinking tea. These two different ideological trends, when combined in tea culture, have promoted the development of tea art towards simplicity and a return to simplicity. Before the middle of the Ming Dynasty, the Han people were aware of the downfall of the previous ethnic group, and as soon as the country was founded, it became difficult for national affairs. Therefore, they still had the ambition to strengthen their integrity. The tea culture still inherits the trend of the Yuan Dynasty, manifested in the simplification of tea art, the integration of tea culture with nature, and the expression of one’s own bitterness through tea.
Ming and Qing Tea Culture
At this time, various types of tea such as steamed green, stir fried green, and roasted green had emerged, and the drinking of tea had been changed to the “brewing method”. Many literati and scholars in the Ming Dynasty have left behind works that have been passed down, such as Tang Bohu’s “Tea Cooking Scroll” and “Tea Tasting Picture”, Wen Zhengming’s “Huishan Tea Party Record”, “Lu Yu Tea Cooking Picture”, “Tea Tasting Picture”, and so on. With the increase of tea types, there are different techniques for brewing tea, and the styles, textures, and patterns of tea utensils are diverse. By the Qing Dynasty, tea exports had become a formal industry, with countless tea books, events, and poems.
