The Art of Chinese Tea

After spending almost a month here in China, I have come to realize that the consumption of green tea is both an art and a lifestyle that is unmatched anywhere else in the world. Luckily for me, my taste buds are akin to the exasperating taste of tea. As I have found out from a Chinese friend, and after doing some reading, the history of Chinese tea is not one that merely satisfies the Chinese, but is ingrained in an ancient philosophy of their way of life, i.e. the philosophy of Qi Gong, which is an art and science of natural energy.

Obviously I knew the difference between green, black, and herbal tea, but never realized that the richness of the tea can vary to various degrees. It was a realization I made when my Chinese friend, Xiaohuan offered me tea from the Yunan province, told to be some of the rarest and most precious tea offered in China. I realized that the aroma, color and taste of the tea all played a role in giving one the pleasure of tea. I was later informed that the cultivation of tea is an art in China. The climate, the soil, the quality of cultivation, and the degree of fermentation all determine the kind of tea one can be sipping. Evidently, green tea is tea in its purest tea as it is mostly unfermented, while black tea is the result of fermented green tea. I was actually shocked to find out that both black and green tea originate from the same plant, i.e. camellia sinensis.

Tea's quality doesn't matter only for aesthetic or flavor reasons, but has a long history. Tea is a natural form of Chinese medicine. Each type of tea, according to Chinese legend, has its own energy level according to the Qi Gong philosophy. Xiaohuan's father once informed me that it is advisable to drink black tea in the winter and green tea in the summer to balance our internal and external temperature levels.

On another level, tea has spiritual benefits and has long been used by Buddhists for meditation. I truly have experienced tea's mood altering effects. Believe me, some incense and tea can be the ultimate stress reliever.

Personally, I enjoy my cup of tea to be bitter in flavor by not adding any sugar to it. I am not sure whether it is a habit to taste the meloncholic life that I sometimes love to embrace or whether its merely my taste buds craving to taste tea in its most original form. From experience, I can attest that tea helps one become serene, bright, and healthy. What I truly tend to savor about tea is the company of friends and family I will be enjoying this tea. Tea is an excellent way to share harmony, peace, and tranquility with others.

While reading some Taoist texts, I happened to cross upon a poem about tea that I tremendously enjoyed.

In gratitude for a gift of fresh tea

The first bowl moistens my lips and throat;
The second bowl banishes all loneliness;
The third bowl clears my mind of words and books.
At the fourth cup, I begin to perspire-
life's troubles evaporate through my pores.
The firth cup cleanses my entire being.
Six cups and I am in the realm of the Divine.
Seven cups-ah, but I can drink no more:
I can only feel the gentle breeze blowing through my sleeves,
wafting me away to the Isle of Immortality!

-Lu Tong, 18th Century Chinese Poet