Originally produced and launched in China about four millennia ago, tea is a wonderful beverage loved all over the world. The Japanese monks introduced tea seeds to Japan during the Tang dynasty (618-907). They created the world-famous Japanese tea ceremony by combining tea with Zen Buddhism. The Dutch carried to Europe the Chinese tradition of drinking tea during the 17th century, which subsequently became a European tradition. Particularly in England, people then started to nurture the custom of afternoon and morning teas. Originally called 'Cha' in Chinese dialect (also borrowed by languages like Bengali), the English word 'tea' was a transliteration of its pronunciation in the Fujian dialect of China. It has remained over the years and centuries as a significant contribution of the Chinese people to global culture and tradition.
Tea has been the most popular drink of the Chinese people over several thousand years and is still a widely prevalent habit there. It is intimately linked to the lifestyle of ordinary people, and varying tea-drinking habits have contributed to the development of local tea customs. Drinking habits also vary in style from the northern to the southern parts of China as the country is a vast one. Tea houses have always remained an important setting in the lives of the Chinese masses, just as cafes or bars are in the Western world.
A tea-master of the late Tang Dynasty (618-907) named Liu Zhenliang propounded the ten virtues of tea. These were as follows: (1) tea is tasty; (2) it can help maintain good health; (3) it drives away stinking odors; (4) it can prevent diseases; (5) it can cultivate and enhance body energy; (6) it can relieve depression of the mind; (7) it can improve manners of people; (8) it can convey respect for others; (9) it can soothe one's mind; (10) it can uphold justice in society. These ideas were shared and nurtured by a majority of the Chinese people. In fact, tea was also warmly accepted and even acclaimed as a 'blessing from God' when it was first introduced in Europe.
The first and foremost pleasure derived by the Chinese people from drinking tea is 'cleansing'. The cleaner a tea-growing place is, the better is supposed to be its quality. In fact, fine tea usually grows in a clear environment on high mountains enveloped by clouds and mists. Tea leaves grow well in such a clear environment and are picked up with the dew clinging to them, which invariably carry the refreshing air of nature. Therefore, a fine tea is refreshingly fragrant and crystal clear, and helps the body and mind in becoming cleansed and balanced.
'Seeking leisure' is the second most important facet of drinking tea. The busy and bustling world of humans is full of confusion, controversies, debates and arguments, weariness and fatigue, which damages the body and mind of humans. But a cup of refreshing tea can assuage the body and mind and help parry the sound and fury of a pulsating world. In the process of sipping a cup of tea, the mind may become as calm and still as a blue lake in a windless night with the moonlight shining on it. This may open up a new and infinite world of peace and serenity in one's mental horizon.
The third most important attribute of drinking tea is as a means of 'showing respect' for others. Expressing or demonstrating respect by offering a cup of tea is a custom long fostered by the Chinese people and society. Tea is served as a sign of respect, irrespective of whether the guest is thirsty or not, but makes him energised and refreshed after he drinks it. There is also a custom in some places of China of welcoming a guest by serving tea thrice, which serves as an indication of hospitality, good wishes and respect for the guest.
Drinking tea is looked upon by the Chinese people as a form of art. It involves a wide range of knowledge and outlooks, as the taste of tea may be light, but the meaning may be rich and deep. Much importance is attached to the use and application of water, tea leaves, tea set and fire while preparing and drinking tea. There are four principles that a tea drinker should observe while consuming tea, viz. colour, aroma, taste and form. Fine tea is usually a blend of these traits and patience is required for appreciating it. Therefore, the Chinese people prefer the terminology 'savouring tea' instead of 'drinking tea', as any hurry in the act would be a taboo for them.
Numerous folk customs in China are also related to tea, such as the wedding ceremony and anniversaries. As tea plants grow from seeds that cannot be removed, newly-weds in Chinese society customarily plant tea-seeds to symbolise their devotion and love for each other. Interestingly, the engagement ceremony is often called the 'tea ceremony', which is still popular in many places of China.
A typical verse on tea quoted by a contemporary Chinese writer Wang Zengqu (1920-97) ran as follows:
In those good times of old,
To a teahouse my father and I followed.
Before the teahouse I played with shells
And at the lane entrance, with sands.
Numerous love songs are also linked to the drinking of tea. According to the records of a Song-dynasty poet named Lu You (1125-1210), single and young men and women often met in some places to sing:
Young girl, as pretty as tea leaves,
Would you please come out -
For a cup of tea?
The Qing-dynasty (1616-1911) writer Pu Songling (1640-1715) quoted a folk-song in a love-story included in the collection of his short stories titled 'Strange Tales from Make-do Studio':
My home stands by the Pantuo River,
Come have tea sometime, my sweetheart.
With earthen walls and a thatched roof,
In front, a silk tree in full bloom.
The love-song appears even more glowing and poetic as the metaphors of drinking tea and a fully blossomed silk tree both symbolise love, union and marriage.
Dr. Helal Uddin Ahmed is a former Editor of Bangladesh Quarterly and a CCSP-Understanding China Fellow of the Confucius Institute Headquarters, Beijing.
hahmed1960@gmail.com