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The Book of Tea
II。 The Schools of Tea。
Tea is a work of art and needs a master hand to bring out its noblest
qualities。 We have good and bad tea； as we have good and bad paintings…
…generally the latter。 There is no single recipe for making the perfect tea；
as there are no rules for producing a Titian or a Sesson。 Each preparation
of the leaves has its individuality； its special affinity with water and heat；
its own method of telling a story。 The truly beautiful must always be in it。
How much do we not suffer through the constant failure of society to
recognise this simple and fundamental law of art and life； Lichilai； a Sung
poet； has sadly remarked that there were three most deplorable things in
the world： the spoiling of fine youths through false education； the
degradation of fine art through vulgar admiration； and the utter waste of
fine tea through incompetent manipulation。
Like Art； Tea has its periods and its schools。 Its evolution may be
roughly divided into three main stages： the Boiled Tea； the Whipped Tea；
and the Steeped Tea。 We moderns belong to the last school。 These
several methods of appreciating the beverage are indicative of the spirit of
the age in which they prevailed。 For life is an expression； our
unconscious actions the constant betrayal of our innermost thought。
Confucius said that 〃man hideth not。〃 Perhaps we reveal ourselves too
much in small things because we have so little of the great to conceal。
The tiny incidents of daily routine are as much a commentary of racial
ideals as the highest flight of philosophy or poetry。 Even as the
difference in favorite vintage marks the separate idiosyncrasies of different
periods and nationalities of Europe； so the Tea…ideals characterise the
various moods of Oriental culture。 The Cake…tea which was boiled； the
Powdered…tea which was whipped； the Leaf…tea which was steeped；
mark the distinct emotional impulses of the Tang； the Sung； and the
Ming dynasties of China。 If we were inclined to borrow the much…
abused terminology of art…classification； we might designate them
respectively； the Classic； the Romantic； and the Naturalistic schools of
Tea。
The tea…plant； a native of southern China； was known from very early
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The Book of Tea
times to Chinese botany and medicine。 It is alluded to in the classics
under the various names of Tou； Tseh； Chung； Kha； and Ming； and was
highly prized for possessing the virtues of relieving fatigue； delighting
the soul； strengthening the will； and repairing the eyesight。 It was not only
administered as an internal dose； but often applied externally in form of
paste to alleviate rheumatic pains。 The Taoists claimed it as an important
ingredient of the elixir of immortality。 The Buddhists used it extensively
to prevent drowsiness during their long hours of meditation。
By the fourth and fifth centuries Tea became a favourite beverage
among the inhabitants of the Yangtse…Kiang valley。 It was about this time
that modern ideograph Cha was coined； evidently a corruption of the
classic Tou。 The poets of the southern dynasties have left some fragments
of their fervent adoration of the 〃froth of the liquid jade。〃 Then emperors
used to bestow some rare preparation of the leaves on their high ministers
as a reward for eminent services。 Yet the method of drinking tea at this
stage was primitive in the extreme。 The leaves were steamed； crushed in
a mortar； made into a cake； and boiled together with rice； ginger； salt；
orange peel； spices； milk； and sometimes with onions！ The custom obtains
at the present day among the Thibetans and various Mongolian tribes； who
make a curious syrup of these ingredients。 The use of lemon slices by
the Russians； who learned to take tea from the Chinese caravansaries；
points to the survival of the ancient method。
It needed the genius of the Tang dynasty to emancipate Tea from its
crude state and lead to its final idealization。 With Luwuh in the middle
of the eighth century we have our first apostle of tea。 He was born in an
age when Buddhism； Taoism； and Confucianism were seeking mutual
synthesis。 The pantheistic symbolism of the time was urging one to mirror
the Universal in the Particular。 Luwuh； a poet； saw in the Tea…service the
same harmony and order which reigned through all things。 In his
celebrated work； the 〃Chaking〃 （The Holy Scripture of Tea） he formulated
the Code of Tea。 He has since been worshipped as the tutelary god of the
Chinese tea merchants。
The 〃Chaking〃 consists of three volumes and ten chapters。 In the first
chapter Luwuh treats of the nature of the tea…plant； in the second of the
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The Book of Tea
implements for gathering the leaves； in the third of the selection of the
leaves。 According to him the best quality of the leaves must have
〃creases like the leathern boot of Tartar horsemen； curl like the dewlap of
a mighty bullock； unfold like a mist rising out of a ravine； gleam like a
lake touched by a zephyr； and be wet and soft like fine earth newly swept
by rain。〃
The fourth chapter is devoted to the enumeration and description of the
twenty…four members of the tea…equipage； beginning with the tripod
brazier and ending with the bamboo cabinet for containing all these
utensils。 Here we notice Luwuh's predilection for Taoist symbolism。
Also it is interesting to observe in this connection the influence of tea on
Chinese ceramics。 The Celestial porcelain； as is well known； had its
origin in an attempt to reproduce the exquisite shade of jade； resulting； in
the Tang dynasty； in the blue glaze of the south； and the white glaze of the
north。 Luwuh considered the blue as the ideal colour for the tea…cup； as it
lent additional greenness to the beverage； whereas the white made it look
pinkish and distasteful。 It was because he used cake…tea。 Later on；
when the tea masters of Sung took to the powdered tea； they preferred
heavy bowls of blue…black and dark brown。 The Mings； with their
steeped tea； rejoiced in light ware of white porcelain。
In the fifth chapter Luwuh describes the method of making tea。 He
eliminates all ingredients except salt。 He dwells also on the much…
discussed question of the choice of water and the degree of boiling it。
According to him； the mountain spring is the best； the river water and the
spring water come next in the order of excellence。 There are three stages
of boiling： the first boil is when the little bubbles like the eye of fishes
swim on the surface； the second boil is when the bubbles are like crystal
beads rolling in a fountain； the third boil is when the billows surge wildly
in the kettle。 The Cake…tea is roasted before the fire until it becomes soft
like a baby's arm and is shredded into powder between pieces of fine paper。
Salt is put in the first boil； the tea in the second。 At the third boil； a
dipperful of cold water is poured into the kettle to settle the tea and revive
the 〃youth of the water。〃 Then the beverage was poured into cups and
drunk。 O nectar！ The filmy leaflet hung like scaly clouds in a serene
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The Book of Tea
sky or floated like waterlilies on emerald streams。 It was of such a
beverage that Lotung； a Tang poet； wrote： 〃The first cup moistens my
lips and throat； the se