Lu Yu, Cha Jing: Treatise on Tea - "Tea Canon" (6 - 7 chapters)

Tea party

Three kinds of creatures are born on this Earth. Some are winged and fly. Some are furry and run. But others stretch their mouths and talk. All of them must eat and drink to survive.

There are times, however, when the meaning of "drink" becomes unclear. If one simply needs to quench one's thirst, one may drink rice and water. If one is suddenly overcome by melancholy, sadness, or anger, one may turn to wine to drink. But if one wishes to dispel the fruitless apathy of the evening, then tea is for that purpose.

Now tea used as a drink was first discovered by Emperor Shen Nung. Among other great tea lovers, we have heard that in the state of Liu there was Prince Zhou, while the state of Ch'i had Yen Ying. During the Han Dynasty there was Yan Sun and Ssu-Ma Hsien-ju. During the time of Wu, there was Wei Yao. During the time of Ch'ing there was Liu Ku, as well as Chan Tsai, my distant ancestor Lu Na and Xi' Noh among others that come to mind by chance. They all drank tea.

Tea was drunk so copiously according to custom that it has become deeply ingrained in our customs and flourishes in the present dynasty, both in the north and south. From Chin to Yu, it [tea] is the common drink of every family.

The drink that people drink can be [made] from large [rolled?], loose, powdered and tile [pressed] tea. It [the tea] can be chopped, boiled [steamed], roasted and packed into a bottle or clay vessel, where it only awaits hot water.

Sometimes such ingredients as onion, ginger, jujube, orange peel, dogwood berries, or mint are boiled with the tea. Such ingredients may be simply scattered over the surface for decoration, or they may be boiled together and the foam poured out. Drinks such as these are little more than slops from gutters and canals; nevertheless, alas, it is the universal custom to make tea in this way.

In a thousand things which Heaven nourishes, there is the highest perfection. Only for idleness and peace does man work on things. He retires to his home. Thus he ennobles the house and brings it to perfection according to his taste. He covers himself with clothes. He ennobles the clothes to perfection. He consumes food and drink to satiety. These too he perfects and ennobles to the utmost.

So it is with tea. There are nine criteria that a person must follow when dealing with tea.

1. He must make it [tea].

2. He must develop a sense of selectivity and discrimination about it [tea].

3. He should stock up on proper utensils.

4. He must prepare the right kind of fire.

5. He must choose the right water.

6. He must roast the tea until it changes.

7. He must grind it well.

8. He must cook to its utmost perfection.

9. He must finally drink it.

There are no shortcuts. Simply picking tea in the shade and drying it in the cool of the evening does not make it. Gnawing at it to taste it and smelling it to smell it does not constitute knowledge. Bringing along a moldy tripod or a cup filled with offensive odors does not constitute proper utensils. Resinous firewood and old kitchen charcoal are not the material for a decent fire. Water from turbulent rapids or dammed floods is not suitable water. Tea cannot be called roasted if it is heated on the outside and left raw on the inside. Turning it into jade powder or green dust does not constitute grinding. Clumsy handling of implements or changing from implement to implement that attracts attention is not brewing tea. Finally, drinking excessive amounts of tea in the summer and nothing at all in the winter is not [meaning] drinking tea.

For elegant freshness and bright aroma, limit the number of cups to three. If one can be satisfied with less than perfection, then five [cups] are permissible. If the number of guests is up to five rows, three cups will be necessary. If seven, then five cups will be required. If there are six guests or fewer, do not skimp on the number of cups.

But if at least one guest is missing from the gathering, then the memorable and persistent taste of tea should take its place.

Notes on Tea

The following [famous personalities] had a significant connection with tea:

1. During the Three Emperors Period, Shen Nong, also known as Emperor Yen. [A legendary figure, also called the Celestial Plowman. The forefather of Chinese culture and science. As befits a legendary cultural hero, different authors attribute different dates of his reign to him – 2732, 2690 BC. There is even an original hypothesis that his name is the name of one of the first agricultural tribes, Shen Nong, assimilated over time. According to the generally accepted legend, Shen Nong is the discoverer of tea and its medicinal properties.]

2. During the Zhou Dynasty [Eastern Zhou 770 BC – 256 BC], Tang, Prince of Chou of the Kingdom of Lu.

3. From the Kingdom of Qin, Yen Yin. [Qin Dynasty 221 BC – 206 BC]

4. During the Han Dynasty [referring to the Western Han Dynasty 202 BC – 8 AD]:

a. Immortal Taoist Tang Chu-tzu.

b. Ssu-Ma Hsiang-yu. [famous poet, died about 117 B.C.]

c. Minister Yan Xun.

5. In the Wu Dynasty, the reign of Kuei Min Hou, Wei Hunzu.[264 – 277 BC]

6. During the Jin Dynasty [265 – 420] there were:

a. During the reign of Hui Ti, Lu Kong. [290 – 307]

b. His nephew and governor of Yen Chow, Lu Yen.

c. Eunuch Chan Men.

d. Lu Na of Wu Xin [c. 386, an ancient ancestor of Lu Yu, according to his own statement].

e. His nephew from Hui Chi, Lu Shu.

f. General Xie An-shi.

g. Kuo Pu from Hun Nun.

h. Huan Wen of Yan Chou.

i. Nobleman Tu Yu.

j. Buddhist Yao Pei-Kuo from the Xiao Shan Temple in Wu Kang.

k. Yu Hun from Yu Yao.

l. Xia Hou-kai.

m. From the northern regions of Phu San.

n. Hun Chung-chu from Tan Yan.

o. Zhen Yu-chan from Kao An.

p. Chin Chin from Hsuan Chen.

q. Shan Tao-kai of Tung Huan.

r. Ms. Chen Wu from Yen Xi'en.

s. Shan Chien-chi of Ho Nei.

7. In the late Wei [Western Wei 535 – 581], Wan Su of Lan Yie.

8. During the [time of] Sun [referring to Emperor Liu Sun 420-479]:

a. Wen-Tzu Luan.

b. His brother, Wen-Tzu Shen.

c. Pao Chao and his sister, Pao Lin-kuei.

9. Wu Ti, founder of the Qi Dynasty [479 – 502]

10. Tao Hun-ching of the Liang Dynasty [502 – 557].

11. In the present Dynasty [Tang Dynasty], Hsu Yin-chi. [741 – 775 A.D. A poet-hermit and neighbor of Lu Yu during Lu Yu's hermitage in the sixth decade of the 8th century at the Tiaoxi River, present-day Huzhou County.]

In Shen Ning's "Treatise on Food" it is said: "Tea gives strength to the body, satisfaction to the mind, and determination to the will when taken for a long time."

The Slavonic of Er Ya, written by Prince Chou, states: "The word Chia means Tea when it is bitter."

Kuan Ya: “In the states of Chin and Pa, their inhabitants collect leaves and make cakes from them. When the leaf is old, the cake becomes hard, but it can be softened with oil squeezed from rice. When they [the inhabitants] are ready to make tea, they roast it [the cake] until it turns red. Then they crush and grind it [the cake] into powder and put it in an earthenware jug. Then they brew it [the tea] under [covering] a lid. In addition, they mix the tea with onions, jujubes and oranges. The whole creates a frightening drink that prevents sleep.”

Yen Tsu Chen-Ch'iu: "When Yin [i.e. Yen Yin or Yen Tsu] served as a minister to Prince Ch'in of Chi, he often took a bowl of husked rice, five eggs, some tea and vegetables."

In Feng Chiang written by Su-Ma Hsien-Yu it is said the following: “Bird’s beak [the modern name is not clear, this is a literary translation of the name. One of the possible options is Lat. Platycodon grandiflorus], dandelion [lat. Daphne genkwa], garland flower [lat. Petasites japonicus], coltsfoot [lat. Fritillaria verticillata var. Thunbergii], lily [lat. Artemisia], bitter wormwood [lat. Cerastium vulgatum var. glandulosum], chickweed, peony [lat. Paeonia albiflora var. hortensis], cinnamon [lat. Cinnamonum cassia], Cardus Crispus [lat.], Fei Lien [In the comments Su-Ma Hsien-Yu himself speaks of Fei Lien as an animal with the body of a bird and the head of a deer. But most likely it is some kind of plant, because the paragraph mentions only plants.], mushroom [lat. Fungus], tea [lat. Thea sinensis], celebrated for its lightness, parsnip [lat. Heracleum lanatum], reed [rattan] palm [lat. Calamus], eulalia [lat. Miscantus sinensis], jasmine [lat. Tabernae montani], pepper and dogwood [lat. Cornus officinalis].

Yan Xian Feng Yen's "Book of Dialects" tells us that in the southwestern regions of Sichuan, the people use the word She to refer to tea.

From the "Biography of Wei Yao" in the Annals of Wu: "At the banquets held by Bai Song Hao, Xing always counted on seven sheng [wine per person] as the limit. Although some could not drink it all, they secretly poured the wine on the ground until it was gone. Yao never drank more than two sheng. Hao, who had an exceptional sense of combat, secretly gave Yao tea instead of wine." [The end of this story is deplorable - the emperor discovered the cheating in the wine-drinking duel, and both friends, tea lovers, were imprisoned and executed in 273. For some reason, Lu Yu is silent about this. Yao was later canonized as a saint, patronizing tea people].

Book [of the] Ching Dynasty, "The Period of Chun Hsin": "Lu Na was Wu Hsin's administrator. General Xie An often expressed a desire to visit Na. Na's nephew, Lu Shu, accused his uncle of making no preparations [for the general's visit]. Not daring to raise the matter with his uncle, he secretly stocked up on provisions for a multitude of guests. When the general arrived, all that [Lu Na] presented him with was tea and fruit. But Shu suddenly appeared, carrying provisions, and scrupulously served them in proper [etiquette] dishes. As soon as General An had left, Na beat Shu with a stick, giving him forty strokes, and said: "You have never been able to do anything to make your father's younger brother's life brighter or more profitable. Why then should you complicate even my simplest affairs?"

"Collection of Spirit Records" [author of the collection Kung Pao, Qin Dynasty]: "Hsia-Hou [double family name] Kkai K'kei died after an illness. One of his close family members, whose name was Hsia-Hou, followed him into the spirit world to investigate. He asked for his horse and was about to leave when he also fell ill. His wife, wearing a headdress and outer garment [as a sign of mourning and expectation of an early burial], came to sit by him; when he came to, he was in his bed by the western wall [of the house]. The first thing he asked for was a cup of tea."

Liu Qin wrote to his nephew Liu Yen, the governor of southern Yen Zhou, and said, "I have already received from An Zhou a rank of each - dried ginger, cassia, and ?? [lat. Scutellaria baikalensis]. These are the things I need, but I continue to be listless and captivated by melancholy. I seem to think only of a small amount of real tea. Do you think you could arrange it?"

The superintendent of the criminal justice department noticed that in some parts of the South, mendicant women of Sichuan made a kind of paste out of tea, which they were able to sell for a small [price]. He said, "I have also heard that they press [the tea] and sell the cakes in the market. How would it be if I were to restrict the sale of such things to those old women?"

Records of Miracles [a third-century collection of stories with commentary by Chan Hua]: “Yu Hun, a man from Yu Yao, went into the mountains to pick tea and came across a Daoist monk leading three young oxen. Accompanying Hun to Cascade Peak, from which the water fell straight down like a strip of calico suspended in the air, he said, ‘I am Tang Ch’iu-zu. I have heard that my lord likes to drink a lot of tea and have long hoped to visit Mount Hui. Deep in those mountains there are huge tea trees that will yield enough [tea leaves] to supply everyone. May I ask my lord that next time he will bring a bowl with him and make an offering [to the trees]? The remainder [of the tribute], I hope, he will leave for the other residents.’”

Acting on the advice of the Taoist, he, Yu Hun, offered a libation. From then on, there was enough tea for all the heads of families who went into the mountains to reap the fruits of these huge trees.

Zuo Su had a poem called "Beautiful Ladies":

There is a beautiful lady living in my house.

Her face surpasses whiteness.

Dazzling white, sparkling white.

Her name is Wang Su - [Finely spun white silk].

Every part - her lips, her teeth,

Her nose is refined and true.

Her younger sister is Hui Fan [Delicate Fragrance]

Whose eyes and eyebrows are living pictures.

The wild duck takes off and soars

Above my garden.

The fruit fell, fresh

And waits to be picked up.

I long for intertwined flowers

With wind and rain.

In my mind I am writing a play about Tea.

The wind sighs and cries between the tripods and cauldrons.

"Climbing the Tower at Chen Tu" by Chen Meng-yan:

May I ask the way to Yan Tsu's hut?

I must visit the house of the great minister.

The journey is long, but I have a lot of gold.

My horse rears up and would leave five capitals behind in an instant.

At the gates, guests on horseback are crowding and pushing.

I carry a curved blade behind my turquoise belt.

There is rice in a tripod - peace comes to us.

The delights of the highest perfection.

We enter the forests to pick autumn oranges,

We visit the rivers for spring fish.

A speckled egg is more exquisite than an exquisite cookie.

Fruits are more pleasing than crabs,

While fragrant Tea soothes the six passions

And its aroma embraces nine provinces.

Our lives have little meaning - we rest peacefully.

This land was created for enjoyment.

Fu Xun's Seven Precepts mentions many plants and trees. These include the golden peach, crab apple, persimmon from Chi, chestnut from Yen, yellow pear from Huang Yan, blood orange from Wu Shan, white sugar from the far west [outside China], and teas [plural] from the southern and central regions [of China].

Hong Chung-chu says, "When food is extremely cold or hot, one must humbly limit oneself. If tea collected after frost is served, three cups may be drunk, but then one must stop. Among the soups [decoctions] of which it is permissible to drink no more than one cup are those made from mallow, olives, five-flavored [seasonings] with mixed [fruits] of the strawberry tree, plum, quince or sugar beet."

From the Ballads of San Chu we learn that medicinal dogwood comes from the top of a fragrant tree; carp comes from the healing waters of the Lo River, table salt from the Yellow River tributary Ho Tong, and soybeans from Lu Yuan.

Ginger, cassia and tea come from Sichuan, while pepper, oranges and magnolias come from Kao Shan. Bitterweed and thyme come from the ditches, and the weeds from the fallow fields.

Hua T'o's Food Treatise: "If you drink bitter tea for a long time, it will speed up the power of thought."

On the other hand, Hu Zhu-shi in his "Superstitions about Food" says that if drinking bitter tea becomes a habit or [it] is eaten like leeks, obesity will follow.

Kuo P'u in his Commentary on the Er Ya [an encyclopedia attributed to the legendary Shen Nung but written by an unknown author in the 6th century B.C.]: "When the tree is young, it resembles a blooming gardenia. The winter leaf [should] be boiled like soup and drunk. When the leaf is gathered early [in the spring], it is called Ch'a; if gathered later, it is called Ming or Ch'uan. The Sichuanese call it 'bitter tea.'

In the Shi Shuo, it is said of Yen Chang, also known as Yu Chang, a young man of good repute, that he was crossing a river on business, but found his spirit weakening. He decided to revive himself with tea, and asked some locals what kind of tea it was. Noticing angry looks, he explained, "All I meant by the question was [to] find out whether to drink it [the tea] hot or cold."

Appendix to the Collection of Spiritual Records: "During the Chin Dynasty [265-290], a man named Ch'in Ch'in had the habit of going into the mountains to get tea. On one visit there, he encountered a man covered with hair and more than ten chi tall. He led Ch'in down the mountain, pointed out a tea tree ready for harvesting. Then he went away. But he reappeared in a glimmer, pulled out an orange from his bosom, and left it with Ch'in. Frightened, Ch'in grabbed his tea, threw it over his shoulders, and went away."

During the Four Princes' Rebellion in the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Hui Ti fled. When he returned to Luo Yan, a eunuch filled a cup with tea and offered it to him. This was the highest expression of honor.

From the Anthology of Wonders: "When Lady Ch'en Wu was young, she was forced to live in the company of only her two children [i.e., without servants or courtiers]. They were all devoted to tea. There was, however, an old cemetery in the neighborhood, and each time they gathered tea, they were forced to perform successive rites of veneration [of the graves]. Hatred grew in the two sons and they said: "This is [only] an ancient cemetery. Why should we be careful and bother ourselves so uselessly?" They thought urgently of digging up the bodies from the graves and getting rid of the cemetery. This action was prevented by the mother only with great difficulty.

That same evening she had a dream in which a man appeared and said, "I have been resting in this old grave for more than three hundred years, and yet my two young masters are constantly talking about destroying it. They think they can do this and thus protect each other while they enjoy my good tea that grew in this cemetery. Well, they can easily hide my decrepit and crumbling bones. But how will they escape the punishment of the withered and fallen mulberry tree trunks?"

When, at dawn, above the courtyard, the mother found more than a million in cash, which she divided among the assembled [sons]. It [the money] looked as if it had been buried in the ground in ancient times, but recently strung [on strings according to Chinese custom – through holes in the middle]. She reported all this [her dream] to her two sons, who were put to shame. From that time on they were more respectful than ever."

From Kuan Ling's "Biographies of Venerable Elders": "During the time of Yuan Ti of the Qing Dynasty, there was an old woman who filled a vessel with tea every morning and went to the market. Customers jostled and quarreled with each other in their rush to buy it [tea]. But even though she sold tea all day, the vessel remained full.

The money the old woman received, she scattered along the roadsides for orphans, poor people and beggars. Many people in the neighborhood began to be afraid of such miracles and so the prefectural justice imprisoned her.

That same evening, the old woman flew out of the prison window on the vessel from which she sold tea."

Shang Tao-k'ai of Tang Huan in the "Chronicles of the Arts": "Do not fear hot or cold, but take small stones [most likely meaning pills] regularly. The medicines taken by the master included essence of pine, cassia, or honey. As for the rest [diseases], he took only thyme or tea."

Appendix to the Stories of Buddhists and Taoists, "Reports of Famous Monks": "During the Yong Chi period of the Song Dynasty, the Buddhist Yao of the Yan family of Ho Tong was crossing a wide expanse of water. On the way, he met Shen Tai-chen, whom he invited to the temple of the Little Mountain in Wu Kang. He had already tied up his carriage [a phrase meaning that old age does not allow him to leave home], being in the twilight [sunset] of his life. They drank tea during the meal. One day he was invited by imperial command to make a ceremonial visit to the capital from Wu Hsin. He [Yao] was then seventy-nine years old."

Family Chronicle of Chiang, Song Dynasty: “When Chiang Tung-shan accepted the post of groom of the heir apparent to the throne, a warning letter was sent to the imperial throne, which read: “In the western garden, we sell fermented flour, bitterweed, and herbal tea. We suppose that [it is necessary] to fear that the honor of the state has been tarnished.”

Records of the Song Dynasty: "Ban-Tzu Luan Xing and Wong-Tzu Shang of Yu Chang visited the Taoist of the Tang Chi Monastery on the Eight Princes Mountain. After enjoying the tea presented to them, one [of them] expressed disagreement: "This is nothing but the sweet and delicate dew that has fallen from Heaven. How can you call this tea?"

Poem by Wong Wei:

Quiet.

Quietly I creep into my chambers.

Deserted.

The great hall is deserted and useless.

Expectation.

Waiting for a man who will not return.

Submissive, I'm going to get my tea.

Pao Ling-hui, Pao Chao's younger sister, wrote a poem called "Scented Tea." [Scented tea was known long before Lu Yu. Jasmine, rose, plum, gardenia, Aglaia odorata, and orange blossoms were used to impart floral aromas.]

When the founder of Southern Chi, Emperor Wu, died [in 492], [this was] his last proclamation [to posterity]: "My spirit sits on the throne. Take careful care that no animals are sacrificed, but instead only cakes, fruits, and tea to drink with them; dry rice, wine, and dried meat."

Tao Hung-Ching in "Records of Miscellaneous Things": "When bitter tea is too light, it should be mixed with other juices. In former times, T'ang Chiu-Tzu, the lord of Yellow Mountain, [often] used this."

Records of the later [kingdom] of Wei: "Wong Su of Lan Yie took up his post in the South. He was a lover of tea and even had a special blend [of tea]. But when he returned to the North, he preferred mutton and fermented milk to tea. Someone, wanting to know how tea compared with fermented milk, asked him about it, and he answered: "Tea is not worthy to be a slave to fermented milk."

Tung Chong's notes: "The people who come from Hsi Yang, Wu Chang, Lu Chiang and Qi Ling - all from the East - each loves tea. They make a very clear tea, which, if drunk before the foam settles, is most pleasant. The fact is that most drinks are made from the leaves, although plants such as asparagus are stripped to the roots to make the drink. In both cases, both varieties of plants are very pleasant to man.

In the eastern part of Sichuan, there is another plant that produces real tea. That tea, brewed and drunk hot, will help us stay awake.

Among commoners, it is common to mix prunes with a decoction of sandalwood leaves. Tea made from this mixture can also be drunk cold.

There is also a kind of gourd in the South, the leaf of which closely resembles tea. It is extremely bitter and astringent. From it is made a powdered tea, the virtue of which is that it enables one to go a whole night without sleep. The workers [in the manufacture of] salt rely almost entirely on it as a drink, and use it without restraint. When important guests arrive, tea is served first, and then various spicy snacks are presented."

Yuan K'un's Notes: "In Chen Chou Prefecture, about 350 li from Su P'u County, there is Mount Wu Yi. It is said that during festivals, the Man tribes gather with related clans, dance and sing among the tea trees on the top of the mountain."

According to the Comprehensive Map of the Empire, one hundred and forty li to the east of Ling Sui County, there is a stream called Tea Creek.

Wu Xing's Notes from Shang Ch'ien: "Twenty li from Wu Chen there is Mount Wen, where tea is produced for the imperial court."

According to the Yi Ling Atlas, tea is produced in the mountains of Wan Chou, Nu Kuan, Jin Men and Huan Nu.

In the Yun Chia Atlas, three hundred li to the east of Yun Chia, there is a mountain called White Mountain of Tea. There is also an area called Slopes of Tea, about two hundred li to the south of Shang Yan, according to the Huai Yin Atlas.

The atlas of Cha Ling says: "Cha Ling got its name from the hills and valleys there that produce tea. According to the section on 'Trees' in Pen-zao, if the tea is bitter, it is called 'Ming', but if it has a sweet taste, it is called 'Cha'. If the bitterness is very delicate and its nature is cold, it will be safe [to drink]. Such tea is good for wounds and ulcers, increases urination and helps to get rid of phlegm. If the drink is taken excessively hot, it will help to sleep, but weakly. It [the tea] should be picked in the fall.

If it is bitter, it quenches hunger and cheers up the dejected. The commentary adds: "Bitter tea is collected in the spring."

In the Herbs section of the Pen-zao it is said that bitter T'u is also called Ch'a, and these names were used interchangeably.

Tea will flourish in winter and on sandbanks, along rivers, in mountains, on hills, and by the wayside. And even in the coldest winters it will not perish. Gather and dry it on the third day of the third month. The commentary adds: "Everyone wonders whether the text [of the Penzao] refers to modern tea?" Of tea that helps one to be alert, the commentary on the Penzao states: "In the Book of Songs it is said, 'Who says that T'u is bitter?' and again, 'T'u of the yellow soil is like sugar. They are all herbs.' T'ao, however, says that bitter tea comes from the tree family and should not be considered an herb. He says that if tea is gathered in the spring, it is called 'bitter tea.'

The book "At the Head of the Healing and Prescriptions" instructs us against old chronic ulcers to mix together bitter tea and centipedes. Roast them [the mixture] until a sweet smell appears and continue to cook until the centipedes fall apart [into pieces]. Then pound and sift the roasted mixture and boil it in a soup mixed with sweet herbs.

Then wash the wounds and apply the decoction [to the wounds].

Healing Children: If a child is supernaturally excitable and subject to sudden trembling, he should be given a mixture of onion beards [shoots] and bitter tea.

Tea producing areas [according to different authors]