Amidst Mountains and Waters:
The Inner Peace Journey of the Chinese Tea Ceremony
The first light of dawn creeps in, bamboo shadows dance. A simple, pristine tea mat is unfurled, the purple clay pot warm to the touch, white porcelain cups pure as snow. Water approaches its boiling point, emitting a soft, pine-whispering murmur. This marks the beginning of the tea ceremony, a ritual for dialogue with oneself and with nature.
"Harmony, Respect, Purity, and Tranquility"
Chinese tea ceremony (Chá Dào, 茶道), rooted in daily life yet transcending it, is more than just the technique of brewing and drinking tea. It is a living art form embodying the Chinese philosophical spirit of “Harmony, Respect, Purity, and Tranquility” (Hé Jìng Qīng Jì, 和敬清寂). Lu Yu’s “The Classic of Tea” (Chá Jīng, 茶经) laid its theoretical foundation. The Song Dynasty elevated it to an exquisite art with tea whisking competitions (Diǎn Chá, 点茶), while the Ming and Qing dynasties’ steeping method (Yuè Pào, 瀹泡) placed greater emphasis on the tea’s natural flavor and artistic conception.
"Zhuā, Dǒu, Dā, Tà..."
In Hangzhou’s Longjing Village, veteran tea farmers still adhere to ancient methods, plucking the freshest buds before Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day). Through traditional tea-making techniques like “grasping, shaking, laying, and pressing” (“Zhuā, Dǒu, Dā, Tà…”), a single fragrant cup of Longjing tea is born. When savoring it, one appreciates the color, inhales the aroma, tastes the flavor, and savors the aftertaste—each step demanding mindful focus and inner stillness
Eastern life aesthetics
Imagine this scene: a deep courtyard on a spring afternoon. The host brews aged Pu’er tea with mountain spring water; the liquor gleams amber-red. Guests take a gentle sip; the mellow, aged fragrance unfolds on the tongue, warmth gradually descending. Outside, birdsong rings clear; inside, the tea’s steam curls upwards. Time itself seems to slow down. This is the allure of the tea ceremony—carving out a pure sanctuary amidst the clamor, discovering the essence of Eastern life aesthetics (Dōng Fāng Shēng Huó Měi Xué, 东方生活美学) within a cup.
Whether participating in an immersive tea ceremony experience or collecting a handcrafted premium tea set, one can embark on this soul-cleansing journey of inner peace.
