The Dao of Tea (part 2)

[二] 茶道

Cha Dao

The Dao of Tea (2)

茶七酒八

Tea one seventh; alcohol one eighth

There is a Chinese saying that, a tea cup is only filled to one seventh of its volume. Nevertheless the tea leaves served in the very first cup are steeped, that is, they are merely covered in order to release their fragrance. The cup is slightly swayed around to fully extract the leaves’ flavour into the water. The strength of the aroma does not, however, come out completely at this stage. Only the second cup will carry the full flavour. The first cup is for “washing” the tea and to smell its aroma; it is not for drinking it. Instead of breathing the fragrance into the lungs, one should bring it up into the head in the space between the eyebrows. The aroma is slowly inhaled. It is in the first cup that the tea leaves are checked for their quality.

Have any insects or caterpillars eaten into the leaves?

Are there any black spots?

Are there any burnt marks on the leaves?

Only after checking the tea are you supposed to taste it (pin cha 品茶). Traditionally you would slurp the tea from a small cup and let its steam or “mist” go into your lungs. When the tea is inside your mouth, close your eyes and feel it on your tongue so you fully perceive its delicate and refreshing fragrance. Drink the second sip by gurgling it in. There is a proverb to this:

‘九转回龙’

“Jiu zhuan hui long”

“Nine reversals returning dragon”

Finally, the third sip is to actually drink the tea. There are specific rules for every part of the process – there are rules for cleaning the cups, heating the tea, pouring and drinking it. For instance, in Southern China tea is drunk from very small cups. That is why this art is called the “Dao of Tea” (chá dào 茶道).The Dao De Jing says:

‘上善若水’

“Shang shan ruo shui”

“The highest virtue is like water”

Tea is water and water is the embodiment of the Dao. You have to fetch water to brew the tea in a kettle. How? There is no way to use the water normally provided in the city for making tea. Ideally it should be mountain spring water. And even this water can be classified into many types. For example: does it come from deep within the mountain? On top of what stones is the mountain from which it springs? What trees and what soil? What is the type of water? What are its medicinal substances? Nowadays science can test for vitamins A,B,C,D… Fetching water is already troublesome, and yet there are many more aspects to be considered, such as incantations to be recited. That is the reason why one cup of tea is able to purify your body and heal disease. In regards to the material of the cup, it is good to use porcelain or ceramics. They are not transparent however. That is why crystal cups are even better. Boccaro, a kind of red ware, is also acceptable. Chinese archaeologists found a tea cup that is older than two thousand years. Maybe it came from Mars.

Before entering the tea field a ceremony is held. There are also rituals for fetching the water and lighting the fire. Even the picking of tea is a type of ritual. As the tea tree is alive, you tell it that you are going to pick it and only then proceed to do it. The same applies to picking medicine in Daoism. Tea is alive. Tea ceremonies are exclusive occasions. That is why the very first ceremony is to offer the first cup of tea on the altar to the Spirits. If some leaves are eaten by insects, it is an issue of who comes first. It would be like giving an offering of a steamed bun that you have already taken a bite from. The tea’s effects are further enhanced by adding the power of incantations. When you handmake tea, it has a certain energetic field that machines are unable to recreate.