the book of tea(茶书)-第3章
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Sun of Heaven； triumphed over Shuhyung； the demon of darkness and
earth。 The Titan； in his death agony； struck his head against the solar
vault and shivered the blue dome of jade into fragments。 The stars lost
their nests； the moon wandered aimlessly among the wild chasms of the
night。 In despair the Yellow Emperor sought far and wide for the repairer
of the Heavens。 He had not to search in vain。 Out of the Eastern sea
rose a queen； the divine Niuka； horn…crowned and dragon…tailed；
resplendent in her armor of fire。 She welded the five…coloured rainbow
in her magic cauldron and rebuilt the Chinese sky。 But it is told that
Niuka forgot to fill two tiny crevices in the blue firmament。 Thus
began the dualism of lovetwo souls rolling through space and never at
rest until they join together to complete the universe。 Everyone has to
build anew his sky of hope and peace。
The heaven of modern humanity is indeed shattered in the Cyclopean
struggle for wealth and power。 The world is groping in the shadow of
egotism and vulgarity。 Knowledge is bought through a bad conscience；
benevolence practiced for the sake of utility。 The East and the West； like
two dragons tossed in a sea of ferment； in vain strive to regain the jewel of
life。 We need a Niuka again to repair the grand devastation； we await the
great Avatar。 Meanwhile； let us have a sip of tea。 The afternoon glow is
brightening the bamboos； the fountains are bubbling with delight； the
soughing of the pines is heard in our kettle。 Let us dream of evanescence；
and linger in the beautiful foolishness of things。
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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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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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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 horseme
