Special Topics
The Taste of Chan in Tea
Photo: Fan Lee (李東陽); Photo layout: Wu Jia-jiun (吳家俊) Drinking tea may seem to be an ordinary affair. Some people view it as a part of life or regimen, or even use it as a medium for Chan practice. As we listen to the trickling sound of tea being poured into a cup, and savor the tea attentively, the same cup of tea can taste hot or cold, sweet or bitter. Each person experiences it quite differently. In fact, tea has no inherent character. While the tea so...
Chan in the Aroma and Color of Tea
Original Chinese text / Lin Jung-wen (林鍾妏) Photo credit: Chiou De-shing (邱德興) Tea drinkers have likely all experienced this: as the boiling water is poured into a teapot, the aroma of tea instantly fills the air. With a gentle sip of the warm tea, a feeling of warmth and happiness fills our heart. Some say that the characters of East Asians are just like tea, representing an inclination to purity, reason, and humility. It's difficult to find another beverage that ca...
Tea Regimen
Original Chinese text / Tzeng Yu-shiuan (曾禹瑄) Photo provided by Su Shiou-huei (蘇秀慧) In the history of tea culture, tea at first was not the kind of beverage or drink for health that we are now familiar with. Its purpose has gone through a long evolution: first as a medicine, then food ingredient, and finally a beverage. The way people treat tea leaves has transformed from cooking, to boiling, and now brewing. It was first mixed with other ingredients and now as a standalon...
Things to be Aware of when having Tea for Recreational or Medicinal Purpose
1. Whether you drink tea for recreational or medicinal purposes, it is suggested to understand your own physical constitution first. For example, people with a yin deficiency (deficient in body liquid) should steer clear of drinks conducive to warming and drying effects, whereas people with a yan deficiency (deficient in vigor) should avoid drinks of cooling and bitter characteristics. 2. Avoid drinking tea when it is too hot or too cold. Scalding tea irritates the throat, esophagus,...
Tea and Buddhist Monasteries
Original Chinese text / Lin Jung-wen (林鍾妏) Photo credit: Lin Jung-wen (林鍾妏) There is a legend in Chan Buddhism. It is said that after Bodhidharma crossed the sea to China, he spent nine years in a cave, practicing sitting meditation while facing the cave wall. During this time, he was troubled by frequent drowsiness. In order to overcome drowsiness, he resolutely tore off his eyelids and threw them on the ground. From that spot, a plant began to grow. One day, as his discip...
Go Have Some Tea – A Gong'an about Tea
In the Chan tradition, there are many brilliant gong'ans centered around tea that are still discussed with great enthusiasm today. The most famous is Master Zhaozhou's "Go Have Some Tea" from the Tang dynasty, which has inspired many Chan masters and practitioners across generations. Master Zhaozhou (778 – 983 CE) Photo credit: Fan Lee (李東陽) Master Zhaozhou of the Tang dynasty was ordained as a monk at an early age. At 18, he began his practice under ...
The Art of the Tea Ceremony
Original Chinese text / Gao Yu-wen (高煜玟) Photo credit: Fan Lee (李東陽) People initially consumed tea as a form of medicine. According to Shen-nong's Herbal Classics (神農本草經), the oldest existing Chinese medical text, "Shennong (meaning 'Divine Farmer') sampled hundreds of plants, ingesting 72 poisonous substances in a single day, which he detoxified by drinking tea." This indicates that Shennong was able to cleanse his body of toxins after discovering...
How to Brew Chinese Tea?
Demonstration / Su Shiou-huei (蘇秀慧), the owner of Su Shiou-huei Tea Tasting Studio Location / Su Shiou-huei Tea Tasting Studio (蘇秀慧茶飲工作室) Photo / Fan Lee (李東陽) Steps to Brew Chinese Tea 1. Warming up the teapot, serving mug, and tea cup: Pour hot water into the teapot, the serving mug, and the tea cup. The hot water in the tea cup can be drunk in order to cleanse the mouth. To protect the environment, the used hot water in the teapot and the serving mug can be collec...