Tea culture refers to the abilities and literacy related to tea that are inherited by specific members of society, including thoughts and morals, religious beliefs, literature and art, institutional rules, knowledge systems, and customs and habits. The development and utilization of tea have gone through various stages, from medicinal use, consumption, mixed drinking to solo drinking. Tea culture began to take shape when tea plants were widely cultivated and tea leaves were considered as objects for tasting.
The earliest traces of tea in China can be traced back to nearly 2500 years ago, during the early Warring States period. Bud tea from 2100 years ago was unearthed at Han Yang Ling in Shaanxi, and tea leaf residues from 1800 years ago were found at the Gu Ru Jia Mu cemetery in Ali, Tibet. However, due to the lack of documentary evidence, it is still unclear whether these teas were used for medicinal or edible purposes. From existing literature, it is clear that during the Western Han Dynasty, tea was already being traded and consumed in the markets of the Ba-Shu region, as recorded in Wang Bao’s ‘Tong Yue’. From the Western Han Dynasty to the Sui Dynasty, the number of textual records related to tea gradually increased, and the trend of tea becoming a culture became more evident. Chinese tea culture officially formed and flourished during the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty was an inclusive and open era, where various systems, thoughts, and concepts were born. Tea culture fully formed during this period and quickly reached a prosperous state. The Tang Dynasty was the ‘pivotal era’ for the development of tea culture, not only reaching unprecedented heights but also opening up various paths and possibilities for the subsequent development of Chinese tea culture. The most distinctive feature of tea culture in the Tang Dynasty was the frying of tea. In 780 AD, Lu Yu’s ‘The Classic of Tea’ was completed, which is the world’s first canonical work on tea culture. Lu Yu himself is revered in academia as the ‘Sage of Tea’ and is revered in the industry as the ‘God of Tea’. ‘The Classic of Tea’ discusses ‘the frugality of tea’ and ‘suits those who practice frugality and virtue’, interpreting the ideological connotation of tea culture for the first time. Lu Tong, Jiao Ran, and others elevated this idea to the level of ‘Tao’ with a series of classic poems. During this period, the prosperity of tea culture not only promoted the production and trade of tea but also promoted the dissemination and exchange of tea culture. In the Song Dynasty, tea culture was characterized by ‘dian cha’, which still included the grinding and sifting processes of frying tea, but the utensils and tea grinding methods were quite different. Dian cha has two core processes that frying tea does not have, namely, the adjustment of paste and the beating of tea, which show luxury, prosperity, romance, and artistic atmosphere. The tea culture of the Song Dynasty was not only a drink but also a way of life and a cultural symbol. The custom of ‘dou cha’ in the Song Dynasty was very strong, and ‘fen cha’ refers to the creation of patterns such as insects, fish, birds, and beasts on the surface of the tea, which is a clever combination of tea and painting art, also known as ‘tea play’, ‘soup play’, and ‘water blue and green’.The tea used in the tea ceremony, known as ‘dian cha’, was still in the form of compressed tea cakes, but it had evolved from the coarseness of the Tang Dynasty to a more refined, delicate, and precious product. The finest of these were imprinted with dragon and phoenix patterns, with the ‘Long Tuan Sheng Xue’ from the Fujian Beiyuan Imperial Tea Garden being particularly luxurious and famous. Emperor Huizong of Song, Zhao Ji, and others authored approximately 30 tea-related books, far exceeding the Tang Dynasty’s output, with some books containing vivid illustrations that documented the flourishing tea culture of the Song Dynasty.
During the Ming Dynasty, tea culture was characterized by its natural, light, and simple qualities, reflecting the literati’s pursuit of a simple life. At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, due to the labor-intensive nature of dragon tea cakes, ordered their discontinuation, only allowing the collection of tea buds for tribute. The tribute grades were categorized into Tan Chun, Xian Chun, Ci Chun, and Zi Sun. The Ming Dynasty primarily relied on local tributes, with the people striving to improve production techniques and develop regional characteristics, leading to an unprecedented development of famous teas, especially in the Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui regions. The pan-firing and infusion methods fully developed during the Ming Dynasty, preserving the original color, shape, and natural aroma of the tea leaves, with tea drinkers appreciating the shape, aroma, color, taste, and drinking environment of the brewed tea buds. The ‘literati tea’ trend flourished during this time, with scholars keen on organizing tea gatherings to enjoy tea and scenery in nature, expressing their emotions between the fragrance of tea and the landscape, pursuing the unity of aesthetic, natural, and moral beauty. From the Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China, tea culture underwent a transformation towards democratization, with tea drinking truly becoming an integral part of secular life. As a result, tea culture became more closely related to daily life, which was well reflected in tea houses. Folk tea dances, tea lantern operas, and tea operas began to gain popularity, along with tea’s integration into daily customs. The formation and development of tea culture not only showcase the unique charm of traditional Chinese culture but also reflect the lifestyle and cultural personality of the Chinese people. Over time, tea culture, with its profound cultural connotations and broad mass base, has become an important part of traditional Chinese culture. As a cultural type born in China and having a significant impact on the world, its development and changes are rich and colorful, fully displaying the unique charm of traditional Chinese culture. From the Tang Dynasty to the modern era, tea culture has not only nurtured the lifestyle and cultural personality of the Chinese people but also promoted the integration and cultural identity of the Chinese nation, profoundly influencing the global development of tea culture.
