Chinese culture, tea, and philosophy
Tea can be more than a drink; it can be a way of conveying philosophical concepts, or a device to create a ceremony around or to honor something. In China, what started out as a food and medicine, for common people, then used by monks to help them study, later to become a skillfully processed item available for the royal families and upper class. To the simple Daoist, tea is natural, simple, and for drinking. So, for Chinese, tea is not just a beverage, it is a combination of Chinese Daoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism.
Tea and Daoism
Daoism is a philosophy/religion. In Chinese, Dao literally means path or way, and also meaning principle. Daoism means the essence of the universe and living with natural way of things. Tea Dao is a way of living with tea and becoming part of the person’s life habits; I have a saying "Tea is our Bridge". Now in Japan the adopted word Dao and referred it to something has a form/custom/ceremony with strict movements and some skill sets, "Chado". The Japanese, Korean, and Chinese Tea Dao can be seen as very different or parallels can been seen also. Chinese version Tea Dao concept is shown in the Chinese lifestyle to enjoy tasting tea and to blend into the eternal universe.
Tea and Confucianism
It emphasizes the formality, the behavior that people must conduct and ceremony between almost everything. The principles of Confucianism include social harmony and balance. Its complex structure of etiquette also influenced the creation of the tea etiquette and tea ceremony in China.
Tea and Buddhism
Buddhism entered China from Old Northern India. Drinking tea does not violate any Buddhist rules. Moreover, drinking tea help monks to meditate by keeping them awake. A side note, years ago many good quality teas have there roots from famous Buddhist temples that planted and nurtured tea trees with great with great skill and care.
---steven(03/09/09)
Tea and Daoism
Daoism is a philosophy/religion. In Chinese, Dao literally means path or way, and also meaning principle. Daoism means the essence of the universe and living with natural way of things. Tea Dao is a way of living with tea and becoming part of the person’s life habits; I have a saying "Tea is our Bridge". Now in Japan the adopted word Dao and referred it to something has a form/custom/ceremony with strict movements and some skill sets, "Chado". The Japanese, Korean, and Chinese Tea Dao can be seen as very different or parallels can been seen also. Chinese version Tea Dao concept is shown in the Chinese lifestyle to enjoy tasting tea and to blend into the eternal universe.
Tea and Confucianism
It emphasizes the formality, the behavior that people must conduct and ceremony between almost everything. The principles of Confucianism include social harmony and balance. Its complex structure of etiquette also influenced the creation of the tea etiquette and tea ceremony in China.
Tea and Buddhism
Buddhism entered China from Old Northern India. Drinking tea does not violate any Buddhist rules. Moreover, drinking tea help monks to meditate by keeping them awake. A side note, years ago many good quality teas have there roots from famous Buddhist temples that planted and nurtured tea trees with great with great skill and care.
---steven(03/09/09)
