The ''Treatise on Tea'' () is a book written by the Chinese Emperor
Huizong Huizong are different temple names used for emperors of China. It may refer to:
* Wang Yanjun (died 935, reigned 928–935), emperor of the Min dynasty
* Emperor Huizong of Western Xia (1060–1086, reigned 1067–1086), emperor of Western Xia
* E ...
of the
Song dynasty
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
in 1107.
Emperor Huizong was a great connoisseur of
tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of '' Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of southwestern China and northe ...
, with masterful skill in the art of
tea ceremony
An East Asian tea ceremony, or ''Chádào'' (), or ''Dado'' ( ko, 다도 (茶道)), is a ceremonially ritualized form of making tea (茶 ''cha'') practiced in East Asia by the Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans. The tea ceremony (), literally transla ...
. He often engaged in tea tasting and tea competitions with his subordinates at the Song imperial court. Emperor Huizong's favourite was
Anji Bai Cha Anji may refer to:
Places
*Hu Prefecture, known as Anji Prefecture between 1225 and 1276
*Anji County, in Huzhou, Zhejiang, China
*Anji Bridge, or Zhaozhou Bridge, an ancient stone bridge in Hebei, China
*Anji, a village in Balasore (Orissa), Indi ...
. (He wrote that what he loved was "Bai Cha." This should not be confused with the tea currently known as "
White Tea
White tea may refer to one of several styles of tea which generally feature young or minimally processed leaves of the ''Camellia sinensis'' plant.
Currently there is no generally accepted definition of white tea and very little internationa ...
," but was rather "a Green Tea which had the color of white
jade
Jade is a mineral used as jewellery or for ornaments. It is typically green, although may be yellow or white. Jade can refer to either of two different silicate minerals: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in the amphibole group of ...
".) In the ''Treatise on Tea'', Emperor Huizong provided the most detailed, vivid and masterful description of the Song dynasty technique of tea spotting. The Emperor also laid down seven criteria for
Tea Competitions (''Doucha'' 闘茶).
The ''Treatise on Tea'' is a key document for understanding the most sophisticated tea ceremony in Chinese history. It stands as the monumental treatise on tea after
Lu Yu
Lu Yu (; 733–804) or Lu Ji (陆疾), courtesy name Jici (季疵) was a Chinese tea master and writer. He is respected as the Sage of Tea for his contribution to Chinese tea culture. He is best known for his monumental book ''The Classic of ...
's ''
The Classic of Tea
''The Classic of Tea'' or ''Tea Classic'' () is the first known monograph on tea in the world, by Chinese writer Lu Yu between 760 CE and 762 CE, during the Tang dynasty. Lu Yu's original manuscript is lost; the earliest editions available date ...
'' (c. 760–780).
Contents
* Preface 茶論
* Locale 地產
* Season & Weather 天時
* Picking & Selection 采擇
* Steaming and Pressing 蒸壓
* Tea Making (Manufacture) 制造
* Appraising Tea 鑒辯
* White Tea 白茶
* Grinders and Sieves 羅碾
* Tea Bowls 盞
* Bamboo Whisk 筅
* Water Vase 瓶
* Ladle 構
* Water 水
* ''Dian''; Preparing and Whisking the Tea 點
* Flavour 味
* Fragrance 香
* Colour 色
* Drying & Storage 藏焙
* Famous Teas 品名
* The Private Sector 外焙
References
Notes
External links
English translation with translator's notes- ''Global Tea Hut'' magazine, April 2016 issue, page 35
{{DEFAULTSORT:Treatise On Tea
1107 works
1100s books
12th-century Chinese books
Chinese tea classic texts
Song dynasty literature
Emperor Huizong of Song
Treatises