The Times-Standard in Eureka, California has begun a semimonthly column to be written by Shuai Chen. Chen is a certified tea master. Her first offering is an engaging article telling stories of ancient China and incidentally weaving in tea. Her last very short tale is about the friendship between a monk poet, Shi Jiaoran, and the man who wrote Book of Tea, Lu Yu.
The article also discusses a story dealing with a Chinese idiom of “High Mountains and Flowing Streams”. She tells of how this can be an important find from the tea ceremony and what it can mean there. All in all,this article was an interesting read.
Source: http://www.times-standard.com/lifestyle/ci_9103812
Filed under Tea by on May 2nd, 2008. 
Today’s source is the Zhejiang Online. Although it talks a bit about the 2008 China Tea Sage Festival which opened on April 25th, there is much more about the history of tea instead. Mostly there is a history and biography lesson about Lu Yu who is much respected for his work titled Cha Jing (Classic of Tea). He is honored as the Sage of Tea.
The article talks about his life and then his study of tea and its history. It claims his greatest contribution is probably the 7th chapter which records thousands of years of the development of Tea Events from very ancient times up to the Tang Dynasty in AD 618 – 907. After all, he wrote the work and had it published in 780 AD.
The article also claims that the Yuhang district where Lu Yu studied is considered to be the birth place of the Japanese tea ceremony. The Master Shenyi went to China from Japan to learn from the Buddhist Master Wuzun at the Jingshan Temple in this district. He brought back the tea preparation he was taught there to Japan and it evolved into the Japanese tea ceremony.
All this and other things mentioned in the article taken together are why this district is considered a really good place for having the China Tea Sage Festival this year.
Source: http://news.zjol.com.cn/05english/system/2008/05/04/009481462.shtml
Filed under Tea Events by on May 5th, 2008.
Just a quick note today with a tidbit of interest. Our source didn’t provide too much information about the topic. Maybe more will come out in a few days.
On May 6, 2008, botanists found 11 ancient tea trees in a “primeval forest” behind a Yuan dynasty temple. It didn’t say whether the temple was still in use or ancient ruins. It is believed the trees were part of ancient Taoist tea culture.
These trees were discovered in the Wudang Mountains of central China. The largest one was almost five meters tall which is about 15 feet for us non-metric Americans.
Just another reminder of how truly old tea is in our ceremonies and as part of our lives. Check out the source for a picture.
Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-05/07/content_8121124.htm
Filed under Tea by on May 7th, 2008.