What is Chinese tea culture?-Part2
1.Characteristic
Historicity
The formation and development history of tea culture is very long. King Wu conquered Zhou, and tea has become a tribute. In the later period of primitive communes, tea became a commodity for exchange. During the Warring States period, tea had already reached a certain scale. The collection of the Book of Songs in the pre Qin period contains records of tea.
During the Han Dynasty, tea became a specialized tonic for Buddhist meditation. During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, there was a tradition of drinking tea. During the Sui Dynasty, tea was widely consumed by the entire population. During the Tang Dynasty, the tea industry flourished, and tea became a must-have for families. Tea houses, banquets, and parties emerged, advocating for guests to come and serve tea. During the Song Dynasty, it was popular to engage in tea fighting, offer tribute tea, and bestow tea.
In the Qing Dynasty, Quyi entered tea houses and foreign trade of tea developed. Tea culture emerged with the emergence of commodity economy and the formation of urban culture. In history, tea culture focused on cultural ideology, with elegance as the main focus, and emphasized the expression of poetry, calligraphy, painting, tea drinking, singing and dancing. In the formation and development of tea culture, it has integrated the philosophical colors of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, and evolved into the customs of various ethnic groups, becoming a component of excellent traditional culture and a unique cultural model.
Contemporaneity
The development of material and spiritual civilization construction has injected new connotations and vitality into tea culture. In this new era, the connotations and forms of tea culture are constantly expanding, extending, innovating, and developing. In the new era, tea culture has integrated into the essence of modern science and technology, modern news media, and market economy, making the value and function of tea culture more significant and further enhancing its role in modern society. The value of tea is further established as the core consciousness of tea culture, and international exchanges are becoming increasingly frequent. The dissemination of tea culture in the new era is showing a trend of large-scale, modernization, socialization, and internationalization. Its connotation rapidly expands and its influence expands, attracting worldwide attention.
Regional
Famous teas, mountains, waters, celebrities, and scenic spots have nurtured unique regional tea cultures. China has a vast region with a variety of tea varieties and diverse tea drinking customs. In addition, historical, cultural, lifestyle, and economic differences in different regions have formed tea cultures with unique local characteristics. In big cities with economic and cultural centers, with their unique advantages and rich connotations, they have also formed a unique urban tea culture. Since 1994, Shanghai has held four consecutive International Tea Culture Festivals, showcasing the characteristics and charm of urban tea culture.
Internationality
The ancient traditional Chinese tea culture, combined with the history, culture, economy, and culture of various countries, has evolved into British tea culture, Japanese tea culture, Korean tea culture, Russian tea culture, and Moroccan tea culture. The tea frying ceremony in Japan and the tea making ceremony in Taiwan, China all originate from Gongfu tea in Chaozhou, Guangdong [7]. In the UK, drinking tea has become a part of life, a etiquette for British people to show gentlemanly demeanor, and an essential part of the Queen's life and major social activities. Japanese tea ceremony originated in Japan but has been influenced by China. Japanese tea ceremony has a strong Japanese ethnic flavor and forms a unique tea ceremony system, schools, and etiquette. Tea people have no borders, races, or beliefs. Tea culture can unite tea people from all over the world to learn tea art, engage in academic exchanges, and engage in economic and trade negotiations. (This is exactly the purpose of the establishment of Beijing International Tea City)
2.Fuction
The social function of tea culture mainly manifests in promoting tea ethics, spreading tea ceremony, cultural arts, cultivating oneself, cultivating sentiments, promoting ethnic unity, expressing social progress, and developing economy and trade. Tea virtue is a beautiful quality inherent in tea that has been admired by people throughout history and accumulated over thousands of years.
The traditions of tea culture mainly include love for the motherland, selfless dedication, perseverance, humility and politeness, diligence and frugality, and mutual respect and concession. Mr. Wu Juenong and Liu Xianhe from Hunan devoted themselves wholeheartedly to the tea industry, being both patriotic and outstanding representatives of contemporary tea enthusiasts.
Lu Yu's "Classic of Tea" is the crystallization of the diligent reading, diligent learning, dedicated exploration, and indomitable spirit of ancient tea people. Treating guests with tea and replacing wine with tea, "even a cup of clear tea can intoxicate people" is a true reflection of the Chinese nation's appreciation of labor achievements and diligence and frugality. The social functions of tea culture are as follows: "Thinking of the origin with tea, treating guests with tea, making friends with tea, forming friendships with tea, promoting clean governance with tea, educating people with tea, replacing wine with tea, exercising with tea, poetry with tea, art with tea, painting with tea, dancing with tea, singing with tea, literature with tea, etiquette with tea, agriculture with tea, trade with tea, and prosperity with tea. Tea is China's pride, national self-esteem, confidence, and pride. Drinking tea can think of the origin. Dr. Joseph Needham, a world-renowned historian of science and technology, will Chinese tea, as the fifth major contribution to mankind after China's the Four Great Inventions (gunpowder, paper making, compass and printing).
The Tang Dynasty's Lu Yu's "Classic of Tea" was the world's first tea book. Chinese tea culture has a significant impact on the world. Meeting friends through tea is one of the most extensive social functions of tea culture. The market economy we are in today is fiercely competitive, with survival of the fittest and a focus on benefits. But human emotions are relatively indifferent, and interpersonal relationships tend to be indifferent. Through tea houses and tea art houses, friends gather together to exchange information, exchange emotions, enhance understanding, and communicate friendship. Friends gather in old-fashioned tea houses, chatting and laughing casually, reminiscing about life, and reliving the joy of life. In ancient times, there was a saying that "guests on cold nights come to tea as wine". Replacing wine with tea reflects traditional virtues, which is in line with the requirements of today's central government's advocacy of practicing thrift and stopping extravagant and wasteful behavior. Cultivating people through tea is a new social function nurtured by tea culture in the new era. Shanghai children's tea art learns tea science, promotes traditional excellent culture, and receives patriotic education through hands-on learning. In serving tea, it shows respect for elders, filial piety towards parents, and respect for classmates.
Tea culture is an elegant culture that social celebrities and celebrities are willing to participate in. Tea culture is also popular culture, with widespread public participation. Tea culture covers the entire population and affects the entire society.
The role of tea culture in modern society mainly has five aspects:
One is that tea culture centers around tea ethics, values the collective value of people, advocates selfless dedication, and opposes selfish and profit driven behavior. Advocating righteousness over profit, emphasizing the coordination of interpersonal relationships, advocating respect for others, valuing the cultivation of morality, promoting a balanced mindset, solving modern people's spiritual confusion, and improving their cultural quality;
The second is that tea culture is a beneficial friend for facing life challenges. In the fierce social and market competition, intense work, socializing, complex interpersonal relationships, and various pressures attached to people are not light. Participating in tea culture can help to relax both mentally and physically, in order to face the challenges of life. The role of Hong Kong tea houses is very significant;
Thirdly, it is conducive to the construction of community civilization. Economy has improved, but culture cannot fall behind, social atmosphere cannot be polluted, morality cannot degenerate or be ugly. The dissemination of tea culture after the reform and opening up indicates that tea culture plays a role in changing social improper consumption activities, creating spiritual civilization, and promoting social progress;
The fourth is that it has a significant effect on improving people's quality of life and enriching cultural life. Tea culture has knowledge, fun, and entertainment. Tasting famous teas, tea sets, and snacks, watching tea customs and art, all give people a beautiful enjoyment;
The fifth is to promote openness and promote international cultural exchange. The Zhabei District of Shanghai has held four consecutive International Tea Culture Festivals, expanding the district's reputation both domestically and internationally. The four teams in Zhabei District have unanimously decided to continue holding the tea culture festival and have invested in building tea culture attractions in Zhabei Park, with the aim of building a tea culture park.
The frequent exchange of international tea culture has made tea culture cross national borders and become a common spiritual wealth of human civilization.
