Famous Tea Legends

Author: Jing Hong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: This book narrates the long history of famous teas in China, the beautiful and moving stories behind them, and the realm of tea drinking pursued by scholars and literati since ancient times. It also explores the influence these individuals had on tea culture and their contributions to it throughout history. Among the diverse tea trees in Wuyi Mountain, there is a shrubby variety with thick, narrow leaves. It grows along roadsides, on cliffs, or at mountain peaks, enduring cold and drought, and can thrive in various environments. Its branches and leaves are lush. Originally, people called it "vegetable tea," but later it was also known as "miraculous variety." Why is that?
Legend has it that Wuyi Mountain was once a vast ocean. At some point, the sea suddenly receded, revealing numerous odd peaks and rocks, covered in green trees. Below the mountains lay fertile plains. People gradually moved to settle in the valleys, cultivating fields and planting fruits and vegetables. The villagers toiled diligently, and within a few years, their villages flourished with abundant livestock, and their households reaped bountiful harvests.
However, for some inexplicable reason, one autumn, despite the weather not being excessively dry, all the springs in Wuyi Mountain dried up. The trees on the mountains gradually withered, and the fertile fields cracked. The elders prayed to the heavens daily, but their cries went unanswered, and the earth seemed deaf to their pleas. Villagers had no choice but to dig for roots and strip tree bark to survive. The strong young men, despite eating these, grew increasingly frail. The elderly and children fell ill more frequently. Everyone longed to escape this suffering.
One day, as they dug for wild vegetables and roots in the mountains, a refreshing breeze swept past, making them feel much better. Looking up, they saw a white cloud drifting from the distance, slowly passing over the mountain peak and then returning. They felt puzzled. An elder explained, "Perhaps it was a divine being passing by on their mountain path!"
A few days later, the villagers continued to climb the mountains to dig for roots. As they toiled and gathered, they suddenly spotted a brilliant golden bird flying from the sky. It landed silently on a tree. Amazed, they watched as the bird let out a cry and dropped a shimmering green pearl from its mouth, which immediately sank into the soil. Standing on the tree, the bird spoke, "I am a divine bird. Sent by Guanyin Bodhisattva, I came from the Jade Emperor’s heavenly tea garden to bring this tea seed to relieve the suffering of the people. This seed will take root wherever it falls, bloom, bear fruit, and grow into trees that are not afraid of cold, drought, or flood. It can both nourish and heal." With that, the divine bird flapped its wings and flew away.
As soon as it left, a heavy rain fell, and soon after, the green pearl sprouted, grew leaves, and flourished into a lush tea tree. The villagers plucked leaves and chewed them, feeling refreshed. After eating them for several days, the roots and wild vegetables stuck in their stomachs were digested, and they no longer felt bloated or uncomfortable. Soon, the illnesses of the villagers, young and old, gradually disappeared.
Word of this spread quickly to the villages below the mountain, and people climbed the mountains to gather leaves to eat, no longer needing to dig for roots or search for wild vegetables. Some even dug up tea trees to plant near their homes, treating them like vegetables—simply picking leaves when needed. Over time, they named this tea tree "vegetable tea."
From then on, every household, young and old, regained their health and began to reforest the mountains. With more trees, the mountain springs grew richer year by year, and the crops flourished annually. The famine passed, and "vegetable tea" became a medicinal plant, used to treat illnesses. Because this tea tree could grow almost anywhere, was highly drought-resistant, and even thrived in rock crevices, and because it was said to have been brought by a divine bird from the heavens, people were amazed and gave it another name—"miraculous variety."