Tea

Author: Cai Geng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Chen Yongqing, a renowned teapot maker during the Ming Dynasty, crafted a purple clay teapot inscribed with a ten-character phrase: "Tea is ready, fragrance is warm, guests arrive—how delightful!" Let us imagine this scene: after washing the teapot, you place tea leaves inside, pour boiling water, and cover it. Gradually, you notice the tea leaves steeping in the water, unfolding their leaves, and the aroma begins to waft from the teapot, filling the air with delicate tea fragrance. Just then, a friend arrives unexpectedly. You pour two shallow cups of tea and the host and guest start chatting about all sorts of topics, from the farthest corners of the world to the depths of history. I borrowed Chen Yongqing's teapot inscription to use as the book's title because the essays collected in this book are nothing but casual chats by the tea side.