Health Tea

Author: Li Pei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-02-01
Features: I am not an expert, but I am a tea enthusiast and a practitioner of tea drinking and tea use. From the early 1960s, influenced by my father, I became acquainted with this fragrant yet bitter beverage, to opening my own "Rural Affection Tea House" in 2003. I am eager to share my insights and experiences from over 30 years of tea drinking with everyone, so that tea lovers can enjoy the joy and health that tea brings to us, just as I do. The taste of tea changes with each steep, and every tasting gives me a different experience. I often use them to compare the ever-changing society and the ever-changing course of life. Once, a friend compared strong bitter tea to the "Dao Tea of life," explaining that the intense bitterness of the tea reflects the hardships of life. As the aftertaste of the tea sweetens, it is followed by the "sweet tea" made from the tender buds of Longjing tea, a sweetness that comes from the tea itself. After drinking the bitter tea, this sweet sensation becomes even more pronounced and profound. Using these teas to illustrate life's ups and downs—bitterness gives way to sweetness. Finally, the Yunnan black tea with lemon tea concludes the experience, symbolizing the endless aftertaste of life. These three small cups of tea reflect a friend's profound understanding of life's philosophy. In this world, where fortunes and misfortunes come and go, and where the hustle and bustle of life brings both honor and disgrace, only by remaining calm and composed can one gain a deep, insightful, and valuable appreciation of life. This is so similar to the art of tea tasting.
During my studies in traditional Chinese medicine, I have accumulated and recorded many recipes for tea therapy and personally experienced the effects of some of them. For example, using tea water to wash my face truly makes my skin smooth and keeps me alert. The method is simple: every morning, dip a cotton ball in warm tea water and wipe your face, eyes, and eyebrows. Then, let it air dry slowly. You can feel your face tightening and tightening, as if your skin is being firm, and your eyes will brighten up, lifting your spirits. I have also used tea leaves to treat patients' swollen, hot, and painful knees. At the time, I had no suitable medicine on hand, and the patient's joints were in severe pain, so I had to use tea leaves as a substitute to solve the problem. After applying the steeped tea leaves to the affected area, the patient's symptoms were quickly relieved.