Tea Classic Illustrated

Author: Ruan Haogeng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-02-01
Features: Tea culture has been flourishing in China for thousands of years, becoming an important branch of traditional Chinese culture. Whether it was emperors and nobles, scholars, common people, each lived their tea drinking and appreciation in their own unique ways, and recorded or expressed the myriad tea-related affairs through different literary and artistic means, accumulating a rich cultural heritage. Poets sang of tea, painters depicted tea, calligraphers wrote tea, writers recorded tea, and playwrights brought tea affairs onto the stage. Tea artisans designed tea sets that were both exquisite and enjoyable to play with and admire.
As history entered the 1980s, China's national economy developed rapidly, and people's living standards improved significantly. The saying goes, "One must first ensure regular meals, then seek fine food; first ensure warm clothing, then seek beauty; first ensure a stable home, then seek joy." Tea culture also increasingly "flew into the ordinary households." As Chinese people gradually entered a more prosperous life, tea drinking and appreciation were infused with greater aesthetic cultural elements, elevating the quality of tea culture. More tea-loving literary and artistic figures took tea affairs as their themes, creating a large number of tea culture works rich in the spirit of the times, greatly expanding the space of tea culture.
In terms of literature, apart from poetry, prose, and drama, there were also long novels, biographies, and film and television works. In terms of art, apart from Chinese painting, calligraphy, and seal carving, new forms such as oil painting, sculpture, photography, and environmental design were added. Additionally, the overall level of tea set creation improved significantly, with attempts to use various ceramic materials and multiple non-ceramic materials to create works with fresh artistic expressions.
Moreover, as an important carrier of tea culture, urban tea art studios, while inheriting tradition, integrated various artistic techniques, pursued innovation and change, and showcased individuality, establishing new identities. During this new era, Chinese tea culture has been promoted and received attention and importance from all aspects of society. This reflects the nation's growing economic strength and improved quality of life, symbolizes the vibrant vitality of China's indigenous culture, and demonstrates the elegance and composure of a reviving nation.
Given this context, several tea enthusiasts, either combining their personal expertise or drawing on years of research, each chose a specific topic to write about, compiling a series of self-contained volumes. These works can be seen as fruits grown in the garden of tea culture.