Tea ceremony in China: from medicine for the body to medicine for the mind.
Probably, few people doubt the healing properties of tea. And even if it is not as strong as an antioxidant or an astringent, the fact that it is able to quench thirst, give vigor, and simply please with taste already has considerable value. A teapot smoking in the morning with a fragrant park can wake up even sleepiness, and in the evening creates a unique atmosphere of home comfort.
For the first time, the leaves of the tea bush were brewed in China by Buddhist monks. It was they who determined the invigorating properties of the drink and began to use it as a healing agent that "improves thoughts" and "clarifies eyesight." Yes, then - and the first mention of tea dates back to 1115 BC - it was considered not an ordinary drink, but a valuable medicine. Chinese medicine is unthinkable without the use of natural ingredients, and, of course, doctors were not going to refuse such a medicine. After half a century, many varieties of this plant were grown in China, so it became available to everyone. Both the rich and the poor drank tea, but the monarchs and privileged persons had a special ritual of tea drinking, called the "tea ceremony".
The tea ceremony was arranged either for guests or for philosophical discourse on the problems of being. For each occasion, different types of brewing were used. For special occasions, high quality oolong tea or turquoise tea was used. It was made from young leaves and buds. Water for such a drink was taken only from the purest mountain springs. For the tea ceremony, only special utensils were used, among which was a teapot made of red clay and always round in order to "round" the taste of the drink. For each type of ceremony, they tried to buy a table set - a special spoon and whisk, usually made of silver or special types of wood.
They drank tea while sitting on the floor covered with a special mat. It could only be brewed by someone who really studied it and was a master of his craft. The fragrant infusion was brewed directly at the place of tea drinking, so that everyone could see all the beauty and sacred meaning of the process. The master poured the drink into bowls and treated them to the guests in order of priority and in accordance with the ritual - which could vary slightly depending on who was going this time. Tea ceremony is a special philosophy. Inspired by the aroma and taste of tea, a thought is born, shared by emotions and supported by the master's unhurried conversation.
