ABSTRACT
In the year 780, Lu Yu during the Tang Dynasty wrote the first classics dedicated to tea and elevated tea drinking to tea savoring. The tea culture developed and thrived from the Tang Dynasty, Song Dynasty to Ming Dynasty. Hence, tea was no longer just a substance required to meet “physical” needs. Rather, it has become a “metaphysical” element for the mind. Tea is soothing, calming and tranquil. A taste of tea gives a taste of life. Tea edifies personalities, strengthens characters and connects with friends. Enjoying tea along with creative arts and poetry clarifies minds. Tea is also an excellent and natural media for Zen meditation. The sense of clarity brought by tea helps the
meditation practice. All the tea koans are about the transcendence from the mundane world to the truthfulness of life. They are the testimonies to the profoundness of “tea and Zen as one flavor”. However, the rich tapestry of culture and history and the essence of Zen behind tea seem to be fading away in the modern times. In fact, “tea and Zen as one flavor” is a unique cultural component of the integration of the Chinese tea culture and Zen. It promotes the development and transformation of the tea cultural industry and inspires the beauty of the inner world and art in life. It speaks of the magic connection between tea and Zen. It is a perfect setting for the learning and practice of Zen meditation, as well as the exploration and discourse about various tea koans in Zen and the ultimate perfection of “tea and Zen as one flavor”.
