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The Master of the Sage of Tea
Lu Yu, of 7th century ancient China, was called the Sage of Tea because not only did he produce an extensive, first ever compilation called the Encyclopedia of Tea (the Cha Jing) that encompassed all things tea. He was also a foremost expert from water to steeping methods to the agriculture of tea. He was also considered the unsurpassed master in the art of tea steeping, being able to produce the most perfect cup of tea every time.
When Lu Yu was a child, he was an orphan brought up by a Buddhist monk, who was his master in spiritual matters as well as in tea, for he was quite an aficionado. After Lu Yu left the temple to pursue a scholarly life, his master the old monk was fond of rejecting tea made by other disciples as not up to the standard of Lu Yu. Cup after cup, he would reject his students’ efforts.
This impossible standard drew the attention of the emperor, who was quite a tea aficionado himself. However, he did not believe that the old monk can actually tell the difference between cups of tea made by different students. He thought the monk was completely mad and his requirements, delusional.
He decided to test the old monk by summoning Lu Yu to the court and having him hide behind a screen door, while at the same time, summoning the old monk to have tea without telling of Lu Yu’s presence. The old monk arrived, and the emperor casually conversed with him while Lu Yu sat behind the screen door, making a cup of tea. During this time, the emperor asked the old monk, ‘Is it true, master, that you reject any cups of teas prepared for you that were not made by Lu Yu? ‘ ‘It is true, ‘ the master replied, ‘None were ever at the standard of perfection that Lu Yu can reach’. ‘I must embarrass our court then, ‘, said the emperor, ‘and present you with a cup of tea for our hospitality’. The master was then presented with a newly brewed cup of jade like liquid that in reality, Lu Yu had prepared.
Closing his eyes, the master took one whiff of its fragrance, and cried, ‘Now, this is heavenly indeed!’, and with one sip, continued, ‘and this tastes just like the tea my student Lu Yu was able to make for me! How I have missed him!’ The master’s eyes streamed with teas.
The emperor was astonished at the monk’s ability to discern, and flabbergasted, asked Lu Yu to step out from behind the screen door. Lu Yu and his master was re-united after 20 years, and Lu Yu, having done his life’s work studying tea, eventually returned to his old temple to become a monk once again.
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