 |
When do you drink tea?
Written by Winnie Yu
 My answer is, when do I not drink tea? Tea permeates every aspect of my life, and it is very personal, defined by mood, attitude, and need. Of course, I subscribe to the social aspects of tea that is part of my Asian cultural upbringing. Serve tea to guests who visit. Bring tea as a hostess gift. Break out different levels of teas for different guests.
We do not have eleven set tea times such as some Europeans do, but we do drink tea all day long, be it a romantic or mundane day. My tea helps cut through repetitive, routine work, such as answering emails, and happily keep me company in a rose garden while I admired the hummingbirds. Speaking of sitting in a flower garden, I am reminded of a poem by Li Bai, an ancient Chinese poet who was both eccentric and brilliant. Though he was an avid tea drinker, he was more closely associated with his alcohol induced poetry, such as this one:
A pot of wine amidst the flowers,
There is no one to toast to.
Raising my glass to invite the moon,
With my shadow we make three.
I am often reminded of this poem when I drink tea alone, because rather than feeling Li Bai's desolate loneliness, I marvel at how instead, tea was very companionating. It sits, offering cup after cup of superb flavor, its presence comforting and profound. Particularly with Oolong teas, it was like a kindly teacher who reveals more and more substance over time. While I am amusing myself with comparing mental notes of teas from years past, of their subtle differences and connections, my world expands to include past and present masters whose hands brought me this tea. It is difficult to feel alone in this instance.
Some days are plainly unforgiving and relentless, especially in recent times. Not so if I tune into the right tea for that kind of day. Rather than drowning my sorrows in alcohol or rich chocolate cake, I turn to tea for comfort. The choice though is usually highly aromatic, engaging all senses. The liqueur must preferably be radiant and golden, with a thick viscosity that is smooth buttery, topped by an astringent finish of fortitude. I look forward to a finish of slight bitterness that turns into a long lingering sweetness, called 'gan' in Chinese. Here I encourage myself with hope that life challenges can be overcome if one can wait for the bitterness to turn into sweet. A perfect tea in this example is the High Mountain Oolong from Taiwan, fitting the bill in every way.
Tea brings mental alertness and clarity. I choose to be awake and aware with my tea in difficult times rather than numbed and passive with other substances. Thus, tea is my companion for all moods, a different tea to soothe, to entertain, or to complement the completeness of a perfect day. For a truly victorious day, I might bring out the 25 year old Pu-Er. Alas, my 40 year old Pu-Er are still waiting for a day commensurate with its value.
When should one drink tea? It is a expansive world that one can find infinite exploration, to discover but also to create with. We can drink tea under all moods and occasions.
|
|
|
