A philosophical approach
Modern drinkers owe much to Lu Yu, the 'tea saint', who unlocked the mysteries of China's signature beverage, Cheng Yuezhu reports.
It is also a platform for promoting and exchanging tea culture.
Before setting out on his journey to research tea, Lu had led an unusual life. Abandoned as an infant in what is today's Tianmen, Hubei province, he was adopted in the year 733 by Zhiji, a Buddhist abbot, and grew up in the Longgai Temple.
It was there that he first learned to brew tea, but unwilling to live a pious life, in his teens he became an actor of comedic characters. Later an official recognized his talent and recommended him to pursue further learning.
When the An Lushan Rebellion broke out in 755, Lu left Central China for the east and started his exploration into tea.
Perhaps his bond with the Zen lifestyle never ended. At Huzhou's Miaoxi Temple, he met Jiaoran, a monk poet who enlightened him in the philosophy of tea drinking.
