When people talk about the Chinese tea culture today, they won't miss an important person in the Chinese history— Lu Yu.
Lu was born in 733 A. D. in Tianmen, Hubei. During one trip, Lu Yu saw a spring (泉). The water was very clear and clean. When Lu Yu made tea with this spring water, he found the tea tasted better than usual.
Lu Yu is best known for his book The Classic of Tea(《茶经》). In the book, he describes how to plant tea trees, to process the leaves, and to prepare tea as a drink. According to Lu Yu, tea is cold in nature. It cures body heat, thirst, dry eyes, etc.
This is not only a healthy habit but also shows rich culture and history. In China, tea can be seen as a sign of respect to the old. People also say sorry to others by presenting tea for them. These different tea customs make up the rich and wonderful Chinese tea culture.
A. Many Chinese families drink tea or serve tea when greeting visitors. B. He liked going to the countryside to gather tea leaves. C. Many people went to Lu Yu to learn how to make tea. D. He was respected for his push for the Chinese tea culture. E. The book also discusses where to find the best tea leaves. F. Then he realized the importance of water quality when making tea. |