LuYu and the Classic of Tea
LuYu, the "Sage of Tea" was born around 733 in the city of Tianmen, in Hubei province of Central China, during the great Tang Dynasty era of Imperial China.
He is thought to have been abandoned by his parents and was adopted by a monk of the Longgai Monastery not far from Tianmen, or JingLing as it was called then. Although
rebellious as regards his Buddhist studies at the monastery, he was noted for his knowledge of all aspects of tea lore, and for his love of literature and poetry.
His great work "The Classic of Tea", was probably written sometime between 760 and 780 CE. It is recognised by scholars of tea culture throughout the world as the first great
work on tea and a huge influence on the subsequent development of tea culture in China and elsewhere. It should also be remembered that although it is often thought of as just
a monograph on tea, it is important as a literary achievement in its own right. Lu Yu was a friend of many esteemed scholars and poets and his work occupies a somewhat unique
place in Chinese literary history, being a factual work that contributes not only to the knowledge of its subject of interest, but also from a general point of view, to the use of highly literate writing and thought in the expression of factual information. There is perhaps a reflection here in the position that tea itself holds in Chinese culture.
It is in essence just a simple beverage prepared from the leaves of a shrub, but nonetheless the refinement of the appreciation of its subtle qualities has contributed a great
deal to the study of refined qualities in many other fields.
By the time of the Tang dynasty, tea had been known in China for thousands of years, and had long been regarded as one of the "Seven Necessities of Chinese Life". Yet it had been
largely considered as a medicinal drink until the many changes and improvements in living standards in the Tang dynasty brought it to prominence as a drink for pleasure and social
occasions. Lu Yu writes his text at about the middle of the Tang dynasty era (618 - 907 CE) and it is likely that he had perceived of a need for such a text among the increasing
numbers of people who were both literate and interested in a more refined knowledge of tea. Although it is the case in early China as in other cultures of early times that poetry
was often learnt by heart by many people, the fact that the Tang dynasty produced such great poets as Li Bai and Du Fu and many other literary figures also implies that it was a
time of great advances in learning, in levels of literacy and education and a time that saw the emergence of a literate middle class.
Literacy was particularly important for the middle classes of the Tang dynasty. For over a thousand years, various schemes of examinations had been held by Chinese governments to
decide the appointment of officials for the bureaucratic administration of the function of government. Persons who studied for these exams were usually from families of the
middle classes such as merchants, land owning farmers and even some trades persons. To succeed in the government exams was a means of gaining promotion to the status of minor
gentry. Anyone who passed the imperial exams was guaranteed a position of importance and a comfortable existence for life. Those who passed with distinction were often rewarded
with an prestigious position at the imperial court and could become very wealthy. During the Tang dynasty the imperial exams were standardised and reformed in many ways as written
tests that were open to people of a broader background. Although only a small percent (sometimes as low as 1 or 2 percent) of candidates passed the most demanding exams, a great
many people studied in earnest to try for some educational success, given the potential rewards even for those who only scraped through the lowest form of official exams. The
importance of the imperial exams in raising the standard of literacy in general is somewhat debated, but is unlikely to be entirely coincidental that during the Tang dynasty,
when the exams first demanded a mastery of a formal poetry style in classical Chinese, we see the composition of some of the finest poetry in Chinese literary history.
In fact it is somewhat ironic in the case of the two most famous poets of the Tang dynasty "Golden Age", namely Li Bai and Du Fu, that neither passed the imperial exams. Du Fu
sat the exam as a young man - and failed. Li Bai expressed his desire to become a government official but never sat the tests. Nonetheless, due to their generally accepted
poetic brilliance, both eventually obtained some work as government advisers during their lives.
Lu Yu writes his work on tea culture some 20 - 30 years after the greatest phase of the Tang dynasty poetic era, and somewhat in the shadow of such figures as Li Bai and Du Fu.
"The Classic of Tea" was probably written after the An Lushan rebellion of 755 CE which significantly weakened the Tang dynasty. Images of Lu Yu portrayed holding up a tea cup are
reminiscent of those of Li Bai holding out his wine cup. Perhaps the work of Lu Yu on tea reflects a return to a more ascetic life, compared to the hedonistic indulgence in
alcoholic beverages that Li Bai described with such inimitable fascination.
The work of Lu Yu was very influential on the development of the tea ceremony in Japan, not least because the religious and monastic background of Lu Yu's life was of great
interest to the Buddhist monks who originally developed the tea ceremony in Japan. The culture of the Tang dynasty has had a great influence on Japanese culture in general. One
of the most famous stories of Tang dynasty literature is the "Song of Everlasting Sorrow" the tragic story of the concubine Yang Guifei during the An Lushan rebellion. This is
regarded by many scholars as the basis for the greatest work in Japanese literature - "The Tale of Genji". The famous parable like tale of "Tu Tze-Chun" set in Tang dynasty China
is known in Japan as "Toshishun" and was famously adapted into modern Japanese by the author Ryunosuke Akutagawa - widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the
development of modern Japanese literature.
