The inherent bitterness in tea leaves is a natural flavor, but human ingenuity and the relentless pursuit of deliciousness have minimized this bitterness.
The history of tea culture is the story of humanity's triumph over bitterness. Tea production is part of this narrative, as is the way we consume it.
Tea has a long history in China, but there are no definitive records indicating when it first became a beverage. What we do know is that the earliest reference to tea is as a restorative drink. The “Guangya” from the Three Kingdoms period describes this: “In Jing and Ba, they pick the leaves and make them into cakes. When the leaves are old, they use rice paste to shape the cakes. To prepare the tea, they first roast the cakes until red, grind them into a powder, and place the powder in ceramic ware. They then pour boiling water over it and add scallions, ginger, and orange slices. Drinking it helps to sober one up and keeps you awake.”
By the Tang Dynasty, the art of boiled tea had moved beyond its restorative properties and became an integral part of social rituals. There was a strict procedure for preparing boiled tea, detailed by Lu Yu in his “Classic of Tea”: Before drinking, the tea cakes were placed on a fire to dry out any remaining moisture; they were then ground into a fine powder and sifted. When the water in the pot began to bubble like small fish eyes, salt could be added for seasoning. Once the water boiled vigorously, a ladle of it was set aside; a bamboo whisk was used to stir the pot, and the tea powder was added. When the tea started to froth and spill over, the reserved water was poured back in. At this point, the tea was ready to be served to guests in bowls.
During the Song Dynasty, dotted tea became popular. Similar to the boiled tea of the Tang Dynasty, dotted tea also involved roasting and grinding the tea, but instead of boiling the tea in a pot, the tea was placed in a cup, a small amount of hot water was added and stirred, followed by the remainder of the hot water. A bamboo whisk was used to create a frothy surface. According to Cai Xiang's “Tea Record,” the best tea had a fresh white color and left no water marks on the cup. Unlike boiled tea, no salt was added, preserving the original flavor of the tea. This method was later introduced to Japan and evolved into the Japanese tea ceremony, specifically the matcha tea ritual.
In the Ming Dynasty, compressed tea cakes were abandoned in favor of loose leaf teas, which were directly infused in teapots or covered bowls. Chinese tea consumption transitioned from the art of dotted tea to the art of infused tea, marking a significant revolution in tea history. The art of infused tea was simpler, preserving the natural fragrance of the tea and making it easier to observe the tea leaves and infusion. It was widely embraced by literati who appreciated the aesthetics of daily life. This method not only highlighted the unique characteristics of the tea but also maximized its taste and imbued it with rich cultural significance.