Exploring tea culture during the Southern Song Dynasty
Exquisite utensils of tea on display provide a well-rounded picture of tea's glamor.
As a ritual performance during important occasions, tea ceremonies have a deep influence on Chinese tradition. As Hangzhou is the home of Longjing tea, local farmers are preparing to pick the most tender tea leaves at the beginning of March.
Tea was a staple during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), when imperial officials, residents and royal family drank it daily.
An exhibition examining the tea culture of that dynasty is underway at the China National Tea Museum and runs through the end of the Longjing harvest season.
As the only museum in China with a theme of tea culture, it provides a well-rounded picture of tea's glamor. Its Shuangfeng Pavilion is located on the terraced tea fields in the hilly part of Hangzhou. In addition to viewing exhibits, people can walk through the bountiful tea fields.
The exhibition displays 181 sets of tea utensils dating back to the Southern Song Dynasty, the heyday of Chinese tea culture. All the exhibits are considered the epitome of Song Dynasty aesthetics and handicraft-making skills.
Showcased is a tool for grinding tea into powder with a millstone.
Different from modern-day drinking style, Southern Song people initiated a new way to drink tea called dian cha – making finely ground powder from processed green tea.
Grinding the leaves is a slow process, because the mill stone must not get too warm lest it alters the aroma of the leaves. It sometimes takes up to an hour to grind 30 grams.
The powdered tea is brewed with a small amount of boiling water and then whipped with a small whisk till it becomes a mush. More boiling water is added to dilute the mush.
The powdered tea is also called matcha. Today it is used to flavor and dye food such as green tea ice cream, glutinous rice cake, buckwheat noodles and traditional Chinese sweets.
Preparation and consumption of powdered tea was formed into a ritual, which is believed to have originated at Jingshan Temple in Hangzhou. The process includes a series of performances, procedures and particular criterion for using tea leaves and vessels.
A green and white ceramics with muted shades and quiet simplicity
The Jingshan Temple dates back 1,200 years to the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) when Buddhism boomed. The number of pilgrims peaked during the Southern Song Dynasty, as Jingshan became the largest temple in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.
Meanwhile, many Japanese monks came to Jingshan Temple as ambassadors and brought Chinese scriptures and the country's tea ceremony back home. The Japanese then developed it into an indispensable part of their own culture.
The Jingshan tea ceremony peaked during the Southern Song Dynasty, when Hangzhou was the capital. In 2011, the ritual was listed as a National Intangible Culture Heritage.
The exhibition introduces some classical dian cha designs. Green and white ceramics with muted shades and quiet simplicity are the main features of the items on display.
These vessels fuse the characteristics of celadon in southern China and white porcelain in northern China and have been compared to jade because of the similar texture and finish.
At the time, the royal court gave priority to the humanities, turning to people's inner emotions and a minimalist artistic style. Scholars lived artistic and refined lives, which included tea drinking, flower arranging and incense burning.
Green and white ceramics were popular with both the literati and ordinary people. Low prices, smooth textures and sanitary properties made them the first choice for tea utensils. They accounted for the majority of production in Zhejiang Province.
A green and white ceramic made for preserving tea
In addition, jianzhan, or black-glazed porcelain, played a vital role in tea ceremonies. Monks from Japan took black-glaze cups back to their country. Today in Japan, several black-glaze cups brought back from China during the Song Dynasty are considered national treasures.
At the exhibition, the black glaze still shines after being preserved for more than a millennium. The showcased porcelain is considered the best version, as the bowl features tiny, dense patterns like cony hair. Historians have named such porcelain "tuhao," literally meaning "rabbit fur" in Chinese.
A black-glazed cup
Song Dynasty Tea Culture Exhibition
Dates: Through May 31
Admission: Free
Address: 88 Longjing Rd
龙井路88号
