An Homage to Green Tea (Paperback)

An illustrated work of lyric poetry and prose on drinking green tea as a meditation.

An Homage to Green Tea is an illustrated collection of poetry and prose on the beneficence of green tea, and ways to experience that beneficence. It collects two works of classical Korean literature into a single volume.

“A Poem for Green Tea” is a long poem that includes short-short stories, legends, anecdotes, other related poems, excerpts from reference books about green tea, religious and spiritual (Buddhist/Taoist) writing, and Ch’oui’s notes to the poem. Taken as a whole, the poem seeks to authenticate the value of Korean green tea relative to Chinese green tea in a pleasing, aesthetic manner. “A Poem for Green Tea” ends with an epilogue poem in praise of Ch’oui’s unparalleled green tea.

“The Divine Life of Tea” is a collection of instructions on how to arrive at the best cup of green tea. It begins with superb locations for the cultivation of green tea, when to pick the leaves, how to prepare and store leaves, ideal types of water, grades of boiling water, the utensils to use in preparation of a cup of green tea, and the type of company one should keep—a list by no means comprehensive. “The Divine Life of Tea” ends with an epilogue by Ch’oui, describing his purpose and efforts in writing the manuscript.

Introduction

Ch’oui was born with the family name of Chang in 1786 in Singi, a small Korean village. His father was a traveling peddler, and being something of a philanderer, was inattentive to family. When Ch’oui’s mother and grandfather died near the turn of the century, he was orphaned, and so became a Buddhist initiate, eventually taking his Buddhist name, Ch’oui, meaning, “Simply Dressed.”

At the age of fifteen, when Ch’oui first began his practice as a disciple of Buddhism, he resided at Unhung Temple. Unhung Temple, then renowned in Korea as an epicenter for green tea culture, is where Ch’oui was introduced to the ways of cultivating and drinking tea. These experiences would stay with Ch’oui for the duration of his life, helping to inspire “A Poem for Green Tea.”

“A Poem for Green Tea” is a long poem originally written in hanmun, which is the Korean use of classical Chinese to write literature. The text of this poem includes short-short stories, legends, anecdotes, other related poems, excerpts from reference books on the subject of tea and green tea, and Ch’oui’s notes to the poem. Taken as a whole, the poem seeks to

authenticate the value of Korean green tea relative to Chinese green tea in a pleasing aesthetic manner, ending with an epilogue poem in praise of Ch’oui’s green tea.

“The Divine Life of Tea” is more strictly prose, but also centered thematically on Korean green tea. Ch’oui wrote on several occasions about Korean green tea. In his 1828 epilogue to the work, Ch’oui writes that his intention is simply to help a fellow monk with the task of writing an explanatory text on Korean green tea. He also tells of another purpose: to share the harmoniousness of tea because it is not widely understood.

“The Divine Life of Tea” is a collection of instructions on how to arrive at the best cup of green tea. It begins with superb locations for the cultivation of green tea, when to pick the leaves, how to prepare and store leaves, ideal types of water, grades of boiling water, the utensils to use in preparation of a cup of green tea, and the type of company one should keep—a list of information that is not comprehensive. Ch’oui’s prose in this section is not verbose but direct; one can learn about the particularities of the processes involved in creating an ideal cup of green tea, and the experience of drinking it. This section also includes notes from Ch’oui, but the notes are less extensive than those he made for “A Poem for Green Tea.”

Knowledge of green tea and how to prepare it was limited in early nineteenth century Korea—even among noble classes. It was a chore to make fire. Few people knew the subtle qualities of water suitable for tea, or how to keep a luxury like green tea leaves; many people had never seen a green tea leaf. Both “A Poem for Green Tea” and “The Divine Life of Tea” became and remain source texts for Korean green tea culture. This edited volume, Homage to Green Tea, contains the full text of “A Poem for Green Tea” and an excerpt from “The Divine Life of Tea.”

How to grow, roast, brew, and drink green tea are all part of the content, but A Homage to Green Tea is not merely a catalog of information; it is also a work of literature. “A Poem for Green Tea” is laden with clarifying commentary where Ch’oui thought such information appropriate. The commentary may contain anecdotal personal information, refer to a prior expert, quote a poem, or re-tell a relevant story. Homage to Green Tea can be read as much for its literary context in a culture over five thousand years old as it can be read to learn about Korean green tea.

An Homage to Green Tea still has lessons for the contemporary reader. Chinese green tea was the source for misunderstanding the distinctiveness of Korean green tea during Ch’oui’s lifetime. Ch’oui pinpointed the differences not only in quality and character of the leaves and tea, but also how differences in land, weather, and harvesting made the Korean green tea leaf unique in Asia.

Today, the uses of the Korean green tea leaf are so numerous that in Korea, one can find candy, ice cream, noodles, toothpaste, deodorant, soap, and cosmetics—by no means a definitive list—made from the leaves. Within the past few years, the idea that green tea is a product good for one’s health is common knowledge in some communities of the West, but the singular qualities of green tea grown in particular Asian nations remain largely unknown.

As longtime drinkers of green tea, we urge the reader to enjoy the exceptional pleasures of Korean green tea, pleasures that Ch’oui celebrates in An Homage to Green Tea.

—Ian Haight and T’ae-yong Ho

_______

Tea blossom petals,

snowy-pure, white as the Immortal

of Kushe Mountain—

the lustrous heart

of the pistil and stamen

yellow as the golden light

of nirvana.

Midnight dew

washes clean

the jade-green twigs

water from morning fog

condenses

on the narrowly-curved leaves,

the leaves, like sparrows’ tongues.

_______

The tea tree is like the luster leaf holly of China. Its leaves are similar to the gardenia, and blossoms to the briar rose—its core, golden-yellow. The tree flowers in autumn with a distinct, subtle scent.

Li Po once said, “Jade Well Temple in Jing County has pristine streams on every mountain and tea trees in abundance. Leaves and twigs like emerald-green jade—the Monk Zhengong always picks the leaves for his tea.”

_______ 

Heaven, Immortals, men, and ghosts

all love and respect tea—

I realize tea’s nature

is a most brilliant mystery.

Shenneng listed green tea

in his Book of Food;

since his enduring name

the tea has been compared to cream

and the sweet dew of heaven.

Always drinking tea gives man strength and a pleasant heart.

—from The Book of Food by Shenneng

King Zishang visited a priest from Tanji. On Eight Proverbs Mountain, the priest shared tea with the King. After drinking the tea, King Zishang exclaimed, “This is heaven’s sweet dew.”

When you hear the sound

of wind in the pines

and rain on the leaves of trees,

remove the copper kettles

from the bamboo stove.

Wait until all becomes quiet—

a bowl of Spring Snow

is sweeter than cream.

—from Luo Daijing’s poem,

“Boiling and Steaming”