Learning about Tea is both an outer form and a deeper inner cultivation.
Tea, bitter in the mouth, yet soothing in the heart.
Learning about tea is much the same. Finding one's own “way of tea” and returning to one's true self is a process.
Those who start learning about tea are often confused, with one person espousing their beliefs and another singing a different tune.
So the first realm of learning about tea is forming your own opinion. Regardless of what others say, consider it thoughtfully, ponder it, and then make a judgment.
You don't have to lean towards any particular side, but at least you have your own perspective!
Once you've formed your own viewpoint, you'll start to develop your own identity and circle, encountering those who share your views and those who don't.
This is when you receive the most significant impact, as conflicting theories and perspectives flood in, from idealist viewpoints to materialistic ideologies.
Maintain skepticism about explanations of various viewpoints and distrust of so-called masters, possibly even feeling disheartened!
From this point on, you won't miss any opportunity to learn.
You buy books, read them, make friends with fellow tea enthusiasts, and draw closer to masters, paying close attention to every viewpoint and extracting opinions that you agree or disagree with.
Hearing similar viewpoints makes you feel a sense of kinship; hearing differing ones, you seek common ground; hearing completely opposite ones creates a sense of alienation.
After experiencing all this, you come to realize how vast the world truly is and can genuinely humble yourself to learn.
To progress further, it's not just about gaining more insights and knowledge; it also shows in your more rigorous logical thinking and humbler attitude.
When someone asks you a question, understand it in your mind, but avoid always saying that you know everything.
The more you learn and delve deeper into the subject, the more knowledge you accumulate, and the fragmented knowledge and superficial opinions you once held disappear. Everything can be integrated into a coherent whole.
When faced with old problems, you can now apply the principle of analogy. With a central idea, you can simplify complex issues, feeling that just a sentence or two would suffice.
At this level of learning about tea, you no longer engage in grand discussions. You can treat major matters as minor ones and include minor ones without explicit mention.
You don't put on airs, but rather guide others in learning about tea in a down-to-earth manner, sometimes even persuading them.
Treat those eager to learn with enthusiasm and those indifferent with equanimity.
The journey of learning about tea is like climbing a mountain, where the view from the top is exhilarating, but making progress from there is exceedingly difficult.
What do you do when there's no path beyond the peak? Do you consider yourself a master and become complacent, looking at beginners as you once were?
As the saying goes: “Music, chess, calligraphy, Painting, poetry, wine, and tea; Firewood, rice, oil, salt, Soy sauce, vinegar, and tea.” Many people know these two sayings, but few know why only tea appears in both.
Only tea can be highbrow or lowbrow, and daily tea is the ultimate destination of learning about tea.