Tea can be boiled, savored, drunk, or poured. The various actions associated with tea reflect the myriad facets of human life.
It is said that a Japanese scholar approached Lin Qingxuan to seek his insights into China's profound Tea culture, only to find him idly seated in a recliner, holding a delicate small pot and sipping directly from it, without using a cup, in an unboundedly relaxed manner.
The scholar was surprised. Could it be done this way?
Unfortunately, Lin Qingxuan did not tell him that there is a way of tea but no rigid rules. As long as the tea is willing and I am willing, what else is there that cannot be done?
“Sipping alone,” in my view, is the ultimate enjoyment of Drinking Tea. With flower shadows at the door and a cool breeze under the veranda, holding a pot of fine tea, pouring all kinds of emotions into one's heart. Cherishing oneself, drinking alone, and opening one's heart freely, without joy, without restraint, without hindrance—this is how a true scholar Drinks.
Drinking tea, in the end, is something that brings pleasure to oneself. From the same pot of tea, Buddhists see Zen, Daoists see qi, Confucians see propriety, merchants see profit, and yet the tea itself says: “I am just a pot of tea.”
Mature and wise people prefer Pu'er, those who are adaptable and well-connected like Tieguanyin, dignified and magnanimous individuals favor black tea, and easygoing and elegant people enjoy Oolong tea. Drinking tea is not just about taste, but also about one's own state of mind.
Amidst the mist and behind a closed wooden gate, holding a delicate small pot is like holding one's own heart. As guests depart from the high pavilion and flowers scatter in the small garden, at this moment, you return to yourself. What could be more delightful than that?
Sipping alone is most suitable for self-reflection. From muddled thoughts and agitation to the first signs of perspiration and purity, seeing oneself and others becomes clearer. This sense of completion is akin to when night rain suddenly stops and the moon shines brightly in the sky.
The pleasure in this can be expressed by Tao Hongjing's poem sent to Emperor Gao of Qi: “What do we have here in the mountains? Clouds abound on the peaks. They can only bring joy to oneself and cannot be offered to you.”
Therefore, when you sip directly from the pot and display elegance, if someone asks about its wonders, you might smile without speaking and invite them to personally Drink a pot of tea in whatever manner they choose.