A Brief Overview of Tea in the Three Dynasties

Before the rise of the Tang dynasty, tea was only commonly found in southern China. But throughout the Tang (618-907), Song (960-1279), and Ming (1368-1644) dynasties, tea became more popular accross the rest of what is now present day China (Hinsch 15-20). As tea became more popular, so did tools used to prepare and serve it. The types of tools can say a lot about Chinese tea culture in a given time period. The materials used in a tool dictated its quality. For example, the bes cauldrons in the Tang dynasty were made of silver. Ceramic and stone cauldrons just weren't as high quality and this could reflect poorly on their owners (Tea Sutra 39). This exhibit will explore the shift in tools utilized and what this shift says about how Chinese culture changed over the course of these dynasties.

Tea began to spread throughout China during the Tang dynasty. Quickly, tea was used to indicate social status and numerous rituals were devised around the drink (Tea Sutra 10). Tea drinking was promoted by Lu Yu, a man widely considered to be the first foremost authority on tea, and Buddhism. Lu wrote The Classic of Tea (760 CE) which describes in detail how tea should be prepared, what tools and vessels are to be utilized, and the significance of these items. These manuscripts are commonly referenced by secondary sources on tea consumption, culture, and tools during this time period

By the Song dynasty, tea had become throughout the empire. Now there was even more focus on tea tools and what tea said about one’s social status. For example, in this dynasty, frothed tea was popular so tools similar to those used by the Spanish to whip chocolate were developed. People would have competitions to see whose froth could last the longest. Tea bowl design also changed to better emphasize and maintain the froth on the tea (Tea Art in the Song Dynasty). Something that seems as simple to us as extra bubbles on one’s tea spoke volumes to the people of the Song dynasty. Froth indicated status so the finest tea ware had to be used to show off the froth and the skill of the tea preparer.

The Ming dynasty saw a major shift in tea culture from tea cakes to loose leaf tea. Previously, loose leaf tea was seen as lower class but since the first emperor of the Ming dynasty was in fact from the peasant class, loose leaf tea was popularized. This shift was more forced than previous shifts as Taizu, the first Ming emporer, specifically banned expensive tea cakes and the intricate ceremonies surrounding tea consumption. (Hinsh 29-30). This transition from tea cakes and powder to loose leaf tea also led to a transition in tea ware. This was the dynasty where teapots were used more frequently. Part of the reason for this is teapots were effective tools for filtering leaves out of the tea. Another factor that may have played into the increased use of tea pots is they made transportation of hot water and tea easier and safer for servants (Hinsch 30). This dynasty was also significantly later than the previous two. A discussion of this dynasty provides a vastly different perspective than the Tang and Song dynasties which makes it an interesting addition to this exhibit.