Tea Ji

A blend of period fantasy and personal growth, lighthearted yet unhurried, contemporary life and Republican-era war, cultural confidence and the creative use of ancient books: together, they make for a reading experience that is both relaxing and challenging. As the book puts it, you can step into someone's inner world in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Each chapter is the story of a tea drinker, giving us a chance to reconsider the joy, wisdom, and happiness available to ordinary people.

On a secluded hillside near the city center stands a century-old street.

I opened a teahouse here.

With so few visitors, I charge whatever I like.

Like the old street, the teahouse is hopelessly out of place in this bustling city.

So the stories that unfold here draw people much like themselves...

That's right, this is a lonely journey, but never a solitary one!

Magical realism: so real it's magical, so magical it's utterly real! Citations: around 100 ancient texts quoted and brought to life, Confucianism > Buddhism > Taoism. Connections: local customs from at least one scenic spot in every province of China, and the history of Chinese civilization.

Indeed:

The world's pipa strings quiver tight, while drums resound in the teahouse.

A century's treasures, aged wine's fine scent, a tea nook brimming with all things under heaven.