The Rhythm of Tea in the Song Dynasty

In the late autumn of the second year of Xuanhe in the Northern Song Dynasty (1120), in the elegant pavilion of Fanlou in Bianliang City, tea smoke was thick like flowing gauze curtains. Su Qingyuan, a 42-year-old tea master, was sitting in front of a red sandalwood tea banquet. On an ebony tray in front of him, a partridge-spotted teacup lay as quietly as black jade. The glaze color on the wall of the lamp is as dark as night, and the silver-blue markings are like stars pouring down. It is the "Tianmu Yaobao" that is the best in building kilns. "Water is valued for its purity and lightness, and simplicity of utensils is valued." Su Qingyuan held the silver spoon to take the tea powder, his movements were as smooth as clouds and water. The tea is a small dragon ball given by the emperor to Beiyuan, which is ground into snow-colored powder with a jade pestle. He followed the "Seven Soup Tea Methods" contained in Cai Xiang's "Tea Notes", water injection, hit whisk, paste, Luck. The green bamboo tea whisk whirled and struck in the cup, making a clear rustling sound.