A study of Chinese tenka tea culture during the Tang dynasty and Song dynasty

Abstract

　　“Tenka tea” is a word that has not yet been widely used and recognized, with no clear and credible definition. Therefore, based on the clear definition of “tenka tea”, this paper analyzes and studies the culture of “tenka tea” in Tang and Song Dynasties, and draws the following conclusions.

　　1. The proportion of tea poems relating to “tenka tea” in all tea poems of the Tang and Song Dynasties is very low, indicating that the use of “tenka tea” was not the mainstream at that time.

　　2. The use of “tenka tea” has taken on certain personal style.

　　3. “Tenka tea” as a living custom or drinking habit has shown certain local features.

　　4. “Tenka tea” has more or less taken on the tendency of “representing the tea drinking habits of northern minorities”.

　　5. The application purpose of “tenka tea” has gone beyond the category of “personal preference and personal habit”, and there is a tendency of basing on actual demand.

　　6. The emergence of “tenka tea” opponents shows that the concept of “mainstream” and “non-mainstream” ways of drinking tea already appeared in the Song Dynasty, and this concept continues to this day, which is consistent with the current phenomenon of “taking light drinking as the mainstream”.

　　7. The study of “tenka tea” will provide a basis for us to systematically explore the formation and evolution of tea drinking customs of ethnic minorities.