A study of history in Chinese scented tea culture during the Tang dynasty and Song dynasty

Abstract

　　Modern scholars basically trace the origin of scented tea back to the end of the Southern Dynasty or the Yuan Dynasty, while the more detailed discussion of scented tea only dates back to the Ming Dynasty. However, while studying tea poems of Tang and Song Dynasties, the author found a certain amount of tea poems about scented tea, so the author intends to investigate and analyze the status and culture of scented tea drinking in Tang and Song Dynasties, so as to provide reference and evidence for the research on the origin and development of scented tea culture.

　　Because the purpose of this paper is to trace the origin of scented tea, considering the differences between the concept of scented tea in history and that of scented tea today in both connotation and extension, in order to avoid ambiguity and misunderstanding, this paper first puts forward the generalized concept of scented tea - “all forms of combining tea and flowers”, and makes a collation and explanation of seven items covered by the generalized concept of scented tea.

　　Through sorting out and analyzing two tea poems of the Tang Dynasty and 45 tea poems of the Song Dynasty collected in connection with scented tea, the author believes that as for (2) in 7 items of generalized scented tea, no solid components of flowers such as petals are added to tea products, it’s scented tea added with flower scent only, (3) scented tea with spices, (4) blooming art tea, (5) scented tea with additives, (7) herb tea with “tea” and “flower” as main raw materials, all of them already appeared in the Song Dynasty. While in generalized scented tea, (1) is scented tea added with solid components of flowers such as petals, which is very likely to have appeared since the Song Dynasty, however, there is still no conclusive evidence and further research is thus needed.

　　There is no evidence proving that (6) “tea-substituting drink” of “scented tea” has appeared since the Song Dynasty, but the concept and production method of “tea-substituting drink” already appeared in the Song Dynasty. In addition, there was a unique method of scented tea cooking in the Song Dynasty, that is, cooking tea with flower-soaking water.

　　Generally speaking, in the Song Dynasty, although scented tea has not yet formed a clear category, scented tea culture has emerged, and the “form of combining tea and flowers” has also presented a diversified pattern.