Lu yu

Lu Yu

" The best quality tea must have
the creases like the leather boots of Tartar horsemen,
curl like the dewlap of a mighty bullock ,
unfold like a mist rising out of a ravine,
gleam like a lake touched by a zephyr,
and be wet and soft like
earth newly swept by rain."

-Lu Yu

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LU YU the "Saint of tea"(715-803AD)

A monastry 'dropout' , Lu Yu was apparently brought up by the buddhist monks in his childhood. Latter on he took keen interest in tea and wrote a book called CH'A CHING(Book of Tea). Rather an encyclopedia than a small book (Ching means cyclopedia, scripture or classic). It took 5 years for him to complete the book which was a complete manual in every aspect of tea.

Lu Yu, became a celebrity in his own time. Tea merchants prayed a porcelin statue of Lu Yu for better crops and sales !. Lu was revered and respected so much that numerous poems were written about him.

Tea as a way

At this stage in history, China knew tea for many centuries and the tea rituals were well established that Tea actually became a way of living. Very much like the wine and christianity Tea became the buddhist way of living of which Lu Yu became its first patron saint.

Statue for Lu Yu in Schiun, China