Ep. 140-3 | Tea Hits the Big Time

After centuries of trial and error, tea starts to transform from a bitter medicinal brew into something worthy of presenting to the emperor as tribute. Tea's development during the 326 years of the Sui and Tang dynasties (581-907 AD) is introduced this time. Not only do the people of China embrace tea. Those people who surrounded China to the north and to the west also took a quick liking to this drink. The important role tea played in Tibet and other border regions is also discussed, as well as the fabled trade route known as the ancient Tea-Horse Road 茶马古道.

The Tea Saint, Lu Yu will be saved for the next episode. Be sure to come back again.

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Terms in Episode

Pinyin/TermChineseEnglish/Meaning
Chárén茶人A "Tea Person," someone who knows a lot about tea and how to enjoy it
Shén Nóng神农The Divine Farmer
CháTea
Táng Dynasty唐朝Dynasty that followed the Sui, 618-907
Suí Wéndì隋文帝Founder of the Sui Dynasty
Suí Yángdì隋炀帝Second Sui Emperor
Suí Dynasty隋朝Dynasty that preceded the Tang and ran from 581-617
Lù Yǔ陆羽733-804, Chinese literary figure from the Tang who was famous for writing the Classic of Tea
Wú State吴国The Wu State during the Zhou Dynasty that ran from 12th century BCE to 473 BCE
King Fūchāi夫差Fuchai of Wu who reinged 495-473 BCE, last king of the Wu State
Hán Gōu汗垢The Han Canal, built during King Fuchai's time
Huái River淮河One of China's great rivers, located in between the Yellow and Yangzi Rivers
Yángzǐ扬子江China's longest river that ran west to east, located in the geographic center of China. Northern China was north of the Yangzi
Fújiàn福建Coastal province south of Zhejiang
Zhèjiāng浙江Coastal Province north of Fujian
Ānhuī安徽Province in eastern China
Jiāngxī江西Province in eastern China
Jìn Dynasty晋朝The Jin Dynasty, 266-420
Jiāngsū江苏Coastal Province north of Zhejiang
Hakka客家A Han Chinese sub-group originally from the north of China who migrated to the south and ended up mostly in Guangdong and Fujian, but found elsehwere in China and throughout the world
Guǎngdōng广东China's southern-most province on the mainland
Sìchuān四川Province in southwest China
Guìzhōu贵州Province in western China
Yúnnán云南Province in the southwest of China
Táng Tàizōng唐太宗Tang emperor who reigned 626-649
Qīnghǎi青海Province in western China
Xīnjiāng新疆China's largest province area-wise, located in the northwest of China
Chámǎ Gǔdào茶马古道The Ancient Tea-Horse Road
The character for tea before it was called cha 茶
RénA person
Gòngchá贡茶Tribute Tea
Qīngmíng Festival清明节Also known as Tomb Sweeping Day, a traditional Chinese holiday that usually falls in the first week of April. People who observe this holiday show reverence for their ancestors by visiting their graves and "sweeping the tombs"
Biānchá边茶Border Tea
Qiāng羌族An ethnic people who come from southwest China and other Asian countries to the south and west of China
Bǎojiànpǐn保健品Health Products
Oolong乌龙Wūlóng Tea, a partially oxidized tea that is mighty fine tasting
Pǔ-Ěrh普洱A variety of fermented tea that comes from Yunnan province in China
Zhāng Qiān张骞Chinese official and diplomat who made a famous adventure to the west and inadvertantly kickstarted the Silk Road. he lived during the Han Dynasty and died in 114 BCE
Hàn Dynasty汉朝Dynasty that ran from 202 BCE to 9 CE and again from 25 to 220 CE
Shǔ yǔ niǎo zhī lù鼠与鸟之路The road of mice and birds
Sòng宋朝The Song Dynasty that ran from 960 to 1279
Wénchéng Gōngzhǔ文成公主Princess Wencheng, neice of Tang Taizong who's hand was given in marriage to the Tibeten King Songtsän Gampo
Sōngzàn Gānbù松赞干布Songtsän Gampo, emperor of Tibet who lived c. 557 to 649
Sūyóuchá酥油茶Tibetan yak buttered tea
Qiónglái邛崃Qionglai, a city not far from Chengdu
Yǎ’ān雅安Ya'an, a city not too far from Chengdu
Wènchuān汶川County ih Sichuan not far from Chengdu that was the epicenter of the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake
Lúshān庐山County in Sichuan not far from Chengdu
Gānsù甘肃Province in western China
Chá Jīng茶经The Classic of Tea

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Ep. 140-4 | The Sage of Tea

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Ep. 140-2 | Tea, A Bitter Brew in Bronze Age China