The history of Japanese Tea

Lissa

(A) Hong Ren Tea Wind 805 AD, monks studying the tea was brought to Japan after the Japanese aristocracy gradually set off a "tea wind.
Tea-drinking culture of this period, Emperor Saga (reigned AD 809-823) as the main body started to the Hongren years (810-824) as the center. Under the influence of the Emperor Saga, the the Hongren year in its heyday in the Tang culture of tea to be accepted and respected as an elegant form of advanced culture. The Hongren years that the ancient Japanese tea culture golden age, known as the "Hong Ren Tea wind.
Around the female officer of the Emperor Saga, but good's a Poetry in describing the scene of tea then.
Shan Ming, early spring branches budding pick tea.
Hill near the old, love to treasure independence Sunburn order to dry the gold furnace.
The empty forest, clear water, the yarn glistening still Yinqiang the child.
Animal charcoal, even for a moment inflammation and fit pots floating boiling waves. ......
Wu salt and the flavor taste more beautiful, the origin of the physical property is quiet and clean.
The deep rock myeloid numerous fragrance everywhere smoked, fried strike.
Drink nothing lying white clouds should know Xianqi atmosphere Yun.
- "Set by the country and out of cloud prefect tea song
Hiyoshi Shrine secret mind "records that in 805 AD, went to Tang (762-822), studying monk Saicho home, carrying a tea seed presented to the Kyoto Hieizan the Hiyoshi Shrine planted. This is the record of Japan's first planted tea. Has Hiei eastern foot stand Hiyoshi tea gardens of the monument has become the flag of Japan planted tea beginning. Another study in the monk Kukai (774-735), also carries the seed, the return of the AD 806 and dedicated to the Emperor Saga, and planted in the Long Temple, Nara Buddhism. Since Buddha Long Temple also save brought back by air, sea, grind the tea and tea sites.
Saicho study in Tiantai Mountain in Zhejiang Province, China, Japan Hieizan built Enryakuji, the creation of the Japanese Tiantai. Another study monk empty sea and Saicho the same period in 804 AD to stay Tang, air, sea, studying in Chang'an, after Koyasan, Wakayama Prefecture, the construction of the Jingang Feng Temple, the creation of the Japanese Shingon Esoteric. Shingon Esoteric Buddhism and Tiantai to saying Ping An Erzong ", was the cultural and religious impact. Saicho and make friends of the air, sea, and the Emperor Saga, emperor introduced the continent's culture, customs. The tea scene with the Emperor repeatedly concentrated in Japan, the Ancient Chinese.
In the ancient Japanese tea culture, the custom of drinking tea is only limited to the royal family around. Emperor Saga in the court within the northeast corner of cultivating tea, the establishment of made tea, until the late Heian. Drinking of the tea produced here is for the court and nobility. Tea in the same way in China Lu Yu Tea account of the Tang Dynasty, tea cakes boiled drinking laws are exactly the same. Tea from China, only a very small amount of planting in the individual temple and palace. Emperor Saga command tea tribute tea, but the literature at that time there is no record of the tribute tea, nor the records of the tea trade. With the death of Emperor Saga, the Tang Fengwen of the golden age of the past, the ancient Japanese tea culture into a quiet period. In addition to the literati tea activities continue to focus on longer to see a detailed description about tea.
Hong Ren Tea wind fading, but still find a lot of peace of sporadic records early on tea. The medicinal value of tea has gradually been discovered. Japan learned the god of Sugawara Michizane wrote in exile Chikushi "tired of melancholy in chest intestine, from the tea a" verse.
(B) The State Wind culture
In the late Heian period, Japan to stop the dispatch of the Tang Dynasty, the wife's family Fujiwara grasp of national policy, was the Northern Song Dynasty government to take the attitude of a negative interaction. Japan entered a period of relatively independent cultural development, known as the MAK culture.
Northern Song Dynasty, Chinese tea industry to continue to develop. The court of the Dragon and Phoenix Mission tea drinking built Ancon baking production, subtle luxury. Folk drinking continue to use the Tang Dynasty, tea cakes and new developments of the method for making up the loose tea. Tea production is mainly inherited from the Tang Dynasty, tea cakes. Loose tea production can be developed. Shen Kuo "this toward the Tea Act Yoshisuke six years (1062) Monopolizing tea statistics, almost in all tea growing areas while the production of tea cakes and loose tea. Zhejiang since Gu example tribute Gametea, after the abolition of the tea production in order to loose tea the main production methods for mining, steaming, drying, and drinking take on more fried drink. Part of the delicate and high-grade loose tea, drying research wiping a point to drink, said the powdered green tea. Ouyang Xiu, "turn to the life recorded in tea production was described.
The wax tea out of the sword, building, grass tea Sheng Liangzhe. Liangzhe of products, Day Note. Edwin later Hongzhou the Shuangjing white buds burgeoning, nearly year-old production is especially fine, ...... its products far out of date Note therefore abandoned grass tea.
During this period, China's tea culture is not timely communicated through official channels to Japan. On the basis of pre-peace, peace in the latter part of the tea activities continue to develop as the main features of the literati tea temple tea ceremonies tea. Tea stay in the life of the nobles, scholars, monks, tea drinkers will be a small amount since planting.
In addition to the Royal Palace in the tea garden, in the Kansai there are some scattered private or monastic tea plantations. Japanese scholar, poet Island Tianzhong Chen (823-891), had "see the loss of crab eyes I Diao, Wenjun garden into a tea," the poem. Keiji Bao Yin (? -1002 Years) access in mind, "recorded in the Travels of Medicine King Temple:
Participation oblast blue sea and the county have a field said to Medicine King Temple, established by the row-based Buddha former. Sanctuary, although old, except for new scenery. Bi glass of water before, after the Valeriana the forest Huang Xie, Cottage, cottage, Canon, clock tower, tea garden, medicine garden.
The 11th century, tea plantations to expand outside of the Kansai region. Total country endemic in mind, "it reads:" After three Emperor (reigned 1068-1072 years), the famous tea producing Kai (now Yamanashi Prefecture) of eight Daijun parameters River (now Aichi), eight County, Tajima (now Hyogo Prefecture).
(C) tea drinking habits
Japan's Kamakura, Muromachi shogunate period, with the Chinese government to resume contacts with a large number of Japanese in China. Daily, practical strong Chinese tea culture has been the Japanese more in-depth understanding. Many Japanese companies in China, the Japanese monk brought back from China tea sets, tea, tea books, and active dissemination of tea and tea taste. During this period, the Japanese tea planting area and the scale of planting a great development. The popularity of a wide range of tea in the Japanese upper classes of society.
In many of the Southern Song Dynasty, the Japanese monk in China in the Yuan Dynasty, the most outstanding one is the West Wing (1141 -). West Wing, the study in Tiantai, Zhejiang, China Zen Rinzai the Huanglong sent back to Japan, and strong proponent of tea, write "tea health in mind, the efficacy of tea, the Southern Song Dynasty tea law and the law of tea made described in detail. Record of the Southern Song Dynasty popular in Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces steaming green loose tea production process and pop the end of tea Tea Act. Laid the basis of Japan's tea culture. West Wing, known as the "grandfather of tea."
In 1207, the West Wing, from the Southern Song Dynasty carry tea seed presented the famous monk Ming Hui Master, planting in the Mei Oyama. Minghui Master is very keen on tea promotion, after the West Wing, the tea sector leaders. Minghui Master Mei nurtured by the end of Tea Garden, known as the "tea", and was ported to various parts of Japan. In 1217, the Minghui Master Mei tail tea tree gave the Uji region of Kyoto eastern suburbs, Uji became famous Japanese tea origin. Then, from Uji to Shizuoka rapidly gaining in popularity.
1241, study in Japan Monk Yuan Seoul debate round returned, Dahong the Rinzai sent Yang Qi faction Zen. Round Seoul defense circle back to the seeds of Camellia Drive, planted in his hometown of Shizuoka Prefecture, and pointing to produce high-grade Japanese green tea Camellia Drive system of law, known as the "Camellia", laid a future Shizuoka Prefecture to do the basis of the largest tea producer in Japan.
Kamakura end of the monastery as a center of tea culture spread to various parts of Japan, and the emergence of tea. According to the records of the "different system of court training exchanges": Mei tail tea; Imperial Room benevolence and Temple Mountain Division Daigo Temple, Uji, South Du Ban Ruosi, Tamba God Last Temple listed as his assistant; large and chamber of Health Temple, Iraq He suits the Ministry, the Iraqi situation River Habitat horse clear see-off, the Musashi River more tea, "are the world famous".
Before 1467, the history of the investigation around the tea garden 61 Shizuoka tea plantation, in addition to Kyoto, Kamakura two tea focus areas, rising to prominence. Tea plantations are mainly concentrated in the monastery, after planting in the aristocratic manor. But the scale is not large, generally only "Zhang Xu, an annual output of ten pounds or so, the individual large-scale tea plantations can produce a hundred pounds. The tea drinkers are confined to the monks and nobles.
(D) the tea ceremony formed
Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period, the Japanese tea ceremony, the formation period. The formation of the tea ceremony, and promote the further expansion of tea production. Because the climate is different, the Japanese Cha-buds large, crisp leaves, water and more. In the 15th and 16th century, near Kyoto, Uji tea innovation greenhouse tea to meet the shade nature of tea eased the problem of Japan bud growth too fast. In the bud begin to grow in early spring in February, the tea plantations cover Wei Jian to ensure that the bud of a soft texture, juicy. Hand collected one bud three or four leaves, about 10 cm of fresh tea leaves. Spread thin vapor crank up to 30 seconds. On the carbon bed roasting. Each baking tea is extremely rare and, subject to non-overlapping, during non-stop rock the bamboo drawer to make it uniform drying. Baking for 30 minutes.
Green tea color, natural aroma. Uji tea is divided into four grades according to the degree of refined: on the other instrument, very CIRCUIT other instrument CIRCUIT, premium tea known as "white bag". The Uji since production of disdain for the Japanese tea, on behalf of high-quality Japanese tea.
(E) sencha
The Muromachi late, the Japanese tea is divided into two parts. One is the the aristocracy application of high-grade tea. Uji tea, its fresh tea leaves are made from powdered green tea, exclusively for the prevalence of Japanese Matcha Road. Low production, very expensive, popular only in the upper nobility, clergy and wealthy. A folk tea extensive tea. The tea does not pay attention to the use of materials, mostly stem stem and leaf mix, even a foot or so of tea with a sickle sticks cut to use. Boiled green, wrapped with a large mat rolled, then spread in the sun to dry. Drinking boiling tea, soup cinnamon, bitter taste.
1738 years ago, Yu governance farmers Nagatani Zong Yuan (1681-1777) create "Jianchaling" Senior leaf tea. Hand mining shoots a bud clover, spread thin vapor fixation, the fire rolled, and then drying by baking furnace. The color green, light roasted aroma, taste glycol, into a tea to pieces like tea's active ingredients are easily leaching, apply to the tea method. Gongben high and not widely disseminated at the time.
Early nineteenth century, the the Nagatani were round type of tea in Japan and the popularization of In 1837, the Yamamoto Germany Weng create sencha in Need - Gyokuro tea. Since then, the process of tea production in Japan is self-contained. Japan sencha home are start the widespread use of the tea method, tea, as it supplies the real into the homes of ordinary people in Japan.
(F) The modern tea industry
In 1898, the first Japanese machine automatic steaming tea, was born in Shizuoka Prefecture.
In 1908, Japan enacted the identification of tea by the Shizuoka Prefecture of Japan's most important tea-growing areas. The modern Japanese tea industry has entered a period of rapid development.