中國茶的飲用流變Evolutions in Chinese Tea Drinking Culture

朱陽

茶是中國人的國飲，不僅豐富著人們的日常生活，還深刻影響著文化與社交。無論是大俗還是大雅，茶對于中國人來說都是不可或缺的。茶在中國有著悠久的歷史、豐富的內(nèi)涵，其飲用方式也隨著時代更替發(fā)生著變化。

Tea stands as the quintessential beverage in the Chinese cultural landscape， elevatingnot just the daily routine but also leaving an indelible mark on the nations culture andsocial dynamics. Whether savored in refined settings or embraced by the masses， tea holdsan irreplaceable role in the lives of the Chinese populace. Its extensive history and nuancedsignificance have woven a tapestry of meaning in China， with consumption practicesevolving in tandem with the passage of time.

中國茶文化興起于唐代。當(dāng)時，飲茶的習(xí)俗已經(jīng)逐漸從寺廟僧侶向貴族階層延伸，也不再類似以前的“生煎羹飲”，而逐漸盛行“煮茶法”?！安枋ァ标懹鹪凇恫杞?jīng)》中提倡清茶烹煮的飲茶方式：在煮茶前先烤茶，使茶餅變軟；后用紙包好，以保其香；冷卻后，碾成細(xì)末，再過篩貯于茶盒中。在煮茶時要掌握好火候，協(xié)調(diào)好茶、水、鹽三者用量的比例關(guān)系，這便是唐代煮茶的精髓。

Chinas tea culture blossomedduri ng the Tang Dynas ty.During this period， the practiceof consuming tea transcendedits origins among Buddhistmonks， gradually permeatingthe aristocratic class. Unlike theearlier rudimentary “boilingraw tea leaves as soup to drink，”a refined approach emerged，known as the “boi l i ng teamethod，” gaining popularity. Inhis seminal work， The Classic ofTea， the revered “Tea Sage” Lu Yuardently advocated this method.Lu Yus prescribed processinvolved initially roasting teacakes to a softened state， followedby grinding and wrappingthem in paper to preserve theiraromatic essence. After cooling， the tea was stored in a dedicated tea caddy. The brewing process wasan art， requiring mastery of heat control and a delicate balance between tea， water， and salt — thequintessence of Tang Dynasty boiled tea.

唐代煮茶法尤為講究，所需茶具種類繁多，其中有風(fēng)爐、茶臼、茶碾、茶瓶、茶盒等。特別值得一提的是陜西法門寺地宮中出土的皇家宮廷茶具，其質(zhì)地以金銀為主，異常精美，是目前所知中國最早、最完備的宮廷系列茶具實(shí)物，當(dāng)時的飲茶方式由此可見一斑。

The intricacies of the Tang Dynasty boiled tea method demanded a range of specialized teautensils， including wind stoves， tea mortars， tea grinders， and tea caddies. Of particular significanceare the imperial court tea sets unearthed from the subterranean chambers of Famen Temple inShaanxi. Crafted meticulously from gold and silver， these artifacts represent the earliest and mostcomprehensive collection of imperial court tea utensils in China， offering a fascinating glimpse intothe tea-drinking customs of that era.

宋代斗茶

Tea Competition in the Song Dynasty

中國茶文化興于唐而盛于宋，宋時茶風(fēng)熾盛，相較于唐代，飲茶方式有了較大的發(fā)展和變化，“煮茶法”逐漸演變?yōu)椤包c(diǎn)茶法”。點(diǎn)茶法的盛行又促生了斗茶的習(xí)俗，人們通過炙茶、碾茶、羅茶、候湯、熁（xié）盞、點(diǎn)茶等多道程序鑒評茶葉品質(zhì)，比試點(diǎn)茶技藝的高下。

While the Tang Dynasty marked the inception of Chinese tea culture， it reached its zenith during the SongDynasty. In contrast to the Tang era， the practice of tea consumption underwent substantial transformations，transitioning from the traditional “boiling method” to the innovative “tea art method” （dian cha）. Theemergence of dian cha brought about the tradition of tea competition （dou cha）. This ritual comprised ameticulous evaluation of tea leaves， with participants showcasing their prowess in the art of dian cha. Theprocess encompassed various steps， including roasting the tea （zhi cha）， grinding the tea （nian cha）， sifting thetea （luo cha）， heating the water （hou tang）， warming cups （xie zhan）， and ultimately， the precision of dian cha.

炙茶：即烘焙茶葉。如果點(diǎn)茶用的團(tuán)餅是陳茶（色香味皆陳），則須先用微火炙干，新茶一般不炙。

Zhi cha： It means baking the tea leaves. If using aged compressed tea cakes （which may havediminished color， aroma， and flavor）， a light roasting is necessary to revive them. Fresh teagenerally does not require roasting.

碾茶：先用干凈的紙包裹茶葉，捶碎，然后碾細(xì)。

Nian cha： Begin by wrapping the tea leaves in a clean paper packet and crushingthem， then proceed to grind them into a fine powder.

羅茶：即篩茶。碾好的茶末需要過篩，篩得越細(xì)越好。

Luo cha： This step involves sifting the ground tea powder through a mesh. The finer thepowder is sifted， the better.

候湯：即煮水。講究三沸，要求當(dāng)水燒過二沸、剛到三沸之際，就迅速停火，沖注。

Hou tang： Also referred to as waiting for the boil， this step emphasizes the three boiling stages.Once the water is approaching the third boil after passing the second， swiftly extinguish the fireand pour the water.

熁盞：又稱為“溫盞”。凡是點(diǎn)茶，必須先熁盞使之熱。如果盞冷，茶便浮不起來。

Xie zhan： Also known as wen zhan， this step is essential for making tea art. A cold cup can hinder theproper frothing of the tea.

點(diǎn)茶：先投茶，后注湯調(diào)勻，謂之“調(diào)膏”。接著開始點(diǎn)茶：“七湯”為最佳，每湯之間注入沸水，用茶筅（xiǎn）擊拂，其力度與幅度都應(yīng)有所不同，直至茶湯稀稠適中，即可停止拂動。 最后，茶湯表面會形成乳白色的湯花，猶如綿密的泡沫：投入的茶少而加入的水多，茶味就比較清淡，稱為“云腳散”；投入的茶多而加入的水少，茶味則比較豐富，稱為“粥面聚”。

Dian cha： Begin by adding the tea powder， followed by hot water， and stir evenly. The process isknown as “adjusting the cream.” Then， commence pointing the tea through seven infusions， whichis considered ideal. Between each infusion， add boiling water， adjusting the force and duration ofthe whisking motion with the tea brush. Continue until the tea reaches the desired concentration，then cease whisking. A milky white pattern will eventually form on the surface of the tea soup，resembling dense froth. Using less tea with more water yields a lighter flavor， termed “wanderingcloud feet，” while more tea with less water results in a richer flavor， known as “congealed gruel face.”

宋人將斗茶當(dāng)作一種游戲，以點(diǎn)茶技藝的高低來論勝負(fù)，使品茶越來越趨向于一種精神享受，這也反映了當(dāng)時王公貴族、文人騷客的閑情逸致。那么斗茶“斗”的到底是什么？第一比湯色，湯色以白為上，又以青白勝黃白；第二拼湯花，湯花以“咬盞”時間長短一決高下，即茶沫越持久則技藝越高超。

The Song Dynasty inhabitants elevated dou cha tomore than just a pastime， deeming it a sophisticatedgame where victory was determined by the masteryof dian cha skills. This approach transformed teaappreciation into a spiritual pursuit， reflecting theleisurely lifestyle of the aristocratic literati. Withindou cha， assessment criteria included scrutinizingthe color of the tea soup， favoring a white hue overyellow， and evaluating the longevity of the froth， witha more enduring one indicative of heightened skill.

也正是斗茶的習(xí)俗，讓黑釉盞成為當(dāng)時最適用的茶具之一。南宋審安老人所著《茶具圖贊》中描繪的“十二先生”，正是宋代飲茶的整套用具。分別對不同的器具冠以宋時官名，不僅可以展現(xiàn)它們的質(zhì)地、形制和作用，還可以厘清點(diǎn)茶的基本流程，非常生動有趣。

The dou cha tradition significantly influenced thepopularity of the black glazed cup， emerging as one ofthe most suitable tea utensils of that era. In the Song?text Tea Ware Pictorial， the “Twelve Gentlemen” serveas a comprehensive representation of Song Dynastytea wares， each bestowed with whimsical namesinspired by official ranks. It not only showcases theirmaterials， shapes， and functions but also logicallylays out the basic process of dian cha， which is a veryvivid and interesting way.

近幾年，很多以宋代歷史與生活為背景的電視劇開始越來越多地呈現(xiàn)中華傳統(tǒng)文化元素，讓大眾對宋代人的生活和文化有了更為深入的了解。如今，宋代點(diǎn)茶技藝已被列入非物質(zhì)文化遺產(chǎn)名錄，將得到更好的保護(hù)與傳承。

In recent years， numerous television dramasagainst a background of the history and daily lifeof the Song Dynasty have prominently featuredtraditional Chinese cultural elements. This trendhas provided the public with enhanced insights intothe lives and culture of the people from that bygoneera. Dian cha of the Song Dynasty has garneredrecognition by being inscribed on the IntangibleCultural Heritage List， ensuring more robustprotection and preservation for future generations.

明代瀹（yuè）飲

Tea Drinking in the Ming Dynasty

明代是中國茶葉生產(chǎn)和制茶技術(shù)發(fā)展的重要時期。明太祖朱元璋下令“廢團(tuán)改散”，即以散條形茶代替團(tuán)餅茶，以沸水沖泡的瀹飲法代替?zhèn)鹘y(tǒng)研末而飲的點(diǎn)茶法，這在中國飲茶史上是具有劃時代意義的變革。

The Ming Dynasty played a pivotal role inadvancing tea production and processing techniquesin China. The dynastys founder， Zhu Yuanzhang，instigated a groundbreaking shift by decreeing “theabandonment of tea cakes in favor of loose-leaf tea.”This innovation replaced the traditional compressedtea cakes with loose-leaf tea， which now was brewedby infusion， instead of whisked powdered tea，ushering in a transformative era in the history ofChinese tea consumption.

人們在飲用散茶時不再需要將茶葉碾成細(xì)末，只需把成品散茶放入茶盞或茶壺中直接用沸水沖泡，這種方法被稱為“泡茶法”或“瀹飲法”。從此，人們飲茶開始改為追求茶葉的形美和茶湯的真味，并且對茶葉色、香、味、形的鑒賞越加講究。

The adoption of loose-leaf tea marked adeparture from the laborious process of grindingleaves into powder. Instead， individuals could nowdirectly infuse the processed loose-leaf tea in a cupor a teapot with boiling water， a practice known?as pao cha or yue yin. With this shift， tea drinkersbegan to appreciate the visual allure of tea leaves andthe authentic flavor of the brew， paying increasedattention to the color， aroma， taste， and shape of thetea leaves.

從沖泡方式來講，明代開始盛行的散茶瀹飲，從鑒茶備具、茶銚（diào）燒水、投茶入甌、注水入甌到奉茶品飲，讓飲茶變得更為普遍、便捷。隨著時間的推移，瀹飲法也演變發(fā)展為常見的壺泡法、蓋碗泡法和杯泡法，一直沿用至今，且仍然是當(dāng)今主流的飲茶方式之一。

The popularization of loose-leaf infusion duringthe Ming Dynasty made tea consumption morewidespread and convenient. The process， frompreparing utensils and tea leaves to boiling water，adding tea leaves， pouring water， and ultimatelyserving the tea， became more streamlined. Overtime， the yue yin method evolved into contemporarybrewing styles such as teapot， covered bowl， and cupmethods that persist as mainstream techniques today.

明代飲茶方式及沖泡方法的變革也極大地促進(jìn)了中國各種茶類的發(fā)展，六大茶類進(jìn)而出現(xiàn)，使中國茶品飲方式得到進(jìn)一步發(fā)展。

The revolutionary changes in tea drinkingand brewing methods during the Ming Dynastysignificantly contributed to the development ofChinas six main tea categories， catalyzing theongoing evolution of Chinese tea culture.

當(dāng)代茶飲文化

Contemporary Tea Drinking Culture

飲茶是中國人最常見、最愜意的一種日常習(xí)慣和休閑方式，閑來一杯茶，自在賽神仙。當(dāng)今中國，不同的人群都喜歡喝茶，也孕育出不同特點(diǎn)的飲茶空間，以滿足不同的生活需求。

Tea consumption stands as one of the mostubiquitous and pleasurable daily habits and leisureactivities among the Chinese populace — savoring acasual cup of tea is akin to experiencing a moment oftimeless delight. In contemporary China， the diversepreferences of various groups have given rise to amultitude of tea-drinking spaces， catering to a broadspectrum of lifestyle needs.

以浙江杭州為例。杭州被譽(yù)為“中國茶都”，除了因?yàn)槠涫a(chǎn)享譽(yù)全球的西湖龍井，還因?yàn)槠渲臐夂耧嫴璺諊?。西湖核心景區(qū)的湖畔居茶館、青竺茶館等，坐享一線湖景，是品茶、觀湖、賞景的絕佳地標(biāo)；老牌的青藤茶館，在景區(qū)、市區(qū)、商業(yè)CBD都開了分店，而且各有特色，滿足了社交、商務(wù)等不同人群的飲茶需求；還有不少開在社區(qū)周邊的個性化飲茶空間，店主如同鄰居一般，大家閑來無事，就喜歡去坐坐、聊聊天，一杯清茶一下午，放松身心。

Consider Hangzhou in Zhejiang， renownedas the “Tea Capital of China” for its productionof the globally acclaimed West Lake Longjingtea. Hangzhou， steeped in a rich tea-drinkingculture， boasts lakeside tea houses like Hupanjuand Qingzhu in the West Lake scenic area. Theseestablishments offer unparalleled views of the lake，providing the perfect setting for enjoying tea amidstbreathtaking scenery. The venerable Qingtengchain， with branches strategically located acrossscenic spots， downtown areas， and central businessdistricts， adeptly caters to diverse tea-drinkingpreferences of social and business communitiesalike. Additionally， numerous personalizedtea-drinking spaces have emerged in localneighborhoods， where residents and proprietorsengage in leisurely tea sessions in the afternoons，fostering a sense of neighborly camaraderie.

除了飲茶方式及飲茶空間的變化，茶飲品類也不斷推陳出新。最為典型的就是各種奶茶和果茶，每一種成功茶品都會成為年輕人或時髦人士追逐的“網(wǎng)紅”。另外，隨著消費(fèi)方式的改變，人們可以在各種地方喝到可口的茶品，只要打開手機(jī)上的外賣app，足不出戶就能享受到飲茶的快樂。這些與時俱變的發(fā)展讓人們能夠發(fā)現(xiàn)和品味中國茶的萬千可能。

In addition to changing tea drinking methodsand spaces， a continuous influx of contemporary teabeverages has become a prominent trend， notablyexemplified by a variety of milk teas and fruit teasthat captivate the attention of the youthful andtrendy crowds， often achieving “internet sensation”status. The evolving consumption patterns ensurethat delightful tea concoctions are readily accessibleeverywhere. The convenience of enjoying thepleasures of tea has been elevated to new heights，with individuals now able to savor their favorite teablends without leaving the comfort of their homes，simply by placing orders through food delivery apps.This dynamic evolution provids people with theopportunity to explore and appreciate the diverseand exciting possibilities within the realm of Chinesetea.