The revered old poet was known by many names, but Baisaō (1675–1763), which means “old tea seller,” was the most popular. Having been a Buddhist monk of the Obaku school since the age of 9, at 49 he left the temple life behind to sell tea in Kyoto.….

Tu Mu began crafting this poem while on a journey into the mountains with his family. The outing was interrupted when he was issued an Imperial decree, rerouting him to supervise the preparation of an important tribute tea….

Part 1: ‘Earl Grey Proper’
You’ve probably had Earl Grey tea many times. It is the West’s most popular black tea and its most popular scented tea. If only it were that simple...

Part 2: Through the Bergamot Scented Looking Glass

Have we gotten to the bottom of it? Have we solved the mystery? 
These stories and theories sound all well and good, but none ever sat quite right with me, at least, not in any kind of final way. It never seemed like the whole story; there always seemed to be some huge part missing….

“Empty your cup!” Have you heard this famous phrase before, maybe in a kung fu movie or on TV? Believe it or not, the phrase is not a modern Hollywood invention. I first heard the “empty your cup” story in martial arts as a young teenager.…

Dragons and tea have both held a prominent place in East Asian cultures, perhaps since their inception. Tea’s pedigree may seem obvious, but why would a fantasy creature share such an important position?…

Several thousand years ago, Shen Nong, “The Divine Farmer,” was the leader of his tribe in prehistoric China. An ancient shaman…

Tea and herbalism have been an integral part of many religious traditions for thousands of years….

Many legends surround Bodhidharma and one of them has to do with tea! It is said that while Bodhidharma was mediating he fell asleep and when he awoke….

Lu Tong (795 AD) was a great tea scholar during the Tang Dynasty. He preferred a quiet life in the mountains….

The journey of Lu Yu and the Chajing…

Where the history of tea begins…..