Emperor Huizong’s Treatise on Tea, written …
Years: 1107 - 1107
Emperor Huizong’s Treatise on Tea, written in 1107, is a key document for understanding the most sophisticated tea ceremony in Chinese history.
It stands as the monumental treatise on tea after Lu Yu's The Classic of Tea , written between about 760 and 780).
Emperor Huizong is a great connoisseur of tea, with masterful skill in the art of tea ceremony.
He often engages in tea tasting and tea competitions with his subordinates at the Song imperial court.
Emperor Huizong's favorite is An Ji Bai Cha. (He writes that what he loves is "Bai Cha." This should not be confused with the tea currently known as "White Tea," but is rather "a Green Tea which had the color of white jade".)
In the Treatise on Tea, Emperor Huizong provides the most detailed, vivid and masterful description of the Song dynasty technique of tea spotting.
The Emperor also lays down seven criteria for tea competitions.
