First view, tea is a beverage served hot or iced used as a caffeine boost. I highly suspect that a lot of people that are in this group also often drink coffee just for the caffeine boost. They could also be a bit more health conscious, and choose to drink tea over soda because it offers less calories, and possible benefits.
Second view is much more elaborate, and almost borders on religion. Tea is consumed for relaxation, boost in awareness, and as a method of practice towards self improvement. Bringing to mind the phrase "Zen and Tea, one taste". I often view making and drinking tea as my favorite type of meditation. It being a moment when I can focus my thoughts, slow down, and just focus on what is going on around me. I personally feel people in the second view are almost as addicted to the practice of brewing tea, as they are to the actual tea itself.
Possibly the biggest difference between the two involves the concept of Cha Qi (Cha Chi, etc..) or basically the energy of the tea. I do not want to be stereotypical, but when was the last time you heard of someone that drinks predominantly the gamut of English Brand teas, ever muse on what sort of energy the tea, and how it makes them feel besides energized and awake?
A major similarity between the two tends to be their appreciation for flavors, and different flavors. I honestly feel someone from either category has no problem buying high end teas, or many different types of teas in search for flavor variety. In my opinion people who view tea closer to the second view, are more traditional. By that I mean their tea's flavor only comes from the leaf, and its processing, and possible natural scenting or very slight blending with other herbs or flowers. I say that because I do not know many people that would fall close to the second view point, that are constantly drinking teas with bits of dried fruits and candies mixed in.
Now I do not claim one view is better than the other, and the fact that tea so easily accommodates these two vastly different views, is what makes it such a universal beverage. That, and regardless of your view point tea drinkers seem to be united by the fact that they drink tea, and the like what they drink, and will drink what they like.
4 comments:
I don't drink tea for any sort of mental improvement or meditation or anything like that, but I readily subscribe to the idea of qi and all that it entails. I think the two positions are not mutually exclusive, but can be viewed rather more as a continuum.
MarshalN, at the end of the very first paragraph I did state that you could be "some sort of hybrid between the two." I felt it was easier to to just talk about the two as completely different and let people decide which one they fell closer to.
I found this to be a very thought-provoking post; I started writing a comment but it got too long so I published it in a blog post. Thanks for the inspiration!
I know this post was written a few weeks back, but it's an interesting discussion of why people drink tea.
You're right I'm sure, that many people view tea as "beverage" often used as a caffeine boost. However even in those cases, there is still often pleasure associated with brewing up, and pleasure while drinking it. Let's look at England, the country of tea bags. The tea is definitely not what I'd call fine tea, and it is often gulped down without playing center stage. However, the ritual of making it, and offering every friend or stranger who comes to your house a cup, that's not about handing out caffeine. This ritual is as addictive as Gongfu style brewing is for someone of the "second view."
In both the first view, and the second view, tea alone, is not what it's about.
I think the energy of tea that you mentioned, is certainly less talked about with "first view" sippers. I'll put that down to fannings in a bag lacking spiritual depth.
As to "second view sippers" being more traditional, in the sense that they prefer their teas pure, I agree. Really good tea is a pleasure to sip pure, but poorer quality teas need flavorful bits and pieces to make them more interesting.
It would be wonderful if more people were exposed to pure teas, maybe they'd actually really like the naked tea, and not just the added candies.
Thanks for these interesting perspectives.
Post a Comment