In the Tang Dynasty, Zen Buddhism prevailed in the north, and tea drinking began to rise. Lu Yu's "Tea Classic" said: "Serving in the capital of the country and the DPRK, between the scenery and the space, is better than drinking in the house." "Feng Shiwen Ji Jian" also contains: "From Zou, Qi, Cang, Di, gradually to Jingyi, open more shops, sell in brew tea, don't ask vulgar questions, throw money and drink." At this time, tea tasting in the upper class has been in order and has become a Taoist art. Tea tasting in the Tang Dynasty emphasized the quality, color and taste of tea.
A new method of drinking tea appeared in the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties, that is, pouring tea powder into a bowl with boiling water in a tea bottle, which is called "ordering tea". This method is simpler and easier than decocting tea. It was first popular in Jian 'an, Fujian, and "tea ordering" was very popular after the Song Dynasty. Feng Zhi, a native of the Tang Dynasty, said in Notebook Beads that "building people means fighting for tea", which shows that Fujian people began to have the custom of fighting for tea in the late Tang Dynasty.
In the Song Dynasty, the urban economy was unprecedentedly prosperous, and "ordering tea" was widely popular. There are many tea shops, teahouses and teahouses in the city, and there are many kinds of tea soup. After the mid-Northern Song Dynasty, the tea fighting style, which started in Fujian, gradually spread to the north, and soon became popular all over the country. From high-level officials to dignitaries, from China literati to ordinary people, enthusiasm is high. The fashion of "fighting tea" also provides opportunities for the ruling class, literati and wealthy businessmen to compete for luxury and wealth.
Fighting tea is very popular, which is closely related to Beiyuan tribute tea in the Northern Song Dynasty. In order to meet the needs of the emperor, the royal family and senior officials, the government develops and produces all kinds of fine tea products at no cost or expense. At that time, in order to win the favor of the emperor, some powerful people spent a lot of money to buy all kinds of famous tea for tribute in the new tea season, which promoted the popularity of fighting tea. Hui Zong also often fights tea with ministers, and writes "On Daguan Tea". The origin, collection, cooking, quality and tea fighting style of steamed green group tea in Northern Song Dynasty are described in detail. Fan Zhongyan wrote in "How to Fight Tea Songs" that "Beiyuan offered the emperor, and the heroes in the forest competed for beauty first", which vividly described the scene of fighting tea at that time.
At this time, drinking tea has a new cultural connotation beyond the natural use value. There are many stories, poems, songs and monographs about tea. Song Tang Geng's "Dou Cha Ji" says: "In March of the third year of Zhenghe, Ersan gentlemen and Dou Cha sent to Aozhai to get the first taste of Longtan water." Su Zhe's "Stir-fried Tea at Hezi Station" is about the fighting style of Fujian people. Su Dongpo once wrote, "Take a small group of people alone in the sky and the moon, and strive to be the second spring in the world", "Millet buds drive Wuyi River, and there are Cai Xiang cages in front of Ding Hou, fighting for new things to buy pets, and fighting for goods to make up official tea this year"
Tea drinking in the upper class of the Yuan Dynasty followed the custom of the Song Dynasty, but the wind of fighting tea has gradually withdrawn from the court and the upper class and evolved into a folk custom. Teahouses and tea shops became places for social and cultural life of citizens at that time.
At that time, Quanzhou, as the largest overseas trading port, not only "sailed all over the world" ... merchants from all countries paid tribute to all kinds of high-end luxury goods at home and abroad, but also "the abode of fairies for wealthy businessmen and tycoons" at home and abroad, and its prosperity was called "the best in the world". In the Yuan Dynasty, the dignitaries, celebrities and literati in Quanzhou were very interested in fighting tea, which became an exciting and interesting activity to evaluate the quality of tea. Pu Shougeng, the elder brother of Pu Shougeng, an iron hand who once influenced the fate of Quanzhou port, reflected the drinking style of Quanzhou in his new spring poems.
Anxi "Tea Wang Sai" is a cultural relic of the traditional folk custom of "fighting tea" in the Song and Yuan Dynasties, which can be traced back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
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In the Ming Dynasty, tea trees were planted in most areas of Anxi, and the invention of layering propagation of whole tea trees injected vitality and development space into Anxi tea industry. During the reign of Yongzheng and Qianlong in Qing Dynasty, Anxi tea farmers discovered and cultivated Tieguanyin, a famous tea. From the tenth year of Daoguang to the sixth year of Guangxu (1830 ~ 1880), oolong tea varieties such as Benshan, Eriocheir sinensis, Huang Jingui, Meizhan and Daye Oolong were also successfully cultivated in Anxi. In particular, the production of Tieguanyin has gradually taken shape. In the process of increasing commercialization of tea, tea farmers are enthusiastic about growing tea and pay more and more attention to quality. Every time new tea comes on stage, tea farmers choose their own tea, bring their own charcoal fire, tea set and mountain spring water, and get together cheerfully. On-site fire and boiling water are brewed, and dozens of them are lined up, spelling shape, color, fragrance and taste. The tea teacher takes turns to taste the fragrant tea brewed by all the contestants and judge the level. Famous teas came out one after another, and tea tasting and tea fighting became popular in rural neighborhoods.
By fighting tea again and again, making drinks with each other and exchanging experiences, it will help to further improve the production skills and add interest to life. Tea fighting, which originated spontaneously from the people, has become a custom in tea villages, and some families or villages even organize competitions with each other. Later, the folk tea fighting gradually evolved into a tea quality competition and a "tea Wang Sai".
At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, Doucha gradually developed into the tea Wang Sai of various famous teas. There are various forms and scales of tea king competitions, including folk competitions, official competitions and various tea tasting competitions held in major overseas sales areas. Anxi Tieguanyin products have been selling well in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao and Southeast Asia. At the beginning of the 20th century, Anxi Tieguanyin won numerous awards in tea tasting competitions held in Taiwan Province Province and some Southeast Asian countries. For example, in the fifth year of the Republic of China (19 16), Tieguanyin, the "Wanshou Taopai" made by Wang Xi, an Anxi native, won the first place in the tea selection activity held in Taiwan Province. In the thirty-fourth year of the Republic of China (1945), Tieguanyin, the peak brand of Mount Tai produced by Anxi Wang Liandan, won the title of Tea King in Singapore. 1950, Tieguanyin produced by Wang Dengji Tea House in Anxi won the special prize in Thailand. Anxi Tieguanyin tea and Anxi tea merchants have won numerous awards, which has established a brand for Anxi Tieguanyin overseas. Today, Anxi Tieguanyin is still the favorite of many overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia.
With the establishment of the responsibility system for tea production, since 1980s, Anxi Tieguanyin has basically been exported to domestic market, and there has been a new trend in Anxi tea industry. In this regard, Anxi County Party Committee and government put Tea Wang Sai on the important agenda, constantly reformed and innovated the theme, connotation and mechanism of Tea Wang Sai, and Tea Wang Sai gradually developed into a large-scale activity organized by villages, towns and counties. On the occasion of the Tea King Competition, tea makers and manufacturers sent excellent products to participate in the competition, and the organizers of the tea ceremony competition hired famous tea masters as the main judges. After tasting competition, the "tea kings" of the season, region and variety will be judged on the spot, and medals and bonuses will be awarded to the winners as encouragement. Some people even beat gongs and drums to welcome the "tea king" home, and being chosen as the "tea king" is regarded as an unparalleled honor by tea makers.
Since 1990s, Wang Sai, the hometown of tea in Anxi, has gradually stepped out of Anxi. 1996165438+1October, Wang Sai, the four famous teas in Anxi, was held in Guangzhou; 1998165438+10, Anxi Tea Wang Sai was held in Shanghai; 1999 Anxi Tieguanyin Tea King Invitational Tournament was held in Beijing and Hong Kong respectively in spring and autumn. The forms of tea Wang Sai have also become more abundant, combining tea art performances, tea Ge Te Amo performances, tea king auctions and product fairs. The Tea King Competition Award has also been greatly improved, and the leaders present were invited to present awards to the winners, which greatly stimulated the enthusiasm of tea farmers.
1986 xiping town and village held the "First Tieguanyin Tea Party of Wei", 1992 xiping town and village held the second Tieguanyin Tea Party. Since 1993, Anxi has successfully held several Wang Sai in Xiamen, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Nanjing, Beijing and Hong Kong. 1In the autumn of 993, Tieguanyin Tea King named in Quanzhou was snapped up at an auction of 500g 10000 yuan. 65438+May 0995 The auction price of Tea King is 500 grams and 58,000 yuan. 1996, the auction price of 500 grams of hairy crab tea king is 72,000 yuan, and Tieguanyin tea king160,000 yuan. The auction price of19981100g Tieguanyin Tea King awarded in Shanghai1October is 40,000 yuan, equivalent to 500 grams and 200,000 yuan. Beijing 1999 Tieguanyin Tea King 100g sold for 70,000 yuan. 200 1 tieguanyin tea king in Guangzhou is worth as much as100g120,000 yuan. In 2002, the auction prices of Tieguanyin Tea King 100g in Nanjing and Hong Kong were 32,000 yuan and128,000 yuan respectively.
Anxi local tea Wang Sai activities also continue year after year. In February, 2000, China Tea Capital (Anxi) Tea Culture Tourism Festival and the first Tieguanyin Oolong Tea Festival were successfully held in Anxi. In February, 2006, 5438+0, 1 Cross-Strait Tea Culture Exchange Conference was held. In particular, in February 2002 and February 2003, the first and second "China Tea Industry International Cooperation Summit" jointly sponsored by the China National Branch of the United Nations Information Promotion System, the Folk Art Development Center of the Ministry of Culture, the China Tea Circulation Association and the Quanzhou Municipal People's Government, and hosted by the Anxi County People's Government, the activities were constantly innovative, the number of participants was constantly increasing, and the social impact was constantly expanding. While holding the Tea Wang Sai, a series of activities, such as Tieguanyin Cup, China Tea Rhyme National Photography Competition, Square Art Show, Walking on the Street, Fireworks Gala, Candlelight Tea Party, International Tea Show, National Best Miss Tea Competition, Top Ten Tea Star Competition, Tea Culture Tourism, Tea Culture Forum, Tea Ordering Fair, Product Fair, Investment Project Fair, Thousands of Stores Seeking Rhyme, and Visiting the Lake to enjoy tea, won.
In 2005, Anxi County Party Committee and County Government organized "Anxi Tieguanyin Shenzhou Tour". In June, "Anxi Tieguanyin Tour to the South" held large-scale publicity activities and tea king competitions in Shantou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Changsha. On June 5438+065438+ 10, the activity of "Anxi Tieguanyin Tour to the North" was launched in Beijing and other places. Wherever he went, he was not only warmly welcomed and widely participated by local social circles and Tieguanyin fans, but also received extensive attention and continuous reports from the news media, and achieved good results with great benefits and influence.
With the development of small package application and storage technology of tea in Anxi in recent years, it is very common to beat tea in Anxi and even in southern Fujian. After work, everyone drinks several cups of tea (usually 7 grams per cup), and it's fun to have a heart-to-heart talk with each other. This way of fighting tea is very popular in other parts of Fujian, even in Guangdong and Shanghai.
The activity of Anxi Tea King continued. Tea Wang Sai combines tea art, tea songs, Teamo performances, literary stepping on the street, tea king auction, product fairs and plaques issued by Anxi Tieguanyin designated enterprises to fully display the charm and elegance of Anxi Tieguanyin and tea culture.
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