Li Qingzhao - "Tea Poet"

Li Qingzhao (1084–c. 1155), styled Yi’an Jushi (Resident of Ease), was a renowned female poet of China’s Song Dynasty, celebrated for her delicate emotions, exquisite lyrical craft, and distinctive style. She is not only one of the most outstanding female literary figures in history but is also believed to have a certain connection with tea culture, particularly in the creation of "tea poetry."

Although Li Qingzhao is not a "pioneer of tea lyrics" in the conventional sense, her poetic works frequently mention tea, reflecting the widespread and refined tea culture in the lives of Song Dynasty literati. The Song Dynasty, during which she lived, was a golden age for tea culture, when tea transcended its role as a mere beverage to become a medium for intellectuals to express emotions and refine their sensibilities. Her poetry often uses tea as an image, carrying emotions or depicting the charm of daily life. For instance, while none of her works are explicitly titled "Tea," tea appears as a subtle detail, interwoven with her moments of leisure, melancholy, or longing, showcasing the deep affinity Song literati had for tea.

Li Qingzhao’s poetry is known for its lucid and graceful style, as seen in Rú Mèng Lìng ("Like a Dream: Last Night’s Sparse Rain and Sudden Wind"):

Last night’s sparse rain and sudden wind, deep sleep couldn’t dispel the lingering wine. I asked the curtain-roller, who said the crabapples remain the same. Don’t you know, don’t you know? It should be the green thriving, the red fading.

Though this poem doesn’t directly mention tea, the scene of waking in the morning to inquire about flowers, still groggy from wine, aligns with the Song custom of sipping tea to clear the mind and enjoy nature. Another work, Fènghuáng Tái Shàng Yì Chuī Xiāo ("Recalling the Flute on Phoenix Terrace"), with lines like "the incense cools in the golden censer, the quilt tossed in red waves," evokes an atmosphere reminiscent of tea’s fragrant elegance.

Li Qingzhao’s title as a "tea poet" is more of an artistic tribute to the fusion of everyday refinement and tea culture in her poetry, while "pioneer of tea lyrics" may be a romanticized extension of her talent by later admirers. Her works not only reveal the depth of her personal emotions but also reflect the elegance of Song Dynasty tea culture.