Lu Yu - The “Sage of Tea”

Lu Yu (733–804), courtesy name Hongjian, also known as the Master of Jingling, was a native of Jingling, Fuzhou (present-day Tianmen, Hubei) during the Tang Dynasty. He is considered one of the founders of Chinese tea culture. His story with tea and the experiences surrounding the creation of The Classic of Tea are filled with legendary allure, showcasing his deep passion and scholarly dedication to tea.

Lu Yu’s early life was quite arduous. He was an abandoned infant, left near a lake by Longgai Temple in Jingling, where he was taken in by Zen Master Zhiji of the temple. His name originated from his circumstances: Zhiji consulted the I Ching for a divination, which showed the hexagram “The wild goose gradually advances on land, its feathers can be used,” thus naming him “Lu Yu” (Lu meaning land, Yu meaning feathers), with the courtesy name “Hongjian.” Growing up in the temple, though cared for by the Zen master, he performed menial tasks such as brewing tea and herding cattle. These early experiences brought him into contact with tea, sparking his initial interest.

As a teenager, Lu Yu resisted the constraints of temple life and fled Longgai Temple to enter society. He later, by chance, met the renowned Tang scholar Li Qiwu. Impressed by Lu Yu’s talent, Li Qiwu recommended him to Li Chaoyin, the prefect of Jingling. With Li Chaoyin’s support, Lu Yu gained access to education and literacy, gradually revealing his literary talent. However, his passion for tea remained steadfast. In his spare time, he studied tea cultivation, harvesting, and brewing techniques. He traveled extensively, visiting tea regions, interacting with tea farmers, observing tea plant growth, tasting teas from various areas, and accumulating a wealth of practical experience.

Lu Yu lived a life detached from fame and wealth, preferring to retreat to the mountains and forests. He resided in places like Huzhou in Zhejiang and Suzhou in Jiangsu, often engaging in tea-tasting and philosophical discussions with friends. To him, tea was not merely a drink but a cultural and spiritual refuge. He believed tea could purify the mind and curb desires, serving as a means of self-cultivation and refinement. This profound love for tea and his philosophical reflections ultimately drove him to compile his lifetime of knowledge into The Classic of Tea.

The Classic of Tea was completed by Lu Yu in the mid-Tang Dynasty (around 760 CE), during his prime years, after traveling through major southern tea regions such as Zhejiang, Fujian, and Jiangxi, where he gathered extensive firsthand information about tea. This was a time when tea culture was emerging; the practice of tea drinking spread from southern to northern China, becoming a societal trend. However, knowledge about tea was scattered and unsystematic at the time. Lu Yu resolved to organize his observations and research into a book, leaving a precious legacy of tea scholarship for future generations.

It is said that while writing The Classic of Tea, Lu Yu frequently conducted personal experiments. He not only studied tea varieties and their origins but also paid close attention to tea-making techniques, the water used for brewing, and the selection of tea utensils. He once lived in seclusion near Tianmu Mountain and Tiaoxi in Zhejiang, tasting tea while writing, striving for accuracy in every detail. His friend, the poet Jiaoran (a famous Tang Dynasty monk-poet), noted that Lu Yu was meticulous about water quality when brewing tea, asserting that “mountain water is superior, river water is moderate, and well water is inferior,” and he tested water sources from various regions to confirm their effect on tea flavor.

The Classic of Tea is divided into three volumes and ten chapters, covering the origins of tea, its varieties, harvesting and processing methods, brewing techniques, tea utensils, and historical anecdotes about tea. In this work, Lu Yu introduced the concept of the “Way of Tea” (茶道), emphasizing that tea drinking goes beyond mere physical satisfaction to become a form of spiritual enjoyment. His writing is concise yet poetic, blending practicality with cultural richness. For example, he wrote: “Tea is a fine tree of the south,” opening the text by highlighting tea’s natural essence and cultural value.

Lu Yu never pursued an official career, opting instead to live simply and freely with tea as his companion. The emergence of The Classic of Tea not only established the foundation of Chinese tea culture but also influenced the development of tea traditions in East Asian countries such as Japan and Korea. For instance, Japan’s tea ceremony founder, Sen no Rikyū, was deeply inspired by The Classic of Tea. As a result, Lu Yu was revered by later generations as the “Sage of Tea” and worshipped in folklore as the “Immortal of Tea,” with “Lu Yu Shrines” built in some areas to commemorate him.

Lu Yu’s story with tea is a legendary tale of transformation from an abandoned infant to a cultural giant. Through his life, he expressed his devotion to tea, leaving behind the timeless masterpiece The Classic of Tea for posterity.