The Flavor of Charming Tea

Author Nguyen Hieu Tin

Imagine this: as dawn breaks, the farmer gently collects the lingering dew, calmly lights a warm fire, and leisurely brews a pot of green tea steeped in the essence of the night. He doesn't fully understand the tea culture described in Lu Yu's *Tea Classic*, nor can he comprehend the mystical secrets hidden within different teas, nor can he understand the sun and moon reflected in the teapot.

He sat leisurely on the porch, gazing at the drifting clouds, freely letting his eyes wander over the vast, boundless rice fields, and chatting with the gentle, simple buffalo beside him, like a kindred spirit sharing a drink. Every now and then, he would hear the joyful chirping of birds at dawn, or suddenly spot a blossoming flower displaying its beauty. Silently, he sipped a cup of tea imbued with an air of refined elegance and transcendence, not for the sake of refinement, high status, or nobility, but simply to purify his mind and cultivate goodness.

In that quiet, poetic, empty space, there seemed to be a true integration between humanity and all other realms, all harmonizing with the vast universe. At that moment, tea drinking became an ethereal cloud of flowers. Flowers were no longer flowers, clouds were no longer clouds. Tea was no longer tea, the Way was no longer the Way...

They blend into each other, into life, like truth itself—unseen, yet present, even though we cannot see it... Suddenly, it reminds me of a poem by the great poet Basho: "Tea has always been a way of life / When thirsty, one simply drinks / If one thinks of tea as a way of life / Then one's head will be piled upon another."

Let life unfold naturally through a pure heart, feel the harmony with nature, love everyone, and cherish every living being in each moment while enjoying beloved Vietnamese tea.

(Entry for the "Impressions on Vietnamese Coffee and Tea" contest, part of the "Celebrating Vietnamese Coffee and Tea" program, 2nd edition, 2024, organized by Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper)

Source: https://nld.com.vn/huong-vi-tra-duyen-196240323164952031.htm