Hermit's Tea Ceremony

(NLĐO) - At an altitude of 1000 meters above sea level, in the tea ceremony space of a reclusive hermit, the true meaning of "tranquility" is depicted.

Calligraphy in a tea house

We arrived at the Di Linh plateau when the coffee blossoms covered the red hills in white. At an altitude of 1000 meters above sea level, in the tea ceremony setting of a reclusive hermit, true tranquility was depicted.

It was a tea house with no sign or name. It wasn't opened for business purposes; it was simply a resting place for tea-loving travelers.

It was a stormy day. Inside the room, we sat cross-legged on cushions, surrounded by the warmth emanating from cups of Shan Tuyet ancient tea, skillfully brewed by the tea lady.

The first sip has a slightly bitter taste, followed by a sweet aroma in the throat. The tea ceremony space is filled with incense smoke, calligraphy, and Yixing clay teapots... However, it's conspicuously missing the sound of a bronze bell and wooden clapper. The absence of a bell beside the hot teacup perfectly reflects the sense of sufficiency and scarcity in life.

Agarwood fragrance lingers throughout the tea ceremony space.

While enjoying tea, we listened to stories about the origins of different types of tea, which Yixing teapots are best suited for each type of tea, and how to appreciate the aroma and taste.

The cafe's decor is very sophisticated.

In a sudden flash of insight, I realized that a wide-mouthed cup is more suitable for drinking black tea; that the White Crane tea in summer seems more astringent, while in winter and spring it has a deep green color; or that when pouring Pu-erh tea, the bottom of the cup shines brightly like keen eyes...

Each type of tea requires a different type of Yixing clay teapot.

Tea ceremony has long been a kind of "intermediate" culture for understanding life and practicing virtue. The core of the tea ceremony is "heart." And the way to enlighten the heart of tea is to cultivate oneself in "skill." The skill of brewing tea originates from small things like boiling water and pouring tea. Day after day, these tasks gradually become an ingrained reflex, calm and normal. It is from these seemingly small, seemingly "ordinary" things that the tea ceremony teaches people to accumulate small things into great things, not to disdain small tasks.

( Entry for the "Impressions on Vietnamese Coffee and Tea" contest, part of the 3rd "Celebrating Vietnamese Coffee and Tea" program, 2025, organized by Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper).

Rules of the "Impressions on Vietnamese Coffee and Tea" contest. Graphic: CHI PHAN

Source: https://nld.com.vn/tra-dao-an-si-196250416213408353.htm