The transition from tribute tea to the aristocratic tea ceremony saw high-ranking officials, wealthy merchants, and influential gentry pursuing perfection in tea leaves, water, fire, and utensils through power and wealth, often defying reason and sensibility. Their underlying motive was to flaunt authority and riches. Originating in the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Chaozhou and Fujian Gongfu tea ceremony exemplifies this aristocratic tradition, though it has gradually become more accessible to the general public over time.
Though tea is inherently a pure product, once its value was recognized and it was designated as a tribute item, its earliest beneficiaries were naturally the emperor, imperial consorts, and extended royal family, followed by high-ranking officials and nobles. When a simple village maiden is chosen to serve by the emperor's side, can she retain her original simplicity and purity? Likely not. This reflects the proverb: one takes on the color of their company.
The earliest recorded instance of tea being listed as a tribute item appears in the Chronicles of Huayang by Chang Ju of the Jin Dynasty. According to the chapter on Ba, King Wu of Zhou allied with several regional states-Yong, Shu, Xian, Miao, Wei, Lu, Peng, and Xiao-inhabiting present-day Sichuan and Shaanxi to overthrow King Zhou of Shang. After their victory, tea produced in the Ba and Shu regions was formally designated as a royal tribute. This event occurred in 1135 BC, approximately 3,000 years ago.
Designating tea as a tribute item objectively elevated its status as a beverage, spurred significant advancements in tea production, stimulated scientific research on tea, and gave rise to a wide array of renowned tea varieties. In imperial China, the preferences of the royal court held tremendous sway over societal customs. The tribute tea system solidified tea's position as the "national drink," established China as a leading tea-producing and tea-consuming nation in the world, and secured the status of the Chinese tea ceremony.
However, once tea entered the imperial palace, it lost its inherent simplicity and its virtuous role of alleviating suffering and benefiting people. Instead, tribute tea became a source of hardship for the common folk.
To meet tribute demands, men neglected farming, women abandoned weaving, laboring ceaselessly day and night. The soul of tea became distorted, and the tea ceremony founded by Lu Yu gave birth to an aberrant aristocratic tea culture. Tea leaves were adorned with gold and silver, stripped of all simplicity; tea turned into a tool of exploitation rather than a means of public welfare. High-ranking officials and nobles used tea to display hierarchical order and flaunt imperial grandeur.
The aristocracy emphasized not only "fine tea" but also "authentic water." Emperor Qianlong even involved himself in the debate over "the finest spring water under heaven," using his "water assessment method" to decisively designate the Jade Spring in Beijing as the premier spring. The pursuit of such "authentic water" squandered immeasurable public resources. Legend has it that Li Deyu, a Tang dynasty chancellor, favored Huiquan Spring water for brewing tea. He ordered it transported in sealed jars from Wuxi to Chang'an through courier relays, spanning thousands of miles and exhausting both labor and wealth. Only after a wandering monk enlightened him about its disadvantages did he cease the practice, bringing relief to the people and stability to his position.
