An Illustrated Modern Reader of 'The Classic of Tea'
Juenong Wu, translated by Tony Blishen

The cultivation, making and drinking of tea first began in China, with its earliest mention in historical literature dating back to the Zhou Dynasty more than 3,000 years ago. Initially used for medicinal purposes, the aromatic beverage gradually became a recreational drink over the centuries, gaining popularity beyond the preserve of monasteries, imperial courts and scholars' dens. It is a drink that is most widely consumed, being almost a requisite for the health conscious and for personal cultivation.

The Classic of Tea, the first known monograph on tea in the world, was written in the 8th century by Lu Yu who devoted his entire life to the study of tea and is respected as the Sage of Tea. Wu Juenong, an agronomist and economist specializing in agriculture, has studied tea all his life. This book is the culmination of lifelong research on Chinese tea culture and history, introducing the readers to modern findings of effects and properties of tea, types of tea preparations, the evolution of tea growing regions and tea drinking customs across China, in addition to extensive annotation. Both scholarly and informative, it has been acclaimed as a New Classic of Tea.

We also included vivid illustrations and pictures of tools and utensils for the making and drinking of tea, either hand-drawn or collected by him, which the original The Classic of Tea lacked. Selected Chinese traditional paintings in the book illuminate the elegant art of brewing and drinking tea, the social rituals associated with tea drinking, and the reformative and cultural significance of tea ceremonies.