A Hue Cup of Tea

Tea drinking is an age-old habit in many parts of the world. Different people at different times have their own ways of drinking tea. But consuming tea is not only a way to quench one's thirst: for some, it is an art form and a religious practice. In Viet Nam, as well as in certain other countries, tea has long been a part of traditional medicine and philosophy; and today remains a noble pastime, requiring much time and patience to perfect.

Japanese Tea

For the Japanese, tea drinking does not merely satisfy a material need; it has developed into a belief system called Chado, with its own concept and rituals. Chado, like Judo, Kyodo or Kendo, is considered as a means for personal development; a way to cultivate patience and calmness. The disciples of Zen use tea as a kind of medicine that enables them to keep their minds clear during their long periods of meditation. Through performing tea rituals, one enters a quiet place. Lost in the fragrance of tea, one strives to silence one's soul and forget the hustle-bustle of the outside world.
 
Chinese Tea

To the Chinese, tea not only improves one's health, but also one's manners. Through drinking tea, a person refines their appreciation of the fragrance of tea, their ability to recite poetry, even to perceive harmony in the arrangement of a tea set. It teaches one to enjoy flowers and the sight of the moon, clearing one's mind to contemplate worldly affairs or plunge into meditation.

Tea in Hue

Tea is no less important in Hue. For the Vietnamese in Hue, drinking  tea is an art form; an intellectual, aesthetic and sentimental activity. In ancient times, a man was judged by three things: his view of life, his capacity to appreciate beauty - and the way he drank his tea.

No one in Viet Nam is unfamiliar with tea, but only in Hue did tea-drinking become elevated to a level that matches that of China and Japan. For in the 19"' century. Hue became the new capital of a new line'of kings, and the home of a nobility whose forms of entertainment and pursuits of pleasure were different from those of the noble classes of the previous dynasty in Bac Ha (Northern Viet Nam). During the Nguyen Dynasty, the noble class sought to create a cultural, political and social style different from that of their dynastic predecessors, especially the Le and the Trinh. The new nobility modeled itseif on the Chinese court, though the customs and beliefs were altered somewhat to suit the geography and the character of the people of Hue. Thus there are many similarities as well as significant differences between Hue's tea culture and that of China.

The Japanese attach great importance to the setting in which tea is consumed, while   the   Chinese place more emphasis on the flavor of the tea itself. For Hue locals, however, these considerations are only secondary. For them, it is the occasion and the guests which determine how, where and when the tea is served. Sometimes one drinks tea before a party; sometimes it brings up the rear of the party by revitalizing tired or intoxicated guests. Tea quenches the thirst, helps to get rid of the smell of alcohol on one's breath; it calms and relaxes one's mind.

In the old days, the nobility in Hue devoted a great deal of time to drinking tea, engaging in all sorts of solemn and complex rituals. There were just a few factors which determined the success of a tea party: where the party was held, the quality and arrangement of the tea set, and the type of tea and water used.

Tea parties are often held in beautiful and elegant tea rooms. The most solemn room or space in a house is