Tracing the Source of Tea
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Summary
Editor's review
In the editor's view, the book's professionalism shows in how it recreates the "sense of place" of tea-region ecology and tea-making technique. Lu Shiba does not simply compile facts; through extensive conversations with tea farmers and tea makers, he reveals the details and decisions of frontline production—for example, how different picking standards decisively shape the flavor of the finished tea, or the subtle weather conditions and human coordination that a good cup depends on. This gives the book the solid texture of fieldwork. At the same time, the author's prose is plain and warm, avoiding excessive sentimentality or commercial hype; tea itself always remains at the center of the narrative, and this restraint only sharpens the reader's thinking about the true taste of tea.
As for reading value, the book works well as an entry-to-intermediate guide for building a systematic understanding of Chinese tea. It moves beyond the traditional framework of chapter-by-chapter introductions to tea types, using "tracing the source" as its thread so that readers understand how each leaf becomes what it finally is—the combined result of cultivar, mountain terroir, craft, and culture. This source-tracing approach is valuable for deepening and broadening one's appreciation, and for understanding how traditional Chinese products connect to regional culture.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers with a strong interest in Chinese tea culture who want to go beyond fragmented knowledge and build a systematic understanding
- Readers who enjoy human geography and fieldwork and who wish to understand a region through tracing the origins of an object
- Tea lovers who have already begun drinking tea and want to deepen their understanding of tea origins and craft to improve their appreciation
- Professionals or entrepreneurs in tea-related industries seeking richer frontline perspectives and industry insight
Not a good fit for
- Readers who simply want a quick-start guide, simple brewing instructions, or a tea encyclopedia
- Readers expecting a visual feast of many fine tea photographs
Reading tips
- Read chapter by chapter, following the author's route, to gradually build a mental map of tea's origins
- While reading, use a map and mark the locations of the production areas mentioned; this greatly strengthens spatial awareness and memory
- When reading about a specific tea type, try to find a matching sample to taste alongside the text, if possible, combining reading with practice
About the publisher
Founded in 1987, Tuanjie Publishing House focuses on social sciences and humanities as well as fine traditional Chinese culture. Among the 274 titles in its catalogue, it has devoted particular attention to accessible editions of classical literature, publishing the Complete Four Great Classical Novels and unabridged single-volume editions of Water Margin, Journey to the West, Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Dream of the Red Chamber with phonetic annotations for uncommon characters; these are also gathered in the Classic Books: Chinese Classical Four Great Novels series, balancing ease of reading with fidelity to the original texts. Its authors include classical masters such as Cao Xueqin, Shi Nai'an, Luo Guanzhong and Wu Cheng'en, alongside professional teams such as the editorial board of senior teachers on Chinese language and reading and the Luo Guanzhong Research Association. Its publishing features span classical literature, martial arts fiction, literary appreciation and inspirational growth, emphasizing complete texts combined with explanatory notes. Public information is limited; the above is based on the catalogue.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 前言 莫悔莫恨
- 1.湘西的黄金茶
- 2.芙蓉镇的霉茶
- 3.张家界的白茶
- 4.凤凰纯粹的茶
- 5.芷江的野生甜茶
- 6.郴州小东江慢悠悠的茶
- 7.衡阳南岳的寿茶
- 8.株洲炎帝陵慈悲的茶
- 9.华容桃花山的野茶
- 10.石门夹山寺的禅茶
- 11.韶山冲觉醒的茶
- 12.横县的茉莉花茶
- 13.凌云的白毫茶
- 14.钦州妹妹的手工茶器
- 15.罗城仫佬的民俗油茶
- 16.桂林的思乡茶
- 17.巴马安静的茶
- 18.桂平西山的佛茶
- 19.苍梧遥远的六堡茶
- 20.丹洲书院深入生命根性的茶
- 21.防城港高贵的金花茶
- 22.韶关丹霞山的白毛茶
- 23.英德甜甜的茶
- 24.潮汕工夫茶
- 25.云浮新兴的妙净之茶
- 26.福州的茉莉花茶
- 27.南靖云水谣超然的茶
- 28.福鼎海上仙山的仙茶
- 29.霞浦滩涂边爱自己的茶
- 30.福安坦洋正宗的工夫茶
- 31.大田温软的美人茶
- 32.莆田南少林的禅茶
- 33.建瓯的北苑贡茶
- 34.安溪安宁的茶
- 35.平潭的天价茶
- 36.武夷山的朱子家茶
- 37.泉州怀旧的茶
- 38.漳州的白芽奇兰茶
- 39.井冈山的翠绿茶
- 40.赣州通天的茶
- 41.景德镇简单的茶器
- 42.抚州文昌里穿越的茶
- 43.萍乡武功山的玉叶茶
- 44.龙虎山的紫茶
- 45.黄山宏村的太平茶
- 46.歙县古老的茶
- 47.大别山的兰香茶
- 48.宣城的敬亭绿雪茶
- 49.泾县汀溪澄静的茶
- 50.绩溪空谷幽香的茶
- 51.千岛湖透明的茶
- 52.绍兴柔软的茶
- 53.丽水古堰画乡的香茶
- 54.扬州悠闲的茶
- 55.常熟的虞山白茶
- 56.赤壁羊楼洞的砖茶
- 57.天津民俗中的茶汤
- 58.坝美世外桃源的姑娘茶
- 59.昆明滇池湖畔滇红茶
- 60.建水至美的茶器
- 61.丽江坐忘的茶
- 62.梵净山独处的茶
- 63.距离天堂最近的藏茶
- 后记 修行
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About the author
Lu Shiba is a writer about whom little has been made public; details such as nationality, dates of birth and death, and an English name are not clearly recorded, and only two works can currently be confirmed. Judging from the subjects of In Search of the Origins of Tea and Birds and Fish, the writing spans cultural writing and social fiction. The former centers on tea culture, tracing the origins of tea and its humanistic context, while the latter turns to social fiction, focusing on characters and relationships within real-world circumstances. The considerable distance between the two subjects suggests that the author is not confined to a single field, being willing both to tackle topics with a flavor of cultural inquiry and to present the emotions and conflicts of social life through narrative. The available material is not yet enough to sketch a full picture of the author's work, and readers may form a sense of the choice of subjects and narrative style through these two books, with more information awaiting later disclosure.
