I’m a country boy. My father was a farmer, although he also owned a building materials business until he retired. I lived in the country for 19 years. In my experience, farmers are hospitable, straight forward, and pleasant to be around. Every guest is welcomed with tea. Every family keeps a tea set ready for instant use. My family always chose Ti Kuan Yin. My grandfather drank a tea that I thought was bitter; even though it was a Ti Kuan Yin, it was not the best quality. We were poor and could not afford the best, but we still always chose some type of Ti Kuan Yin. Please take my comments on the quality of tea in proper perspective. My wonderfully pleasant experiences were not in any way diminished by the tea. The only reason I mention it is because this is a forum of fine tea lovers. Even today, with my well-developed palate, the pleasant experience of visiting with rural people is not in any way mitigated by their choice of tea.
Every summer night, my grandfather would ask me to scratch his back and give me five cents for every 1000 scratches. We slept in the yard under the moon and the stars, breathing the wonderful country air. The adults talked as they drank bad tea. It is difficult to convey the peacefulness and simple pleasures of those times.
Last year my friend, Renco, from Holland, visited. Naturally, we welcomed him with a cup of tea. How else? In China, when one goes to a wedding, the bride and groom make a cup of tea for every guest. No one leaves until they have drunk the tea. Often in front of small stores in the country, you will see a tea set on a small table. Maybe the cups are not as clean as you might like, but the hospitality is all anyone could ask for.
Frequently, I see a farmer working and he will take a break to rest and drink a cup of tea. Tea is not just our tradition, it is an integral part of our lives.
Our village is surrounded by mountains. There are wonderful places in the mountains. Every time I go back home, I go see some of the interesting places, always guided by my father. During his two years of retirement, he has discovered all the secrets of the mountains and knows all the best places. Wherever we go, we find old men drinking tea. They always invite us to join them. While their tea may or may not be excellent, their company and information are a delight. Visiting, exploring, drinking tea, and spending time with my father. The mountains around our village are indeed wonderful.
I miss my grandfather so much.
P.S. Thanks, Joel, for your help.
It is not the quality of the tea but the quality of the people who we share it with that is most important. In addition, taste is very subjective. Your grandfather loved his tea – it needn’t be your favorite but the pleasure of his company was superb.
On another note, it is helpful to realize that taste does not reflect the health benefits of this ancient brew in any way. It is freshness and lack of chemicals that are most important.
You are blessed to have such sweet memories of tea from such an early age. Thank you for sharing your story with us.
I am curious as to why the tea was always Ti Kuan Yin. Is that the type that was readily available and affordable at the time?
Ti Kuan Yin has a very solid postion here, people think it’s noble tea and make other teas as bad tea, although it can be very cheap while can be quite expensive too. It’s the most popular tea in Old China but as I know only few people really know about it in Western. I’ll talk more about Ti Kuan Yin in the following posts.
daniel
I’ll look forward to reading more about Ti Kuan Yin. Good suggestion Daniel.
Daniel,
As a farmer and a tea lover, I identify with your post. Ti Kuan Yin does not have a well established reputation in the US. It begins as an Oolong, which most people have never heard of or are suspicious of. As an Oolong, most people don’t know that the second or third steeping is the best, nor do they know that several steepings are possible, thus reducing the actual cost of the tea. We all have to get busy and spread the news.
Joel
I also grew up in the country and here at the beginning of the close of it I am once again in the country. Farmers were hospitable. There was always a cup of tea or coffe, cookies or pie or cake. We cherished our neighbors, made room for those who weren’t so cherishable, depended on each other in so many ways. I miss living on a farm, the rhythm of the seasons, the closeness with animals and all of nature. But we’re close here and there is a farm just down the road. I too, miss my grandfather, he was the one who always rescued me from my adventures.
Recently I came in contact with Renco, and can visualise your village and the country side of China – what a lucky person you are.