Introduction :
We Koreans have had a peculiar culture and been a nation endowed with elegance and taste. But the Korean peculiar culture, manners and customs have been disappearing, which I think is lamentable. I have studied the documentary records,...
Introduction :
We Koreans have had a peculiar culture and been a nation endowed with elegance and taste. But the Korean peculiar culture, manners and customs have been disappearing, which I think is lamentable. I have studied the documentary records, and surveyed the historic places of Korean green tea. This paper attempts to help improve the national spirit and culture, and develop the tea tin to a natural resource, by extending the knowledge about the tea.
The Origin of the Green Tea.
It is not certain when the Chinese tea was colonized in Korea, but according to Samguksagi(三國史記), Daegyeom Kim(金大廉) brought tea seeds from China and sowed themon Mt. Chiri(智異山) by the order of the King Heungdeok(興德王), Silla(新羅). However,in the time of Queen Seondeok(善德女王), the tea was not only a dispensable element among monks, but also the tea ceremony was held at the national and the Buddhist ceremonies. And there were tea culture, tea tax, and tea presentation as demand of tea was increased. In Yi-dynasty, the tea custom was at a low ebb due to the policy of expulsion of the Buddhism, but the custom handed down from Koryo-dynasty was deeply rooted in the daily life custom, and it did not rapidly disappeare.
During the 500 years of Yi-dynasty, the tea ceremony remained in the court, and the green tea became a part of daily life among the populace as well as the aristocracy and the leisured intellectuals. At the ceremonial occasions of coming of age, marriage, funeral, and ancestral worship, there was to be the tea ceremony, and the tea greatly influenced the national spirit and culture.
Many great experts in the tea ceremony existed, such as Choeuiseonsa(草衣禪師), Dasan Jeong(丁茶山), and Jeonghi Kim(金正喜) ; and publish Dashinjeon(茶神傳), the only book about tea, and many odes about tea, such as “Dongdasong”(東茶頌), and “Namdabyeongseo”(南茶幷序), etc.
As the Confucian living principles prevailed, while Buddhism was at a low ebb, liqors took the place of tea and the custom of tea drinking remained only in the Buddhist circle.
The Distribution of Green Tea.
According to Chiriji(地理志) of Sejongsillok(世宗實錄), and Dongkuk Yeojiseungram(東國與地勝覽), the geographical distribution of the green tea comes to 8 counties of Kyeongsang(慶尙), and 11 counties of Jeonra(全羅), and these areas are mainly the coastal region of southward of Gunsan(郡山).
The distribution of the tea producing places and “Jeonda”(錢茶) of the coastal region of Jeonrado(全羅道) are introduced in The Tea and Zen of Korea(朝鮮の茶と禪). The places I have made an on the spot survey are as follows :
Tongdosa, Yangsan(梁山 通度寺) ; Daundong, Ulsan(蔚山 茶雲洞) ; Dasolsa, Sacheon(泗川 多率寺) ; Samaewon and Borimsa, the Mudeung Mountain(無等山 三愛園, 寶林寺) : Dangjin(唐津), the penal colony of Dasan Jeong(丁茶山) and his mother's old home : Unjoru(雲鳥樓) ; Daeheungsa, Haenam(海南 大興寺) : Hwaeumsa, Gurye(求禮 華嚴寺) : Sangguyesa(雙溪寺) and the tea plantation of Sanggye. It is noticeable that the traditional tea customs and manners still remain in these areas.
The Tea and Customs and Manners.
From the Three Kingdoms Period(三國時代) to Yi-dynasty, □□ the important state ceremonies, such as King's wedding, anthronement, prince's wedding, being proclaimed crown prince, and a visit to the imperial ganctuary, the tea ceremony and presentation of flowers appeared.
Treating a national guest, Kings held the tea ceremony at Yeongbingwan. And at the above-mentioned ceremonies in the court, the civil and military officials held the tea ceremony and presented flowers.
The tea ceremony was indispensable in the Buddhist circle, especially at the ceremonies before the Buddha image in the morning and evening, and at various religious services and at monke meetings.
Conclusion :
The tea ceremony has been a traditional laudable custom and contributed to purifying the national spirit. If the tea plants are to be developed as a natural resource, a kind of national industry is to be raised.
And I would like to conclude that we should succeed and revive the disappearing tea custom and industrialize tea.