Xu Cishu (许次纾, 1549–1604) was a Zhejiang scholar, tea grower, and connoisseur who devoted himself to the pleasures of tea culture and documented his expertise in the Cha Shu (茶疏, “Tea Notes,” c. 1597) — one of the most detailed, practically grounded, and aesthetically sophisticated of all Ming dynasty tea texts, covering everything from leaf selection through the social and atmospheric conditions of the perfect tea session.
In-Depth Explanation
Xu Cishu was born and lived in Zhejiang Province in eastern China — a major tea-producing region then and now. His family apparently cultivated tea, giving him direct knowledge of the growing process that was unusual among tea writers who often wrote from a consumer’s rather than producer’s perspective.
The Cha Shu (茶疏): Written around 1597, the Cha Shu is notable for its scope and personal voice. Xu Cishu covers:
- Tea growing and harvest — time of year, weather conditions, picking standards
- Processing — roasting, drying, storage
- Water — detailed classification of water sources and their effects on tea
- Vessels and equipment — teapots (preferring Yixing small pots), cups, charcoal fire, water vessels
- Occasion — the 37 ideal situations for drinking tea (solitary reflection, rainy evenings, after flower-viewing) and the 16 inappropriate situations (when in a hurry, when angry, around vulgar company)
- Company — the ideal tea companions, their number, and proper conversation
The 37 appropriate/16 inappropriate occasions: This section of the Cha Shu is particularly celebrated for capturing the Ming scholar-aesthetic sensibility — the idea that tea is not merely a drink but an occasion requiring the right psychological state, setting, and companions. This framework influenced Japanese tea aesthetics as well.
Gongfu tea predecessor: Xu Cishu’s detailed attention to small teapots, individual cups, and precise technique represents a step toward the gongfu cha system of careful, methodical brewing in small vessels that fully emerged in the Qing dynasty and remains the foundation of serious Chinese tea practice.
Related Terms
See Also
- Zhang Yuan Tea — a contemporary Ming tea writer documenting the same era
- Teapot — the vessel at the center of the brewing style Xu Cishu described
- Sakubo – Japanese App
Research
- Benn, J.A. (2015). Tea in China: A Religious and Cultural History. University of Hawaii Press. Contextualizes Ming tea writing including the Cha Shu.
- Mair, V.H., & Hoh, E. (2009). The True History of Tea. Thames & Hudson.