Tea is poetry in a cup 

Celebrated on 21 March every year, World Poetry Day communicates ‘the innermost values of diverse cultures’. It’s also a perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea, writes Adeline Teoh.

The world is troubled and hectic right now, so in this edition we’d love to share some tea poetry with you. Do take a moment to sit, sip and reflect.

If tea had a poet laureate, it would probably be Chinese Tang Dynasty artist Lu Tong
(b. 790AD). This sensory journey is often quoted as the definitive way to appreciate tea.

Song of Tea

The first bowl moistens my lips and throat;

The second bowl banishes all loneliness;

The third bowl clears my mind of words and books.

At the fourth cup, I begin to perspire and

life’s troubles evaporate through my pores.

The fifth cup cleanses my entire being.

Six cups and I am in the realm of the Divine.

Seven cups – ah, but I can drink no more:

I can only feel the gentle breeze blowing though my sleeves,

wafting me away to the Isle of Immortality!

If brevity is the soul of wit, however, the wittiest tea poet would have to be Kobayashi Issa (b. 1763), master of the haiku. Fun fact! His chosen pseudonym, Issa, actually means ‘one cup of tea’ as derived from ‘i-cha’.

now and then the deer

stand close by…

tea pickers

***

drinking morning tea

the monk is peaceful

the chrysanthemum blooms

***

morning after morning

my tea tastes better…

falling mist

London poet Jo Shapcott offers a more modern take on a well-worn theme: how tea can be a salve for the past. Between the lines she says ‘this too, shall pass’, which is exactly what we need to hear right now.

Procedure

This tea, this cup of tea, made of leaves,

made of the leaves of herbs and absolute

almond blossom, this tea, is the interpreter

of almond, liquid touchstone which lets us

scent its true taste at last and with a bump,

in my case, takes me back to the yellow time

of trouble with blood tests, and cellular

madness, and my presence required

on the slab for the surgery, and all that mess

I don't want to comb through here because

it seems, honestly, a trifle now that steam

and scent and strength and steep and infusion

say thank you thank you thank you for the then, and now

From Of Mutability by Jo Shapcott

Below: Kobayashi Issa (Credit: Paradelle)

FAQs

Will COVID-19 affect AUSTCS 2020?

We are paying close attention to health advice. At present, because the event is in late August, we are taking a 'wait and see' approach.

How can I buy tickets to AUSTCS 2020 in Brisbane?

Earlybird tickets are now available for the Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th August 2020 event in Brisbane. This is the lowest priced ticket we sell and there are only a limited number, so get in quick.

Why have the ticket prices gone up this year?

This is the actual cost of running the event, including venue hire, catering and marketing materials. This excludes the labour of volunteers, which is offered pro bono. In previous years your ticket has been subsidised by founding director David Lyons and this year the funding for this is no longer available.

Are you holding a Ceramic Cup Competition this year?

Yes! In conjunction with the Australian Ceramics Association we will be holding our third Ceramic Cup Competition. If you know a ceramicist who would be interested in entering, please see our website for details. Submissions close 3 April 2020.

What is the AUSTCS Australian Cultural Fund campaign?

The Australian Cultural Fund (ACF) recognises AUSTCS as a cultural organisation and the campaign grants us temporary Deductible Gift Recipient status. This means any donation made to Art in the Culture of Tea is tax deductible. The best way to support us will always be to attend the seminar, but a donation is always much appreciated.

Our connection to ceramicists through the 'Welcome by Tea' cups represents the strongest link to the arts sector we have and we hope to raise awareness of our overall mission in this complementary community.

Above: Workers pick spring tea leaves at a tea garden in Baisha Li Autonomous County in China's Hainan Province. The county began its first harvest of spring tea after the resumption of work under strict measures taken to prevent and control the novel coronavirus epidemic. (Credit: Guo Cheng for Xinhua)

How COVID-19 is affecting the tea industry

A worldwide pandemic over the COVID-19 virus has a number of ramifications for society – and the tea industry.

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. The 'novel coronavirus' first came to the attention of the organisation’s China office in December 2019. Many countries are in lockdown mode, using a combination of a quarantine system and border closures, while asking citizens to self-isolate. Here are some ways it’s affecting the tea industry.

Harvest resources

China was one of the first countries to restrict the movement of its citizens to prevent the spread of the virus. This occurred during the Lunar New Year period at the end of January 2020 and many cities are still ‘quarantined’. Some tea-growing provinces such as Hubei, which was at the epicentre of the outbreak, have been greatly affected by the virus, whereas others such as Yunnan are virtually free of the virus. Nevertheless, plantations are having a hard time finding pickers for the 2020 harvest, which has already begun. This may result in lower supply this season, inconsistent quality or farmers having to deal with plants being overgrown.

Exports dropped

China and Iran have stopped importing tea from India following COVID-19 outbreaks and the subsequent caution exercised in those countries. Tea prices took a hit of 40% compared to the same time last year and this will likely cause a ripple throughout the Indian tea industry.

Events cancelled

Tea festivals and expos around the world have been cancelled or postponed following advice by WHO and national governments for people to avoid large gatherings. Tea Festivals Australia, which runs the Melbourne and Sydney Tea Festivals, issued a statement to its mailing list this week confirming it would not go ahead with either event: “In light of recent announcements by the Australian government and health authorities, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to cancel the Sydney and Melbourne Tea Festivals this year.” The Fish Creek Tea Cosy Festival featured in the last issue of this newsletter has also been cancelled.

Concern about supply

There are two main concerns about supply. The first is that the global logistics industry will slow and the distribution channel for tea will dry up. This is yet to be seen. The second is that supply from certain countries may be contaminated with the virus. WHO states: “The likelihood of an infected person contaminating commercial goods is low and the risk of catching the virus that causes COVID-19 from a package that has been moved, travelled, and exposed to different conditions and temperature is also low.” The virus is more likely to be transmitted from the delivery person than the sender, so practice good hygiene when handling newly received parcels.

Tea as a preventative

As with every health disaster, opportunists abound and this is no different. There are unsubstantiated claims that drinking tea may help prevent infection and other claims that certain teas have medicinal qualities. There is currently no evidence to suggest that either is the case. Taking tea, for what it’s worth, is a really nice way to find peace during a time of uncertainty, especially if you find yourself in self-isolation for a couple of weeks. Any other health claim is predatory.

Upcoming events

Due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19 through gatherings, the status of these events may change, so please confirm with the organiser before attending.

21 March: Riding the green dragon, Sydney

22 March: Japanese tea masterclass, Sydney

29 March: Discovering White Teas, Sydney

5 April: The Legend of Lapsang Souchong, Sydney

19 April: Tea Essentials workshop, Gold Coast

SEE THE FULL CALENDAR

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Do you have an event to promote? Let events liaison Adeline Teoh know!