Due south: tea in Korea

and AUSTCS in Melbourne

K-pop and tea drops

Whether you're enjoying the action at the XXIII Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, or gearing up for its Independence Day on 1 March, you should raise a cup of tea to this underrated nation of tea drinkers, writes Adeline Teoh. 

My partner, while in South Korea to play in a baduk tournament late last year, visited a tea shop to buy me a gift. Knowing next to nothing about tea he bought the second most expensive box and hoped for the best. Inside was a tin of ujeon, a fine first flush green tea picked before the 'grain rain' of mid-April, equivalent to a Japanese shincha. All was well.

 

We hear very little about Korean tea here in Australia because not much of it makes its way to our teacups. South Korea is the 30th largest growing region in the world (which is miniscule, considering the top 12 countries comprise 97% of world tea exports), and its citizens consume most of its production. North Korea also produces tea but, as you might guess, just about 100% of it is consumed domestically (except this sample).

 

The history of tea in Korea is rather fascinating, if contentious. Knowledge of tea first reached its shores in 48AD via Buddhist monks studying in China, but it was not until around the 7th century that tea seeds were brought over to be cultivated. Tea and Buddhism enjoyed a close relationship; the king would gift tea to priests and monks who would in turn make a ritual offering to Buddha, as well as drink it themselves. Unlike tea culture in China and Japan, tea drinking was not reserved for the upper classes. Ordinary folk also practised making ritual tea offerings to Buddha and drank tea regularly.

 

All this changed in the 14th century when Confucianism overtook Buddhism as the national religion. In addition to discouraging tea drinking for its links to Buddhism, the Confucian rulers imposed a tax on tea to make growing it unviable. By the late 16th century, the remaining tea fields were devastated by the Seven Years War with Japan.

 

It took a couple of centuries for Korea – and Buddhism – to recover. In the early 19th century, a scholar by the name of Jeong Yakyong (whose nickname 'Dasan' means 'mountain of tea'), was exiled to the southern part of Korea. He encountered an enclave of Buddhist monks who had kept a plantation and tea drinking practices alive. Dasan famously wrote poems praising the healthful properties of tea, reinvigorating tea culture in Korea. One person he inspired was a monk named Cho-ui, who wrote two important books about tea, equivalent to Lu Yu's The Classic of Tea. Cho-ui also revived darye, the Korean tea ceremony. For this, he became known as 'The Saint of Korean Tea'.

 

Unfortunately, war once again disrupted the country in the first half of the 20th century and it was not until Korea won independence from Japan in 1945 and survived the Korean War (1950-53) that its tea practitioners could rekindle tea culture. This was largely thanks to the Venerable Hyo Dang who wrote a modern study, The Korean Way of Tea (1973), codified the Panyaro brewing method for preparing Korean green tea, and launched the Korean Association for the Way of Tea.

 

It took a while for the tea plantations to recover from centuries of neglect but the fields that had turned wild provided a good breeding stock for a renaissance. Today, the Republic of Korea's tea-growing areas hug its southwest corner. Most of its production is green tea with a little given over to a semi-oxidised and fully oxidised leaf, and even a post-fermented pressed tea. 

 

A word of warning, though. Be careful when you order 'tea' at a restaurant – such is the enthusiasm for tea culture than anything steeped in water is considered tea, from ginger root to hydrangea leaf. Ordering nokcha will get you a dose of Korean green tea and with that you can wish Korea's tea culture a 'faster, higher, stronger' return.

A tea plantation in Boseong, South Korea. Photo by stiickler via Wikimedia Commons.

AUSTCS confirms Melbourne event

Lock it in! We'll be holding the next AUSTCS at the Vibe Savoy, 630 Little Collins Street Melbourne, over 8-9 September 2018. 

 

Over the next few months we'll roll out more info about guest speakers and schedules, so stay tuned. For now, EARLY BIRD TICKETS are available; don't forget, if you attended last year you are a member and are entitled to receive an extra discount. Go, go, go!

Buy Tickets

Dribble cups by Liquorice Moon Studios

Teapotters wanted! 

 

AUSTCS has partnered with the Australian Ceramics Association to create a bespoke teacup for Welcome by Tea 2018.

 

It is with great excitement that we announce our ceramic cup competition where we invite potters amateur and professional to submit a design for an AUSTCS 2018 teacup. The winning cup will be gifted to each AUSTCS 2018 delegate and used at our 'Welcome by Tea' ceremony on Day 1 of the event. It will then become a great handmade souvenir of the event.

 

Vicki Grima, executive officer of the Australian Ceramics Association, has agreed to help us promote the competition to ceramicists. We are pleased that the Australian tea community and these artisans can work together, and we look forward to showcasing local talent at our event.

 

Do you know a potter? Cup competition details are available on our website.

Upcoming events

 

10 February – 4 March: BrisAsia Festival, Brisbane

25 February: Traditional Chinese tea ceremony, Sydney

25 February: What is puerh tea? Melbourne

3 March: Taste the Rainbow, Sydney

 

Do you have an event to promote? Let events liaison Kym Cooper know!

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