Mr. Lu Xun once said, “Being able to drink good Tea is a ‘purity of bliss'.” This cannot help but make me feel ashamed; Mr. Lu Xun's realm in Drinking Tea is something to be admired, yet not easily attainable by ordinary people. In other words, people living in modern society find it hard to reach such a level. Chinese people enjoy drinking tea, but it is usually a natural and casual way of consuming it. Some people online have divided the experience of drinking tea into eighteen different levels. From not drinking tea to loving it, and then abstaining from it, each level is a kind of purgatory. However, drinking tea is actually very simple. If one must categorize it into stages, I believe that three stages are sufficient.

Quenching Thirst

Drinking tea as a beverage is common in households, where a large porcelain jar of tea is often prepared and left to cool. Children returning home from school can down the entire jar without even looking up, completely unaware of any flavors, drinking solely for the purpose of quenching their thirst.

Savoring the Taste

Savoring the various fragrances and flavors of tea usually comes later. With hundreds of different aromas, tastes, and sweetnesses, some people may become captivated by a single flavor, unable to forget it. They may daydream about a particular scent and only share a packet of the tea with close friends when they obtain it.

Uplifting the Spirit

The tea does not need to be of the highest quality; even if it is not exceptional, it can still uplift the spirit. Feeling content, one can listen to music, light incense, and play with a cherished clay Teapot. At this moment, one doesn't envy the gods or the heavens.

Understanding tea is not important. Sen no Rikyu, the Zen master, said, “You must know that the essence of the tea ceremony is simply boiling water and making tea.” What kind of tea you drink is also unimportant; the right tea for you is the best tea. Drinking tea is about “finding leisure in busyness and joy in hardship.” Every tea lover has a tranquil haven in their heart, capable of accommodating flowers and trees and resonating with elegant music. Waking up here every day, one does not concern themselves with the mundane world, but instead enjoys the peace and tranquility!