From a cup of tea, I saw the "weight" of life

YuanJia131

A single tea leaf is light, but when it carries the continuity of economy and culture, it acquires the "weight" of life. This weight is the accumulation of millennia of culture and the embodiment of the value of a commodity economy.

Tea is a woody plant,  Due to its cooling and bitter nature, it was also called "bitter tea" , and later renamed "tea" . Other names include "fine tea" , "budding tea" , and "delicate tea" . The cultivation of tea trees has a long history, with vast tea plantations distributed across the Yangtze River basin, as well as the southeastern and southwestern regions of China. According to investigations, in the Lanchang area of southwestern Yunnan, there are lush ancient tea plantations spanning tens of thousands of acres, with an average cultivation history of over 800 years. These are hailed as "rare treasures of contemporary tea culture, akin to a tea tree museum."

In modern times, the yield of tea cultivation has improved with continuous technological advancements and refinements. However, teas that can be hailed as "premium among teas" are rare—even among China's top ten famous teas. Thus, finding a fine tea is no easy feat. A quality tea offers not only a sensory delight but also a spiritual one. Only when it satisfies both the palate and the soul can it be said to fulfill its intended purpose.  It is often said that tea has three lives. The first is its days growing on the tree; the second life emerges during the tea farmer's process of picking, crafting, and shaping it into its unique form; and the third life occurs when the drinker waters it with tea, allowing it to unfurl its leaves and repay those who cherish and appreciate it with its essence.  Here, we must not simplistically view tea as merely a thirst quencher—quenching thirst serves only as its most basic function. Yet it gives us far more than that, which explains why so many people throughout history have been captivated by it.

I don’t know if the three stages of tea leaves’ life cycle as defined by people are biased. All I know is that when I lift a cup of tea, in my hands is not just a cup of tea, but a living, vibrant existence. It carries the "weight" of nature, the "weight" of life, and the "weight" of existence. Yet this way of being "alive" differs from that of humans and animals, requiring us to perceive it with our hearts and reinterpret it anew. Perhaps it is not as complex as we think. Tea leaves’ life cycle arrives naturally in our lives, bringing joy, enhancing moods, and enriching our existence with deeper meaning.