An Illustrated Modern Reader of 'The Classic of Tea'

**This commentary on the Chinese masterpiece, __The Classic of Tea__, offers a fascinating perspective on this ancient pastime and art.** __The Classic of Tea__, the first known monograph on tea in the world, was written in the 8th century by Lu Yu who devoted his entire life to the study of tea and is respected as the Sage of Tea. Wu Juenong, an agronomist and economist specializing in agriculture, has studied tea all his life. This book is the culmination of lifelong research on Chinese tea culture and history, introducing the readers to modern findings of effects and properties of tea, types of tea preparations, the evolution of tea growing regions and tea drinking customs across China, in addition to extensive annotation. Both scholarly and informative, __An Illustrated Modern Reader of 'The Classic of Tea'__ has been acclaimed as a New Classic of Tea. __An Illustrated Modern Reader of 'The Classic of Tea'__ also includes vivid illustrations and pictures of tools and utensils for the making and drinking of tea, either hand-drawn or collected by him, which the original The Classic of Tea lacked. Selected Chinese traditional paintings in the book illuminate the elegant art of brewing and drinking tea, the social rituals associated with tea drinking, and the reformative and cultural significance of tea ceremonies. "Between 756 and 760, Lu Yu (733-804) compiled The Classic of Tea, the world's earliest extant, complete and comprehensive introduction to tea. Lu was known as chashen--the Tea God. Wu Juenong, the author of this book, devoted his whole life to the subject of tea, his investigations and research leading to his 20th-century classic, A Modern Reader of The Classic of Tea. In order to present The classic of Tea of 1,200 years ago intact, to allow the old to serve the new and for it to make sense to a readership that does not read Chinese, the editors have retained the chapter layout, scientific approach and knowledge base of Wu Juenong's book but in an abridged and compressed form. Apart from annotating The Classic of Tea, this book also describes the modern research on the efficacy of tea, the varieties of tea leaf, the development of tea growing areas in China, the spread of tea drinking and local tea drinking customs, all combined in a scientific and intellectual approach. The many ancient works of art included in the book also give it an artistic and cultural flavor." -- Provided by publisher Wu takes the quintessential elements of Lu Yu's 8th century Classic of tea and incorporates contemporary research and practice in the history, culture, characteristics and cultivation of tea, creating a new treatise for the 20th century