Emperor Huizong Zhao Ji and the Grand Sight on Tea

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Emperor Huizong of the Song dynasty, Zhao Ji (1082~1135), the 1lth son of Emperor Shenzong, was enthroned in 1100. In the years when Zhao Ji was in power (1100~1125), although he didn’t rule the country well, he was accomplished in music, calligraphy and painting, and also the tea art. He even wrote the book of the Grand Sight on Tea, whose characteristics and the influence towards the later world could be reflected in the aspects as follows:

Firstly, it further elucidated the relation between tea and the inner world of people. Zhao Ji held the opinion that tea was, just like poetry, the needs of the cultured people, but not something that the common people could understand.

Secondly, it stated that the popularization of tea had a close relation with the development of the time. Zhao Ji held the opinion that tea drinking could only be prevalent in the peace time, because only in such period there would be sufficient material guarantee and also the spiritual needs of people.

Thirdly, this book highly summarized the spiritual experience the early people got in tea drinking. Zhao Ji held the opinion that drinking tea had the functions of cleaning up the unhappiness and cleansing people’s hearts, and could equip people with elegant interests and calm mentality, hence the best choice in cultivating people’s moral character.

Fourthly, the book proposed a new principle of judging waters used in tea brewing. He held the opinion that water that was limpid, light, sweet and clean was the best choices and denied the water in the rivers, thinking that river water had the smells of fish and mud, which would tinge the fragrance of tea.