The Classic of Tea, written by Lu Yu in the 8th century of middle Tang Dynasty, is the world first monograph about tea. It is called the “holy book” in the world tea culture. Recently, The New Classic of Tea is published by Central Literature Publisher, causing strong responses from scholars. This book is edited Liu Feng, the honorary chairman of China International Tea Culture Research Association, former deputy director of the National Literature, History and Learning Committee of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, former President of Zhejiang Province Political Consultative Conference, active advocator and promoter of the “tea as the national drink” strategy, and special contributor of spotlight people of Green China.
The New Classic of Tea is based on the style of the Classic of Tea, a total of 12 chapters, including the original of tea, distribution of tea, planting of tea, types of tea, processing of tea, tea wares, poems of tea, tea culture, efficacy of tea, tea trading, tea education. It basically reflects the overview of thousands history of tea culture and the development of tea industry. It has made precise description on the modern tea culture and tea industry.
“The scene of tea farming recorded in the Classic of Tea, in the process of industrial and ecological civilization, has been gradually replaced by newly formed tea culture. It need the new record, summary, refine and generalize.” In 2005, Liu Feng acted as the president of China International Tea Culture Research Association, started to have the dream of “the New Classic of Tea”.
2008, the written of the New Classic of Tea has officially started. Liu Feng has invited Song Shao-xiang, Cheng Qi-kun, Yao Guo-kun and other experts. After countless discussion and visiting, the 480,000 words first draft has completed at the end of 2010. Liu Feng has conducted many rounds of review word by word and sentence by sentence. Later, famous writer and tea culture scholar Professor Wang Xu-feng and others were invited to participate in the review, aiming to create a new classic through the scientific attitude, rigorous logic and concise language. Ten years’ time and six years of revising, the first draft of 480.000 has finally been reduced into the New Classic of Tea of 260,000 words.
Academician Chen Zong-mao has spoken highly of the New Classic of Tea. He thinks the book has three salient features: completeness, new, big. The book covers history, culture, science, rituals and another aspect. The content is simple and clear and summarized new knowledge and progress. For the social function of tea, it has explained the essential of “tea as the national drink” and the effects of tea has in aspects of people’s daily life, society and international relationship.
On October 22nd, the conference of the political consultative conference is filled with 30 experts and scholars in tea industry and tea culture research. They gather together to hold academic discussion for the publishing of the New Classic of Tea. The experts and scholars at the conference have spoken highly of the academic value and special contribution to promoting the Chinese tea culture, revitalization of China tea industry and once gain becoming a strong tea country. They believe the publication of the New Classic of Tea is a big affair in Tea industry.