On October 13, 2015, Yunlin Tea Party in the theme of “benevolence, tolerance and gratefulness” was held in front of the Mahavira Hall of Lingyin Temple. Attendees of about 200 people included distinguished guests and tea lovers from all walks of life, venerable masters, lay disciples and Buddhist believers. Buddhist masters of Hangzhou Buddhist Academy explained the connotation of the theme of “benevolence, tolerance and gratefulness” to the attendees.
At the tea party, attendees tasted three kinds of tea – Fajing Green Tea (green tea grown and made by Buddhist masters of Hangzhou Fajing Temple), Tie Guan Yin Tea and Wuyi Rock Tea. Fajing Green Tea implies a carefree and disengaged spirit towards life while Tie Guan Yin Tea illustrates the sense of inclusiveness of tea whereas the Wuyi Rock Tea demonstrates the meaning of gratefulness with its special properties derived from being grown in boulder of rock of mountains.
Buddhist masters and lay disciples brought musical performance and the art of tea ceremony to the tea party. Chan and tea has been closely related to each other since ancient times. The properties of pureness, disengagement and simplicity of tea coincide with the spiritual pursuit of innocence and naturalness of those who practice Chan. The indissoluble bond between tea and Chan well explains the practice of seeking enlightenment by way of tasting tea, which is so called oneness of tea and Chan.
Performance of tea ceremony
Worshiping Buddha with Chan tea offering
Enlightening talks from Buddhist masters
Musical performance from lay disciples
Guests grateful for the Chan tea served by Buddhist masters.
Scene of Yunlin Tea Party
