Journey back to the Han Dynasty, to a bustling marketplace just outside Chengdu. Imagine the scene: merchants hawking their wares, the aroma of spices and street food filling the air, and the constant chatter of bartering. This, my friends, was Wuyang, a vital trading hub mentioned in Wang Bao’s “Contract for a Youth” around 220 AD. The contract instructs a young servant to “buy tea at Wuyang,” offering us a glimpse into Wuyang’s significance in the early tea trade. Wuyang thrived, not just as any marketplace, but as a key player in the burgeoning tea industry. Remember, this was long before tea became the global phenomenon we know today. Back then, in Wuyang and the surrounding region, tea was cultivated on Meng Mountain, near Chengdu. Every spring, the first 360 tea leaves harvested were presented as a tribute to the emperor, a testament to the quality and prestige of the tea grown in this area. The “Contract for a Youth” also tells us that the youth should “boil tea,” suggesting that tea preparation involved boiling the leaves, a practice common in early tea culture. While Wuyang may no longer be a separate town, having been incorporated into Chengdu’s Jiangkou Subdistrict, its legacy lives on in the rich tea culture of Chengdu and the surrounding region. As you explore Chengdu’s tea houses today, remember the bustling marketplace of Wuyang and its vital role in shaping the history of this beloved beverage.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to