As we transition through spring and summer, the plants, trees, flowers, grasses, and all life on earth come to full expression as we witness the luxurious blossoming of Nature. According to the Chinese calendar, early February until late April comprise the months of spring. We welcome the soft rains, flowering prune and cherry trees, worms and insects emerging from their nests and holes, as well as hawks and eagles seen hovering over fields. The awakening of plant and animal life, increased fertility and vitality, and the eruption of spring growth create the foundation for the strongest breath of life, which we see during the transition into summer.
In Chinese and Taoist medicine, we understand that during this transition, the vapor of yang penetrates deep into the earth to make all things grow. The first day of summer on May 6th will mark a significant shift in nature. The soil is moist and rich, the days grow longer, the weather is hot, and we are refreshed by frequent afternoon rain. Stalks appear, followed by the growth of grains, crickets and toads are heard at twilight, and hydrating fruits mature on trees. Farmers must vigilantly watch their crops as an increase in wild animals and birds seek food. Many animals give birth during this time, the deer grow their antlers, the sounds of cicadas are heard, and the summer grasses are tall.
We seek natural bodies of water, or take sojourns to the cooler mountains. After the summer solstice, yin begins to overtake yang, and we see the first signs of decay. The late summer is a time for purification, decreased sensual activities, and an increase of light, simple, hydrating foods. During the end of summer, young eagles take their first flights on the cool winds that begin to blow. The strong yang fire element throughout the season increases the risk of conflagrations in late summer, under the influence of dry, windy heat. Grass is cut for fodder while trees are at the height of their growth. We look forward to the first harvest and offer gratitude for all the life-nourishing fullness of the spring and summer. Activities and social events slow down as we enjoy the long warm days and begin gathering firewood from fallen branches.
Tea and the Seasons: Living in Harmony with Nature
In the Way of Tea, we follow the natural way of life, observing and embracing balance with the patterns we see in nature. The summer is a time of verdant abundance and growth, and thus we have all that we need. It’s a time to live simply and modestly, to reduce desires, and to find contentment in the subtle enjoyment of life’s abundance. We spend more time outside, cultivating energy through our interaction with the natural world.
The principles of cultivating the energy of life are sometimes difficult to grasp. However, if you have an inkling that the path to a full life is the opposite of the path of indulgence, excessiveness, and scheming, then you intuitively understand the way of tea. Simplicity and moderation are the keys to attaining longevity, health, and happiness. During the summer, we often brew floral, lighter teas in small teapots. Economy of movement and lesser quantities of tea represent the practice of moderation.
The sweet, lighter teas are often appreciated for their aroma, reminding us of the burgeoning floral life and ripening fruit we witness in summer. We tend towards Liu Bao black teas, which have a cooling effect on the body, as well as young sheng puerh, which also clears damp heat through slight bitter flavors. We also enjoy more delicate sencha, white, yellow, and lighter red teas, as well as matcha for more active days.
The Art of Life in Summer: The Fire Element and the Heart
In Taoist Medicine, the heart is considered the home of the Spirit or Shen. This is relevant to tea because as plant medicine, herbalists hail tea as a spirit or Shen tonic for its ability to clear the mind, open the heart, settle the soul, and illuminate one’s essence. Zen masters and spiritual aspirants use tea to maintain a state of calm alertness during long hours of meditation. Artists and tea folks relate to the way of tea as a means of expressing a living art, a moving painting, and an experiential awakening to beauty, nature, and one another.
First, however, let’s explore the summer collection.
The Collection: Sourcing Tea with Reverence
Living Tea seeks out farms or wild tea gardens that have a healthy, reverent relationship to all aspects of tea production. The following are qualities of a Living Tea: seed propagation instead of trees from grafted clippings with shallow roots, plenty of room for the trees to grow instead of tight rows like you see on tea plantations, biodiverse growing regions instead of clear-cut mountainsides or valleys, growing practices that avoid all chemicals including pesticides, chemical weed-killers and fertilizers, no irrigation, and living wages for all employees.
Brewing Summer Teas
We recommend using 3-4 g of tea per session, or simply, use enough leaves to lightly cover the bottom of the pot. This is true as a general rule of thumb for all teas included in this collection. For Black Stone Mountain Liu Bao and Gathering Dien Hong Red Tea, we generally recommend brewing with water between 200-210°F, just shy of a rolling boil, while Water Fairy Oolong can be brewed a bit cooler around 190-200°F. We suggest pouring off the first flash steeping to “awaken the leaves.” Brew the first five to six steepings for very short amounts of time (2-4 seconds), getting longer during the later steepings. The practice of short steepings is different than European tea, where you steep the tea for a long time.
Our favorite brewing method for all of these teas is in a small Zisha pot, or any small clay pot. The larger leaves of Gathering are also nice brewed directly in a bowl, which means adding a small amount of leaves to a tea bowl and simply adding water by pouring into the side of the bowl, not directly onto the leaves, which can burn them. You won’t get as many steepings, but the simplicity of the practice is a wonderful way to develop an accessible morning tea practice.
You can find bowls and pots on the website, and use the discount code, SUMMERCLUB, for 15% off.
The Summer Collection Teas
Black Stone Mountain – Aged Liu Bao Black Tea 2000
Russet brown liquor with golden edges, accentuating a balanced brew of freshly fallen leaves, old healthy wood, wet stone, and vegetal notes. We find this tea evokes a sense of nostalgia, drawing one back to a time before the modern age. We love the settling Qi, a common quality of good Liu Bao, and the magic imbued through the fermentation process. Black Stone Mountain comes from South Central Guangxi, China near Vietnam. It was masterfully aged in Malaysia since 2000, and as a post-production fermented tea, this storage is very important to the finished tea. Liu Bao is fermented and dried in a long delicate process in preparation for further aging.
During the tin-mining boom of the 19th Century, enormous quantities of Liu Bao, along with other teas, were imported into Malaya as a customary beverage for the colonies of hard-working Chinese migrants who worked the mines. After the collapse of tin prices in the 1980s, mining declined, and the huge stockpiles of Liu Bao were left in storage for decades or sold cheaply for consumption by the local Chinese population. Today, many of these old teas have aged beautifully, revealing a rich, sought-after tea among tea lovers. Just as the miners appreciated the energetically cooling effect of Liu Bao in the hot mines, we enjoy this dark tea in the summer for the same reason.
Gathering – Dian Hong Old Growth Red Tea 2018
This stunning Dian Hong loose-leaf red tea comes from Feng Qing Company, which was established in 1954 in Lincang, China. Gathering is a beautiful example of what Feng Qing is known for: high-quality, clean, full-bodied red teas from old-growth (600-800 year-old) Lincang trees. We particularly love the exquisite balance of malty sweetness and structured bitterness. The Qi fills the whole body without being too invigorating, perhaps due to the old, wild trees from which Gathering was picked. We like the name Gathering because this tea is wonderful for sharing and coming together, so common during the summer months. It is accessible, easy to brew, welcoming, and leaves everyone feeling awake and happy.
Water Fairy – True Shui Xian Yencha Cliff Tea 2018
Water Fairy comes from Indigenous, old-growth Wuyi Mountain trees, masterfully hand-processed in the century-old traditional method. The delicate dry leaves feel like freshly fallen snow with aromas of tropical fruit. The filigree golden liquor yields a very flavorful brew like vapor and light. With complex flavors of fresh mineral spring water, lychee, and wildflowers, this ethereal tea helps one to access subtler dimensions of feeling. The Qi is refined, rising vertically and leaving the drinker feeling comfortable.
The tea gained its appellation "Shui Xian" or "Water Fairy" because the original tree was found beside an ancient Taoist temple where a water fairy protected the spring and offered the healing waters that nourished the roots of this extraordinary tea. We are particularly happy with this harvest, finding it so flavorful, full-bodied, and clean. As the name suggests, Water Fairy is ideal for hot summer days. We particularly love this tea around sunset, as the floral bloom of the tea seems to match the scattered colors across the sky.
The Art of Life in Summer: Embracing Fire and Shen
“The element fire includes the spark
of life, our heart’s connection to Spirit, and our passion for living, work, and love. All of these are fed in the summer. Like fire, the goal is to remain clear and calm and to direct this force of vitality, so it does not overtake us.” – Taoist Medicine
We drink tea to slow down, breathe deeply, and honor the changes of the seasons. The tea practice mirrors the unfolding of life, filled with countless small moments that allow for connection with the greater world. The summer collection is a gentle reminder to embrace life’s blessings with openness, to drink in beauty and life, and let our hearts open to the sweetness and warmth of all that is offered.