Cloud tea is like life; life is learning, wisdom is cultivation.
Qixi Festival is here again. Roses at the street florists have started to rise in price, and candlelit dinners at restaurants are fully booked. But I feel these things are too fleeting: flowers wilt, the meal is finished. What truly endures? My answer is: a cake of good tea.
Having worked in tea for decades, I have seen many people give tea and many people receive it. Some are delighted, brewing it immediately; others do not know how to appreciate it, leaving it to gather dust in a corner. But those who truly understand tea know that a cake of good tea is the finest gift. It is not merely an object; it is a gesture of the heart, a sharing of a way of life.
This Qixi, I suggest considering giving tea. Why? Because tea has several advantages that other gifts cannot match. First, tea can be kept for a very long time. A good cake of Pu-erh, stored properly, will not spoil for decades, and in fact improves with age. Flowers wilt in days; chocolate expires in a month. But tea can accompany you for years. Second, every time you drink it, you think of the person who gave it. Flowers and chocolate cannot do that. Third, tea is good for your well-being. Giving tea is giving health.
What should one consider when choosing tea as a gift? First, understand the recipient’s taste. If they usually drink coffee or do not drink tea at all, I recommend Bingdao or Jingmai types, which have high sweetness and light bitterness, making them the most approachable. If the recipient is an experienced tea drinker, give them Ban Zhang or Yiwu, teas with greater depth. If their stomach is sensitive, give ripe tea or black tea, which are warming and gentle on the stomach. If you are unsure of their preference, the safest choice is ancient-tree white tea: light, sweet, without bitterness. Almost everyone likes it.
I remember one Qixi, a young man came to my tea shop wanting to buy tea as a gift for his girlfriend. He said she usually drinks milk tea and does not drink real tea. I suggested a cake of Moonlight White. Moonlight White is a type of white tea from Simao, Yunnan, characterized by its clean sweetness and floral aroma with virtually no bitterness. It tastes almost like drinking flower honey. His girlfriend tried it and immediately fell in love. She switched from milk tea to Moonlight White and eventually learned to brew tea properly. That is the power of tea: it can change a person’s way of life.
Giving tea for Qixi also carries a romantic symbolism. The ancients said, “The nature of tea is the purest.” Tea trees cannot be transplanted; if moved, they die. So the ancients used tea to symbolize steadfast, unwavering love. Giving tea says: “My feelings for you are like a tea tree, rooted in one place, never to move.” It is a beautiful metaphor, and a true one. A cake of good tea represents enduring companionship.
Tea has grades; all may enjoy it regardless of status.
This year, I have prepared several tea gifts for old friends. I chose the 2020 ancient-tree ripe tea, aged for several years, with prominent aged fragrance, deep red liquor, and a warming effect that comforts the whole body. It is perfect for old friends, because ripe tea not only warms the stomach but also warms the heart. The old friends who received it were delighted, brewing it right away, then calling to say: “Wonderful tea! When are you coming for tea again?” That is the connection tea brings: one cake of tea, one phone call, one friendship.
Qixi is not only a lovers’ festival; it is also a wonderful occasion to express your heart. Giving flowers is romantic, certainly, but if you want to give a gift that lasts, benefits health, and reminds the recipient of you every time they use it, tea is the finest choice. It need not be expensive. A few hundred dollars for a cake of ancient-tree tea already carries great weight. What matters is not the price but the intention.
Make friends through tea, please enjoy a cup.
Author: Old Tea Head · Lin Shen (LamSam)
Zen Tea Manor ZENTEA MANOR
Tianying Supply Chain Company
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