Taichi and Tea

These two art forms seem to have irreconcilable differences, but are actually easily linked by their spirit. In the same way tea helps clear one’s mind and body, Taichi refreshes practitioners with each move of an arm or leg. The graceful sport and the mellow taste of the beverage both embody the essence of Chinese culture.

Tea houses are a regular feature of a city’s landscape, and the comfortable meeting place for elderly folks. The tea business also gets a boost from a team of performers who demonstrate tea ceremonies, trying to lure customers. In today’s tea houses, it’s not unusual to see street dancing or taichi demonstrations performed alongside tea ceremonies. The mixed arts prove to be a big draw for young people.

An ancient concept from the east, Taichi is a Chinese cosmological term for the “Supreme Ultimate” State of undifferentiated absolute and inlinite potentiality. The “Supreme Ultimate” generates Yin and Yang, which produce all things. These, in turn, produce and reproduce, making a never-ending cycle.

While Taichi strives for balance in life, tea is only to be consumed while the drinker remains undisturbed. Drinking tea has been a Chinese custom for thousands of years, with the earliest records dating back to the 10th-century BC.

Chinese philosopher LaozJ described tea as the “froth of the liquid jade”, and called it an indispensable ingredient in the elixir of life. Chinese people drink tea to keep a clear and rational mind towards oneself and the outside world. They view tea as a gilt from nature, and say it is essential to have healthy conversations during tea breaks.

With their spirits resonating in harmony, it’s only natural to see the pairing of Taichi and ceremonial tea drinking as a happy and quite lucrative one.