Hello and a Tai Chi Tea Story

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Mar 8th, '13, 12:10
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Joined: Feb 23rd, '13, 10:38
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Hello and a Tai Chi Tea Story

by everyman » Mar 8th, '13, 12:10

Hi -

I'm Andrew and I'm a tea drinker. I also teach Taijiquan (Tai Chi), and am into scooters (Vespa, Lambretta, Kymco), camping (Airstream), canoeing/kayaking, vintage bicycles (Rixe), and my dog.

I am seeking long term online tea friendships. I'm sure I'm not the first one to do the dating site gag so I'll let it go.

Like many, I followed the tea trajectory. Born into a family of (bagged) tea drinkers I abandoned the mighty drink for the flash and hype of modern carbonated beverages. As I am my internal workings gained mileage I had to forgo my liquid sugar/caffeine dispenser - Mt Dew.

I quite literally drank nothing but water for years.

Meanwhile, a tai chi story from my training days stuck with me.

Paraphrased, fictionalized legend -

Yang was not a member of the village but lived and worked among them. Remember villages were extended families and resources were protected. Especially when it came to security - tai chi/martial arts.

Yang was not allowed to learn the village's tai chi. He asked and was refused. Yang watched from hiding and practiced in secret.

One day the fighters were out of the village and the village was challenged. There was no one to stand for and protect the village. Yang accepted the challenge. He defeated the challenger, protecting the village, but everyone now knew he had been stealing their tai chi.

When the fighters returned from the village and the village leader heard what Yang had done, he invited him to tea - welcoming him to the family.

From his experience, Yang felt tai chi should be shared and would teach anyone of good character. Possibly why Yang is the most practiced style of tai chi. Interesting side note, tai chi is the most practiced martial art in the world.

I was intrigued by the tea ceremony from the time I first heard the story.

Fast forward a decade, several of my students have achieved a respectable skill level and are teaching classes of their own. Our program just got nationally certified as an evidence-based program (one of five in the US) and it was time to form a tai chi family.

TeaChat was very helpful in preparing for the ceremony and fueling this new part of my taijiquan training - tea.

Thanks to all who have posted. You won't even know those that you helped but we're out here.

As I learn and grow I hope to have something to contribute.

The picture has my teaware set up.

The blue glass set is for the ceremony. It was hand blown by a friend of mine using the school colors - orange and blue. If you can't tell from the picture the orange is a spiral in the glass. The bowl was a lucky find on the *bay. Can't believe how well it matched colors.

The Zini pot (paired with Rougui) is the pot used in the ceremony.

The modern Zhuni pot - Thanks WYardley! - is still looking for it's tea.

The gaiwan's are from Red Blossom.

Andrew
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Ceremony Set - Blue glass w Zini pot
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Mar 9th, '13, 01:35
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Re: Hello and a Tai Chi Tea Story

by Chip » Mar 9th, '13, 01:35

Welcome everyman to TeaChat. Thanks for the thorough and informative post.

Thanks for the nice photo, I am looking forward to more and to seeing you around the forum! :mrgreen: BTW, beautiful moths.

Mar 9th, '13, 01:57
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Re: Hello and a Tai Chi Tea Story

by ethan » Mar 9th, '13, 01:57

Thanks for the story. & the telephone is from which century?

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