明代茶道文化简评

On Tea Culture of the Ming Dynasty

明代以"榷茶易马"为国策,对陕西四川等地"边茶"出口采取严格管制,以提高国力。明代饮茶的政治地位提高,茶肆茶坊比前朝有极大发展,新茶种层出不穷,茶品加工和烹瀹模式更新,茶学研究成果丰硕,茶事画的创作空前繁荣,佳作迭出。但是,明代茶道文化却没有唐宋时期厚重大气,帝王将相以及绝大读书茶学研究者,还没有把饮茶之道上升至治国修身的高度。但以江南文士为核心的茶人集团是明代茶道主体力量,以书画界"明四家"为代表的士大夫不自觉地,充分地体现了刚健率真高雅清廉的茶人风骨。

In order to trade tea for war horses , the Ming government maintained a strict governance on tea trade in the frontier provinces then , Sichuan and Shaanxi in particular .As a matter of fact, tea drinking en-joyed a high political position in the Ming Dynasty （1368-1644）.As a result, tea academies and tea houses appeared like mushrooms , as did new tea varieties due to new processing and cooking techniques .Research on tea as well as artistic works related to tea , likewise, boomed.Tea culture of the Ming Dynasty , however, somehow lacked the profundity and gravity it once demonstrated in the previous Tang and Song dynasties （618-1279）.Neither the royal members, the courtiers nor the scholars regarded tea culture as an effective ap-proach to managing themselves or the country .The tea people , especially the intellectuals , in the areas around the lower reaches of the Yangtze River were the main advocates of tea culture , and the most prominent artists and calligraphers best represented their outspoken and righteous spirit .