Chapter VIII · The Producing Regions: Words and things — In Zhexi Circuit, Huzhou is best, Changzhou next, and Xuanzhou…
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The passage
“In Zhexi Circuit, Huzhou is best, Changzhou next, and Xuanzhou, Hangzhou, Muzhou, and Shezhou lower.”
Words and things
The words around “In Zhexi Circuit, Huzhou is best, Changzhou next, and Xuanzhou…” are a small map of Tang tea culture: names of plants, tools, places, and processes often carry a whole classification system.
When a term has no exact modern equivalent, do not force it. Compare it with the closest tool or tea type you know, then note what changes.
A vocabulary notebook is one of the simplest ways to read the Classic of Tea closely.
Reading note
Read the passage once for the image, once for the judgment, and once for the practice it implies.
Practice
- Name one thing the passage asks you to notice.
- Compare it with a tea you know.
- Keep the question open.