Korea 2012 – ChaXi on Yakcheonsa

As I’m sure many of you know; I study ChaXi with Teaparker (Chih Jung Sien) and Stephane Erler of Tea Masters Blog; and like them, I like to make ChaXi in far away, hard to reach, exotic locals. Sometimes The Penn State Tea House just doesn’t cut it, and I have a lot to do catching up with the greats!

I got (very) lucky with this ChaXi at Yakcheonsa; its meets all the criteria above, and is strikingly beautiful with a Silla Dynasty carving of Buddha in the wall the monastery is built into.

My students and I, with the guidance of Mr. Hong (Tea Master Hyo-Am), trekked up above the temple and laid out my travel ChaXi. It’s simple, 4 cups, a small Gaiwan and a waste water bowl; all Yinge wares save the bowl (It’s Korean, a gift from Sang Hun Lee). The view was beautiful, and, after the water finished boiling in my Jet Boil (a climbing/camping canister stove), all was silent save for the light conversation, the chirp of birds, and the stirring of leaves with the wind.

Every once in a while a sound from the monastery would loft on the breeze and we would all be reminded of where in the world we were, or perhaps be called to a satori.

We drank a Fall 2011 GaoShan Luanze A Li Shan. The tea was full, yet airy like our rocky perch, and intensely floral. Siting up high looking down at the valleys around us, only a tea such as this would do.

This was a good session. More soon.