Lu Yu Making Tea
Artist: Zhao Yuan (Yuan Dynasty)
Width: 78cm Height: 27cm
Now collected in National Palace Museum
This painting depicts Lu Yu, the revered author of The Classic of Tea, the world’s first systematic treatise on tea, earning him the title of "Tea Sage." He is shown preparing tea in a rustic bamboo hut, surrounded by serene mountains and a meandering river.
The artist Zhao Yuan masterfully creates a tranquil, forested atmosphere with his depiction of undulating mountains and a zigzagging river. Lu Yu is seated, enjoying tea, while a young boy tends to boiling water nearby. The painting is rich in detail yet leaves ample room for imagination, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in its calming scene.
The artist also wrote a poem on the painting:
山中茅屋是谁家，兀坐闲吟到日斜。
俗客不来山鸟散，呼童汲水煮新茶。
English translation:
A rustic house amidst the hills,
We sit and chat as daylight stills.
No worldly friends, no birds in flight,
The boy brews fresh tea into the night.
Hui Mountain Tea Gathering
Artist: Wen Zhengming (Song Dynasty)
Width: 67cm Height: 22cm
Now collected in Shanghai Museum
This painting captures the scene of artist Wen Zhengming and his friends gathering for a tea tasting event in Hui Mountain, Wuxi. Renowned for its sweet and pristine spring water, Hui Mountain was also praised by the "Tea Sage" Lu Yu. The artwork beautifully portrays the tranquil natural setting and the refined lifestyle of the literati.
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