Tea and Buddhism share much of the same beginnings, spreading in popularity together around 700 AD. So, it isn’t surprising that tea myths draw upon the gods and goddesses of the Buddhist pantheon.
The oolong, tieguanyin, celebrates who else, but Guan Yin. The story of the origins of this beloved oolong is as follows:
Deep in the heart of Fujian’s Anxi County there was a rundown temple that held inside an iron statue of Guan Yin, the Bodhisattva of Mercy. Every day, on his walk to his tea fields a poor farmer named Mr. Wei would pass by and reflect on the worsening condition of the temple.
Something has to be done, thought Mr. Wei. But he did not have the means to repair the temple because he was poor.
Instead the farmer brought a broom and some incense from his home. He swept the temple clean and lit the incense as an offering to Guan Yin. “It’s the least I can do,” he thought to himself.
Twice a month for many months, he repeated the same task. Cleaning and lighting incense. One night, Guan Yin appeared to him in a dream. She told him of a cave behind the temple where a treasure awaited him. He was to take the treasure for himself, but also to share it with others.
In the cave, the farmer found a single tea shoot. He planted it in his field and nurtured it into a large bush, of which the finest tea was produced. He gave cuttings of this rare plant to all his neighbors and began selling the tea under the name Tie Guan Yin, Iron Bodhisattva of Mercy.
Over time, Mr. Wei and all his neighbors prospered. The rundown temple of Guan Yin (Bodhisattva of Mercy) was repaired and became a beacon for the region. And Mr. Wei took joy in his daily trip to his tea fields, never failing to stop in appreciation of the beautiful temple. (From Wikipedia.)
Along the tangent of Tea & Buddhism, you might enjoy reading this article on Korean tea culture. It deals with this subject to a great extent.
Jo
Ya-Ya Teahouse