Course Description

In China, tea has long occupied a central place in the world of art. It has inspired iconic paintings, appeared as a recurring motif in poetry, and developed into a refined ceremony in its own right. In this course, led by Dr. Xiaokun Song, we’ll explore the intertwined worlds of Chinese tea and art—examining how tea has both appeared as a subject across artistic traditions and shaped the aesthetics of multiple mediums.

We’ll begin with an introduction to the six major types of Chinese tea, exploring their characteristics and tracing how tea-drinking habits have evolved over time. From there, we’ll move through artistic representations of tea from the Tang dynasty to the present, studying depictions in painting, expressions in calligraphy, and the work of diverse artists across different genres and periods. We’ll also consider how tea influenced the development of pottery and Chinese aesthetic values more broadly.

Our final session will be an immersive experience featuring a traditional tea ceremony, classic tea snacks, and shared reflections.

By the end of this course, you’ll have not only a deeper understanding of Chinese teas, but also a richer appreciation for the cultural and artistic worlds in which they have been steeped.

To learn more, and to sign up, visit Atlas Obscura webpage of the course here.