Did You Know? A 7 Cups Facts Series: #4 (7 Cups of Tea)
The name comes from a 9th-century Chinese poem by Lu Tong called Seven Bowls of Tea:
The first cup moistens the throat;
The second shatters all feelings of solitude;
The third cleans the digestion, and brings to mind the wisdom of 5,000 volumes;
The fourth induces perspiration, evaporating all of life’s trials and tribulations;
With the fifth cup, body sharpens, crisp;
And the sixth cup is the first on the road to enlightenment;
The seventh cup sits steaming – it needn’t be drunk, as from head to feet one rises to the abode of the immortals.
Did you know this?
Let us know in the replies if you learned something new!
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Tea is apparently MAGICAL ;)
@jesusredeemedme2425
Magical and universal!
Cool
@Heather225
I didn't know this, I'm enjoying learning more each day and thank you for facilitating it 💚
@Heather225
“Wow, I didn’t know that! Thanks for sharing 😊 I love learning these little 7 Cups facts 💙”
@Claimlistener
thanks! I'm glad you're liking the series!
@Heather225 I'm more confused now after reading that, he sure wrote about 7 cups though
@obligatoryusername
The name was inspired by the poem. The suggestion is that each cup provides a different level of healing. It’s important that our community feels that 7 Cups of Tea is a place where you can sit down and have several cups of tea with a friend. It isn’t just a one-time meeting. You can touch base as much as you like. :)
Yes, and I’ve read a lot of different translations of this poem. Not to be irreverent, but at some point in all this tea drinking, I hope there’s a pee break built in.
Here’s another translation:
Seven Bowls of Tea
The first cup caresses my dry lips and throat.
The second shatters the walls of my lonely sadness.
The third searches the dry rivulets of my soul to find the series of five thousand scrolls.
With the fourth the pain of past injustice vanishes through my pores.
The fifth purifies my flesh and bone.
With the sixth I am in touch with the immortals.
The seventh gives such pleasure I can hardly bear.
The fresh wind blows through my wings,
As I make my way to Penglai the mountain of the immortals.
-Lu Tong
@PatienceImpatiens
😂😂😂 a reminder to us all to mind our bladder
Not to muddy the waters too much, but here’s another translation of the poem.
Lu Tong's Seven Bowls of Tea 七碗诗 卢仝 (唐. 790~835)
The first bowl moistens my lips and throat 一碗喉吻潤
The second bowl breaks my loneliness 二碗破孤悶
The third bowl searches my barren entrails but to find 三碗搜枯腸
therein some five thousand scrolls 惟有文字五千卷
The fourth bowl raises a slight perspiration 四碗發輕汗
and all life's inequities pass out through my pores 平生不平事盡向毛孔散
The fifth bowl purifies my flesh and bones 五碗肌骨清
The sixth bowl calls me to the immortals 六碗通仙靈
The seventh bowl could not be drunk 七碗吃不得也
only the breath of the cool wind raises in my sleeves 唯覺兩腋習習清風生
Where is Penglai Island, Yuchuanzi (Lu Tong's self-ascribed pseudonym) wishes to ride on this sweet breeze and go back 蓬萊山﹐在何處，玉川子乘此清風欲歸去
(Steven R. Jones 2008)
@CalmRosebud
thank you!!
@Heather225
Looking it up, Lu Tong even talks about BOWLS of tea. Of course; Chinese teacups are normally rather small - we are not talking about mugs here. 😊 I wonder how many bathroom trips he made in a day
I like how everyone’s thinking “dude… this guy’s gonna hafta pee a LOT” XD
Thanks @Hearher225 ✨🙏🏽✨
This is beautiful ✨
@Heather225 I think the tea has unlimited secrets and benefits we are still trying to discover 💖
@AReineRose
Wise point - I agree!