I Saw Lu Yu off to Pick Tea at Tien Mu Mountain

[Pat]

Thousand mountains greeted my departing friend
When spring tea flourishing again
His profound knowledge about picking tea
Through morning mist or twilight clouds
That solitary journey has being my envy
Rendezvous in a temple of a remote mountain
We enjoyed picnic by a clear pebble fountain
In this silent night
Lit a candle light
Knocked a marble bell for chime
While deep in thought for old time.

by Huang Pu Zhen--
Tang Dynasty poet,
friend of Tea Sage Lu Yu


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Lu Yu, a Tang Dynasty Tea sage, and author of "Book of Tea," befriended many poets of his time. Many of them in turn, dedicated poems to him.

Tien Mu mountain is a mountain with lofty twin peaks located in northern Je Jiang province, with lakes of crystal clear water on each peak, hence the name "Tian Mu', meaning eyes of the sky. Tian Mu Mountain is famous for its Tea. During the time of the Ming Dynasty, Tian Mu Tea was already listed as "Imperial Tea.

photo by emdurso