All The Tea In China

A dramatic historical narrative of the man who stole the secret of tea from China In 1848, the British East India Company, having lost its monopoly on the tea trade, engaged Robert Fortune, a Scottish gardener, botanist, and plant hunter, to make a clandestine trip into the interior of China—territory forbidden to foreigners—to steal the closely guarded secrets of tea horticulture and manufacturing. For All the Tea in China is the remarkable account of Fortune's journeys into China—a thrilling narrative that combines history, geography, botany, natural science, and old-fashioned adventure. Disguised in Mandarin robes, Fortune ventured deep into the country, confronting pirates, hostile climate, and his own untrustworthy men as he made his way to the epicenter of tea production, the remote Wu Yi Shan hills. One of the most daring acts of corporate espionage in history, Fortune's pursuit of China's ancient secret makes for a classic nineteenth-century adventure tale, one in which the fate of empires hinges on the feats of one extraordinary man.

Tea lovers will want to curl up - a pot of their favorite variety at hand - and linger over every informative page of this comprehensive account of tea's history and qualities. Chow and Kramer focus on Chinese teas and tea practices; their wonderfully detailed discussions leave no stone unturned in bringing to light all facets of tea as a plant, drink and institution. Two particularly interesting chapters center on tea's health benefits (which seem to be wide ranging and consequential) and how to make a good cup of tea (no easy task, to which any tea drinker can attest).

A pioneer shares the secrets to creating jobs and reaping profits doing business with China Is China a threat to America’s economic future? Just the opposite, says international businessman Jeremy Haft. China is a boon for business: the opportunity of a lifetime to create jobs, build value, and make money. All the Tea in China demonstrates America’s overwhelming competitive advantage over China in the global economy. And it highlights the many market opportunities for companies of all sizes, in all sectors. China is far and away the fastest growing market for U.S. goods and services in the world. Despite the good news, China remains one of the most challenging operating environments, and it’s easy to make costly mistakes. Haft demonstrates how to avoid the pitfalls, providing an industry-by-industry guide to buying from, selling to, and competing with the Chinese. The book is also filled with funny stories of Haft’s hard-won lessons as a China business pioneer. It’s the most engaging, useful book yet on this important subject.

Witty and fun-loving Isabella Goodrich defies cultural expectations and common sense as she sets off to the Orient to become a missionary.

Tea in China explores the contours of religious and cultural transformation in traditional China from the point of view of an everyday commodity and popular beverage. The work traces the development of tea drinking from its mythical origins to the nineteenth century and examines the changes in aesthetics, ritual, science, health, and knowledge that tea brought with it. The shift in drinking habits that occurred in late medieval China cannot be understood without an appreciation of the fact that Buddhist monks were responsible for not only changing people's attitudes toward the intoxicating substance, but also the proliferation of tea drinking. Monks had enjoyed a long association with tea in South China, but it was not until Lu Yu's compilation of the Chajing (The Classic of Tea) and the spread of tea drinking by itinerant Chan monastics that tea culture became popular throughout the empire and beyond. Tea was important for maintaining long periods of meditation; it also provided inspiration for poets and profoundly affected the ways in which ideas were exchanged. Prior to the eighth century, the aristocratic drinking party had excluded monks from participating in elite culture. Over cups of tea, however, monks and literati could meet on equal footing and share in the same aesthetic values. Monks and scholars thus found common ground in the popular stimulant—one with few side effects that was easily obtainable and provided inspiration and energy for composing poetry and meditating. In addition, rituals associated with tea drinking were developed in Chan monasteries, aiding in the transformation of China's sacred landscape at the popular and elite level. Pilgrimages to monasteries that grew their own tea were essential in the spread of tea culture, and some monasteries owned vast tea plantations. By the end of the ninth century, tea was a vital component in the Chinese economy and in everyday life. Tea in China transcends the boundaries of religious studies and cultural history as it draws on a broad range of materials—poetry, histories, liturgical texts, monastic regulations—many translated or analyzed for the first time. The book will be of interest to scholars of East Asia and all those concerned with the religious dimensions of commodity culture in the premodern world.

Gino and i never thought that we would ever live in the land of Nine Dragons. It was not on our bucket list, and not on any horison that we had discussed. It seemed as if by some magic though, that we laboured initally against a tide of administration, before we found ourselves in this land of ancient wonder. Our life here is the theme of this story, It was not always beautiful. It was at times frustrating, and often totally confusing and overwhelming. One thing is is for certain - It was never boring. China, the people, the expats and friends that we made have left an indelible (red) smudge on the fabric of my memory. A memory that I would not trade...Not for all the tea in China...."

In this hilarious novel, Bonfiglioli takes us back in time to an ironical maritime romp--Master and Commander by way of Monty Python.

In this hilarious novel, Bonfiglioli takes us back in time to an ironical maritime romp?Master and Commander by way of Monty Python.