Cranes And Chinese Tea Culture

1.Introduction

The crane image that often appears in Chinese tea sets is also called the red-crowned crane, but in western countries, it is well-known as the Japanese crane, sometimes called the Manchurian crane. It is a precious bird in East Asia and mainly lives in Northeast China, it spends winter in southern China, so there are records about the red-crowned crane as early as ancient China. It has also become an important cultural symbol in China and East Asia. The teacup and set are where it often appears. People have great enthusiasm for tea sets with crane patterns.

2.Characteristics and meaning of red-crowned cranes

1) Beautiful appearance and posture. There is a rectangular black feather on the neck of the red-crowned crane, like a black gauze around the neck; the body is white and flawless, as white as snow, the wing tail is black, like a beautiful black silk lace; the top of the head is a red raised piece, like rubies, make red-crowned cranes even more beautiful. The red-crowned crane not only has beautiful feathers but also has a very attractive posture. They groomed, played, and paced as if they were dancing. This makes people fall in love with it at first sight.

2) Longevity. Usually, red-crowned cranes can live for decades, and some even reach 50-60 years, a symbol of longevity in ancient China, where the average life expectancy was only more than 30 years old. In ancient times when medical conditions were backward, longevity was considered great, and many families were proud of the elderly, so red-crowned cranes entrusted people’s pursuit of peace and longevity.

3) Loyal love. Like birds such as geese and albatrosses, Red-crowned crane pairs are generally monogamous. Once red-crowned cranes find a mate, they fly together, forage together, and brood together. Even if one is sick, the other one will not leave. If one of the red-crowned cranes dies, in many cases, the other one will even go on a hunger strike. Great love is the yearning of everyone. People praise Romeo and Juliet, but almost everyone is Romeo and Juliet in the world of red-crowned cranes. People respect red-crowned cranes because they pursue great love.

3.Red-crowned cranes, Taoism, and tea culture

In the fairyland of Taoist myths and legends, there are not only immortals living here but also rivers where the sun and the moon never fall, trees that never withers, and countless rare and exotic animals. Among the many auspicious beasts, the immortals especially love the crane. Many immortals appear in scenes accompanied by cranes. Taoism is one of the three religions in China. It advocates the harmonious coexistence between man and nature and that people should live comfortably, freely, and happily. This coincides with the concept advocated by tea culture. The pace of life in modern society is fast, and people face huge pressure. Tea tasting can restore people’s mood to calm and play a role in self-cultivation. Drinking tea alone or with two or three people can achieve harmony of body and mind. Tea is a kind of peaceful thing, which can make people’s moods more peaceful, and people experience a beautiful artistic conception while tasting tea. Crane’s pure white appearance, graceful dancing posture, and graceful movements are nature’s harmony so that tea culture lovers prefer the crane pattern.

4.How to create a beautiful red-crowned crane pattern on a teacup

5.Conclusion

The advantages of the red-crowned crane show the harmony of the pursuit of tea culture. They mean the harmonious coexistence between man and nature. A teacup with a crane pattern can bring a different experience to your tea-drinking life. If you are a tea lover, why not try it?