What is the world’s oldest book on tea?

The answer points us back to a legendary Chinese tea master named Lu Yu (Rikuu). He was the historic figure who authored the very first book dedicated entirely to tea. Interestingly, records about Lu Yu were even written here in Japan as far back as the 1600s. Today, reading Lu Yu's original work can be quite challenging because his culture and historical background are so vastly different from our own.

To understand his work, we must look at the remarkable life he left behind. Lu Yu was born in China, in a serene, rural region surrounded by rolling fields as far as the eye could see. Blessed with abundant water sources, it was a land where countless crops thrived. 

However, his life began with hardship; at around the age of three, he was abandoned by his parents. Growing up, he developed a deeply earnest personality and a strong sense of responsibility. Thanks to these traits, he eventually secured a position as a secretary to government officials as an adult.

While working there, a chance encounter changed his life forever: he met a Buddhist monk. After deeply discussing his career anxieties and his philosophy on life with the monk, Lu Yu made the pivotal decision to become his disciple.

Thus began his days of rigorous, secluded training deep in the mountains. It is said that under this monk’s guidance, he truly absorbed the spiritual essence of tea, which ultimately inspired him to write his masterpiece. This text remains celebrated today as the world’s oldest book on tea.