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The Rise of Tea Culture in China: The Invention of the Individual
Contributor(s): Hinsch, Bret (Author)

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 ISBN: 1442251786     ISBN-13: 9781442251786
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
OUR PRICE: $115.50  

Binding Type: Hardcover - See All Available Formats & Editions
Published: November 2015
Qty:

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Additional Information
BISAC Categories:
- History | Asia - China
- Cooking | Beverages - Coffee & Tea
- Social Science | Customs & Traditions
Dewey: 394.150
LCCN: 2015026485
Series: Asia/Pacific/Perspectives
Physical Information: 0.6" H x 6.1" W x 9.1" L (0.80 lbs) 172 pages
Themes:
- Cultural Region - Chinese
Features: Bibliography, Glossary, Illustrated, Index
Review Citations: Choice 05/01/2016
 
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.
Publisher Description:
This distinctive and enlightening book explores the invention and development of tea drinking in China, using tea culture to explore the profound question of how Chinese have traditionally expressed individuality. Western stereotypes portray a culture that values conformity and denigrates the individual, but Bret Hinsch convincingly explodes this facile myth. He argues that although Chinese embrace a communitarian ethos and assume that the individual can only thrive within a healthy community, they have also long respected people with unique traits and superior achievements. Hinsch traces how emperors, scholars, poets, and merchants all used tea connoisseurship to publicly demonstrate superior discernment, gaining admiration by displaying individuality. Acknowledging central differences with Western norms, Hinsch shows how personal distinction nevertheless constitutes an important aspect of Chinese society. By linking tea to individualism, his deeply researched book makes an original and influential contribution to the history of Chinese culture.
 
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