Bring the past alive

This visitor of the Lin Mansion in Banciao (New Taipei city) chose the perfect dress to visit this late Qing dynasty house and gardens! Instead of simply sightseeing this place, she's reenacting how a Chinese lady might have spent a morning there!

 Her experience of the Lin gardens is completely different than most who come in a modern dress.

And the way she let me take her picture shows that she's really enjoying her time here!

Actually, I was there doing something very similar. I didn't dress Chinese, but I was brewing tea in the old, traditional way. This is also bringing old wares, ancient traditions and aged leaves alive!

 My tea was the 2001 Xiaguan mellon shu puerh. I kept it in a late Ming dynasty jar and brewed it in a late Qing zisha teapot.

These wares seem to be part of this place lost in time. It's an oasis of beauty. But this beauty is not preserved under glass (like paintings in a museum). It's beauty you can play with, where you can become an actor!

Great tea ware is meant to be used, not just sit in a closet. And delicious teas are meant to be enjoyed.

And shared!

That's the least I could do to thank her for posing for my blog.

She told me that she doesn't drink coffee. But when I explained that the dark brew is actually shu puerh tea, she gladly tasted it.

And enjoyed it!

Well, it was a perfect experience for her. She brought the past alive with her dress, her poses, the aged tea she tasted next to the pond of lilies! I'm so glad that I could capture and share these moments on my blog. I hope they will inspire you to also bring the beautiful past alive next time you have tea or visit a historical place!

Michel François celadon cup