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Ms. Yuemu’s tea is not a matter of simple blending. Rather, it is rooted in tradition and strives to recreate the essence of traditional Chinese beverages. While evoking a sense of nostalgia, it does not cling to the past. With tea as the mainstay and flowers and fruits as its branches and leaves, it delves deeply into the infinite possibilities of blending different botanicals with tea. This philosophy of “reviving tradition without being confined by it” not only achieves an ultimate restoration of flavor but also creates a synergy where “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”—conveying the spiritual core of Chinese culture through the essence of botanicals, while continuously exploring the modernization and internationalization of Chinese tea, thus taking a solid step forward for Chinese tea culture.

This relentless pursuit of the aesthetics of taste also permeates the creation of this book. The Chinese edition took two years to complete, undergoing nearly ten rounds of revisions, with every word and phrase meticulously refined. In terms of binding and form, the book has achieved a significant breakthrough. It is designed by Zhou Weiwei, a recipient of the “China’s Most Beautiful Books” award, who broke new ground by shaping the book like a tea brick, giving it an aura distinctly different from ordinary tea culture books. Thanks to this ingenious design, the book won the “2024 China’s Most Beautiful Books” award and was shortlisted for the London D&AD Design Awards the same year.

At international book fairs, the Chinese edition, with its unique tea-brick design and profound content, won the admiration of many publishers and readers. It was this enthusiastic response that led to the publication of the English edition. The English edition retains all the design details of the Chinese edition, down to the exact placement of page numbers. The goal is to bring the unique aesthetics and deep philosophy of Chinese tea culture to a global audience—to let the world “see” the aesthetic form of Chinese tea and “understand” the spiritual core behind it. The author also hopes to share with readers the hardships and beauty of this journey, using the essence of botanicals to soothe restless minds, and to connect and blend plants with life itself.

This is not merely a book about tea; it is also a field journal that delves deeply into the local customs and landscapes of China’s botanical origins. Featuring 26 taste-seeking stories, 26 exquisite essays, and nearly 50 intertwined flavors, the author guides readers on a wondrous journey of taste aesthetics through poetic interpretations of Chinese tea and prose filled with wisdom and the delights of everyday life.

Following a chronological thread, the book recounts the process of recreating the flavors of more than 40 drinkable Chinese plants—from tracing their origins and carefully selecting raw materials, to meticulous crafting,innovative techniques,and the remarkable people and extraordinary encounters along the way.The author not only restores the most authentic flavors of these native plants but also explores and presents the profound cultural meanings and emotional experiences behind each taste from a unique feminine perspective.

The book chronicles the origins, evolution, and stories behind these innovative beverages,allowing readers to naturally understand the development of traditional Chinese drinks,grasp the essence of the Eastern taste system，and appreciate the beauty,harmony, and charm of Chinese plants in sight, sound, and flavor.In doing so, readers gain a deeper insight into the core spirit of traditional Chinese culture.

The work also reflects on the relationship between humanity,plants,land,and nature.The author journeys across the land with her feet,creates beauty with her hands,and soothes restless hearts with her words. For readers living in the concrete jungle, turning these pages is like embarking on a healing journey through scent. For lovers of traditional Chinese tea, this book reveals the distinctive,contemporary side of modern Chinese beverages.

About the Author

Yuemu (legal name: Wang Zhe) is an initiator of Flavor Art. She has contributed to the development of aesthetic education curricula at Beijing Institute of Technology and was invited by the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences to lecture on “Chinese Tea Culture and Communication Studies.” As a long-time lecturer at Capital Library of China, she has received high praise from audiences. In recent years, she has served as a special guest of Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center and has been promoting Flavor Art and unveiling related installation artworks. Besides hosting nearly a hundred tea gatherings, scholarly gatherings and art salons, she has also frequently participated in cultural exchange activities at home and abroad.