this is a bbc news. we will have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, just straight off after this programme. these are the straight off after this programm in these are the straight off after this programm in a iese are the straight off after this programm in a province he straight off after this programm in a province in mountings in a province in china. they are such a special, quality. w z; w; z ' fiqruality to , e 7 w fqruality to the z e 7 w fqruality to the the z hushed quality to the the atmosphere of this trail. it is

really, really beautiful. i have come here in search of something is the heart something that is at the heart of chinese culture. i love how something that is at the heart of ( landscape :ure. i love how something that is at the heart of ( landscape encourages |ow something that is at the heart of ( landscape encourages you to the landscape encourages you to use all �* your the landscape encourages you to use all �*your senses. the landscape encourages you to use all �*yoursenses. it use all of your senses. it feels like you're walking to one �* those feels like you're walking to one �*those famous chinese . i am landscape paintings. . iam for a plant that has looking for a plant that has been and harvested here been grown and harvested here for millennia. i have entered zone oflow—lying : zone of low—lying cloud, it feels j 77 itfeels very j 77 it feels very magical. all and it. feels very magicalggllr ~ 7 me, end it. feele very megieelegllr ~ 7 me, of end it. feele very megieelegll 77 7 me, of this around me, all of this issue juice tea, just cascading the ' ' 7 the mountain 7 7 the mountain —— 7 7 the mountain —— all 7 iii; maiéi'nfféfi of down the mountain —— all of around me isjust wild this around me is just wild tea. these are the this around me is just wild tea. the of are the this around me is just wild tea. the of china's are the this around me is just wild tea. the of china's national people have been drink. people have been,.,,, , tea here for more producing tea here for more than 2000 years. you can see

these are the new shoots. whilst the plant has stayed the the way of same, the way of brewing and drinking it has often changed. iam going i am going back in time to so i am going back in time to how chinese society and see how chinese society and culture have shaped and been shaped by the art of tea. i'v e i've returned to china for another fascinating adventure. explore the treasures of to explore the treasures of this extraordinary civilisation. from breathtaking natural landscapes... to ancient cities... along the " "iv/iii be way, i will be meeting remarkable who keep its

remarkeblepeeple whe keep its alive. and will be rich alive. and i will be discovering how thousands of years of culture have forged as country and to do as: as an historian, i so. as an art historian, i believe that to truly understand the secret of a country's so, you need to yourself in j yourselfin art. —— secrets of a country's i'm in eastern china and i'm on my way to meet a monk. my way to meet a buddhist monk. i've been to share with at home, a cup of him at home, a cup of team, made as it would have been

midfieutfifiele page efififl the midfieutfifiele heee heeh the dynasties, during the tongue dynasties, more than 1000 years i more than 1000 years ago. i suspect his technique would just be a little different from jgst be a little different from prepared method— pub in a jgst be a little different from bag wared method— pub in a jgst be a little different from bagiai a. method— pub in a jgst be a little different from bag iai a. is ethod— pub in a jgst be a little different from bagiai a. is thati— pub in a jgst be a little different from bag iai a. is that it pub in a jgst be a little different from bag iai a. is that it was in a iam in iamina like i am in a headmaster�*s office. during tang fifflm heme th= tana ’ culture group dynasties, the culture group rapidly and the adopters rapidly efid'the'eerlyedppters buddhist —— rapidly afid'the'earlyaddplers buddhist —— like this were buddhist —— like this he has revealed to me master. he has revealed to me is spiritual the is spiritual origins. the process by roasting a ca ke bf 77 ca ke bf steamed 77 ca ke bf steamed tea small cake of steamed tea leaves over charcoal. heat

brings out a deeper flavour. aimed a chocolate! it's almost like a chocolate! next, wait for the water to next, we wait for the water to boil. in the tang era, the authority on it this aelhefitvg eh it. this eehela'fg'” ' "'"” " taught that the water should he taught that the water should boil in three stages. salted tea, 0k. .. salted tea, 0k... adding a smaller amount of salt was said to utilise city's business le eliliee sila�*e h9=ih=== ahd ' "

its next, enhance its freshness. next, the teacake is broken up and put into a grinder. this and other utensils are modern versions �*the ones used versions of the ones used during the tang era. the ground served and added to the tea is served and added to the �*s. then and only then, once all the steps have been followed and the third of followed and the third stage of boiling has been reached, the isfready 7 isfready be 7 isfready be served. you??? 1,1? if ié’éi you jvereyee airifii: you very indeed. so so subtle.7 so subtle.rlt's it's so subtle. it's really rare delicate but because it's so subtle. it's really ra everything :ate but because it's so subtle. it's really ra everything that but because it's so subtle. it's really ra everything that but ben done, of everything that you've done, it �*feels pressured. ——

it somehow feels pressured. —— the tang era brewed tea in the tang era brewed tea to clear and focus the mind —— —— the tang era. i too have in the tang era. i too have begun to the light. i feel 77 really 6 77 really calm 77 77 really calm and really, really calm and tranquil. it is true. is it tranquil. !t is trseelsit 777 77 7 obvious? refreshed by my first taste of prepares style, i team prepares chinese style, i ready to travel 1600 am ready to travel 1600 west to a temple to kilometres west to a temple to encounter a set of astonished astonishing and intricate tea treasures. for —related treasures. for centuries, they were forgotten

until in the 1980s, heavy rains until in the 19805. heavy rains this pagoda and damaged this pagoda and archaeologist to inspect. archaeologist came to inspect. it is not difficult to imagine delight, the marvelf inspectors must felt those inspectors must have felt when the torch light was for the first time landing for the first time on tvs silver watch experts nobly have had seen for a thousand have had seenrfer a thadsand this, say some scholars years. this, say some scholars is the oldest tea set in the world. this is a set of utensils and right at of 77 of tea 7 of tea drinking in 7 in china. 7 7 in china. the 7 culture in china. the extraordinary is extraordinary thing is the level of the class in ship. yes, these were practical that were used part pi’ocess process of team of the process of making team each one in its own right basically a yyark at art ==

bas a filly a ytark at art == bas a miniature at art == bas a miniature ytark t == bas a miniature ytark at = bas a miniature ytark at art. i make a miniature work of art. i am former director of am meeting former director of the to out the museum to find out who might have owned such a specialty set. migi is lave owned such a migi is incredible, such a migi is incredible, thati a migi is incredible, that there was this genuine personal ygsatghjsgenuine perspnal. to imagine this connection, to imagine this tang emperor was using these utensils. in line with his teachers, the set includes a cage, grinder, a nil 77 77 and a magnificent salt athis magnificent salt athis one, iificent salt athis one, in cent salt cellar. this one, in particular, ifind it mesmerising it's got ggch rich,declarations. you've these a beast around at the got these a beast around at the top and underneath, these

strange, stumpy, dragging headed fish things. what is the of creatures? combining indian buddhist and local chinese traditions, this motif the flex of the charming motif the flex of the significance of religieus significance ef tea. rellgl are's gnifisanse ef religi are's clear anse ef religi are's clear from >f religi are's clear from the embryo�*s tea set is that this

5 that we often for 6 especially in the west, granted especially in the west. is at once revered —— " w ithisr w this? tea ..7. 1&1an 7. ...7.77 7.7 7. 7.7.7.7 7thing7tha7t77 7 7777 7thing7that7i7s7 7 thing theta; hag.” 7thing7 theta; clear.7it7777 thing that is clear. it is 7 appropriate 777 appropriate because tea totally appropriate because tea is stimulate and at this in china's history, tea point in china's history, tea was associated especially with religion spirituality. ever religion and spirituality. ever since the tang era, tea here in china been a far more than china has been a far more than just a drink. hello. china has been a far more than justa drink. hello. i'm china has been a far more than just a drink. hello. i'm after just a drinkngellcx. l'm after tea, please. what you some tea, please. what you have? this a selection. more have? this is a selectieh. .mere is have? this is a selectieh. n!ere is consumed here any �* country in the 7 �* country in the wars. this 7 mm m moreous. i think i would is gorgeous. i think i would like a cup of white t. —— more

consumed here more than tea is consumed here more than any other country tea is consumed here more than any other coun