Brother Anthony of Taize and Hong Kyeong-Hee, co-authors of the book The Korean Way of Tea, are helping to plan and will participate in the tea portion of this tour. Brother Anthony will introduce the tour in Seoul and join us when we enter the tea area of Jirisan. This mountain is famous as the area that produces the “best tea in Korea”. It is here where tea was first planted in Korea. Br. Anthony will take us to the quiet temple of Hwaomsa, famous for its ancient wild tea. There you will experience temple life or if unable may choose to rest at a nearby hotel. The following morning, you will be guided by Br. Anthony and the Venerable Duk Chae, through the experience of picking and processing your own Korean green tea.
The tea portion of the tour will allow you to witness several tea plantations in Hwagae Valley and other tea producing areas including Bosong and Gangjin. Gangjin is famous for its celadon. But it is not celadon that makes Gangjin an historic stop for Korean tea connoisseurs. It was the home of Cho-ui Korea’s great historic tea monk and for producing some remarkable tea.
After an introduction by Brother Anthony in Seoul, the tour will travel to the International Mungyeong Tea Bowl Festival where you will see the work of international and local tea ware artists. Mungyeong has a thousand year history of producing tea ware. It is home to ceramic Human Cultural Treasures and other amazing tea ware artists.
We have more than 40 years of Korean ceramic research experience and have selected some of Korea’s more interesting tea ware artists. They include a potter considered by some Japanese and Korean authorities to produce the finest teabowls in Asia. You will visit Human Cultural treasures of various ceramic styles and a humble potter whose raw clay home sits high in the mountains near Gyeongju.
Our research into Korean tea is less long which is why we have asked the support of Brother Anthony and other Korean tea connoisseurs such as David Mason who has also written extensively on tea and Korea’s mountain spirits. Their suggestions, the help of other connoisseurs and our own research have uncovered an amazing group of artisan tea producers. Among them is an artisan tea producer and tea master near Gangjin who lives near and is associated with a beautiful hermitage hosted by only female monks. She produces green tea, balhyocha, (yellow tea) and the rare ddokcha (cake tea). A spiritual moment awaits at this stop.
Our hope is that on this tour, with guests including other tea connoisseurs, tea ware artists and others, you experience at least one moment when you will not only witness the Korean way of tea but will feel it deeply. “To read is to know, to experience is to understand.”
To reserve your spot on this unprecedented tour, without obligation, and to learn more about the experiences that await you on Tea Tour Korea please register. Space is limited for this remarkable journey and it will be a small group tour.
While we do not yet know the price of this tour, all Morning Earth tours are priced below other Korean tours of similar length. The goal of Morning Earth is simply to introduce you to the richness and depth of Korean arts and culture. Touch the heart of Korea.
