Recording the process of using tea leaves to experiment with meditation drawing

After completing a worship ritual, I accidentally knocked over a cup of tea placed on the offering table. Once the liquid had dried, a faint but discernible stain appeared on the surface, subtly tracing the silhouette of the deity’s statue. The emergence of this unintended image was unexpected and quietly striking. Rather than reading it as a miraculous sign, I experienced it as a moment in which material residue, chance, and ritual action intersected. This encounter prompted me to consider tea not only as an offering, but also as a potential medium for drawing.

Tea holds deep cultural significance in Minnan society, as well as within Buddhist and Daoist traditions, where it has long been associated with self-cultivation and spiritual refinement. In Chan Buddhism, the concept of the unity of Zen and tea positions tea drinking as a practice closely aligned with Buddhist understanding. Tea is believed to calm the mind, clarify intention, and support practitioners in their pursuit of inner peace and spiritual insight. Within local folk beliefs, tea has also acquired strong ritual connotations, particularly in religious contexts in Quanzhou. In temples and monasteries, tea trees are often cultivated specifically to support religious activities. Tea functions not only as an offering to deities but also as a medium of spiritual connection, symbolising purity, respect, and devotion within worship practices.

At the same time, the hilly landscape of the Minnan region provides favourable natural conditions for tea cultivation, allowing tea culture to become deeply embedded in everyday life. Over generations, tea drinking has shaped a strong sense of regional cultural identity. In my own family, for instance, tea has always been a part of daily routines. Since my childhood, my father would sit at the tea table each morning and begin our interactions with the familiar question, “Would you like some tea?” This seemingly ordinary gesture served as a small daily ritual, fostering connection while reflecting the quiet integration of tea culture into everyday life.