Circa 733-804
Author And Authority On Tea

Foundling. According to legend Lu Yu was born in Hunan province in southeastern China during the Tang dynasty (618-907) and was left as an infant to be raised by the Zen Buddhist monk ji-ji of the Dragon Cloud Monastery. As a child he worked around the monastery at menial chores, including preparing tea for his elders, but later he chose not to join the priesthood (although some scholars believe he actually served a period as a monk). When he was old enough to leave the grounds, he took to the road as a traveling storyteller and clown. Thirsty for more knowledge, and with the help of a benevolent patron, Yu obtained access to Chinese books and mastered them.

Tea Specialist. Tea merchants, eager for someone to compile information about the cultivation and use of tea, selected Yu to write...