(Tea Traveller’s enigmatic tale.)

When Bodhidharma arrived at the Shaolin Monastery, he found the monks in a pitiful state. They spent their days in deep meditation, but their bodies were frail, their backs hunched, and their energy depleted. Many of them would fall asleep during long meditation sessions, their heads nodding like organic tea leaves clinging to a branch before falling.

The monks begged Bodhidharma for guidance, hoping he would share a secret technique to strengthen their minds and bodies.

Bodhidharma watched them in silence for several days. Finally, one morning, as mist curled around the monastery like an ancient dragon, he gathered them in the courtyard. He had them sit in a circle and placed a large teaware set with a pot of boiling tea at the center.

— Before the mind can soar, the body must be unchained, he said, rolling up his sleeves.

Then, before the astonished monks, he began to move—not randomly, but in a series of precise, flowing movements, mirroring the way leaves sway in the wind or how water cuts through stone. His arms spiraled like the motion of steam rising from the luxury tea, his feet struck the ground with controlled power, like the steady drip of tea into an empty cup.

— This is tea. This is breath. This is movement, Bodhidharma intoned.

The monks watched in awe. At first, it seemed like a ritual, an elegant dance of meditation. But as Bodhidharma moved faster, they saw something more—this was a form of combat, a way to channel energy, to strike like thunder yet remain as calm as a still pond.

— Strong tea needs strong hands to brew it, he said. A strong mind needs a strong body to hold it. Without balance, both turn bitter.

Inspired, the monks began to imitate him. Over time, they refined his movements into a structured system, integrating it with their Buddhist philosophy. What began as a set of exercises to strengthen their meditation practice evolved into something greater: the foundation of Shaolin Kung Fu.

Years later, warriors and scholars alike would marvel at how Shaolin monks could defeat armored soldiers with their bare hands. But those who knew the true history would say:

— It all began with a cup of tea and a man who refused to blink.

And in time, as tea became a gift passed from master to student, the tradition flourished beyond the monastery walls. Through the monks’ tea reached distant lands, turning into an annual tea subscription for those seeking clarity and discipline.

Even emperors and nobles sought the wisdom of Shaolin, presenting tea gifts of rare tea ware & accessories, hoping to gain insight into the monks’ strength. But Bodhidharma’s lesson remained the same:

— Tea and movement are one. Balance them well, and you will never be empty.

Centuries later, the monks would preserve their knowledge in a sacred tea blog, detailing the hidden connection between tea, discipline, and martial arts. Some say that even today, those who sip from the wisdom can still hear Bodhidharma’s silent teachings in the rising steam.