Study on Dae Cha and Noewon Cha

Abstract

This study compared and analyzed the records of Dae Cha and Noewon Cha in Korean and Chinese historical records. This analysis showed that these two types of tea should be approached from an East Asian perspective, breaking the notion that had been recognized as unique domestic teas of Goryeo. In addition, Dae Cha and Noewon Cha are good research topics for understanding the negotiations of East Asian tea culture in the 10th century. An analysis of the records of the two countries suggested that Dae Cha was produced and used for 139 years from 909 to 1047 in the Wuyue, Min, and Goryeo dynasties. Noewon Cha may have existed throughout the Silla, Wuyue, and Goryeo Dynasties for 132 years, from 916 to 1047. Through this study, Dae Cha was produced in Muzhou, Zhejiang Province. Hence, the possibility that Noewon Cha could be Shilla's tea could be explored. In this paper, the Shilla theory, the Wuyue theory, and the Goryeo theory were raised in relation to the origin of Noewon Cha. In this study, some issues that need to be identified through future research have emerged. These include the problem with the name of Noewon Cha, which is marked differently in the records of the two countries, the problem of the production area of Noewon Cha, and the tea culture negotiation relationship between the countries that existed in the Korean Peninsula and the Chinese mainland in the 10th century. This study is expected to enrich the discourse of Dae Cha and Noewon Cha and give new vitality to research in this field.