Records of Dasan Jeong Yak-yong and his caked tea

Included in Yi Gyu-gyeong (李圭景, 1788 - ?)’s anthology O-ju-yeon-mun-jang-jeon-san-go (五洲衍文長箋散稿) is Do-cha-byeon-jeung-seol (荼茶辨證說) where he writes:
Nowadays, when it comes to famous kinds of tea, what is called Jukno-cha (竹露茶) grows among the bamboo groves of Yeongnam, the tea that grows on the hill behind the Gwana at Milyang is called Milseong-cha (密城茶). In Gangjin, tea grows at Manbul-sa (萬佛寺). When Dasan Jeong Yak-yong was exiled in Gangjin, he used to steam then dry tea over a fire, form it into lumps and make little cakes, which he called Manbul-cha (萬佛茶). I have heard nothing more. Our country’s people only drink tea to cure indigestion.
今茶之爲名者, 出於嶺南竹田, 名以竹 露茶. 出於密陽府衙後山麓産茶, 名密城茶. 嶠南康津縣, 有萬佛寺出茶. 丁茶山鏞謫居時, 敎以蒸焙爲團, 作小餠子, 名萬佛茶而已. 他無所聞. 東人之飮茶, 欲消滯也”
 

Included in Yi Yu-won (李裕元, 1814 - 1888)’s Im-ha-pil-gi (林下筆記) is Ho-nam-sa-jong (湖南四種) where he writes:
Yeolsu Jeong Yak-yong obtained some Jukjeon-cha (竹田茶) from Borim-sa temple. He taught the temple’s monks the “nine steamings nine beatings” method of making tea. The quality was not inferior to Puerh tea. The buds picked before Gogu are most highly prized, the tea can rightly be called Ujeon-cha (雨前茶).
康津寶林寺竹田茶, 丁洌水若鏞得之. 敎寺僧以九蒸九曝之法. 其品不下普洱茶. 而穀雨前所採尤貴. 謂之以雨前茶可也


In a volume of writings by Yi Yu-won titled Ga-o go-rak (嘉梧藁略) there is a long poem “Jukno-cha” (竹露茶) (bamboo dew tea) about the tea made at Borim-sa temple following the method taught by Dasan.
 
 
普林寺在康津縣 보림사는 강진 고을 자리 잡고 있으니
Borim-sa temple is within Gangjin township
縣屬湖南貢楛箭 호남 속한 고을이라 싸릿대가 공물일세.
Since this is part of Honam, a lot of bush-clover grows there.
寺傍有田田有竹 절 옆에는 밭이 있고 밭에는 대가 있어
Beside the temple is a meadow and in the meadow bamboo grows
竹間生草露華濺 대숲 사이 차가 자라 이슬에 젖는다오.
Between the bamboo stems tea grows, watered by dew.
世人眼眵尋常視 세상 사람 안목 없어 심드렁이 보는지라
Ordinary folk with no discernment think it is useless stuff
年年春到任蒨蒨 해마다 봄이 오면 제멋대로 우거지네.
Every year when spring comes it sprouts thickly.
何來博物丁洌水 어쩌다 온 해박한 정열수(丁洌水) 선생께서
Learned Master Jeong from the Han River happened to visit
敎他寺僧芽針選 절 중에게 가르쳐서 바늘 싹을 골랐다네.
and taught the monks in the temple to select needle-like buds.
千莖種種交織髮 천 가닥 가지마다 머리카락 엇 짜인듯
A thousand tips, all knotted together like hair,
一掬團團縈細線 한 줌 쥐면 웅큼마다 가는 줄이 엉켰구나.
if you pick up a handful all the fine stalks are matted together.

蒸九曝九按古法 구증구포 옛 법 따라 안배하여 법제하니
They make it applying the ancient method of 9 steamings 9 beatings
銅甑竹篩替相碾 구리 시루 대소쿠리 번갈아서 방아 찧네.
Using a copper steamer and bamboo baskets they alternately pound and steam it.
天竺佛尊肉九淨 천축국 부처님은 아홉 번 정히 몸 씻었고
In ancient India, the Buddha washed nine times,
天台仙姑丹九煉 천태산 마고선녀 아홉 번 단약을 단련했지.
The fairy Ma Gu in Tiantai Mountain tempered cinnabar medicine 9 times.
筐之筥之籤紙貼 대오리 소쿠리에 종이 표지 붙이니
In baskets made of bamboo strips they stick paper covers.
雨前標題殊品擅 ‘우전(雨前)’이란 표제에다 품질조차 으뜸일세.
Not only is it called ‘Ujeon’, the quality is of the highest.
將軍戟門王孫家 장군의 창 세운 문, 왕손의 집안에서
At the door marked by the general’s spear, in princes’ homes,
異香繽紛凝寢讌 기이한 향 어지러이 잔치 자리 엉긴 듯 해.
a wonderful perfume seems to dizzily fill the festive place.
誰說丁翁洗其髓 뉘 말했나 정옹(丁翁)이 골수를 씻어냄을
Someone said that for old Jeong (Yak-yong) the only way to purge the bone-marrow
但見竹露山寺薦 산사에서 죽로차를 바치는 것 다만 보네.
was to offer bamboo-dew tea in a temple.
湖南希寶稱四種 호남 땅 귀한 보물 네 종류를 일컫나니
He named four rare treasures in the Honam region
阮髥識鑑當世彦 완당 노인 감식안은 당세에 으뜸일세.
Wandang (Kim Jeong-hui)’s discernment was the finest in our age.
 

海橽耽䔉檳樃葉 해남 생달(栍橽), 제주 수선(水仙), 빈랑(檳榔) 잎 황차(黃茶)러니
Haenam’s cinnamon trees, Jeju’s narcissus, betel palms, and yellow tea.
與之相埓無貴賤 더불어 서로 겨뤄 귀천을 못 가르리.
Competing with one another, none could excel the rest.
草衣上人齎以送 초의 스님 가져와서 선물로 드리니
The Ven. Cho-ui brought tea (to Seoul) and made gifts of it;
山房緘字尊養硯 산방에서 봉한 편지 양연(養硯) 댁에 놓였었지.
one pack sealed in his moutain hut reached Yangyeon’s house.
我曾眇少從老長 내 일찍이 어려서 어른들을 좇을 적에
In early days when I was a child, subject to adults,
波分一椀意眷眷 은혜로이 한잔 마셔 마음이 애틋했네.
if I was kindly allowed to drink one cup, my heart was touched.
後遊完山求不得 훗날 전주 놀러가서 구해도 얻지 못해
In later years, when I tried to find some tea on a visit to Jeonju, I could not.
幾載林下留餘戀 여러 해를 임하(林下)에서 남은 미련 있었다네.
For several years, without any official position, I still felt affection for it.
鏡釋忽投一包裹 고경(古鏡) 스님 홀연히 차 한 봉지 던져주니
Then suddenly the Ven. Gogyeong gave me a packet.
圓非蔗餹餠非茜 둥글지만 엿 아니요, 떡인데도 붉지 않네.
It was round but it was not taffy; it was ttok but it was not red,
貫之以索疊而疊 끈에다 이를 꿰어 꾸러미로 포개니
a pile of cakes, threaded together on a string,
纍纍薄薄百十片 주렁주렁 달린 것이 일백 열 조각일세.
clustered together, some 110 cakes.
岸幘褰袖快開函 두건 벗고 소매 걷어 서둘러 함을 열자
Removing my headband, I rolled up my sleeves and quickly opened the box
床前散落曾所眄 상 앞에 흩어진 것 예전 본 그것일세.
There in front of me were the same things I had seen before.
石鼎撑煮新汲水 돌솥에 끓이려고 새로 물을 길어오고
I drew fresh water to boil in a stone pot,
立命童竪促火扇 더벅머리 아이 시켜 불 부채를 재촉했지.
I urged the shaggy-haired boy to keep fanning the fire.
百沸千沸蟹眼湧 백 번 천 번 끊고 나자 해안(蟹眼)이 솟구치고
After a hundred, a thousand times, crabs-eyes come bursting,
一點二點雀舌揀 한 점 두 점 작설(雀舌)이 풀어져 보이누나.
then one or two sparrows’ tongues appear and melt away.
胸膈淸爽齒根甘 막힌 가슴 뻥 뚫리고 잇뿌리가 달콤하니
My compressed breast opens wide, the roots of my teeth taste sweet.
知心友人恨不遍 마음 아는 벗님네가 많지 않음 안타깝다.
What a pity that I have so few friends who know my heart.


山谷詩送坡老歸 황산곡(黃山谷)은 차시(茶詩) 지어 동파 노인 전송하니
Huang Tingjian (1045–1105) wrote a tea-poem and sent it to old Su Shi (Su Dongpo)
未聞普茶一盞餞 보림사 한잔 차로 전별했단 말 못 들었네.
but I never heard that he offered a farewell party with Borim-sa tea.
鴻漸經爲瓷人沽 육우(陸羽)의 『다경(茶經)』은 도공(陶公)이 팔았으나
Tao Gong devoted himself to Lu Yu’s Classic of Tea
未聞普茶參入撰 보림사 차를 넣어 시 지었단 말 못 들었네.
but I never heard that he wrote a poem celebrating Borim-sa’s tea.
瀋肆普茶價最高 심양 시장 보이차(普洱茶)는 그 값이 가장 비싸
It is as costly as puerh tea at Shenyang market
一封換取一疋絹 한 봉지에 비단 한 필 맞바꿔야 산다 하지.
you would have to exhange a roll of silk for one pack of it.
薊北酪漿魚汁腴 계주(薊州) 북쪽 낙장(酪漿)과 기름진 어즙(魚汁)은
The “buttermilk” from north of Jizhou, and thick “fish stew”
呼茗爲奴俱供膳 차를 일러 종을 삼고 함께 차려 권한다네.
are names used to praise tea (in China)
最是海左普林寺 가장 좋긴 우리나라 전라도의 보림사니
the best of all is Borim-sa in Korea’s Jeolla province,
雲脚不憂聚乳面 운각(雲脚)에 유면(乳面)이 모여듦 걱정 없네.
no need to worry if Ungak and Yumyeon teas come flocking
除煩去膩世固不可無 번열(煩熱)과 기름기 없애 세상에 꼭 필요하니
removing fevers and grease, the world needs it.
我産自足彼不羨 보림차면 충분하여 보이차가 안 부럽다.
Borim-sa tea is so satisfactory that it has nothing to envy Puerh tea.


Useon Yi Sang-jeok (藕船 李尙迪, 1803 - 1865) was the teacher of Chusa Kim Jeong-hui (秋史 金正喜) and in his Eun-song-dang-jip (恩誦堂集) there is a poem “Song of the Baeksan tea Bak Gyeong-no gave me” 白山茶歌, 謝朴景路 (the tea in question comes from Baektu-san on the Chinese frontier, it was obviously made of some other kind of plant, not our tea. It has a long history in Korea)

我曾九泊燕河槎 내 중국으로 아홉 번 사신을 갔기에
I went nine times as an envoy to China
嘗盡天下有名茶 천하에 이름난 차는 모두 맛을 보았지
I have tasted all the famous teas that exist
十二街頭茶博士 열두 거리에 차 박사들 넘쳐나니
the streets were full of tea experts
賣茶多於賣漿家 음료 파는 가게보다 차 가게가 더 많다네
there were more tea stores than stores selling other beverages
歸臥敝盧談龍肉 집에 돌아와 누워 용육(龍肉)을 말하며
Back home now, I lie talking of dragon meat,
手把茶經空咨嗟 손에 『다경』(茶經)을 잡고 입맛만 다실 뿐,
holding Lu Yu’s Tea Classic I merely smack my lips,
湖僧竹露出新製 호남 스님이 새로 만든 죽로차(竹露茶)가 나왔다고
I hear that a newly made tea, Jukno-cha, has appeared made by a monk in Honam
時人往往如嗜痂 지금 사람들이 때때로 별미로 여기지.
and now people reckon it to be a great delicacy.
秪應所貴吾鄕物 우리나라 차들을 귀하게 여겨야 옳겠지만
Of course, it is only right that people should think highly of our own country’s tea
終始香味澁齒牙 끝내 맛과 향이 껄끄럽네.
but ultimately the taste and fragrance are coarse.
不咸一綱感君惠 불함산 차를 한 망태기를 그대가 보내 줌에 감사하니
I am grateful for the bag of Bulham-san (Baektu-san) tea you sent me
天寒肺病當三椏 찬 날씨 폐병에는 산삼만큼 버금가네.
it’s almost as good as wild ginseng against lung disease in cold weather.
誰知此土乃有此 우리 땅에도 이런 차가 있는 줄을 뉘라 알리
Who realized that there was such tea here in our country?
譬如人才出荒遐 비기자면 인재가 벽촌에서 난 것과 같네
The skill can be compared to that of people in mountain villages.
但恨誰得中泠水 다만 중령(中泠)의 샘물을 얻기야 어렵지만
Hard it is to obtain water from Zhongleng Spring.
無勞遠購武夷芽 굳이 멀리 무이차를 사올 필요 전혀 없네
But there is no need to purchase far-away Wuyi tea.
君不見 그대 보지 못했나
Did you not see?
江南御茶不入貢 강남의 어차(御茶)를 공물로 못 바치자
Once the yea from Jiangnan were no longer offered in tribute
旗槍埋沒隨蟲沙 잎과 가지가 매몰되어 쓸모없이 되었음을
leaves and stems becamse useless and were rejected
又不見 또 보지 못했나
and did you not see?
泊汋年年通百貨 박작(泊汋)에서 해마다 온갖 재화가 무역되는데
Every year all kinds of produce are traded at Bakjak Fortress (frontier with China)
今秋無箇水仙花 올 가을에 수선화가 하나도 없던 것을
this year that was not a single narcissus
茶話故人散如雨 다화도(茶話圖)그린 벗은 비처럼 흩어지고
friends who used to sit drinking tea and talking have scattered like rain
烽烟已入天津涯 봉화 연기는 어느새 천진(天津) 물가 이르렀네
The smoke from signal beacons suddenly rises beside the water at Tianjin.
何幸吾生享多福 무슨 행운으로 나의 생은 많은 복을 누리는지
I wonder how I am so fortunate and enjoy many blessings.
煎茶覓句送年華 차 달이고 시 지으며 세월을 보내노라
I spend my time preparing tea and writing poems.