Zhushan Mountain and Lu Yu’s Tomb

　　Zhushan Mountain is located in Miaoxi Township, southwest of the ancient city of Huzhou. The mountain got its name because King Zhu of the Xia Dynasty once visited here during an inspection tour. During the Jin Dynasty, it was a renowned scenic spot in Wuxing Commandery. Zhushan Mountain is also known as Baoji Mountain, named after the Baoji Temple that once stood on the southern side of the mountain—the mountain took its name from the temple. Baoji Temple was the Miaoxi Temple of the Liang Dynasty. The abbot of Miaoxi Temple was Jiao Ran (courtesy name Qingzhou, from Changxing). In the seventh year of the Dali era of the Tang Dynasty, Yan Zhenqing served as the Prefect of Huzhou. Since both Lu Yu and Jiao Ran were Yan Zhenqing’s poetic friends and close companions, Yan Zhenqing, Lu Yu, Jiao Ran, and others often gathered on Zhushan Mountain for literary salons.

　　On the twenty-first day of the tenth month in the eighth year of the Dali era of the Tang Dynasty (773), Yan Zhenqing built the “Sangui Pavilion” for Lu Yu. The pavilion was named “Sangui” because it was constructed on a day with the cyclical characters gui (癸) for the year (year of Gui Chou), the month (month of Gui Mao), and the day (day of Gui Hai).

　　In the seventh year of the Dali era of the Tang Dynasty (772), the famous calligrapher Yan Zhenqing served as the Prefect of Huzhou. He held Lu Yu in high esteem, invited him and many other literati to gather on Zhushan Mountain, and asked him to participate in the compilation of the Yunhai Jingyuan.

　　Lu Yu lived in Huzhou for over thirty years, making it his second hometown. During this time, he traveled to eastern Zhejiang, southern Jiangsu, and northeastern Jiangxi to engage in tea-related activities, but he primarily conducted tea research and wrote The Classic of Tea in Huzhou.

　　During his thirty years in Huzhou, Lu Yu devoted his life to writing the world’s first monograph on tea research—The Classic of Tea. The book provides a comprehensive discussion on the characteristics, uses, grades, origins, water quality, harvesting, processing, and brewing methods of tea.

　　The entire book consists of three volumes and ten chapters, spanning just over seven thousand words. Despite undergoing three major revisions, it was finally completed as this timeless masterpiece. Lu Yu’s contributions to tea studies gained worldwide recognition, and he is revered by later generations as the “Tea Sage.”

　　Lu Yu passed away in Huzhou in the twentieth year of the Zhenyuan era of Emperor Dezong of the Tang Dynasty (804) at the age of seventy-one and was buried on Zhushan Mountain. His tomb remains there to this day.

　　

　　Lu Yu (733~894)　　Lu Yu (733–804) was a native of Jingling in Fuzhou (present-day Tianmen City, Hubei Province) during the Tang Dynasty. His courtesy name was Hongjian, and he was also known as Ji or Qici, with the pseudonyms Jinglingzi, Sangzhuweng, and Donggangzi. He was a lifelong tea enthusiast, an expert in the art of tea, skilled in poetry and calligraphy, and became world-renowned for authoring the world’s first monograph on tea—The Classic of Tea, leaving a lasting legacy. Lu Yu’s life was filled with hardship and legend. According to the Tianmen County Annals, Shangrao County Annals, and Lu Yu’s autobiography, he was born around the twenty-first year of the Kaiyuan era during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty (733). As a child, he was abandoned under a small stone bridge in Jingling, Tianmen. At the time, the abbot of Longgai Temple in Jingling, Zhi... More+

　　Zhu 　　Zhu reigned for 17 years. Zhu, the son of Shaokang. He participated in the war led by his father to restore the Xia Dynasty and achieved many military accomplishments. He invented armor and spears and launched extensive campaigns against the Dongyi tribes, achieving victory. Zhu, also known as Jizhu, was a ruler of the Xia Dynasty. His birth and death dates are unknown. He was the son of Shaokang and ascended the throne after Shaokang’s death from illness. He reigned for 17 years, died of illness, and was buried near Anyi. Zhu was shrewd and capable, having assisted his father Shaokang in defeating the power of the Han clan and reviving the Xia Dynasty. During his reign, he invented armor made from animal hides, which shielded soldiers from enemy stone blades and arrows, significantly enhancing combat effectiveness. He continued to fight with various Dongyi tribes, advancing all the way to... More+