Chinese Tea and Art: Exploring the Connection With Xiaokun Song
In this 4-part seminar, we'll trace the centuries-long connection between tea and art in China, culminating in a celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Course Description
In China, tea has long been a part of the art world; it’s been the subject of iconic paintings, a recurring motif within poetry, and a ceremony in its own rite. In this course led by Dr. Xiaokun Song, students will explore the connection between Chinese art and tea—one in which tea has been a subject and also a shaping force of several artistic mediums. We’ll begin with a session dedicated to the six main types of Chinese tea, exploring their characteristics and tracing drinking habits over time. We’ll then move through representations of tea from the Tang Dynasty onward, looking at depictions of tea in paintings and expressions in calligraphy from various artists, genres, and periods of time. We’ll examine how tea has directly shaped pottery and learn about Chinese aesthetics, and, during our final class together, move through a traditional tea ceremony and celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival together over moon cakes and tea. By the end of this course, you’ll not only have a better understanding of Chinese teas, but also the cultural and artistic context they’ve been steeped in.
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Syllabus at a Glance
There are four total sessions included in this purchase, each lasting for 1.5 hours on four consecutive Thursdays beginning September 7.
Session 1 (Thursday, 9/7, 7:30–9 PM ET)| Get to Know China’s Six Main Tea Types: Green, white, yellow, oolong, black, and dark
Session 2 (Thursday, 9/14, 7:30–9 PM ET)| The Visuals of Tea: Representations in art and calligraphy spanning genres and dynasties
Session 3 (Thursday, 9/21, 7:30–9 PM ET)| The Shape of Tea: How pottery and ceramics shape tea, and have been shaped by tea
Session 4 (Thursday, 9/28, 7:30–9 PM ET)| Mid-Autumn Festival: Celebration and what distinguishes Chinese tea ceremonies
Between Sessions
Outside of class, students will be assigned readings and short videos (30–60 minutes per week) to watch in preparation for the upcoming session.
Course Materials
While there are no required materials, students will be encouraged to bring a moon cake and cup of tea to our Mid-Autumn Festival celebration held during the last class.
Pricing Options
In addition to full-price tickets, a limited number of no-pay spots are available for this course. Please note that these tickets are reserved for those who would not otherwise be able to take this course and who expect to attend all sessions. No-pay spots are distributed via a randomized drawing two weeks before each course begins. For more information and to apply for a no-pay spot, please click here. To learn more about our pricing model and randomized selection process for no-pay spots, please visit our FAQ page.
Community Guidelines for Students
Please take a moment to review our community guidelines for students, which aim to share our classroom ethos and help set the stage for the best possible learning experience.
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Once registered, you’ll receive a confirmation email from Eventbrite that will provide access to each class meeting. Please save the confirmation email as you’ll use it to access all sessions of your course via Zoom.
Born and raised in China, Xiaokun eventually traveled to Europe where she received a Masters in Art History and a doctorate in Chinese Studies. Education abroad opened her eyes to the misconceptions and barriers to understanding that many outsiders face when exploring her home country. Shortly after returning home, she founded Sourcians to open China up to the curious and adventure-hungry. Using her deep knowledge and extensive connections, Xiaokun provides meaningful experiences that inspire and awe. Her fascination for cultures has led her to use travel as a means to explore them all—from food and art to places and communities, Xiaokun’s trips are all designed with people and learning in mind.
This is an interactive, small-group seminar that meets over Zoom. Students may be encouraged to participate in discussions, work on assignments outside of class, and workshop projects with their instructor or classmates. Due to the interactive nature of this course, we strongly recommend students attend as many live sessions as possible. Within 72 hours after each session meets, students will receive access to a recording of the live session, which they can watch for up to two weeks after the course concludes.
We provide closed captioning for all of our courses and can share transcripts upon request. Please reach out to us at experiences@atlasobscura.com if you have any questions, requests, or accessibility needs.
There are 25 spots available on this experience.
