 Tea in Korean Buddhism was first introduced in the sixth or seventh century, likely by Buddhist monks who had returned from China. There are early reports of tea in Samguk-yusa and Samguk-sagi, which are famous ancient Korean history books. Reports noted that Queen Seondeok of Silla (ruled 632-47) drank tea and King Munmu, in 661, ordered tea.
During the Goryeo Dynasty, between the tenth and thirteenth centuries, tea was offered not only in the ancestral ceremonies but also Buddhist ceremonies. One such Buddhist ceremony was known as Hon-ta, in which green tea leaves were offered in front of Buddha statues in the temples. The tea culture was closely related with Buddhism, but when Confucianism became the dominant philosophy at the end of the fourteenth century, both consumption and ceremonial use of tea was prohibited.
During the Joseon Dynasty there is little evidence of tea culture surviving in Korea, until the great restorer of tea culture in Korea came along, a young Buddhist monk known as Cho Ui (1786-1866). In 1836, Cho Ui stayed at the Iljiam hermitage above Daehungsa temple near Haenam in the far south of Korea; it was here that he composed a great poem celebrating a tea known as Dongdasong. Unlike the Japanese tea ceremonies, Korean tea etiquette focuses on remaining natural while partaking. Korean style preparation of green tea requires a tea set consisting of three or five cups as needed. In a tea set there is a Korean tea pot, which is little larger than Chinese ones, and a smaller bowl for cooling the hot water with a lip for pouring. |
Korean Buddhism also has a long and storied history on the topic of food, as well as a distinguished view on its role and value. Buddhist scriptures indicate that practitioners should take the minimum amount of food for maintaining a meditative life, and the food must be made of clean materials. |
Korean Buddhism developed a unique concept on how food should be prepared, developing five precepts - the first forbidding harm to animals. In order to keep this precept Korean temples do not use animal products or even oils, but only use vegetables. Among vegetables strong stimulants such as garlic, green onion, scallions and wide rocambole (a type of garlic) are avoided. It is because these kinds of vegetables make one’s mind stimulated. |
Korean temple food consists of various delicacies made of mountain vegetables, seasoned with seaweed, and simmered in soy sauce. Temple food is well-balanced nutritionally due to the inclusion of perilla oil, a healthy substitute for animal fat, and tofu and soy beans, both rich in protein. Such a diet is useful for the prevention of geriatric diseases. | |