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The Right Way to Cook
The Right Way to Cook
Zhang Jinghong
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About Book
About Book
【Content Introduction】
Pu'er tea has been cultivated for centuries on Yunnan's "Six Great Tea Mountains," and was exported from the southwest to the world via the ancient Tea-Horse Road. In the 1990s, Pu'er's characteristic of "aging to enhance its fragrance" was rediscovered, making it a favorite among tea drinkers, a popular choice for tasting, and an investment. Its value has skyrocketed. However, in 2007, the Pu'er tea market experienced a period of dramatic ups and downs, reaching a peak before collapsing.
"The Way of Raw and Cooked" traces this phenomenon from beginning to end. By tracking and focusing on the spaces where Pu'er tea is harvested, processed, traded, and consumed, anthropologist Zhang Jinghong vividly depicts the process of Pu'er tea's transformation from a home-made handicraft to a major industry. Throughout this transformation, readers will enter the lives and dramatic conflicts of the people in the Pu'er tea world, and experience their resilience in dealing with multiple forces.
The first English edition of this book was published in 2013 and won the International Conference of Asian Studies (ICAS) Outstanding Book Award in the English Social Sciences for 2013-2015. Over the following decade, the author returned to field sites several times and revised over 60% of the first edition, releasing a brand new Chinese edition in 2024. This book is not only for tea lovers and connoisseurs, but also for readers interested in understanding topics such as the localization of objects, globalization, modernity, and the reinvention of tradition.
【Expert Recommendation】
Recommended by experts: This book, adapted from Zhang Jinghong's doctoral dissertation, explores the cultural value and social significance of Pu'er tea in the midst of modern social change. The author uses "jianghu" (river and lake) as the core concept throughout the book, showcasing the various struggles and competitions within social practice. This struggle and competition of values is a highlight of the book, reflecting the author's meticulous and dedicated field research. The jianghu depicted in the book is filled with diverse "strategies," encompassing rivers and lakes, movement and stillness, new and old. More importantly, it features moving scenes of interpersonal and interpersonal interaction, and even more importantly, of interpersonal and interpersonal interaction with the land. Beyond the clash between the dominance of Menghai and the gentleness of Yiwu, the author immerses us in the tension between the old and the new in Simao and Pu'er. Finally, unlike typical approaches to the construction of place brands, the author's depiction of the relationship between tea, people, and land offers readers a unique and persuasive account of the process of co-creation of place. Returning to Zhuangzi's saying, "It is better to forget each other in the rivers and lakes than to support each other with only our own spite," the author reminds us today to let go of our attachments and embrace the vast world through diverse cultural (anthropological) perspectives.
— Zhang Zhanhong, Professor of Anthropology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Jinghong and I began researching Pu'er tea culture around the same time. Jinghong immersed herself in it, while I conducted some research while passing through Kunming. Jinghong conducted a comprehensive study of the ancient Tea Horse Road, production areas, merchants, trade, and consumption, while I focused on Taiwan and Hong Kong. Jinghong explored the people, events, and objects of the Pu'er tea industry through the lens of the traditional culture of "jianghu," while I used Pu'er tea as a case study in cultural sensory theory. While our starting points differed, we both hoped to break down stereotypes through academic perspectives and present the true face of Pu'er tea. Scholarship is about examining phenomena from diverse perspectives. The most valuable aspect of this book lies in its ability to integrate theories from various anthropological sources of material culture, presenting the complexities of the Pu'er tea market in a relaxed manner. It then connects these phenomena through the local perspective of "jianghu" to form a comprehensive interpretation. If you still believe that Pu'er tea is just hype, I recommend you give this book a careful read.
Yu Shunde, a researcher at the Institute of Ethnology at the Academia Sinica in Taiwan, capitalized on the dawn of the Anthropocene, which has seen a surge in discussions about the relationship between humans and nature. The author of this book, rather than joining the lively lectures, has immersed himself in compiling over twenty years of field research. Drawing on his solid anthropological training, he has produced a work that rivals The Last Matsutake, even surpassing it in its in-depth fieldwork and possessing a uniquely scholarly perspective. Reading this book, I felt my usual visual senses were insufficient; I needed to engage my senses of taste, smell, hearing, and touch. I transcended the boundaries between humans and living things, breaking down the barriers between the humanities and the sciences. From Yunnan to southern Asia, I journeyed through the world of Pu'er tea, embodying a complex interplay of roles: scholar, plant hunter, trader, tea connoisseur, and documentary filmmaker, savoring food as a cultural symbol. The story in the book gave me a feeling: Any material deeply mastered by humans is inevitably tainted by civilization, transformed from a sacred deer into a monster, seeping from the deep mountains and forests into Yubaba's bathhouse, subtly and silently transforming the appetites and perceptions of gourmets, slowly deconstructing this cyberpunk miracle. Human civilization believes it has "matured" the nature of mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas, but it's hard to predict that in some century, perhaps the day after tomorrow, dust will return to dust, earth to earth, cooked rice will become wild rice again, and pressed tea cakes will grow back on branches. Digitalization will re-root in the earth, and the cooked will evolve into the raw again. Comprehending this vision behind the words, I feel no sadness, only relief.
Why, in just a few decades, has Pu'er tea transformed from a local Yunnan specialty into a renowned consumer trend? The author takes a unique approach, using this case study as a case study. Drawing on solid field research and firsthand data, he uses accessible prose to meticulously analyze the process by which this new contemporary myth was constructed, situating it within the socio-historical and cultural context of China's transition. The author discovers that Pu'er tea's sudden rise stems from the complex interaction of diverse and fluid factors, encompassing all aspects of China's social, economic, historical, cultural, and political landscapes. He creatively metaphorically compares the complex context of the times to the "jianghu," framing Pu'er tea as a new, uniquely influential sect within it. The jianghu presents both risks and opportunities, and sects constantly need to consolidate and face challenges. Pu'er tea's temporary popularity and the accompanying ups and downs are a microcosm of the treacherous nature of social history. The value of this book lies in its ability to discern the larger picture through the analysis of an interesting and typical case. Readers can draw inferences from one instance, apply them to other instances, and gain a deeper understanding of the rich connotations and tremendous changes in contemporary Chinese society and culture. For readers interested in tea culture, food anthropology, and contemporary Chinese society, this book will surely be a valuable resource!
--Chang Jinghong, Chair Professor of Southern University of Science and Technology/Beijing Normal University, presents an ethnography that is both remarkably accessible and intellectually grounded, a quality rarely seen in works on Chinese material culture. Like Pu'er tea itself, this book can be appreciated on multiple levels, for both experts and beginners alike. Following the author's narrative, readers will not only learn about Pu'er tea but also explore a vast range of knowledge about people, places, economies, cultures, history, and social change. This eloquent and tightly interwoven narrative reflects the author's methodological ambition to achieve better anthropological research by showing, rather than telling.
—Sun Wanning, Professor of Media and Cultural Studies at the University of Technology Sydney. With over a decade of deep experience in the field of Pu'er tea, observing its evolving dynamics, the author possesses the sensitivity of a journalist and the delicacy and insight of an anthropologist. His contribution to the academic transformation and application of the concept of "jianghu" (literally, "jianghu") is particularly significant in terms of research methodology and local value. This book will undoubtedly hold a special place in both the Pu'er tea jianghu (literally, "jianghu") and the anthropological study of objects.
—Guo Jianbin, a professor (Level 3) at Guangzhou University and a leader of the "Hundred Talents Program" discipline, offers an admirably coherent analysis of the complex social relations shaping the Pu'er tea market. This is a wonderful supplement to the "cultural life history" of commodities. It is recommended for teaching courses such as political economy, cultural economics, China's social transformation, and regional development studies. —China Quarterly
Rich in valuable information, including history and anecdotes. A must-read for anyone interested in Pu'er tea. — Erchagou Blog This excellent book tells us about the political economy of Pu'er tea during different periods, as well as its connections with Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other places. Rich in content and beautifully written. — Chen Zhiming, Australian Journal of Anthropology
The author captures something very interesting in this book, which is that the value of Pu'er tea has been shaped by deep socioeconomic and historical structures over the centuries. Tracing the popularity of Pu'er tea in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, from its rise, peak, to its final collapse in 2007, this book is undoubtedly a profound examination of the world of Pu'er tea... This ethnography makes a unique contribution to those interested in commodities, exchange, authenticity and symbolic value... The strength of this book lies in the rich ethnographic detail, in addition to providing rich visual materials to illustrate the complex process of Pu'er tea production, cultivation and sales, it also prioritizes (and problematizes) the voices of the many participants in Pu'er tea. - Zhen Ying, "Food, Culture and Society"
This is a fascinating study of the Pu'er tea industry and its associated cultural landscape. It will be of great interest to the tea industry, as well as to historians, connoisseurs, and enthusiasts. Tea publications rarely, if ever, discuss the complex relationships that bring tea to the table, and never before has the anatomy of tea been examined in such a broad, thorough, and captivating way. —Steven D. Ouyang, co-translator of "The Classics of Korean Tea"
Pu'er tea has been cultivated for centuries on Yunnan's "Six Great Tea Mountains," and was exported from the southwest to the world via the ancient Tea-Horse Road. In the 1990s, Pu'er's characteristic of "aging to enhance its fragrance" was rediscovered, making it a favorite among tea drinkers, a popular choice for tasting, and an investment. Its value has skyrocketed. However, in 2007, the Pu'er tea market experienced a period of dramatic ups and downs, reaching a peak before collapsing.
"The Way of Raw and Cooked" traces this phenomenon from beginning to end. By tracking and focusing on the spaces where Pu'er tea is harvested, processed, traded, and consumed, anthropologist Zhang Jinghong vividly depicts the process of Pu'er tea's transformation from a home-made handicraft to a major industry. Throughout this transformation, readers will enter the lives and dramatic conflicts of the people in the Pu'er tea world, and experience their resilience in dealing with multiple forces.
The first English edition of this book was published in 2013 and won the International Conference of Asian Studies (ICAS) Outstanding Book Award in the English Social Sciences for 2013-2015. Over the following decade, the author returned to field sites several times and revised over 60% of the first edition, releasing a brand new Chinese edition in 2024. This book is not only for tea lovers and connoisseurs, but also for readers interested in understanding topics such as the localization of objects, globalization, modernity, and the reinvention of tradition.
【Expert Recommendation】
Recommended by experts: This book, adapted from Zhang Jinghong's doctoral dissertation, explores the cultural value and social significance of Pu'er tea in the midst of modern social change. The author uses "jianghu" (river and lake) as the core concept throughout the book, showcasing the various struggles and competitions within social practice. This struggle and competition of values is a highlight of the book, reflecting the author's meticulous and dedicated field research. The jianghu depicted in the book is filled with diverse "strategies," encompassing rivers and lakes, movement and stillness, new and old. More importantly, it features moving scenes of interpersonal and interpersonal interaction, and even more importantly, of interpersonal and interpersonal interaction with the land. Beyond the clash between the dominance of Menghai and the gentleness of Yiwu, the author immerses us in the tension between the old and the new in Simao and Pu'er. Finally, unlike typical approaches to the construction of place brands, the author's depiction of the relationship between tea, people, and land offers readers a unique and persuasive account of the process of co-creation of place. Returning to Zhuangzi's saying, "It is better to forget each other in the rivers and lakes than to support each other with only our own spite," the author reminds us today to let go of our attachments and embrace the vast world through diverse cultural (anthropological) perspectives.
— Zhang Zhanhong, Professor of Anthropology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Jinghong and I began researching Pu'er tea culture around the same time. Jinghong immersed herself in it, while I conducted some research while passing through Kunming. Jinghong conducted a comprehensive study of the ancient Tea Horse Road, production areas, merchants, trade, and consumption, while I focused on Taiwan and Hong Kong. Jinghong explored the people, events, and objects of the Pu'er tea industry through the lens of the traditional culture of "jianghu," while I used Pu'er tea as a case study in cultural sensory theory. While our starting points differed, we both hoped to break down stereotypes through academic perspectives and present the true face of Pu'er tea. Scholarship is about examining phenomena from diverse perspectives. The most valuable aspect of this book lies in its ability to integrate theories from various anthropological sources of material culture, presenting the complexities of the Pu'er tea market in a relaxed manner. It then connects these phenomena through the local perspective of "jianghu" to form a comprehensive interpretation. If you still believe that Pu'er tea is just hype, I recommend you give this book a careful read.
Yu Shunde, a researcher at the Institute of Ethnology at the Academia Sinica in Taiwan, capitalized on the dawn of the Anthropocene, which has seen a surge in discussions about the relationship between humans and nature. The author of this book, rather than joining the lively lectures, has immersed himself in compiling over twenty years of field research. Drawing on his solid anthropological training, he has produced a work that rivals The Last Matsutake, even surpassing it in its in-depth fieldwork and possessing a uniquely scholarly perspective. Reading this book, I felt my usual visual senses were insufficient; I needed to engage my senses of taste, smell, hearing, and touch. I transcended the boundaries between humans and living things, breaking down the barriers between the humanities and the sciences. From Yunnan to southern Asia, I journeyed through the world of Pu'er tea, embodying a complex interplay of roles: scholar, plant hunter, trader, tea connoisseur, and documentary filmmaker, savoring food as a cultural symbol. The story in the book gave me a feeling: Any material deeply mastered by humans is inevitably tainted by civilization, transformed from a sacred deer into a monster, seeping from the deep mountains and forests into Yubaba's bathhouse, subtly and silently transforming the appetites and perceptions of gourmets, slowly deconstructing this cyberpunk miracle. Human civilization believes it has "matured" the nature of mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas, but it's hard to predict that in some century, perhaps the day after tomorrow, dust will return to dust, earth to earth, cooked rice will become wild rice again, and pressed tea cakes will grow back on branches. Digitalization will re-root in the earth, and the cooked will evolve into the raw again. Comprehending this vision behind the words, I feel no sadness, only relief.
Why, in just a few decades, has Pu'er tea transformed from a local Yunnan specialty into a renowned consumer trend? The author takes a unique approach, using this case study as a case study. Drawing on solid field research and firsthand data, he uses accessible prose to meticulously analyze the process by which this new contemporary myth was constructed, situating it within the socio-historical and cultural context of China's transition. The author discovers that Pu'er tea's sudden rise stems from the complex interaction of diverse and fluid factors, encompassing all aspects of China's social, economic, historical, cultural, and political landscapes. He creatively metaphorically compares the complex context of the times to the "jianghu," framing Pu'er tea as a new, uniquely influential sect within it. The jianghu presents both risks and opportunities, and sects constantly need to consolidate and face challenges. Pu'er tea's temporary popularity and the accompanying ups and downs are a microcosm of the treacherous nature of social history. The value of this book lies in its ability to discern the larger picture through the analysis of an interesting and typical case. Readers can draw inferences from one instance, apply them to other instances, and gain a deeper understanding of the rich connotations and tremendous changes in contemporary Chinese society and culture. For readers interested in tea culture, food anthropology, and contemporary Chinese society, this book will surely be a valuable resource!
--Chang Jinghong, Chair Professor of Southern University of Science and Technology/Beijing Normal University, presents an ethnography that is both remarkably accessible and intellectually grounded, a quality rarely seen in works on Chinese material culture. Like Pu'er tea itself, this book can be appreciated on multiple levels, for both experts and beginners alike. Following the author's narrative, readers will not only learn about Pu'er tea but also explore a vast range of knowledge about people, places, economies, cultures, history, and social change. This eloquent and tightly interwoven narrative reflects the author's methodological ambition to achieve better anthropological research by showing, rather than telling.
—Sun Wanning, Professor of Media and Cultural Studies at the University of Technology Sydney. With over a decade of deep experience in the field of Pu'er tea, observing its evolving dynamics, the author possesses the sensitivity of a journalist and the delicacy and insight of an anthropologist. His contribution to the academic transformation and application of the concept of "jianghu" (literally, "jianghu") is particularly significant in terms of research methodology and local value. This book will undoubtedly hold a special place in both the Pu'er tea jianghu (literally, "jianghu") and the anthropological study of objects.
—Guo Jianbin, a professor (Level 3) at Guangzhou University and a leader of the "Hundred Talents Program" discipline, offers an admirably coherent analysis of the complex social relations shaping the Pu'er tea market. This is a wonderful supplement to the "cultural life history" of commodities. It is recommended for teaching courses such as political economy, cultural economics, China's social transformation, and regional development studies. —China Quarterly
Rich in valuable information, including history and anecdotes. A must-read for anyone interested in Pu'er tea. — Erchagou Blog This excellent book tells us about the political economy of Pu'er tea during different periods, as well as its connections with Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other places. Rich in content and beautifully written. — Chen Zhiming, Australian Journal of Anthropology
The author captures something very interesting in this book, which is that the value of Pu'er tea has been shaped by deep socioeconomic and historical structures over the centuries. Tracing the popularity of Pu'er tea in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, from its rise, peak, to its final collapse in 2007, this book is undoubtedly a profound examination of the world of Pu'er tea... This ethnography makes a unique contribution to those interested in commodities, exchange, authenticity and symbolic value... The strength of this book lies in the rich ethnographic detail, in addition to providing rich visual materials to illustrate the complex process of Pu'er tea production, cultivation and sales, it also prioritizes (and problematizes) the voices of the many participants in Pu'er tea. - Zhen Ying, "Food, Culture and Society"
This is a fascinating study of the Pu'er tea industry and its associated cultural landscape. It will be of great interest to the tea industry, as well as to historians, connoisseurs, and enthusiasts. Tea publications rarely, if ever, discuss the complex relationships that bring tea to the table, and never before has the anatomy of tea been examined in such a broad, thorough, and captivating way. —Steven D. Ouyang, co-translator of "The Classics of Korean Tea"
Publication Date
Publication Date
2024-01-01
Publisher
Publisher
华东师范大学出版社
Imprint
Imprint
Mint Experiment
Pages
Pages
296
ISBN
ISBN
9787576040289
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