Considering himself to be the successor of the Qin Emperor, the Han Emperor made water as a symbol of virtue in order to stabilize the region of the Qin (Pend 2015). The symbolic role of water in Han court ritual was given preferential treatment over the other four elements (Loewe 1994) and seen as an expression of power.
During the Han dynasty (202 BC–220 AD) The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon (Huangdi Nei Jing), the oldest received work of Chinese medical theory, was compiled on the basis of shorter texts from different medical lineages. Whilst development of medical theory classics such as The Treatise on Cold Damage Disorders and Miscellaneous Illnesses define this period of one of most influential periods upon classical medical practice.
It is also interesting to note the role played out beTaoist concepts and Taoism in the political evolution of the Han dynasty (Sheng 2000), with its symbolic references to water. From the first century under the Eastern Han Dynasty, Chang Daoling transformed the esoteric teachings of Laozi and Zhuangzi to a religion now recognised as Taoism.
It is not suprising therefore that we find a confluence of medical opinion and ritual emerging through ideas of water.
Dongliu shui (东流 水), literally eastern flowing water is an example of this. The properties of this type of water was not only used in Han purification rituals but found its way into Taoist formulae and herbal processing techniques (paozhi 炮炙), such as in the processing of the poison Aconite into medicine.
Dongliu shui was said to cleanse the malignant and dispel filth and holds the ability to dispel demons. These are useful qualities both in medical practice, transforming the body and microcosm as well as in ritual practice, in bringing macrocosmic harmony.
Comparatively, it is of further interest that emerging Taoist ideas around immortality included the notion of achieving the longevity of a “transcendent; immortal”. It was necessary to expel the Three Corpses (sanshi 三尸) from the body to achieve this and can be cross referenced with techniques such as Bigu (辟穀) in texts such as the Quegu shiqi 卻穀食氣 the “Eliminating Grain and Eating Qi” manuscript.
Water and tea are inseperable and within tea medicine we not only need to consider and give attention to the nature and quality of water but also recognise that water can enhance the properties of tea medicine or even go so far as becoming the tea medicine.
“….Water greatly benefits all things, without conflict. It flows through places that people loathe. Thereby it is close to the Tao..” Lao Tzu
Loewe M. Water, Earth and fire: the symbols of the Han dynasty.”. Divination, Mythology and Monarchy in Han China. 1994:55-60.
Peng CH. A Research on the Ritual Color of the Early Han Dynasty. Journal of Historical Science. 2015;4:17
Sheng J. The Rise of Primitive Taoism and Social Order in the Han Dynasty [J]. SOCIAL SCIENCES IN CHINA. 2000;6..
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