The Quest for Ecological Tea

The Tea Master

Livingstone Tuan (段 世 同) was born in Taipei. His family has worked with tea for many generations . After graduating with a degree in natural history, he worked on an experimental farm connected with the National University of Taiwan, and then for a number of years in the technology industry. He has lived in France and West Africa, where he studied the Jimbe, leading a professional drumming group for five years. He currently conducts research on ecological tea processing, producing organic teas, as well as leading tea workshops and training in tea production on his Yunnan property. His knowedge of tea spans science, ancient tea traditions, and the spiritual well being that tea can bring.

He also serves as executive director of a Chinese environmental organization, Wilderness Foundation.

The Spirit of the Class

Rooted in the ancient philosophy of Zhuangzi and Zen, this workshop moves beyond the label of ‘organic’. We explore the ‘Wood Wide Web’—the symbiotic network where soil, insects, and ancient tea trees co-exist. As a professional tea maker, Livingstone will share his field research from Yunnan’s wild forests ,showing how a tea tree's resilience transforms into profound flavor.

Course Highlights

1. The Wisdom of the Ecosystem

   • The Alchemy of Resilience: Discover how the tree’s defensive response to its environment creates the prized honey aroma—a physical manifestation of life’s transformative power.

   • The Process of hand made Pu Er tea production (the ancient way).

2. The Somatic Lab

   Experience a curated flight of four distinct ecological teas.

Integration: Sensing the Infinite

A closing dialogue on tea as a meditative tool for reconnecting with the natural world and sensing the vastness of heaven and earth through a single leaf.

The Taste of the Class

You will experience some of the most authentic tea in China. Tea is not just some leaves in a box you add hot water to. The experience of tea is a synergy of the setting, the people, the tea master, the teapot, the cups, the fragrance, the taste; hidden ingredients are the way the tea was grown, the environment of the trees, the harvesting methods, the state of mind of the tea producer as they prepare the tea leaves, and the energy of the place the tea is stored (the reason why tea is often stored in temples).

A Note on the Word Pin (品)

In Chinese, we do not say “drink tea” when we speak of tasting carefully. We say pin chá (品茶) — to appraise tea, to savor it. The character p n is built from three mouths, stacked together: 品.

Three mouths, not one. To p n something is to taste it with the senses tripled — to give the cup not just your tongue, but your full attention, your whole presence, your body’s quiet listening. This is the difference between drinking and tasting. It is the difference between consuming and meeting.

Throughout the afternoon, we will be guided gently into this practice. No prior training is required. The character itself is the teacher.

There are a maximum of 60 places at the workshop. Click the button below to add this to your registration.