China is an education. Learning about the country can seem as difficult as learning Chinese. The business visitor is said to be swiftly engulfed in the soupy embrace of China's cities, with their mushrooming tower blocks, television-illuminated meals in private restaurant rooms and visits to karaoke bars. Those who classify themselves as tourists rather than travellers, meanwhile, will walk a famous wall and meet an army of model warriors, cruise a large river, eat some mystifying meals, go shopping and go home. Either way, the new, open China can sometimes seem as elusive as the old, forbidden one.
  zhongguoshiyimenxuewen。lejiezhegeguojiasihuyuxuexizhongwentongyangkunnan。jushuo
，shangwuyoukehenkuaibeiyanmeizaizhongguochengshidehaiyangli，tamensizhoushixunsujueqidegaoloudasha，tamenhuizaisijiacanguanbaojianlibiankandianshibianxiangyongwancan，yijiqukalaOK唱chang歌ge。同tong時shi，這zhe些xie將jiang自zi己ji定ding義yi為wei觀guan光guang客ke而er非fei旅lv行xing者zhe的de人ren，會hui在zai聞wen名ming遐xia邇er的de長chang城cheng上shang漫man步bu，在zai寬kuan闊kuo的de江jiang河he上shang航hang行xing，品pin嚐chang一yi些xie不bu可ke思si議yi的de食shi物wu，逛guang商shang場chang，然ran後hou回hui家jia。不bu管guan怎zen樣yang，開kai放fang的de新xin中zhong國guo有you時shi候hou似si乎hu與yu封feng閉bi的de舊jiu中zhong國guo同tong樣yang令ling人ren難nan以yi捉zhuo摸mo。

  Unlocking its intricacies requires either the courage to sally out in the face of incomprehension (tough but rewarding – problem-solving, good humour and honesty are far more common in China than their opposites) or it requires a special interest – in birds, gardens, railway trains, art – which will lead you to stranger, more educative places than nightclubs and cruiseboats. Tea can do this, too. Grown throughout southern China and loved nationwide, it will not only draw you towards some of the country's most remarkable landscapes but it also provides a glimpse, in the drinking, of a China far sweeter and more gracious than the nation's brash public image.
  要解開其中的錯綜複雜，要麼需要麵對疑問時施放出勇氣（雖然困難但是值得——解決問題、良好的幽默感和誠實比其反義詞在中國更為常見），抑或要求你對鳥類
、園藝、火車
、藝術等具有特別的興趣——這些事物將你帶往比夜總會和遊艇更為陌生

、也(ye)更(geng)具(ju)有(you)教(jiao)育(yu)意(yi)義(yi)的(de)地(di)方(fang)。茶(cha)也(ye)能(neng)做(zuo)到(dao)這(zhe)點(dian)。茶(cha)生(sheng)長(chang)在(zai)中(zhong)國(guo)南(nan)方(fang)，深(shen)受(shou)全(quan)中(zhong)國(guo)人(ren)的(de)喜(xi)愛(ai)
，它(ta)不(bu)僅(jin)會(hui)將(jiang)你(ni)帶(dai)到(dao)中(zhong)國(guo)一(yi)些(xie)風(feng)景(jing)最(zui)為(wei)迤(yi)邐(li)的(de)地(di)區(qu)，而(er)且(qie)在(zai)品(pin)茗(ming)過(guo)程(cheng)中(zhong)
，它(ta)還(hai)會(hui)帶(dai)你(ni)透(tou)過(guo)中(zhong)國(guo)不(bu)佳(jia)的(de)公(gong)眾(zhong)形(xing)象(xiang)，領(ling)略(lve)一(yi)個(ge)更(geng)美(mei)好(hao)和(he)更(geng)高(gao)雅(ya)的(de)中(zhong)國(guo)。

  My own Chinese education was defective in that I had assumed that the vast, sparely rugged landscapes of classical Chinese painting were more spiritual lesson than a faithful rendering of place. Those tiny figures moving, insect-like, between indolent river and abrupt peak were there to teach modesty, instil calm and underline impermanence, surely, rather than reflect reality. No landscape could open like that, could it? It could and it does. Travel in China's tea country, and those same scenes will unfold before you, their pines seemingly placed at the summit of crags by some great artificer and their quiet valleys broken only by the soft race of falling water. Even the lenses of mist, mobile and intermittent, are accurate. Tea bushes thirst for more than twice London's annual rainfall, and cloud cover combined with high humidity is perfect for keeping their vivid green leaves pliant.
  wozijidezhongguoxuewenbingbuwanshan，yinweiwozengyiwei，zhongguogudianhuihuazhongguangmaopingtandefengjing
，bizhongshidimiaohuiyigedifangdeshoufagengjujingshencengmiandeyiyi。naxierutongkunchongbanweixiaoderenyingzaishuiliuhuanmandejiangheyudouqiaodeshanfengzhijianyidong，jiaoyurenmenxuhuairuogu
，guanshupingjingdexinjing，qiangtiaoshishiwuchang
，erbushiduixianshidefanying。meiyouqitanachufengjingnenggourucikaikuo，bushima
？youlizhongguozhegechadeguodu，naxiexiangtongdefengjingjiangyiyichengxianzainidemianqian，zaiyixieweidahuashidebixia，songshushengchangzaiqiaobidingfeng，erjingmideshanguzhongtangguojuanjuandeliushui。jiulianduipiaohubudingdewuaidekehuadoushinameshengdong。chashuduiyuliangdeyaoqiu，shilundunnianjiangyuliangdeliangbeiyishang
，erduoyundetianqijiashanggaoshidu
，gouchenglechashuangranshengchangdewanmeihuanjing。

  A good bit of China is mountainous. Lowland areas are commandeered for the productive agriculture required to feed 1.3bn people, so that any crop that can migrate upwards will do so. Tea is ideal for this task – indeed you can create a small tea garden in many areas by doing no more than clearing the scrub to leave the wild, native bushes to enjoy the light and warmth on their own. “Garden” is exact: the small, shaped bushes grafted on to stone terraces and rock ledges look, at first sight, like effusions of the privet so cherished in suburban horticulture or like some vegetable sculptor's audacious installation. In the Da Hong Pao (Great Red Cloak) valley of Wuyi Mountain in Fujian Province, this is an installation dating back to Tang times. At the same moment as the first Viking raiders were descending on Lindisfarne, in other words, the bamboos were being parted to make way for Camellia sinensis in this almost secret valley where water cuts its way through soaring planes of sandstone and conglomerate as sheerly as gin through ice.
  中國大多數地區多山。低地被征用來從事生產性農業耕作
，以養活中國13億人口
，因此可被移往高處的農作物都會被移向高處。茶非常適合這種方式——實際上你可以在許多地區開辟一小塊茶園，所做的工作無非是清除雜草
，讓野生天然的茶樹自己享受陽光和溫暖的氣候。“茶園”非常準確：修xiu剪jian成cheng形xing的de小xiao茶cha樹shu被bei移yi植zhi到dao陽yang台tai和he花hua架jia上shang，乍zha看kan像xiang是shi郊jiao外wai園yuan藝yi非fei常chang青qing睞lai的de那na種zhong垂chui落luo的de女nv貞zhen灌guan木mu
，或huo是shi像xiang一yi些xie蔬shu菜cai雕diao刻ke家jia手shou下xia大da膽dan的de作zuo品pin。在zai福fu建jian省sheng武wu夷yi山shan的de大da紅hong袍pao峽xia穀gu裏li，這zhe種zhong植zhi物wu的de曆li史shi可ke以yi追zhui溯su至zhi唐tang朝chao。在zai首shou批pi維wei京jing海hai盜dao突tu襲xi林lin迪di斯si法fa恩en島dao(Lindisfarne)的同一時期

，在這個流水淌過層層沙岩和礫岩的幽靜山穀裏
，人們砍伐竹子
，騰開地方種植茶樹。#p#分頁標題#e#

  In addition to Great Red Cloak, an oolong that is said to taste both of rocks and of sweet apples, Wuyi is also home to the greatest of all Lapsang Souchongs (or Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong, as it is known locally): that of Bohea Farm. This farm, where great smoked tea from wild bushes has been produced continuously since the 15th century, is sited at the village of Tongmu within the Long Chuan (Floating Dragon) gorge, in a protected zone of such environmental value that public access is restricted to the lower parts of the valley.
  除了大紅袍和據說同樣混合著岩石與蘋果香氣的烏龍茶以外
，武夷山還盛產正山小種紅茶：產自武夷農場(Bohea Farm)。這裏最上等焙製的茶葉取自野生茶樹的農場。自15世紀以來，一直在生產茶葉，坐落在龍川大峽穀內的桐木村，這是一處具有環保價值的自然保護區
，公眾隻能進入山穀中的低處。

  In springtime, smoke from logs of Taiwan red pine seeps from the wooden kiln roofs like the steam rising from a horse's back after a canter in the rain; under the eaves, the rolled and withered leaves rest on giant bamboo trays while the fragrant, almost peat-like fumes riffle through them. The subtlety of Bohea Lapsang makes cheaper versions taste like burnt toast. Within China, Bohea is considered the origin of black tea. The fact that it was the source of the first tea imported to Britain meant that the name became, in the 17th century, a metonym for tea itself (the two words rhyme), and is thus used by Pope (in “The Rape of the Lock”) and Byron (in “Don Juan”). The great Scottish plant hunter Robert Fortune, who ended China's tea monopoly by planting Darjeeling on behalf of the British East India Company, visited Bohea during a three-year voyage in the mid-19th century. “Never in my life,” he wrote later, “have I seen a view such as this, so grand, so sublime. High ranges of mountains were towering on my right and on my left, while before me as far as the eye could reach, the whole country seemed broken up into mountains and hills of all heights, with peaks of every form.”
  春季，台灣紅鬆木燃燒的煙霧從木製窯爐頂繚繚升起，就像馬匹在雨中慢跑後背上升起的水汽一樣
；屋wu簷yan下xia，烘hong製zhi枯ku萎wei卷juan起qi的de茶cha葉ye放fang置zhi在zai巨ju大da的de竹zhu製zhi托tuo盤pan上shang，飄piao出chu與yu泥ni煤mei非fei常chang相xiang似si的de炭tan香xiang。正zheng山shan小xiao種zhong的de精jing妙miao，使shi得de便bian宜yi的de茶cha葉ye品pin嚐chang起qi來lai如ru同tong烤kao焦jiao的de麵mian包bao。在zai中zhong國guo
，武wu夷yi山shan被bei視shi為wei紅hong茶cha的de發fa源yuan之zhi地di。事shi實shi上shang
，這zhe裏li出chu產chan了le首shou批pi出chu口kou至zhi英ying國guo的de茶cha葉ye，意yi味wei著zhe武wu夷yi山shan在zai17世紀時成為了茶葉的代名詞，蒲柏(Pope)[在《奪發記》(The Rape of the Lock)裏]和拜倫(Byron)[在《唐璜》(Don Juan)裏]曾經用過這一稱謂。偉大的蘇格蘭植物學家羅伯特?福欽(Robert Fortune)曾代表英國東印度公司(British East India Company)種植大吉嶺茶，從而結束了中國茶葉的壟斷局麵，他在19世紀中葉遊曆3年，期間拜訪了武夷山。他後來寫道：“在我一生中，從未看過如此宏偉、如此壯觀的景象。我的左右兩側聳立著高山
，而我麵前是一望無垠的平川
，整個中國似乎被山脈分割開來。”

  Great Red Cloak valley and the Floating Dragon gorge are just two of the scenic attractions of Wuyi Mountain but there are at least a dozen more in the 1,000-square kilometre World Heritage site (China's largest), many of them best seen from a seat on one of the languid raft trips that the Chinese describe in English, rather winningly, as “drifting”. Connoisseurs of geology may enjoy contrasting its red-rock danxia landforms with the better-known limestone karst outcrops of Guilin in Guangxi Province, home of the fishermen who prefer cormorants to rods or nets. Either landscape, though, will confirm the scroll painters' accuracy.
  大紅袍峽穀和龍川大峽穀隻是武夷山的兩大風景區，而在這片占地1000平方公裏的世界遺址（中國最大風景區）內，至少還有數十個景區
，如果坐在一條緩緩行駛的竹筏上，你可以從最好的角度欣賞這些風景——中國人使用“漂流”這(zhe)個(ge)相(xiang)當(dang)迷(mi)人(ren)的(de)詞(ci)來(lai)形(xing)容(rong)這(zhe)種(zhong)體(ti)驗(yan)。地(di)質(zhi)專(zhuan)家(jia)可(ke)能(neng)喜(xi)歡(huan)將(jiang)這(zhe)裏(li)的(de)紅(hong)岩(yan)丹(dan)霞(xia)地(di)貌(mao)與(yu)名(ming)氣(qi)更(geng)大(da)的(de)廣(guang)西(xi)省(sheng)桂(gui)林(lin)石(shi)灰(hui)岩(yan)地(di)形(xing)進(jin)行(xing)對(dui)比(bi)。而(er)這(zhe)兩(liang)種(zhong)景(jing)致(zhi)都(dou)會(hui)淋(lin)漓(li)盡(jin)致(zhi)地(di)展(zhan)現(xian)在(zai)山(shan)水(shui)畫(hua)家(jia)的(de)筆(bi)下(xia)。廣(guang)西(xi)是(shi)漁(yu)民(min)之(zhi)鄉(xiang)，漁(yu)民(min)們(men)喜(xi)歡(huan)用(yong)鸕(lu)鶿(ci)而(er)非(fei)魚(yu)杆(gan)或(huo)魚(yu)網(wang)來(lai)捕(bu)魚(yu)。

  Perhaps the easiest of all tea locations to visit is the city of Hangzhou in China's largest tea-producing province, Zhejiang.
  或許在所有茶鄉中，中國浙江省的杭州市是交通最為便利的。

  This is the source of the irresistible Long Jing (Dragon Well) green tea, the best of which smells and tastes like an essence of chlorophyll and creamed hazelnuts. Hangzhou is within easy reach of Shanghai. Indeed, in many ways, it would make a more attractive base for a Chinese initiation than Shanghai, thanks to its long history (it is one of China's seven ancient capitals) and its watery attractions.
  杭(hang)州(zhou)是(shi)魅(mei)力(li)無(wu)法(fa)抗(kang)拒(ju)的(de)龍(long)井(jing)綠(lv)茶(cha)的(de)故(gu)鄉(xiang)。極(ji)品(pin)龍(long)井(jing)茶(cha)聞(wen)香(xiang)和(he)品(pin)味(wei)像(xiang)是(shi)葉(ye)綠(lv)素(su)香(xiang)精(jing)與(yu)奶(nai)油(you)榛(zhen)子(zi)的(de)混(hun)合(he)。杭(hang)州(zhou)與(yu)上(shang)海(hai)頗(po)近(jin)。實(shi)際(ji)上(shang)，由(you)於(yu)杭(hang)州(zhou)擁(yong)有(you)悠(you)久(jiu)的(de)曆(li)史(shi)（中國七大古都之一）和水資源名勝，因此對於初到中國的遊客來說
，杭州比上海的吸引力更大。

  China's Grand Canal flows through Hangzhou, snaking north all the way to Beijing, and two hours down the largely empty Hang-Quian Expressway is the 580 sq km Quindao (Thousand Island) Lake, surely the world's prettiest reservoir and a Chinese centre for eco-tourism. Above all, though, it is Hangzhou's own 6 sq km West Lake that lures visitors with its pavilions, temples, bamboo forest paths, tea plantations and ten signposted “scenes”, such as Lingering Snow on the Broken Bridge, Orioles Singing In The Willows or Evening Bell Ringing at Nanpinghill.#p#分頁標題#e#
  中國的大運河流經杭州，向北一直蜿蜒至北京，沿著空曠的杭千高速公路行駛兩個小時
，就可以抵達占地580平方公裏的千島湖。千島湖的確可謂是世界上最美麗的水庫，也是中國生態旅遊中心。不過
，杭州市內麵積6平方公裏的西湖，以其亭台寺院、竹林幽徑
、茶園以及斷橋殘雪、柳浪聞鶯和南屏晚鍾等西湖十大美景，吸引著慕名前來的遊客們。

  The quality of the tea served at the Dragon Well itself (called “Tea Enquiry at Dragon Well” on tourist maps) is outstanding and local tea mania is such that even the water used to make it is prized, fetched from a source two miles away called “To Dream of the Tiger-Pawing Spring”. Tea, as you see, draws out the poetry in the pragmatic Chinese. An evening in a Hangzhou tea house such as Charenchun or one of the three He Cha Guan (“Peace Houses”) proves, to any European who had previously considered moderate alcohol intake essential to a good night out, not merely educative but positively enlightening. The kettle stands nearby, bubbling gently; the glasses are constantly refilled; the table is kept supplied with watermelon and lychees, with pumpkin seeds, with dried fish strips, with lotus-paste cake, with sesame wafers.
  龍井供應的茶葉（旅遊地圖上稱“龍井問茶”）質量上乘，當地茶迷對泡茶所用的水頗為講究，要從兩裏以外的“虎跑夢泉”汲ji水shui。正zheng如ru大da家jia所suo見jian

，茶cha能neng帶dai出chu務wu實shi中zhong國guo人ren性xing格ge中zhong詩shi意yi的de那na一yi麵mian。對dui於yu那na些xie曾zeng經jing認ren為wei適shi度du飲yin酒jiu能neng讓rang人ren在zai外wai度du過guo一yi個ge美mei好hao夜ye晚wan的de歐ou洲zhou人ren來lai說shuo，在zai杭hang州zhou的de茶cha坊fang消xiao磨mo一yi個ge晚wan上shang，例li如ru“茶人居”或“和茶館”三家店中的一家，不僅能學到許多茶的知識，還可以讓人得到積極的啟發。身邊茶壺中的水緩緩地燒開；有人不時為你斟上水；桌上不停供應著西瓜和荔枝等水果，以及南瓜子、幹魚條、蓮蓉蛋糕和芝麻餅幹等小點。

  Sipping great green tea is like sipping springtime itself – it brings an entirely sober elation, and the sense of cultured elegance is heightened further by the traditional furniture, decorations and costumes of those serving and (if you're lucky) by the music, too. If you're not and it's gone schmaltzy, return to the lake, where traditional musicians play together on the warm evenings, for nothing but the fun of it, as the moon rises.
  品嚐上等的綠茶
，如同品味春天的感覺——它帶給你完全放鬆的心情，而茶室裏古典的家具

、傳chuan統tong的de裝zhuang飾shi和he服fu務wu員yuan的de服fu裝zhuang，以yi及ji繚liao繞rao室shi內nei的de音yin樂le，使shi這zhe種zhong文wen雅ya精jing致zhi的de感gan覺jiao更geng為wei強qiang烈lie。如ru果guo你ni找zhao不bu到dao這zhe種zhong感gan覺jiao
，可ke以yi回hui到dao西xi湖hu邊bian，在zai怡yi人ren的de夜ye晚wan，月yue亮liang升sheng起qi的de時shi候hou，傳chuan統tong音yin樂le家jia們men會hui聚ju在zai一yi起qi演yan奏zou，享xiang受shou音yin樂le。

  The greatest wall of China hides inside the human mouth: nothing is more insurmountable to travellers and residents alike than the hurdles of two vastly dissimilar languages. Dozens will call a cheery “Hello” to you as you walk past but any attempt at conversation in English swiftly dissolves into laughing incomprehension and even those who might be expected to have some English (such as hotel desk staff) are often still monoglot.
  中國最大的障礙在於語言：對遊客和本地人來說
，再沒有比兩種截然不同的語言更加難以逾越的障礙了。當你在路上走過時
，許多人會歡快地以“Hello”向你打招呼，但你要想以英語與他們交談時，他們很快會笑笑表示語言不通，即便是那些應該掌握一點英語的人（例如酒店櫃台職員）通常也隻會說中文。

  Guide books in English are rare and the heroic calamities of Chinglish will amuse even where they fail to inform. (Among my treasures is the airline towelette called Hygiene Wet Turban Needless Wash.)
  英文的導遊書非常罕見
，四處泛濫的中式英語表達令人發笑，讓人摸不著頭腦。（我記得最清楚的事之一是，飛機上的濕紙巾被翻譯成“Hygiene Wet Turban Needless Wash”。）

  Those Chinese who do have some English often find comprehension easier if words are written out carefully. Phrase books are very helpful on the same basis, in that the relevant Chinese characters can be shown. Not everything is difficult, though: dual language road signs are ubiquitous and China's airports and internal flight network is hugely impressive, as are its free-flowing toll roads. City travel is easiest via China's cheap taxis (whose drivers happily do not require tipping), though driving styles are cavalier.
  那(na)些(xie)懂(dong)得(de)一(yi)點(dian)英(ying)語(yu)的(de)中(zhong)國(guo)人(ren)通(tong)常(chang)會(hui)發(fa)現(xian)
，如(ru)果(guo)把(ba)英(ying)語(yu)單(dan)詞(ci)仔(zai)細(xi)寫(xie)出(chu)來(lai)的(de)話(hua)
，溝(gou)通(tong)會(hui)更(geng)容(rong)易(yi)一(yi)些(xie)。因(yin)此(ci)
，英(ying)語(yu)習(xi)慣(guan)用(yong)語(yu)書(shu)籍(ji)非(fei)常(chang)有(you)用(yong)

，因(yin)為(wei)書(shu)上(shang)會(hui)相(xiang)應(ying)地(di)標(biao)明(ming)中(zhong)文(wen)。不(bu)過(guo)，並(bing)非(fei)事(shi)事(shi)都(dou)是(shi)那(na)麼(me)困(kun)難(nan)：shuangyulubiaobibijieshi，zhongguodejichangheguoneihangxianlingrenyinxiangshenke，qitongchangdeshoufeigongluyishiruci。zaizhongguodechengshi，bianyidechuzucheshizuibianlidejiaotonggongju（令人高興的是
，中國的出租車司機不會向你索取小費），他們開車也很有風度。

  Eating out in restaurants is low stress, too, since many of the largest work on the principle of a vast bank of fish tanks full of live fish and shellfish (as well as sea snakes), glass boxes full of doom-laden chickens and, on occasion, cages of miserable, jaw-clamped alligators, as well as simpler dishes whose raw ingredients are already assembled and then cling-filmed, or cold dim sum piled high ready for steaming. Menus are entirely unnecessary. You point; they kill; you eat.
  外出去餐館就餐也不用擔心，因為許多大餐館的經營之道是
，在店裏陳列裝滿新鮮魚和貝類（以及海蛇）的巨大魚缸，以及裝著雞的玻璃箱子，偶爾還有可憐的、嘴巴被夾住的鱷魚的籠子，以及放著原材料
、然後覆上食品薄膜的簡單菜品樣盤，或是堆得高高的、等待上籠蒸熟的冷糕點。因此點菜完全不需要菜單。你指向哪道菜，他們就為你做什麼。#p#分頁標題#e#