An element of quiet is therefore necessary for the appreciation of these qualities, an appreciation that comes from a man who can “look at a hot world with a cool head." Since the Sung Dynasty, connoisseurs have generally regarded a cup of pale tea as the best, and the delicate flavor of pale tea can easily pass unperceived by one occupied with busy thoughts, or when the neighborhood is noisy, or servants are quarreling, of when served by ugly maids.
The company, too. must be small. For,it is important in drinking tea that the guests be few. Many guests would make it noisy , and noisiness takes away from its cultured charm. To drink atone is called secluded;to drink between two is called comfortable;to drink with three or four is called charming,to drink with five or six is cafied common;and to drink with seven or eight is called philanthropic."
As the author of Ch’asu said, "to pour tea around again and again from a big pot, and drink it up at a gulp, or to warm it up again after a while, or to ask for extremely strong taste would be like farmers or artisans who drink tea to fill their belly after hard work;it would then be impossible to speak of the distinction and appreciation of flavors.