The 24 best situations for drinking tea

The Chinese scholar and tea connoisseur Xu Cishu 许次纾 from Ming Dynasty describes in his book Tea Report 《茶疏》 these 24 most suitable situations for drinking tea:

  1.  心手闲适    when you are idle and relaxing
  2.   披咏疲倦   when tired of reading poetry
  3.   意绪棼乱   in time of confused thoughts
  4.   听歌拍曲   when listening songs and melodies
  5.   歌罢曲终   when the music has finished
  6.   杜门避事   when alone
  7.   鼓琴看画   when playing qin zither and looking at paintings
  8.   夜深共语   during conversations in a late night
  9.   明窗净几   when everything is bright and clean
10. 洞房阿阁     in the room of the newlyweds
11.  宾主款狎    when together with the beloved guests
12.  佳客小姬    when hosting distingquished scholars and young beauties
13.  访友初归    when visiting a friend who has returned from afar
14.  风日晴和    when the weather is clear and nice
15.  轻阴微雨    when the weather is cloudy and slightly raining
16.  小桥画舫    when watching the small bridges and the passing boats on the river
17.  茂林修竹    while in lush forests and bamboo groves
18.  课花责鸟    when the flowers bloom in the midsts of birds songs
19.  荷亭避暑    in a lotus pond pavilion during the summer heat
20.  小院焚香    while burning incence in a small temple
21.  酒阑人散    when the late tipsy guests leave
22.  几辈斋馆    when several generations gather in the fasting premises
23.  清幽寺观    when visiting a secluded temple
24.  名泉怪石    when enjoying the view of famous springs and strange rocks