本文综合出土文物和史籍记载,对湖南茶文化的历史地位作了较为详细的论述。对《茶经》“六之饮”中的“茶之为饮,发乎神农氏”之说,考证了神农尝百草识茶,死后葬于长沙茶乡之尾的史实,还考证了湘西“秦人擂茶”的传说。通过对出土文物的考研,包括《茶经》“四之器”中提及的唐朝六大瓷窑之一岳州窑的茶具茶碗,以及对唐朝的另一类瓷窑长沙窑也作了考查,证实了湖南唐代两大瓷窑开创了釉彩及文饰的先河,在中国古瓷界具有较高的学术价值。本文根据史记记载,阐述了《唐国史补》中提到的“灉湖含膏”及“白鹤翎”茶。还表明了对茶文化界久有争论的“茶禅一味”源头的看法,赞成源于湖南石门夹山寺,系宋朝圆悟克勤所作。此外,论述了湖南省黑茶在我国茶叶经济和民族团结中起到的重要作用。本文旨在说明湖南是中华茶文化的发祥地之一,在中华茶文化史上,过去、现在占有极为重要的地位。

The historic position of Hunan tea culture was discussed from the historic legends, excavated culture relics and historic records. Some records in the “Tea Classic” by Luyu were texturally investigated by the author. The tea cup come from the Yue Zhou stove(one of six china stoves in Tang dynasty)was the texturally investigated and compared with the Changsha china stove of Tang dynasty. These two china stoves of Tang dynasty in Hunan province created ceramic glaze and decoration which had great scientific value in ancient Chinese china field. Besides, the history of Jun-shan and Bai he-lin tea mentioned in the “Tang State history” was discussed by the author also. The relationship of tea and Zen which has long controversy in tea field was discussed in the paper and agrees with the idea that the original place is the Xia Shan temple of Shi Men in Hunan province written by Yuang Wu Ke Qing in Song dynasty. The important historic role of dark tea in Hunan province in the union of all ethic groups and in the tea economy was put forward by the author.