“潮州方法”教你减压3妙招！
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老桑说
凤凰单丛是我最喜欢的茶叶之一，是一种生长在潮州的乌龙茶。它有一种诱人的香味，含有杏和蜂蜜的芳香。
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「 朋友，你好，我是老桑。 」
潮州山水一角
虽然在近几年里我到访过广州、深圳和珠海很多次了，但我还没有探索过广东省的其他地方。
本周末，我终于有机会来到潮汕度过一段时间，这一趟旅行也让我看到了广东的新的一面。
潮州景象
我了解到广府文化、潮汕文化和客家文化是广东的三大文化体系。三大文化体系个性鲜明，都有自己的语言体系，独特的饮食特点和多样化的风俗习惯。
我大概掌握的广东话只有20个字，但当我在潮州时它们并没有什么帮助。潮州地区的方言更接近南闽方言，所以很难与广东话相互理解。
凤凰单丛茶
凤凰单丛是我最喜欢的茶叶之一，是一种生长在潮州的乌龙茶。
它有一种诱人的香味，含有杏和蜂蜜的芳香。基于对于茶叶的了解，我认为我对这个独特地区的背景知识略知一二，但仅仅是皮毛而已。
凤凰茶区
很多人都写过有关潮汕文化的文章，向人们介绍那里保存了好几个世纪的风俗习惯。
在这些独特文化中，最吸引我的就是茶文化在当地人的日常生活的重要程度。
在许多其他地方，茶仅仅被认为是爱好或消遣，只在特殊场合享受。然而在潮州情况that is not the case（却并非如此）。
品羽茶居龙三茶艺师
在潮州的各个地方都可以看到当地人在喝单丛茶，无论是早餐时还是晚餐后。
潮汕茶店里的单丛茶种类也是琳琅满目，甚至还有许多我从没有听说过的品种。
排坊街上的许多小店店主也会在店面外面摆放小桌子，为那些停下来和他们聊天的行人提供单丛茶。
汕头会茶友
当地最常见的一句话是“有闲来食茶”。
这不是一种客套话，而是真挚诚恳的邀请。如果要讨论什么事情的话，往往会再加上一个具体的时间，比如“明天下午，有闲来食茶”。
这既是直接的邀请，又是一种间接的表达，这样的邀请通常会让人们难以拒绝。
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老桑与廖总
我的朋友廖奕铭是一个潮州的商人，同时也是一名文化保护者，他对我讲述了下午茶对于他业务发展的重要性。
他的载阳客栈和茶馆是潮州的文化中心，有传统的潮剧，木雕，丝绸，建筑物，当然还有功夫茶道。
他从事这样的业务的初衷是为了推广潮州文化，并且振兴当地经济。
老桑在载杨茶馆进行分享
廖总解释说，下午茶时间不是荒废光阴。
对于很多企业主来说，生意上的要求和压力都非常大，往往在重压之下会很容易崩溃。
他解释说：“喝茶就像是给人充电，让自己重新获得应对下一个挑战的能量。”除了健康上的好处，他说：“这也提供了与商业伙伴和客户建立友谊的好时机。”
In other words（换句话说），在潮州喝茶并不是下班后的兴趣爱好，相反，它是日常生活不可或缺的一部分，是应对压力、收集信息和建立关系的重要方式——这些都是个人发展和职业成功所必需的。
老桑与陈香白老师
陈香白老师现从已经从潮州的韩山师范学院退休了，他在《易》学和茶文化的关系研究和教学方面享有广泛盛誉。
他写的书《中国茶文化》是他的著作之一。现在80多岁的陈老师邀请我到他的家中，在热烈的交谈中，他与我分享了他的人生哲学以及对于国学的研究，令我获益颇丰。
在交谈中，我向他请教了一问题，也就是我今天想与大家分享的经验：在当今时代，年轻人们在面对各种压力时，应该采取什么样的智慧或者方法去应对呢？
陈老师说他之前从来没有被问到过这个问题，于是他思考了一下，随着探讨的逐渐深入，我们提出了以下这三个原则：
生活是我们每个人都在面对的压力，这是一种来自外在的压力。
某些情况下我们总会感到紧张感，如面对考试、疾病、经济困难和处理人际关系时。
而焦虑则是我们面对压力时的反应，因此，我们可以选择如何管理我们的焦虑感，以此来更好地处理压力。
陈老师说：“当你放松精神的时候，你会有更好的记忆力并且更加善于解决问题。这便是保持一颗平常心的重要性。你越是感到压力，你越难以寻得解决问题的最佳办法。”
Easier said than done（然而，说来容易做来难）。那么我们应该如何调整我们的生活状态，以保证我们能够更好地控制我们的焦虑感，处理我们的压力呢？
我们生活中面临的许多压力往往是可以通过适当的准备来减少的，然而拖延却可以将情况进一步恶化。
倘若你要参加考试，那么尽早制定属于你的学习计划并坚持下来。倘若你感觉不舒服，那么访问你的医生进行诊断和治疗。面临重要的有面试吗？尽早了解公司和面试官的情况，以便随时提出问题。
陈老师补充说：“依靠你平时积累的知识，你就会形成更为深入的了解。”
尽管我们很难在考试前掌握所有知识，或者在重要的会议前完全准备充分，但提前做准备至少会给自己充分的信心，告诉自己你已经尽最大的努力了，这会为你提供一个更好的精神状态。
想要培养这样的心态，我们可以从中国古代的智慧中得到哪些借鉴呢？
孔子忠告人们要踏踏实实地做人。当我们讲究诚信的时候，我们会得到别人的尊重和自己心中的平静。
陈老师认为，孔子的教导应该和庄子的观点相融合来看，“我们要脑子灵活，举一反三。”死板的思考方式和不善于举一反三将会限制我们解决问题的能力。
人格的完整和思维的灵活，就像是“两条腿走路”一样，互助互补才能让我们走得更远。
品羽茶居
茶文化将上述三个管理压力的原理有机地结合在了在一起。
茶最为人们所熟知的功效就是放松，让我们区分开压力和焦虑。
下午茶时间能够让我们放缓速度，静下心来思考问题，以避免在压力中仓促的工作和不好的结果。
茶文化体现了以孔子和庄子理念为重要组成部分的中国智慧的本质。
后来我跟廖总分享了这些想法，他说这些建议对他很有启发，就像根植于内心一样。
无论是从日常生存的角度，还是个人成长的角度，再或者是人文情怀的角度，他说潮州的历史和文化都淋漓尽致地体现了这些精神，同时也影响了他自己的思想。
广济门
非常遗憾，我这一趟潮州之旅太过短暂，以至于我到现在还在回味这座城市带给我的影响。
我与你分享这些思考，是希望你也能从我所学到的东西中受益。但同时，我也非常欢迎你们在下面的评论区中与我分享你自己的想法！
朋友，你是否感到有压力？
请记住，有许多你可以提前做的准备来帮助你积极地应对压力。
你可以管理自己的情绪，避免拖延症带来的大麻烦，以及让自己更加人格完整、思维灵活地生活。
那么如何将这些原则适用到自己的生活中呢？
请从一杯单丛茶做起。
你可以在安静的环境中思考，也可以与朋友交谈。无论哪种方式，茶文化都是一种能够帮你缓解压力、陶冶情操的绝佳方式。
广济桥
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谢谢收看《老桑说》。
给你启发，激励你上进，陪伴你坚持。
敬请期待下一集。
The Chaozhou remedy for stress
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「 Hello, my friend,
I’m John Smagula. 」
Despite my many visits to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Zhuhai over the years, I haven’t explored other places in Guangdong Province. This weekend, I was happy to finally spend some time in Chaoshan, which opened up a new window of Guangdong to me.
I learned how Guangzhou is one of three primary cultures in Guangdong, with Chaozhou and Kejia being the other two. The languages are different, cuisines distinct, and customs diverse. I know maybe 20 words in Cantonese, which did me no good in Chaozhou. Their dialect is closer to the Southern Min dialect, and thus not mutually understandable with Cantonese.
One of my favorite teas is Phoenix Mountain Dancong, an oolong tea that is grown in Chaozhou. It has an alluring flavor, with hints of apricot and honey. So, I thought I at least had some background knowledge of this unique region. I had no idea, though, how little I knew.
Chaozhou beef hot pot
Much has been written about Chaozhou culture, which has preserved many customs going back centuries. One that immediately intrigued me is how tea culture is a fundamental part of daily life. In many other places, tea is considered a hobby or pastime, something enjoyed on special occasions. In Chaozhou, that is not the case.
Everywhere I went in Chaozhou, the locals were drinking Dancong tea. At breakfast, they brewed Dancong. After dinner, they brewed Dancong. Tea stores offered varieties of Dancong I never knew existed. Many of the store owners on Paifang Street set up small tables outside their storefronts, brewing Dancong tea for anyone who stopped by to talk with them.
One of the most common local expressions is, “When you’re free, come for tea.” This is not stated as a platitude, but as a sincere invitation. If there is a matter to discuss, a time will be added, like, “Tomorrow afternoon, when you’re free, come for tea.” It’s both direct and indirect, and it’s understood that the invitation is to be accepted one way or another.
My friend Liao Yiming, Chaozhou entrepreneur and cultural preservationist, explained how tea time is key to his business development. His Zaiyang inn and tea house are the cultural center of Chaozhou, featuring traditional Chaozhou opera, wood carving, silks, architecture, and, of course, the Gongfu tea ceremony. He built his business to promote Chaozhou’s culture and also revitalize the local economy.
Liao explained that tea time is not wasting time. There are many demands on business owners, and it’s easy to crumble under the pressure. He explained, “Drinking tea is time to recharge, to build up energy to tackle the next challenge.” In addition to the health benefits, he said, “It is also a time to build friendships with business partners and clients.”
In other words, drinking tea in Chaozhou is not a hobby or something to be enjoyed after getting off from work. Rather, it is part of a daily lifestyle to combat stress, collect information, and build relationships—all of which are necessary for personal development and professional success.
Chaozhou snacks
Professor Chen Xiangbai, now retired from Hanshan Teachers College in Chaozhou, is well recognized for his research and teaching on the relationship between the I Ching and tea culture. His book Chinese Tea Culture is one of his best-known works. Professor Chen, now in his 80s, invited me to his home for a spirited conversation on his life philosophy and Chinese culture research.
I asked him what aspects of Chinese wisdom young adults could apply to their lives today to help them cope with life’s pressures. He had to think about this a bit, as he admitted he had never been asked this question before. As we talked it through, we arrived at these three principles:
Stress is not the same thing as anxiety
We all face stress is life, which comes from external pressure. Certain circumstances, such as exams, illness, economic difficulties, and personal relationships, can all cause stress. Anxiety, however, is our reaction the stress. We have a choice on how we manage our anxiety.
Professor Chen said, “When you’re more relaxed, you’ll have better memory recall and a stronger ability to solve problems. This is why it’s important to stay at peace. The more nervous you are, the less likely you’ll be able to find the answer to the question or solution to the problem.”
Easier said than done. How, then, do we cultivate a lifestyle where we are better equipped to control our anxiety and better manage stress?
Don’t leave things until the last minute
Many stressful situations we face in life can be diminished by proper preparation. Procrastination can exaggerate a situation. Taking an exam? Create a study plan and follow it. Not feeling well? Visit your doctor for a diagnosis and treatment plan. Have a job interview? Learn all you can about the company and interviewer in advance to be ready for questions.
Professor Chen added, “Rely on the knowledge you have accumulated, and you’ll go into the situation with greater clarity.” Even though you may not be able to master every possible scenario before an exam or get full information before an important meeting, you’ll at least have the confidence you did the best you could, which can only help your mental state.
To support this mindset, what lifestyle traits can we adapt from traditional Chinese wisdom?
Live honestly and think flexibly
Confucius advised us to be honest and dependable. When we honor credibility, we will be respected by others and be more at peace with ourselves.
Professor Chen said that this Confucius teaching should be blended with Zhuangzi’s teachings. “Be flexible in your thinking and draw inferences about other cases from one instance.” Rigid thinking and failure to learn by example limit our problem-solving ability.
Personal integrity and flexible thinking are like “walking on two legs,” as these traits mutually reinforce each other and allow us to go farther.
Tea culture brings the three stress management principles together. Tea is celebrated for its relaxing properties, reminding us to separate stress from anxiety. Tea time causes us to slow down and think things through, avoiding hasty work and sloppy results. And tea culture embodies the essence of Chinese wisdom, of which Confucius and Zhuangzi’s teachings form a key part.
I later shared these principles with Liao, who said they seemed very intuitive to him. From daily survival to personal development to concern for the people and culture around him, he said Chaozhou’s history and culture embody these principles and influence his own thinking on the path to progress.
My visit to Chaozhou was far too short, and my reflections on the visit are still taking form. I share them with you in hopes you’ll benefit from what I learned but also share your own thoughts with me in the comments below.
一份禅心
Kaiyuan Temple
My friend, are you feeling stressed? Remember that there are things you can do to keep it in check. You can manage your reaction to the situation, take actions to prevent small issues from becoming large problems, and live a lifestyle grounded in personal integrity and mental flexibility.
Need some help in learning how to apply these principles to your own life? Start by brewing a cup of Dancong tea. You can reflect in quiet contemplation or in conversation with friends. Either way, know that you can prevent stress from becoming distress by taking part in tea culture and cultivating a lifestyle grounded thoughtful action.
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Thank you for watching me to inspire, encourage, and accompany you.
See you next time.
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老桑说
John Smagula
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