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Thesis
“蒸之捣之拍之焙之穿之封之茶之干矣” only becomes legible inside Tang tribute tea, monastery tea and literati life.
Text
“Steam it, pound it, press it, roast it, string it, seal it — and the tea is done.”
Context
蒸青制茶六道工序：蒸、捣、拍、焙、穿、封。这是唐代饼茶的完整流程。
Evidence
- Collation: 此句为全书制茶工艺的总纲，各本一致。六道工序名目在历代注本中屡有申说，文字稳定。
- Existing readings: 吴觉农指出"六之"即唐代饼茶全流程：蒸青→捣烂→入模拍压成饼→焙干→穿串→封藏；其中"蒸"法奠定中国绿茶蒸青传统，后传入日本演为玉露制法。
Analysis
The largest gap between Tang and now is that tea was simultaneously medicine, tribute and everyday practice. 吴觉农指出"六之"即唐代饼茶全流程：蒸青→捣烂→入模拍压成饼→焙干→穿串→封藏；其中"蒸"法奠定中国绿茶蒸青传统，后传入日本演为玉露制法。 Without that, the chapter collapses into botany.
Conclusion
The section does not give a universal rule. It demonstrates a method: read the text, the annotation and the Tang context together before making a modern claim.
Source: The Classic of Tea, Chapter III · The Making, section 4; the original is in the public domain.
Ask what period this person lived in.