Hanging scroll, ink and colors on paper
Drink Sellers, painted by Qing dynasty artist Yao Wenhan (fl. 1736–1795), is one of the reproductions of ancient paintings by court painters during the Qianlong period. It depicts the popular tea-tasting competitions that flourished from Tang dynasty onwards, where tea enthusiasts would present their prized tea leaves for collective evaluations and competitions. The tea bowls depicted in the painting feature monochrome glaze invented during the Qing dynasty, such as “red glaze” and “green glaze,” rather than the black Jian kiln bowls traditionally used to assess tea colors. From this, it can be inferred that the competition in the painting focused on the taste and aroma rather than the visual appearance of tea.