Born in the transition period between the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties,Lu You experienced turbulence and changes of the Song Dynasty in economy,politics,society,and culture throughout his life.Due to his love for tea,he wrote a large number of tea poems at various stages of his life.Through the examination of Lu You's tea poetry,it is believed that his tea poetry generally presents symbolic imagery in four aspects,including inheritance of tea learning,tea self-cultivation,friendship in tea drinking,and family style of tea.In the inheritance of tea learning,tea has become the embodiment of literati's interests and patriotism;in the process of cultivating oneself through tea,tea has become a tool for gentlemen to live in disinterested and happiness,showcasing their noble character;in tea-related friendship,tea has become a combination of sweetness and bitterness for gentlemen to cultivate virtue;in the family tradition of tea,tea has become cultural transmission and spiritual inheritance in-tegrated into the family blood.