Cai Xiang

[1] Along with Su Shi, Huang Tingjian and Mi Fu, Cai Xiang is typically regarded as one of the Four Great Masters of the Song dynasty.

In the eight year of the Tiansheng (天聖) era (1030 CE) he obtained the degree of jinshi (進士, lit.

His highest rank was Secretariat Drafter of the Duanming Court (Duanmingdian Xueshi), in charge of written communication of the imperial government.

He pioneered the manufacturing of small Dragon Tribute Tea Cake of superlative quality, as it was reputed to be harder to obtain than gold.

But tribute tea manufacturers like to mix small amount of Dryobalanops aromatica camphor, supposedly to enhance the aroma.