目前有關宋代鬥茶的認知，普遍以蔡襄《茶錄》為圭臬，殊不知宋代的鬥茶風格，是在歷史發展的過程中，逐步建構而成，非一朝一夕即成共識。基此，本文重新檢視過去習用的關鍵史料，藉以探討宋代鬥茶型式與內涵的變遷。本文發現三點：一、范仲淹〈和章岷從事鬥茶歌〉在景祐元年所作，反映北宋中葉以前一般士大夫對「鬥茶」的認知，證明在蔡襄《茶錄》資訊還沒普及之前，鬥茶是屬於茶葉品質的比賽。二、北宋慶曆之後，建安民間興起重視「白茶」的風氣，結合蔡襄《茶錄》的論述，在全國形成「茶色貴白」的風潮，宋徽宗《大觀茶論》更將它推向極致，以「白茶」為第一，而鬥茶亦當以「純白」為上，不過卻與茶葉品質沒有必然關係，所以不乏質疑者。三、在蔡襄與蘇舜元的鬥茶案例中，證明宋人在鬥茶活動往往自備茶泉，試圖影響鬥茶的結果，產生「鬥茶」亦「鬥水」的意象，然而在唐庚〈鬥茶記〉裡，卻發現他於無意中將鬥茶平臺標準化，透過統一取用「龍塘水」，反而回復鬥茶的本質，也發現此次鬥茶是茶葉的品質比賽，而非點茶的技藝比賽。

The current understanding of “Tea Competition” in the Song Dynasty is primarily based on Cai Xiang’s Chalu. Yet, the “Tea Competiti on” style in the Song Dynasty was gradually formed through the progression of history rather than becoming prevalent due to a classic. Thus, this study re-examines several important historical documents to explore the evolution of the style and spirit of “ Tea Competition” in the Song Dynasty.This study makes three discoveries. First, Fan Zhongyan’s Response to Zhangmi’s Tea Competition Poetry, written in 1034, reflects the understanding of “Tea Competition”according to the scholar-bureaucrats in the Zhongyuan area before the mid-Northern Song Dynasty. It proves that before Cai Xiang’s Chalu became a canon, “Tea Competition” had already been a competition based on the quality of the tea leaf.
Second, after the Qingli period of the Northern Song Dynasty, the White Tea leaf became popular in the Jian-An area, and with the promotion in Cai Xiang’s Chalu, the White Tea leaf became precious throughout the entire country. Daguan Chalun, written by Emperor Huizong, promoted the White Tea leaf to its peak, i.e., the White Tea leaf was deemed to be the best and that “Tea Competition” should be a competition of “pure white” leaf. Yet, such promotion was questionable since it had no direct relation to the quality of the tea leaf. Third, the case of “Tea Competition” between Cai Xiang and Su Shunyuan showed that the Song people prepared their own water to make tea and tried an impression that “Tea Competition” was a competition not only of tea leaf, but also of water. Therefore Tang Geng, in his Douchaji, introduces a standard for the competition: only “Longtang Water” could be used for the competition. He thus restored the original spirit of “Tea Competition,” i.e., as a competition based on the quality of the tea leaf, not a competition involving the skill of making tea.