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 The art of drinking and serving
tea plays a major cultural role in China. It inspires poetry and songs.
Mutual love of tea cements lifelong friendships. For centuries, the ritual
of preparing and serving tea has held a special place in the hearts and
minds of Chinese aristocracy, court officials, intellectuals and poets.
The Chinese tea ceremony
emphasizes the tea, rather than the ceremony -- what the tea tastes like,
smells like, and how one tea tastes compared to the previous tea, or in
successive rounds of drinking. Ceremony doesn't mean that each server will
perform the ritual the same way; it is not related to religion. Each step
is meant to be a sensory exploration and appreciation.
Most teas
used in the Chinese tea ceremony are grown in the mountains of Taiwan at
around 4,000 feet. These teas are particularly refined, such as oolong teas
which are lightly fermented and red teas that can be moderately to heavily
fermented.
This style of tea-drinking
uses small cups to match the small, unglazed clay teapots; each cup is just
large enough to hold about two small swallows of tea. These tiny cups are
particularly popular in Fujian and Chiujao, in southern coastal China above
Canton. In Shanghai and Beijing they use large cups.
To Brew Tea Chinese-style
After heating water to boiling,
the teapot first is rinsed with hot water. Using chopsticks or a bamboo tea
scoop, fill teapot approximately 1/3 full with tea leaves and then pour
boiling water into the pot. Hold the teapot over a large bowl, letting the
overflow run into the bowl. Give the tea leaves a rinse by filling the pot
half full with hot water, then draining the water out immediately, leaving
only the soaked tea leaves. Now fill the pot to the top with more hot water,
cover and pour additional water over the teapot resting in the tea bowl.
Do not allow bubbles to form in the pot. When mixed with the tea, bubbles
form a foam that is not aesthetically pleasing. Be sure to not let the tea
steep too long; the first infusion should be steeped for only 30 seconds.
In less than a minute, pour the tea into the cups by moving the teapot around
in a continual motion over the cups so that they are filled together. Each
cup should taste exactly the same.
After steeping, the tea can be
poured into a second teapot or tea pitcher to be served at leisure. More
water can be added to the teapot, and up to five infusions typically can be
made from the same tea leaves. Be sure to add 10 more seconds for the second
brewing and 15 additional seconds thereafter.
Each pot of tea serves three
to four rounds and up to five or six, depending on the tea and the server.
The goal is that each round taste the same as the first. Creating consistent
flavor is where the mastery of the server is seen.
Importance of Water
The water used in the tea ceremony
is as important as the tea itself. Chlorine and fluoride in tap water
should be filtered out as they harm the flavor of the tea. Distilled water
makes flat tea and should be avoided. High mineral content in the water
brings out the richness and sweetness of green tea. Black teas taste better
when made with water containing less Volvic. Ideal tea water should have an
alkaline pH around 7.9.
Green teas are ruined by
boiling water; the temperature is best around 170-185 degrees F. Oolongs
made with underboiled water are more fragrant, which enhances the tea-drinking
experience.
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