Kungfu Cha
According to the earliest written records, the Chinese began drinking tea during the Western Han Dynasty, when it was used as a precious medicinal herb and only available to the imperial court. During the Tang Dynasty, Lu Yu's "Classic of Tea" systematically introduced knowledge about tea. During the Song Dynasty, China's tea culture reached its peak, and tea drinking became popular among both nobles and commoners, and this drinking custom was later introduced to Japan and gradually developed into a highly ceremonial tea culture. In contrast to Japan, the Chinese emphasis on tea drinking is on the heart and the atmosphere during tea drinking is more important than etiquette and method. In China, tea drinking is not a noble and intimidating ceremony, but an art of daily life that integrates into everyday life. Therefore, tea has become one of the seven common things in life and enjoys a spiritual pleasure that can be tailored to personal taste. Offering a cup of tea is also part of the Chinese way of hospitality.
Originating in the Song Dynasty, "Kungfu tea" prevailed in the Guangdong-Chaozhou area of southeastern China and the Zhangzhou and Quanzhou areas of Fujian, combining folk culture and skills, it is a representative Chinese tea culture that is still preserved in Chinese communities in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. The term "Kungfu" in the Chaozhou and Minnan dialects means exquisite, refined, time-consuming, and costly, because the time and method of brewing tea, the quality of tea sets, water quality, storage, and even the nature of the companions for tea drinking are emphasized. Therefore, it is called Kungfu tea.
Kungfu tea places great emphasis on atmosphere, and the tea sets used in Kungfu tea are generally small and delicate in order to control the quality of the tea. The simplest Kungfu tea set consists of a pot with two to four cups, while more sophisticated ones include more than twenty different utensils. Among them, the "Four Treasures of the Tea Room" are the most important and elegant: tea stove (boiling tea maker), tea can (container for packing tea leaves), cone-shaped pot (lid bowl/purple clay pot), and tea cup. In addition, burning a stick of incense before drinking tea and placing several interesting tea pets on the tea table can also enhance the pleasure of tea drinking.
There are many types of tea sets for Kungfu tea. Here we briefly introduce several basic tea sets.
Tea stove: Kungfu tea attaches great importance to the temperature of the tea water, so a tea stove is prepared nearby to facilitate temperature control. In the past, charcoal stoves were commonly used, but now they are mostly replaced by electric stoves.
Tea canister: The main consideration for the tea canister is sealing. Well-sealed tea leaves should be stored in a dry and cool place to avoid exposure to sunlight.
Brewing vessel: Common ones are Yixing purple clay teapots and covered bowls. The purple clay material is rich in minerals, which is very suitable for Kungfu tea that values water quality. Kungfu tea attaches great importance to the ratio of tea leaves to water. Regardless of the teapot used, the key is "small rather than large, shallow rather than deep" to better control the quality of the tea. In addition, you can also consider using a covered bowl that can see the tea soup, is easy to grasp the concentration, does not pick tea leaves, and is easy to clean. Choose thin porcelain bowls that are less likely to absorb heat, and the size is determined by the size of the hand. The edge of the cup lid is farther away from the outer edge of the cup mouth, and the lid button is higher, which is less likely to burn your hands.
Tea cup: There are also four principles for tea cups-small, shallow, thin, and white. Small cups can be drunk in one gulp, shallow cups leave no water at the bottom, thin quality brings fragrance, and white color sets off the tea color. Typical Kungfu tea usually configures three tea cups, forming a "pin" character, which is also the spirit of Chinese tea culture. In the 1980s, Taiwan started the double cup tea tasting method, equipped with two cups, one high and one low. The short cup is used for tasting, and the tall and thin cup is mainly used for smelling the fragrance, and can also be used for tasting.
Fairness cup: The purpose is to put the brewed tea soup to prevent the tea leaves from soaking for too long and having a bitter taste. It can also cool the tea soup and settle the tea residue. The reason why it is called a fairness cup is that it can evenly distribute the tea soup, so it has the spirit of fairness.
Tea wash: The tea wash has both the function of a tea brewing workbench and a water container. It is divided into upper and lower parts, and the upper part has a hole, which is convenient for excess water to flow into the lower container.
Tea roaster: It has the function of removing moisture and enhancing tea fragrance.
Tea pet: As the name suggests, a pet or a plaything for tea lovers that is nourished by tea water. It is mostly made of purple clay or clear mud. When drinking tea, leftover tea water is used to wipe or sprinkle it. Over time, the color and texture of the tea pet will become warm and smooth, and it will also emit tea fragrance. The choice of tea pets depends entirely on personal taste and preferences. Some people choose them for their auspicious meanings, some people like literary atmosphere, and some people just love the fun of childhood.
Agarwood: Burning incense can calm the mind, and drinking tea can clear the mind. They are two of the four arts of ancient literati and are interdependent. Lighting incense when tasting tea can set off the atmosphere and mood of tea tasting. For example, the smoke and fragrance in the incense burner in the picture are like flowing water, adding a touch of interest to the tea tasting.