Tea has always been a central part of Asian cultures, and this is especially seen in China where it originated. The tea culture in China isn’t as simple as one may think, as there is a veritable culture surrounding it. In the beginning, tea was then cultivated mainly for herbal medicinal use, and could mostly be seen within temple grounds. The monks who lived in such temples then began drinking tea for the soothing and calming effects it had, and they attributed this to the humility and respect for nature. The Chinese tea ceremony was born out of these beliefs, and now stand as a symbol of the need for peace and the love of nature.
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History of Chinese Tea Ceremony
Early stories believed a mythological Shennong or the Divine Farmer point as the first person to discover tea. It is said that during one of their outdoor trips, Shennong and his team drank the boiling water which contained fallen leaves and ended up liking the brownish concoction. In other variations of the folk tales, Shennong tested whether plants were safe or poisonous by eating them and, because of his clear stomach, noticed that some leaves were moving inside him and alleviating his pains.
Tea or “cha” was then used for medicinal purposes—warding off drowsiness and apparently improving eyesight. After initially starting as an Emperor’s drink, it became accessible to the Chinese people and has been part of social gatherings.
Another version of the history of Chinese tea culture was first recorded in the Tang Dynasty 641 AD when the princess married a Tibetan emperor, having the tea on her dowry list. From then on, the Chinese wedding tea ceremonies have become a right passage for getting married. The tea market peaked in the Ming dynasty. Aficionados obsessed on the details of luxury teas that boosted the value of its place of origin. Some of the most famous teas were grown by monks in the mountain areas around monasteries, where there was good access to quality spring water. In the 8th century, China introduced this practice in Japan and it became more popular there than in China.
Tea Symbolism for the Chinese Culture
Originally, tea was consumed for its medicinal properties – used as herbal medicine the Chinese added the leaves to their food to provide nutrients or as an antidote for poison. It is also known for its benefits of aiding digestion, which is why the Chinese prefer to drink tea after their meals, and also aids in nervous disorders. Another benefit of drinking tea is it helps to expunge nicotine from the bodies of smokers faster.
The Chinese have a saying: ‘Firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea are the seven necessities to begin a day.’ Even if the tea was mentioned last, the idea of it being mentioned already signifies its importance to daily life.
Tea is regarded as the most zen-like drink. As early as the Tang Dynasty, a regarded zen master answered three monks of different statuses with “Go and have your cup of tea!” to symbolize that all are born equal. It is also said that tea is a mysterious but harmonious combination of spirituality and invigoration. It is flexible in various environments meaning it can adapt to different cultures. For example in Japan, the rigorous tea ceremony reflects the nation’s character of making full use of every resource, while tea also represents peace of mind. In the west, iced sweetened teas are a regular thirst quencher.
Types of Tea Served at a Chinese Tea Ceremony
In all Chinese tea ceremonies, tea selection is of the utmost importance. There are only certain types of tea which can be used, and the preparations for each type have unique characteristics than from others. Generally, tea types vary between a selection of black, white, and green teas. Specifically, it should be noted that the oolong tea variety is the type often used for traditional tea ceremonies, with the occasional usage of pu-erh tea as well. Meanwhile, for the gong-fu tea ceremony, most types of tea are permitted except that of green tea.
One main difference amongst the types of tea would be their brewing temperatures, with ideal temperatures varying between the tea varieties. White and green tea work best with water between 172-185 degrees Fahrenheit, and oolong with water between 185-212 F°. Black tea must be brewed with water at slightly below the boiling temperature at 210 F°, and pu-erh tea being brewed with boiling water at exactly 212 F°. Heating water to the proper temperature for each tea type is very important as it has been proven that the tea gives off the best flavor at the measured ranges listed.
Chinese Tea Ceremony Etiquette
Most western tea lovers and connoisseurs would know a lot about proper tea etiquette, but very few of these are acquainted with the Chinese tea ceremony. China is a country with a long and glorious history, with ceremony and proper decorum being part and parcel of their lives and culture. With Chinese tea ceremony culture being an especially important part of Chinese lifestyle, it would be important in knowing the correct etiquette when it comes to this very delicate ceremony. This is because being polite and showing proper respect when drinking tea in a Chinese teahouse, or when taking part in a Chinese tea ceremony can not only reflect your good self-cultivation, but also bring you the pleasantness and peacefulness from the tea itself.
Seating in a Chinese Tea Ceremony
The seating etiquette in a Chinese tea ceremony is traditionally arranged in descending order from the host’s left hand to the right. This then translates to the first guest of honor being seated at the left-hand side of the host, and so on and so forth. This is a strict rule which cannot be changed no matter what the shape of the table is. Reverence for the elderly, the accomplished, and women are also followed. Elders and teachers are usually most revered to take the first seat, with ladies taking priority if ever the age differences are negligible. Another thing to remember is that it is often seen as inappropriate to sit directly opposite to the host, which if inevitable, is often reserved for children instead.
Finger Kowtow in a Chinese Tea Ceremony
Expressing appreciation to the host during a Chinese tea ceremony, especially if it is a guest’s first time to drink tea with them, happens during the first steep. The guest should stand up, with men holding their left fists over their right and women with their palms put together, making a deep bow, sitting down, taking over the teacups, smelling the tea’s aroma, and then sipping and savoring the tea. Another important ritual observed is finger tapping, or commonly known as “Finger Kowtow”, which is taken as silent gratitude to the person who is serving the tea. This comes from the word “kowtow”, or kneeling in reverence, with the shape of the two fingers bent and tapping on the table being symbolic of kneeling and bowing with gratitude towards the tea server.
Several centuries ago, Emperor Qianlong would sometimes travel anonymously through the empire, and servants were told not to reveal their master’s identity. One day in a restaurant, the emperor, after pouring himself a cup of tea, filled a servant’s cup as well. To that servant, it was a huge honor to have the emperor pour him a cup of tea. Out of reflex, he wanted to kneel and express his thanks. He could not kneel and kowtow to the emperor since that would reveal the emperor’s identity so he bent his fingers on the table to express his gratitude and respect to the emperor. This thank you knock is still in use today in China and its influenced areas.
Proper Procedure of a Chinese Tea Ceremony
The Chinese tea ceremony is not just simply the drinking of tea and showing reverence to the host for inviting a guest over. It involves a series of predetermined steps which are followed very closely, and include the brewing, smelling, drinking, and the appreciation of the tea.
To start things off, in order to even hold a Chinese tea ceremony, the presence of a full tea set is required. The set is made up of the teapot, teacups, the tea strainer, kettle, tray, tea leaf holder, tea towel, and even tongs. The ingredients should also be fully laid out such as the water itself and the tea leaves. There are actually different tea sets which should be prepared depending on the type of tea being used. For green tea, white porcelain tea sets are often used, while for red tea, purple sand sets are more commonly seen. Included in the preparations are procuring optional tea snacks such as dried plums and pistachio nuts for the guests as well.
Preparations
The Chinese tea ceremony starts off by heating the water in a kettle. The teapot, snifter teacups, and regular teacups are then placed in a bowl with the heated water poured over them to warm them up. Once thoroughly heated, they are then taken out one by one with the aid of tongs if the temperature is too high for human hands. This preheating is done to help fully release the fragrance of the tea once it is finally poured into the cups. With the preparations in place, the tea leaves themselves are often passed around for participants to examine and look closely at. Things to watch out for are the appearance of the leaves themselves, their aroma, and the overall quality of the tea.
Several Factors in Brewing
After this, the tea-leaf holder is used to scoop the loose tea leaves from the tea canister. The tea leaves are then poured into the teapot, in a step known as “the black dragon enters the palace”. It is important to note that the amount of tea and water used will vary depending on the type of tea and its quality, as well as the size of the teapot itself. A general ratio to follow would be one teaspoon of tea leaves for every six ounces of water. With the tea inside the teapot, water is then added and the tea is brewed according to the temperature range for that type of tea. The type of water used also plays a factor with distilled, soft, and hard water often avoided. Instead, cool water, spring mountain, or bottled water is preferred for tea brewing.
Steeping
Once the tea is brewed completely, the brewed tea is poured into a tea pitcher, from where the tea snifters are filled. For those without snifters, regular teacups may be used as well. The teacups are then placed upside down on top of the narrow teacups to signify prosperity and happiness to all guests present. This tea shouldn’t be consumed yet, and instead is discarded. With the kettle just above the teapot, heated water is then poured into the teapot, making sure to keep the kettle level just above the teapot at all times. This is so that the flavor of the tea leaves isn’t removed too quickly. The tea is then steeped according to the size of the tea leaves and its quality, which determines the total steeping time.
Drinking Tea
Finally, once the tea has steeped fully, all the tea is then poured into the tea pitcher, and then into the snifters and / or teacups. It’s now finally time to drink the tea. Proper tea etiquette during drinking requires that tea drinkers cradle the teacup with both hands, and enjoy the tea’s aroma before taking a sip. In fact, the tea should be drunk in three sips of different sizes with the first one being small and the second being the largest, acting as the main sip. The third and last sip should just be to appreciate the tea’s aftertaste and to empty the cup completely.
End of the ceremony
The Chinese tea ceremony doesn’t just end after drinking all the tea. Once the tea leaves have been brewed several times, the tongs are used to pull out the used tea leaves to place them in the bowl. These used leaves are then presented to the guests who should carefully inspect them and say words of appreciation towards the tea’s quality and taste.
The Chinese tea ceremony is often held during formal events and occasions such as during Chinese weddings, or during important parts of one’s life such as when inviting a new guest into one’s home. It is a ritual which comes from thousands of years of intricate practice and is deeply rooted in the Chinese culture. This is the reason it is treated with such reverence and patience, and why it is a good sign of one’s character and ability to appreciate the simple things in life such as tea drinking.
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