Tea culture is an important part of Chinese traditional culture, which covers a wide field and is rich in content. It contains not only the embodiment of spiritual civilization, but also the extension of ideological form.

Tea is nearly 5,000 years old and was discovered, as legend has it, in 2737 B.C.  According to the legend, the Shen Nong (or Shen Nung), an early emperor, was a skilled ruler, creative scientist and patron of the arts. He was called “The Divine Healer”.  Numerous other medicinal plants were attributed to this legendary emperor. His farsighted edicts required, among other things, that all drinking water be boiled as a hygienic precaution. One summer day while visiting a distant region of his realm, he and the court stopped to rest. In accordance with his ruling, the servants began to boil water for the court to drink. Dried leaves from a near by bush fell into the boiling water, and a brown liquid was infused into the water. As a scientist, the Emperor was interested in the new liquid, drank some, and found it very refreshing. And so, according to legend, tea was created.

Chinese tea evolved from a palace treat to a common beverage during the Jin Dynasty and Nan Bei Zhao (265 AD - 589 AD). Later during the Tang Dynasty (618 AD - 907 AD), Chinese tea trading became extremely widespread. Techniques in tea plantation and processing advanced at great speed. Lots of famous teas were developed.

"Tea became popular in Tang and prospered in Song (960 - 1276)". In the beginning of the Song Dynasty, Chinese tea was kept in the shape of balls and cakes. When served, tea was crushed and boiled with seasonings. But as tea drinkers became more particular, they paid more respect to the original shape, color, and taste of tea leaves. Seasonings faded out and loose leave tea started to take center stage. The fame of Chinese tea owes a lot to Chinese 'Tea saint' – Luyu and his literature Tea Book.

China is the homeland of tea, taking a leading position in the planting, producing and drinking of tea. From the earliest fresh-boiled tea, taken as a kind of soup, to later dried and preserved tea, from the simple Green tea to the blooming of six major Chinese teas, which started catching on in the Tang (618 - 906) and Song(906 - 1279) dynasties; Chinese tea has carried itself into contemporary times. The flavor of Chinese tea, which is sometimes thin and sometimes thick, seems bitter, but is actually sweet. It has flown through the long history from ancient times up to now. What is more, with unique appeal, tea has brought down international boundries and has been brought to all parts of the world.

There are many different ways of brewing Chinese tea, depending on variables like the formality of the occasion, the means of the people preparing it and the kind of tea being brewed. For example, green teas are more delicate than oolong teas or black teas and as a result should be brewed with cooler water. The most informal method of brewing tea is the simple adding of leaves to a pot, and hot water. This method is commonly found in households and restaurants. Two other primary methods of brewing tea are the Chaou method and the Gongfucha method.

Chaou brewing tends towards a more formal occasion and is generally used for more delicate teas, medicinal teas and tea tastings.
The chaou is a three piece tea-ware, consisting of a lid, cup/bowl, and a saucer, which can be used on its own or with tasting cups on the side. Chaou brewing is usually employed in tea tasting situations, such as when buying tea, where neutrality in taste and ease of access to brewing leaves for viewing and sniffing is important. This method of serving is often used in informal situations, though it can also be used in slightly more formal occasions. Chaou brewing can be used for all forms of teas, though lightly oxidized teas benefit most from this brewing method.

Instructions for preparing tea with this method:
1. Boil water, or heat to specified temperature for tea.
2. Heat the tea -ware with boiling water.
3. Add leaves to line bottom of the cup.
4. Rinse tea leaves and then drain.
5. Slip water along the side, while pouring into cup to ~2/3 full.
6. Wait for 30 seconds and then serve.

Gongfucha brewing is a far more formal method of tea brewing (mainly for oolong or double fermented teas like Pu'erh), although even this method can be made more or less formal depending on the occasion.
It makes use of small Yixing tea-wares teapot of about 100 – 150 ml (4 or 5 fl. oz.) to enhance the aesthetics, and more importantly "round out" the taste of the tea being brewed. Yixing teapot brewing tends towards the formal, and is used for private enjoyment of the tea as well as for welcoming guests. The following steps are one popular way to brew tea in a form considered to be a kind of art. Depending on the region of China the steps may differ, as will the tools used in the making of tea (e.g. Taiwanese-style Gongfu cha which makes use of several additional instruments including tweezers and a tea strainer).

This procedure is mostly applicable to Oolong teas only, although some use it to make Pu'erh and other double-fermented teas:
1.    Boil water.
2.    Rinse the teapot with hot water.
3.    Fill the teapot with tea leaves up to one third of the height of the pot.
4.    Rinse the tea leaves by filling the pot with hot water, up to half full and draining the water immediately leaving only the tea leaves behind. (This step, and all subsequent steps involving pouring water, should be performed in a large bowl to catch any overflow.)
5.    Pour more hot water into the teapot and pour water over the teapot in the large bowl. Bubbles should not be permitted to be formed in the teapot. The infusion should not be steeped for too long: 30 seconds is an appropriate maximum.
6.    Pour the first infusion into small serving cups within a minute by continuously moving the teapot around over the cups. Each cup of tea is expected to have the same flavor, aroma and color. The nature of this procedure almost mandates the use of some form of drip tray to catch further spillage.
7.    Pour excess tea from the first infusion, and all tea from further infusions, into a second teapot after steeping. It is possible to draw five or six good infusions from a single pot of tea, but subsequent infusions must be extended somewhat in duration to extract maximum flavor: the second infusion extended by approximately ten seconds to 40 seconds, the third extended to 45, etc.

There are several special circumstances in which tea is prepared and consumed.
•    As a sign of respect
In Chinese society, the younger generation always shows its respect to the older generation by offering a cup of tea. Inviting and paying for their elders to go to restaurants for tea is a traditional activity on holidays. In the past, people of lower social status served tea to higher ranking people. Today, as Chinese society becomes more liberal, at times parents may pour a cup of tea for their children, or a boss may even pour tea for subordinates at restaurants. However, the lower ranking person should not expect the higher ranking person to serve him or her tea in formal occasions.
•    For a family gathering
When sons and daughters leave home to work and get married, they may seldom visit their parents. As a result, parents may seldom meet their grandchildren. Going to restaurants and drinking tea, therefore, becomes an important activity for family gatherings. Every Sunday, Chinese restaurants are crowded, especially when people celebrate festivals. This phenomenon reflects Chinese family values.
•    To apologize
In Chinese culture, people make serious apologies to others by pouring tea for them. For example, children serving tea to their parents, is a sign of regret and submission.
•    To express thanks to your elders on one's wedding day
In the traditional Chinese marriage ceremony, both the bride and groom kneel in front of their parents and serve them tea. That is a way to express their gratitude. In front of their parents, it is custom for the married couple to say, "Thanks for bringing us up. Now we are getting married. We owe it all to you." The parents will usually drink a small portion of the tea and then give them a red envelope, which symbolizes good luck. Another variance is for the to-be daughter-in-law to serve tea to her to-be parents-in-law, symbolizing that she is to become a part of the latter's family.
•    To connect large families on wedding days
The tea ceremony during weddings also serves as a means for both parties in the wedding to meet with members of the other family. As Chinese families can be rather extended, one or two hundred people, it is entirely possible during a courtship to not have been introduced to someone. This was particularly true in older generations where the patriarch may have had more than one wife and not all family members were always on good terms. As such, during the tea ceremony, the couple would serve tea to all family members and call them by their official title. Drinking the tea symbolized acceptance into the family. Refusal to drink would symbolize opposition to the wedding and is quite unheard of since it would result in a loss of "face". Older relations so introduced would give a red envelope to the matrimonial couple, while the couple would be expected to give a red envelope to younger, unmarried relations.
•    To pass on the tradition
Kungfu cha is drunk in Chaoshan, because it is part of Chaoshan culture. They have a term for it which cannot be translated into another Chinese language.  It is when friends and family get together in a room to drink Kungfu cha and chat. During such occasions, tradition and culture are passed on to the younger generation.
•    Folding the napkin in tea ceremonies is a traditional action and is done to keep away bad Qi energy in China as tea (茶) was regarded as one of the seven daily necessities, the others being firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar（柴,米,油,鹽,醬,醋）.

Have a great week!
The ChineseVoice Team