tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40733452024-03-07T03:42:20.761-05:00Floating Clouds, Gliding Eagle 飄雲翔鷹Anything to do with Chinese tea. Interesting, thought-provoking, provocative.
<br>The experiential aspects of Tea.</br>Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-75609833936791203252016-10-05T20:03:00.001-04:002016-10-05T20:03:51.131-04:00Hi floatingcloudsgood morning floatingclouds
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<br><a href="http://fightglobalaids.org/bottle.php?finger=dwsr2pku1sr0r46">http://fightglobalaids.org/bottle.php?finger=dwsr2pku1sr0r46</a>
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<br>WarrenWarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-62275045162560639442009-10-14T19:18:00.000-04:002009-10-14T19:19:40.541-04:00Tea in Chinese Television Series - Part 2<span style="font-family:arial;">Di Yi Cha Zhuang第一茶庄<br /><br />This is the story of the turmoil of a wealthy tea family and their business through the tumultuous times of the Japanese occupation of China.<br /><br />Each scene has a very rich and beautiful setting; and there are episodes of tea brewing using zisha tea ware.<br /><br />There is also the personal conflict between Zhao Tian Yu 趙天宇and Li Tian Ci 李天賜brought about because of revenge over lost love; which then spreads to affect the Zhao family business.<br /><br />There are also overtones of traitorous behavior as Li Tian Ci uses the Japanese to further his evil ambitions.<br /><br />Li Tian Ci becomes the underling of the Japanese business man Song Yuan, who under Song Yuan’s tutelage is taught and directed to use unscrupulous and ruthless means to achieve business objectives in their competition with the Zhao family tea business.<br /><br />But not only does the Zhao family have to face the Li Tian Ci problem, other forces are working to break apart the family fortune. There is the wife of the older brother who is very unfilial toward the Zhao family. Then there is the vile treachery, swindling, and blackmail orchestrated by Song Yuan to destroy the name and fortune of the Xuan He tea business, (Xuan He Cha Zhuang 宣和茶莊) and the Zhao family.<br /><br />The story goes on to portray the life events of each member of the family through prosperity and hardship.<br /><br />This is a very compelling story, and one certainly worth watching. Of course, there is tea in the series, so it’s one of my favorites too. Hope I can find it on DVD in China soon.<br /><br />The entire program can be seen on Youku <a href="http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTIzMzk4ODI0.html">here.</a><br /><br />Production year: 2005<br />Number of episodes: 30<br />Language: Mandarin</span>Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-22291083052715409382009-10-14T18:46:00.004-04:002009-10-14T19:06:47.254-04:00Tea in Chinese Television Series<span style="font-family:verdana;">Lately, I watched a Chinese television series about tea titled Plain Love 2 茶是故鄉濃 (Cha Shi Gu Xiang Nong) on video sharing site Youku.<br /><br />This is an uplifting, heartfelt, and inspiring story about love, heartbreak, greed, envy, vicious plots, treachery, backstabbing, shame, and revenge intertwined with the day-to-day business of a tea farm/factory.<br /><br />Every scene has depictions of tea picking, tea manufacture, or tea brewing; though it seems unlikely one factory would produce so many different kinds of tea as depicted in the series. There is mention of Maofeng, Longjing, Puer, Tieguanyin, Oolong, and other teas - seemingly all growing on the same farm.<br /><br />All the rivalry and bitterness is centered within one tea factory, with the underlings/workers striving to get the better of their fellow coworkers and become recognized and praised by the matriarch factory boss to attain the coveted prize of more responsibility, and more face within the factory by becoming a tea production master and manager.<br /><br />The setting is set in Guangxi during the Peoples’ Republic era. Not only are there tensions between coworkers, there is tension between Han and the Mountain-dwelling peoples (the credits mention thanks to the Yao community). There is also the rivalry between the Song family and the disgraced and defunct Fang family tea businesses as the heir to the Fang family, Fang You Wei 方有爲 strives to re-develop the characteristic Fang-style tea and regain honor and fame to the Fang family name; which was blackened some 20 years before, leading to the death of his father.<br /><br />There is also the struggle for love between Fang You Wei 方有爲 (played by Lin Jia Dong林家棟) and Pan Mei Ya 盤妹雅 (played by Zhang Ke Yi張可頤) .<br /><br />While all the vile scheming in the movie (in every episode) left me wondering if the characters really understood anything about tea, in the final few episodes, Fang You Wei and others finally come to realize the true value and meaning of tea.<br /><br />This is a show more about evil schemes than it is about tea. But still, it is a very interesting story. And since there is so much tea in it, it is one of my favorite shows.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">If you want to see the show for yourself, the link is <a href="http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNjE1MzgzOTY=.html">here</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Production year: 1999</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Number of episodes: 32</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Language: Mandarin</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span>Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-52027350224319911252009-07-02T14:46:00.002-04:002009-07-02T14:57:13.601-04:00Tea MoviesLast week I was able to view 3 movies I know of that have tea as the theme - sort of.<br /><br />There is a Chinese movie called "Tea Love" or 茶恋. It seems to be a Mainland China production about the life-story of Lu Yu. Now such a movie would seem exciting right? Yeah, but this movie wasn't the best. There were so many details left out about Lu Yu's life that the whole movie really gives you no sense of his importance or who he is exactly. All in all, boring. I wish there were a better, newer production with a bigger budget.<br /><br />There is also a Japanese movie called "Rikyu" or 利休. Exactly the same as the "Tea Love" movie - a life story about Japanese Tea Master Sen no Rikyu. And also equally boring. And exactly no sense of his importance and contribution to tea. At least from reading the subtitles, that's the impression I get.<br /><br />There is a relatively newer production called Tea Fight or 斗茶. Now this is a movie worth watching. And I would watch it over and over again. The story premise is kind of dumb though. But I totally get it. Lots of interesting characters, and actually a few good lines in there. The dialog switches back and forth between Mandarin and Japanese. All in all, a cool tea movie. Hope there are more tea movies soon like this one.Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-14669032227175279702008-06-22T19:15:00.010-04:002008-12-11T20:54:01.383-05:00Tea on the Train in China<span style="font-family:verdana;">I often travel by train throughout China, and it's an interesting experience every time. The best way to travel is by soft sleeper class, or ruan wo (軟臥). Then, you can travel in style in a 4-bed cubicle compartment. But that's if you're lucky enough that there are still seats available. The next best is hard sleeper class, or ying wo (硬臥). Then, you will share bunk space with a whole train car of Chinese travellers - which is quite exciting - because you never know who you are going to meet. And often, you can pass the time chatting it up with your fellow travelers. </span><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZssfaOpCMwapY-JCZemw8m7ySG3lNeEHg5ADoXyMtESWr61c6gjiek12cEx_OEq-6hXMuAZwtIpdMOXEBeYtBwm-bnFhGkVY9ipMGaii5hCWCcd2SZAERNvG06dw9EAtmQy6Bg/s1600-h/IMG_0424.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214853232410065506" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZssfaOpCMwapY-JCZemw8m7ySG3lNeEHg5ADoXyMtESWr61c6gjiek12cEx_OEq-6hXMuAZwtIpdMOXEBeYtBwm-bnFhGkVY9ipMGaii5hCWCcd2SZAERNvG06dw9EAtmQy6Bg/s200/IMG_0424.JPG" border="0" /></a>Just about every train car has at one end a hot water dispenser. And there are thermal carafes of hot water in each compartment for travelers to use. These are very handy - since food on the train is a little expensive; and most travelers prefer to bring their own instant noodle cups to eat on the train. And many travelers also bring their own travel cups - which they fill with hot water from time to time - to steep whatever kind of tea they happen to be drinking. Some people who travel as a group will even bring a piao-i cup and steep tea for the group.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Before travelers board the train, each thermal carafe in each compartment is quickly filled by the train attendants. Most travelers seldom use these though. Instead, they prefer to go directly to the water dispenser, and get piping hot water themselves. It's a little tricky to negotiate the aisles with a noodle cup full of hot water though. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;">If you're filling up your tea cup, always make sure to bring the lid along, and <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcq4e-V3COwT3OeAHVQMTFHjzcgWeY1YwmjdsPbOSo0PYwHclw-uWPEHcC2yKMkyfTGOqnMgBAnWQdV-xll1Xk-UckDhd-IMRwpm6Z0mea4m2h36xnApXixd7xgLI5E94TRtshXQ/s1600-h/IMG_0423.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214853241722649554" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcq4e-V3COwT3OeAHVQMTFHjzcgWeY1YwmjdsPbOSo0PYwHclw-uWPEHcC2yKMkyfTGOqnMgBAnWQdV-xll1Xk-UckDhd-IMRwpm6Z0mea4m2h36xnApXixd7xgLI5E94TRtshXQ/s200/IMG_0423.JPG" border="0" /></a>secure it tightly. The interesting trick though, is to not scald your fingers as you open the tap on the dispenser. With the jerking movements of the train, it's kind of hard to not scald the fingers. </span></div><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Each train seems to be different in how the water temperature is adjusted on those water dispensers. Some trains have a dispenser with a lower water temperature. When I traveled from Longyan, Fujian to Beijing, I brough along a really good packet of tieguanyin. And every steep just wasn't very good. The water temperature was too low.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">But every time I traveled from Fuzhou or Longyan to Shenzhen, the water t<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5CFUSmfKA9hsGW2aX6zY16MBeYa1hNRlZvaHvTAukfHyBf2boM7-nSVFLLUnJfDR7RGqJTr4pVfBwn60R8AVUZ9KcQOjoYmpm18tcZXN8Tys8E_zwflmZ1LtbYaRDlgc2-HDL_Q/s1600-h/IMG_0422.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214853236878075778" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5CFUSmfKA9hsGW2aX6zY16MBeYa1hNRlZvaHvTAukfHyBf2boM7-nSVFLLUnJfDR7RGqJTr4pVfBwn60R8AVUZ9KcQOjoYmpm18tcZXN8Tys8E_zwflmZ1LtbYaRDlgc2-HDL_Q/s200/IMG_0422.JPG" border="0" /></a>emperature on that train was quite hot. And tieguanyin would steep nicely.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Whatever the train, don't expect the tea to taste as good as a round of gongfu tea. In fact, it's best to bring along a cheaper, but still quite nice kind of tea to enjoy on the train. </span><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Of course, if you get bored, or if you get hungry, you can always go to the dining car, and check out what <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_8JakvkcZc51bnRyByhQ6hGh33u893Cjqfyco7I9U3G5Mqa_g3MOfa4R0arV1HsgRr3xZcfGG3T1wY1-4nrJf-3XQJnqGaxa2DuxTbifrlylLeGYUeYwgnC23oTGd1EJSfm2_Q/s1600-h/IMG_0427.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214858704780056114" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_8JakvkcZc51bnRyByhQ6hGh33u893Cjqfyco7I9U3G5Mqa_g3MOfa4R0arV1HsgRr3xZcfGG3T1wY1-4nrJf-3XQJnqGaxa2DuxTbifrlylLeGYUeYwgnC23oTGd1EJSfm2_Q/s200/IMG_0427.JPG" border="0" /></a>they have on the menu. And if you're nice and ask for tea, the attendants will fill a cup for you to enjoy while waiting for your meal.</span> </p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">And if you're just not able to bring any tea or a travel tea cup, watch out for the snack cart. The girl comes around pretty regularly, and you can buy a bottle of iced tea or iced green tea. Of course, it's not really iced, and was never refrigerated. So don't expect a cold drink. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">A bottle of tea typically costs 5 yuan. A noodle cup from the snack cart also costs 5 yuan. </span><br /><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBa84yes0GQKJ5sqtZFltTt_mf2RHbpBivzx56F_PAvjcPKk7jUD5aqBGlMxDgl_wFVeZj2lBF-aoeSOLMxVee3SZZT0CH4lWZb3e3n7RAkCrQvq348Ayx1CCu-bKS4zQX_QttYA/s1600-h/IMG_0205.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214863241210156194" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBa84yes0GQKJ5sqtZFltTt_mf2RHbpBivzx56F_PAvjcPKk7jUD5aqBGlMxDgl_wFVeZj2lBF-aoeSOLMxVee3SZZT0CH4lWZb3e3n7RAkCrQvq348Ayx1CCu-bKS4zQX_QttYA/s200/IMG_0205.JPG" border="0" /></a>A breakfast of rice congee, peanuts and pickled vegetables and a mantou (饅頭) is about 15 yuan. In the mornings, look for the cart of congee to pass by - if you want to eat breakfast.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">A meal in the dining car is pricier. Expect each dish to run you about 35 yuan per dish. A bowl or two of rice is an extra cost. </span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbBXn5xCnX27CNAu3dw5bW95m1hy4M5T9-jfijw9bA39JwBoLegQryQ0bGLJBiQyHAa8hDOSvOPOmVCRh0X9YckaPL1nzPs3G_bSmY1_vPreB5m8lQuxB4hN6suKnWt8WYGCnxw/s1600-h/IMG_0429.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214864248954677794" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbBXn5xCnX27CNAu3dw5bW95m1hy4M5T9-jfijw9bA39JwBoLegQryQ0bGLJBiQyHAa8hDOSvOPOmVCRh0X9YckaPL1nzPs3G_bSmY1_vPreB5m8lQuxB4hN6suKnWt8WYGCnxw/s200/IMG_0429.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">And hot water from the water dispensers is free.</span></p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Fare on the trains is not the finest cuisine, but still palatable. The menu has a limited selection. But you can find dishes like stir-fried cabbage, steamed fish, fried egg omelet, mushroom soup, stir-fried beef and vegetables, etc.</span> <p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Train sta<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgez-TwBg10IoUW8nLIjixfsVasjGSjSlqF7g9rkp20ECluMAIA8f2MwiwMC2XBdkXyYFII4L7y8I4-a8HuqAFNZEU5Ae3vK_ugpH_vfurUR8irNHAElHFr6T_5AZBWmoEBWobJw/s1600-h/IMG_0428.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214864243615773634" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgez-TwBg10IoUW8nLIjixfsVasjGSjSlqF7g9rkp20ECluMAIA8f2MwiwMC2XBdkXyYFII4L7y8I4-a8HuqAFNZEU5Ae3vK_ugpH_vfurUR8irNHAElHFr6T_5AZBWmoEBWobJw/s200/IMG_0428.JPG" border="0" /></a>tions also have a hot water dispenser for you to enjoy a noodle cup or two, or a cup of tea as you wait for the train to arrive in the departure hall. Look for all the people carrying noodle cups, and see where they're going to or coming from.</span></p>Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-84524171925260880682008-06-21T23:45:00.004-04:002008-12-11T20:54:01.698-05:00Hong Kong - Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVuhUR5EvGgmadwKnbKhRqv6nQDIedIr4iF2nR7HAgfx1-k9-mrbXRxBsTxqJJxMqmmgrHt1qWLMBk9UPZ1-9QUveKbtGDIjuqb-qowVNXy0UXzCqcYcZYxWLxCXIwOZRD0S16g/s1600-h/IMG_0908.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214550486637247202" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVuhUR5EvGgmadwKnbKhRqv6nQDIedIr4iF2nR7HAgfx1-k9-mrbXRxBsTxqJJxMqmmgrHt1qWLMBk9UPZ1-9QUveKbtGDIjuqb-qowVNXy0UXzCqcYcZYxWLxCXIwOZRD0S16g/s200/IMG_0908.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQ0MkRlcmauTQU1rW5I4Lho2xAULSmRp_SANHk_oioFno6uwp8jfBfwBrgn24zxOAfJ522TB2urqRAHg-P7zhNxaggoiIRZ71y6SBZZhmU7-XG78Xubq2Biz3w2zA-6YCQf7EFg/s1600-h/IMG_0918.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214550491524888466" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQ0MkRlcmauTQU1rW5I4Lho2xAULSmRp_SANHk_oioFno6uwp8jfBfwBrgn24zxOAfJ522TB2urqRAHg-P7zhNxaggoiIRZ71y6SBZZhmU7-XG78Xubq2Biz3w2zA-6YCQf7EFg/s200/IMG_0918.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">Whenever I visit Hong Kong, I usually make time for a trip to the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware. I have visited often enough when I have the chance; and I always find casual tours through the place to be inspiring in some way. </span></div><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Currently, they have a new exhibit showcasing the history of tea. The exhibit runs until November 11, 2008. Last time I visited HK back in March, it wasn't installed yet. On my next visit to HK (very soon), I will be sure to take a look.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Check the <a href="http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/tea/exhibitions/eexhibitions_20080101_1.html">HK Museum of Art</a> website for details.</span>Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-92004156685046989722008-06-21T23:22:00.002-04:002008-06-21T23:28:20.479-04:00Interesting Tea InfoThere's additional info on Chinese tea to be found at the infuzionpot blog.<br /><a href="http://infuzionpot.blogspot.com/">http://infuzionpot.blogspot.com</a>Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-41404240286827267252007-12-30T01:41:00.000-05:002007-12-30T01:45:56.748-05:00Cultivating TeapotsYou buy a new zisha teapot, but it's not ready for use. So what can you do? You can take it home and start the long process of rearing it yourself. But if you don't have much time, that could take a very very long time before you notice any results. Or, let's say for example, you're drinking mainly sheng puer these days, but would really like this new pot to be used for Tieguanyin. But you don't have plans to drink Tieguanyin in the next few months. Is there a solution? Yes, there is. All you have to do is find a tea fanatic who will cultivate your teapot for you. And, maybe say after a few months, you can get your teapot back and start using it. Of course, it would be good if you could help your friend to cultivate one of his/her teapots with the sheng puer you're into.<br /><br />In Fujian; and even all across China, this is a common practice. You buy a particular teapot from a local shop. The shop owner is friendly to you. And he/she agrees to cultivate your pot for you. So not only do you get a great pot, you get the shop owner's expertise in cultivating your teapot. And tea will be brewed in your teapot daily. And tea essence from all the great teas customers are sampling in the shop all day get poured over your teapot. So you end up with a great pot without all the work.<br /><br /> Of course that's in China. But if we're in North America, what can we do? Maybe we can have a buddy system and cultivate pots together with a friend. Or maybe we need to find a teapotsitter who can cultivate our teapots for us all day. Yeah. That's just what I need - a teapotsitter. My poor pots are too neglected already.Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-5542273656110044772007-12-30T01:39:00.000-05:002007-12-30T01:40:33.316-05:00Ferment or Oxidize?<span style="font-family:verdana;">Is tea fermented or oxidized? In fact, teas don't undergo any fermentation at all. The tea leaves are actually bruised a little, and it causes the tea leaves to undergo a chemical change when exposed to air - they get oxidized. This results in the leaves turning into a darker color. And it changes the color and taste of the tea. Then, by controlling the amount of fermentation, you can end up with totally different results from the various varietals of tea.<br /><br />Take Tieguanyin, for example. Theoretically, you could produce an unfermented (or unoxidized) green Tieguanyin. Or you could oxidize it a bit, and end up with these lightly-fermented Tieguanyins that are common today. Or, you could heavily oxidize the leaves, and end up with a heavy fermented Tieguanyin. You could even go further and produce a fully fermented Tieguanyin - a red Tieguanyin.<br /><br />So teas are oxidized, and not actually fermented like beer or wine. Some people ask, "Why is said to be fermented when it's actually oxidized?" It seems fermentation is a direct translation from Chinese when it comes to tea. Over a century ago, "fermented tea" became all the rage, replacing green tea as the favorite among Westerners. But all Chinese tea texts - past and present, even scientific ones always use the word faxiao (chinese character) which means fermentation. So in China everyone, tea experts, tea merchants, tea artists, tea masters all say faxiao or fermented, not yanghua (chinese characters) - oxidized. They always refer to their teas as fermented, not oxidized.<br /><br />And why is that? Faxiao, or ferment is a word that we are familiar with. It's a food word, it's a good word. When we say oxidize, it sounds like a scientific word, an unfriendly word. Ferment. Oxidize. Which one sounds better? Now think of food. Say the words again. Ferment. Oxidize. Which word would you rather associate with your food?<br /><br />Keep in mind, China has a very long history of wine culture; as old or even older than tea. So maybe faxiao, ferment is a word they are more intimately conscious of.<br /><br />When I was in high school, I was into tea. But when I read that teas were "fermented" it worried me a little. Was I going to get drunk from my tea? Is my tea tainted with alcohol? I always made a personal choice to stay away from alcohol, because back then we heard stories of fellow students who died drinking. They got drunk, passed out, and froze in the winter cold. I didn't want to die young, and I didn't want alcohol to dumb up my brain. So I never drank. And that's why it worried me when I read that tea was "fermented". But fermented or not, I still had to drink it. Tea is just too good. But this fermentation thing still worried me enough that I had to immediately understand the process of fermentation. And after understanding it, I concluded that tea was not fermented. Instead it must undergo some other change that is not fermentation, I thought. Then I thought of tree leaves and how they could change from green to brown under certain circumstances. Tea leaves must change or ferment under similar circumstances. So then I could drink tea worry-free.<br /><br />Maybe when we speak of fermentation it can confuse people, like I was. But fermentation, as opposed to oxidation is more of a people-friendly word. It's a word we associate with food. And it's a word that's most understandable to people. Just remember to make the distinction that fermented tea is not like fermented wine. There is no alcohol being produced here. Rather it's a chemical change, just as real fermentation is, that makes a dramatic change in the end product - just as grapes can change into wine.<br /><br />Tea fermentation. Wine fermentation. They're two totally different subjects. But both have to do with food. I can accept the word "fermentation" when associated to tea.<br /><br />So when we refer to tea do we say fermented or oxidized? I prefer the word fermented. And it's what everyone in China is saying anyway.</span>Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-18933578148383760862007-11-25T00:32:00.001-05:002007-11-25T01:16:14.182-05:00T in ChinaThere is tea as we know it in China. But little known is the fact there is another kind of tea in China. But this kind of "tea" is a code word, lingo among those in the know of certain girls/women who like dressing and keeping the hair short, like a tomboy. So T or "tea" in China is an alternative meaning for tomboy, or lesbian, or whatever.<br /><br />In fact, there are some 36 million to 48 million homosexuals in China. And gay culture in China has a very long long history.<br /><br />So, in China, you have people saying "I am tea." Which to people who understand means "I am gay."<br /><br />There are a whole list of words to describe tea terms that you may not understand; although they're not much having to do with the kind of tea we drink:<br />T:所谓的tomboy,指比较阳刚的女同志 (Tea meaning tomboy, referring to a particularly masculine type of "female companion").<br />浓茶=涩tea=色t (Strong tea = astringent tea = lustful tea; or lustful whatever - you get the idea).<br /><br />So what do you think? Is T your cup of tea?Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-30349455151476006412007-06-19T04:26:00.000-04:002007-06-19T04:36:24.952-04:00Hong Kong Teaware Museum Trip<span style="font-family:verdana;">I visited the Flagstaff House Museum of Teaware on June 18. I made a special trip to Hong Kong just to go see it. And I have always wanted to see what a tea museum would be like. Ok, maybe you're thinking – “teaware museum, cool!” That's what I always thought. But it wasn't all that exciting. The whole event was anticlimactic and uneventful. There was nothing there that was really awe-inspiring.<br /><br />There is some old teaware on display, or modern reproductions of ancient teaware. And the walls have displays and photos of tea preparation through the ages – written both in Chinese and English. Let me give you a tip: if you plan a trip to this museum, be sure to bring a Chinese friend along who can translate the Chinese for you. Some of the explanations in Chinese are not the same in English. There's information missing in the English translations – not that it's really important. But if you want to be accurate, then, it's helpful to have a friend along who can translate.<br /><br />The lower floor has displays of ancient Chinese teaware, and a gift shop selling well, teaware, tea, and books and DVDs. The books themselves are worth a trip to the museum. It's hard to find books like these translated into English. But these ones looked pretty good. They also had some DVDs available about Chinese tea culture. But I'm not sure if they have an English track to them or not.<br /><br />While I was in the museum, they showed a DVD about tea processing of Anxi Tieguanyin. But it was all in Cantonese – which, hey, is ok if you can speak Cantonese (like me). But if you can't understand, then, you really miss out on the information they present. That's why it's helpful to have a friend along who can translate.<br /><br />Then, the upper floor has more display rooms, currently showing modern pieces by contemporary Hong Kong potters. But I didn't think it was really that good. It was very artsy, and a lot of the pieces looked impractical to use. They just seemed to be a collection of lots of clunky, large tea pots, and tea cups. Considering China has thousands of years of tea history, and thousands of years of teaware development, these new pieces seem unrefined, and just not in flow with the past. In short, they looked like pieces not to be used, but to be put on display. Anyway, I didn't get it. But, they did have video displays in English to discuss the pottery art, and they also did try to educate visitors about various pottery processes used to create the pieces. So maybe that is a plus.<br /><br />Their display on gongfu tea didn't seem to be well-researched. Well, let's be honest here. It's not well researched. It's just a very over-simplified description. And the information they present on the origin of gongfu tea is misleading. But go to the museum and see for yourself.<br /><br />To sum up, I thought I would be steeped in the tea experience. But nothing special really happened. The whole trip was kind of a bummer – until... until I got to Shenzhen and went back to Tea World. At Tea World, I bumped into some Chaozhou people, and they brewed up Fenghuang Dancong 凤凰单枞 for me. They didn't do it in the traditional Chaozhou style of gongfu tea. But they used a gaiwan method, so I could taste the true nature of the tea; and appreciate the qi of the tea. Well, they boiled 1 kettle full of water and brewed the tea from that single gaiwan of Dancong tea. Then, they boiled a second kettle of water for that same gaiwan of Dancong. I continued drinking. They boiled a third kettle of water for the same gaiwan of Dancong. I drank steep after steep after steep of the same infusion of leaf. I wasn't counting, but it must have been over 20 infusions. They were about to boil a fourth kettle of water and continue brewing the same gaiwan. But I stopped at the end of the third kettle – because A. I had to go to the washroom; and B. I got smashingly tea drunk (although I had just eaten a heavy meal of McDonald's which is right next door to Tea World). I have to say, I have never gotten tea drunk like this before in my life. It was almost a narcotic-like experience (maybe – I don't actually know what narcotics are like). But it sure felt strange – although I was still fully mentally aware. But then after that, it was much easier for other vendors to sell me their teas. I bought a bag of that Dancong for my friends to try. Maybe they will get as tea drunk as I did. And I also I bought 2 sheng puer cakes from Ban Zhang factory. I have to admit, my puer collection is pretty shameful. So I need to grow my own personal inventory.<br /><br /><strong>The verdict:</strong> If you want a really good tea experience, after your trip to HK, cross the border into Shenzhen, and experience the world of tea.</span>Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-74606569433215030502007-05-27T05:50:00.000-04:002007-05-27T08:07:05.829-04:00Tea in Hong KongI've been to Hong Kong quite often now. And it's a must place to visit. Hong Kong is just such a cool place. It's busy, crowded, and life there is vibrant. It's also very clean. Much cleaner than mainland China.<br /><br />Though I've been there a few times, I didn't have the chance to really visit any tea spots. But I have been researching, and next month here's where I plan to go:<br /><br /><strong>Hong Kong:<br /></strong><br /><strong>Flagstaff House Museum of Teaware</strong> 茶具文物館<br /><br />Last time it was raining hard, and I looked for quite awhile. I knew it was in Hong Kong park. But I didn't think Hong Kong park was a mountian! After trudging up the mountian in the rain, I looked at a notice board, and forgot it was Tuesday. The museum is closed Tuesdays. Better luck next time.<br /><a href="http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/Museum/Arts/english/tea/intro/eintro.html">http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/Museum/Arts/english/tea/intro/eintro.html</a><br /><br /><br /><strong>Wing Wah Ngong Ping Teahouse </strong>榮華昂坪茶館<br />Wing Wah is actually a Hong Kong bakery, with many branches. But they have a teahouse on Lantau Island that has an interactive multimedia display to learn about tea art. Sounds pretty interesting, if you can make it all the way out to Lantau Island.<br /><a href="http://www.wingwah.com">www.wingwah.com</a><br /><br /><br /><strong>Ying Kee Tea Co</strong><br />Just out of curiousity, I want to see what tea stores in Hong Kong are like, and how they compare to ones in Mainland China. The pic of the storefront on their website looks nice, so I want to take a look in person.<br /><a href="http://www.yingkeetea.com">www.yingkeetea.com</a><br /><br /><br />Well, that covers a lot of area, I can tell you. First, going all the way out to Lantau Island, then, making it back to Central, and then going to Kowloon.<br /><br />Then, after crossing the border at Luo Hu into Shenzhen, I always like to check out Tea World (a collection of many many tea shops on the second floor of the De Xing building, right beside McDonald's on Jian She road.. It's very close to the train station in Shenzhen. They have a lot of cool things there, including teas and all kinds of teaware. And the prices are pretty reasonable.<br /><br />Next month, I will report back on my travels to these places.Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-1165763106060367602006-12-10T09:44:00.000-05:002006-12-10T10:09:25.696-05:00Tea Culture and Wine Culture in ChinaYou know, I came to China so I could research and understand more about China's tea culture. But actually, what I ended up doing is learning a lot about China's modern wine culture.<br /><br />But why? I'll tell you why, I was kind of forced into it. Everytime you eat dinner with friends, or go out with friends (usually guys) - they always order beer or wine. Then, they make all kinds of rounds of toasts - because drinking alcohol is a social thing. You don't drink alone. You must toast a person, and drink together - and it's always bottoms up. No little sips or anything like that.<br /><br />Then, comes bottle after bottle after bottle. After everyone is full from dinner, they will start playing drinking games. Yes, they have games here to making drinking a more fun pastime. Not like tea - not really any games to play - except maybe: "guess how much I paid for this tea?"<br /><br />Like I said before, they have different drinking games here - like: rock, paper, scissors; guessing fingers. And another one is a dice guessing game. And there are many other of these drinking games. But the end result is the same - if you suck at playing these games, you will get drunk very quickly - it's almost impossible to not get drunk once these people start drinking.<br /><br />So basically, even if you're a tealover, it's almost unadvoidable to not get drunk, or to not drink in China. At some point you have to do it - because that's the social thing to do. Even girls get really smasing drunk too - but they always try to avoid drinking, and try their best to only drink just a little bit. Except the men always force them to drink up, saying it's not fair. Hahahaha. But I'm not that mean though. I just let them get away with it.<br /><br />But you know, when someone toasts you, you can't refuse, because it's like an insult. You don't give the other person face. So that's why it's inevitable and unavoidable to drink here. Plus it's a big social thing.<br /><br />Then, the second day, after recovering from a heavy night of drinking - you can always turn to tea to partly restore you back to health - there's that and rice porridge.<br /><br />Yes, I know it's better to stick to tea culture, but wine culture is so in-your-face here too, so it's unavoidable.Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-1165761655955145582006-12-10T09:25:00.001-05:002006-12-10T09:40:55.973-05:00I'm Back and Thoughts on Rinsing Tea LeavesWell, I'm still in China, but now I can finally post some new material on here. It's been awhile. Things have been busy here in Fujian. We didn't have rain for like over 2 months during September and October and a part of November. There was just thick dust on all the tree leaves. It gets like that here - lots of dust in the homes, on buildings, and on trees. You can literally see the dust caked on the leaves.<br /><br />And, if you see dust on the leaves, then, if it rains you should avoid walking under the leaves - otherwise you'll end up with a dirty mess on your clothes.<br /><br />Since there's so much dust, it seems to me that the leaves on the tea trees would be covered in dust if there's no rain too. But they would wash that off before processing anyway.<br /><br />But, still, just gives another reason why you should rinse your leaves when you brew tea. They might have all kinds of accumulated dust on them - at some point.<br /><br />I'm living in Southern Fujian, and Anxi is not very far from here - where Tieguanyin comes from - and other kinds of teas - like Benshan, Maoxie, and Huangjingui.<br /><br />Everyone here drinks Tieguanyin, it's like the king of wulong teas, especially when talking about southern Fujian teas.<br /><br />Yes, Tieguanyin is king, and everyone drinks it exclusively. They don't even look at other kinds of teas. That's how so highly regarded it is. I drank some of the autumn pick, and it was pretty good. But, not having rain for 2 months means the crop is not as perfect as it could have been - when compared to prior years. But it's still very good though.Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-1151229768456784032006-06-25T05:46:00.000-04:002006-06-25T06:02:48.470-04:00Tea and Wine in ChinaDo you know, here in China, a lot of men say: "you're not a man unless you drink and smoke."<br />So everytime I go out with friends to eat dinner, I'm obligated to drink because, they always make these toasts. And it's usually not beer they're drinking at the dinner table, it's some Chinese wine that is like 85 proof. They drink it in small thimble cups.<br /><br />Now I'm not a drinking kind of guy. Heck, I never got drunk in my life before I came to China.<br />They always force me to drink a lot. They go through 2 bottles of that 85 proof wine at the dinner table. And they drink it straight up, not even diluted with water or ice, or anything.<br />Well, the end result is, you slowly get drunk, and then poof!! after awhile, you're smashing drunk!!<br /><br />I have to not sit at the dinner table, so I can be saved from all that drinking, and pretend I'm drunk.<br /><br />In China, these men say, you're not a man if you don't drink. And these people were talking in Guigang dialect, which is sort of a strange dialect of Cantonese. Anyway, I could understand what they were saying about me. Because they saw I was afraid to drink that wine again (after having my first experience - and one very bad one at that - puked 3 times and was sick for over 3 days).<br /><br />Basically, they were saying I am like a woman, because I can't drink. Then, I replied in Cantonese: "Right, I'm a woman". My friend started laughing after that. Of course, he was on his way to getting pretty drunk too.<br /><br />Then, they play all these drinking games too - with dice or with hands. Whoever loses, has to drink up. And that's no fun if you lose all the time. But I'm pretty lucky and I seldom lose, haha.<br />They serve tea at these dinners, green tea in glasses, or some other tea. I always beg them to use tea for making a toast, but most of the time, they refuse.<br /><br />The manager came into our private room to meet me. He heard there was a foreigner visiting the restaurant 毛家饭店(Mao Jia Fan Dian - or Mao's Family Restaurant). He also toasted me, and he got really really smashed. He said he was very very happy to meet me. And he drank a lot of wine. Chinese here have a more relaxed outlook on life. Sure your the manager, but you're allowed to get drunk, haha!!<br /><br />So my conclusion:<br />Drinking tea: way cool. Drinking wine: very uncool. Why would you want to drink something that smells and tastes like medicine, and will make you very sick for 3 days? Just the smell of that stuff makes me want to vomit.<br /><br />Bai Ju Yi, famous Tang Dynasty poet also remarked in one of his poems:<br />聊将茶代酒<br />"When chatting, let tea represent wine"<br />I think that's the best advice, even today.Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-1148879572398253132006-05-29T00:36:00.000-04:002006-05-29T01:12:52.456-04:00China and Tea ExperiencesWell, I haven't been posting here regularly, because I've been in China for 2 months now. And I'm still here. You can't view blogs in China. So I have no way to see my own blog. But I can still log into blogger and edit things. Blogspot.com is totally blocked.<br /><br />Anyway, enough of that and on to tea.<br /><br />Mostly, I have focused on meeting tea people, and making friends. And I have met quite a few people already. I've had a lot of fun tea experiences here. One time, I had the chance to make friends with a woman buying a zisha teapot. She really bargained hard on the price. But I saw from the way she handled the pot that she really understood tea. So I asked her if we could be friends. A week after, she invited me to a teahouse. When I arrived, I then found out that she was the manager. Chinese are so humble.<br /><br />After that, I visited on occasion, and had long discussions with her staff who would pour me tea. Some were in training and needed the practice. And some said, they just drink tea all day by themselves when there are no guests around.<br /><br />Every time I go there, they ask me: "how is this tea"? I say: "It's ok". After awhile, they caught on, and said: "you always just say it's ok. What does that mean"? Then I was forced to explain, the tea is ok, but not the best I have tasted. It's only a middle quality tea. But I'm too polite to say the tea doesn't taste very good. And they know I would never say that anyway, because, to enjoy tea, it's not just about the tea, it's about the people around you, and the atmosphere of the place, of the moment.<br /><br />Another time, another woman brewed tea. Then, suddenly she noticed me not drinking so much. Something that even I did not notice. So she asked me: "how come you're not drinking your tea? Is there something wrong?" I said: "no, nothing wrong". Then she just had a big smile, and said: "I know you're not drinking because I did something wrong. Maybe I let the tea steep too long, and now it's too strong. Or maybe I made it too weak. I know when you don't drink, you don't like my tea."<br /><br />Man, they know everything. You can't hide anything from them. Next time, I will bring my own teas, the teas I like to drink, and what I think are good quality. Then, they can try them, and I will see if they like to drink them or not.Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-1140416829524674872006-02-20T01:24:00.000-05:002006-02-20T11:43:14.743-05:00For All the Tea in China, Not Enough WaterWater is important for tea. Yet present-day China is facing a severe water shortage. So it will be increasingly difficult to enjoy a good cup of tea without a supply of good water. From various media sources, here are some sobering facts to ponder:<br /><br />More than 70 percent of China's rivers and lakes are polluted, while underground water supplies in 90 percent of Chinese cities are contaminated.<br /><br />At present, 300 million Chinese do not have access to drinkable water, as heavy pollution compounds water scarcity problems.<br /><br />China is a country that has only one fourth as much water per head of its population as the world average. The expansion of industries like paper and cement strain water supplies even further.<br /><br />There are water shortages in 400 of China's 600 largest cities.<br /><br />The World Health Organization says that 700 million of China’s 1.3 billion people drink water that doesn’t meet WHO’s minimum standards, primarily because of improper treatment of industrial, human and animal waste. Barely 20 percent of China’s sewage is adequately treated.<br /><br />Well-off residents of cities can buy bottled water, but impoverished Chinese have no choice but to drink tap or well water. They always boil it, which can kill bacteria and parasites but won’t remove chemical contaminants.<br /><br />In cities with modern water treatment plants, the tap water may still be unsafe because the water pipes are so old and rusted, the clean water gets polluted on its way to the tap.<br /><br />Bottled water is not always the answer either, since small bottling companies may fill bottles with tap water, passing it off as purified water.<br /><br />Since the 1950s, China has lost 1000 lakes and 26% of all of its wetlands.<br /><br />China's vice minister of water resources, Er Jingping, said on Dec. 28, 2005 that some 300 million rural residents drink water contaminated by fluorine, arsenic, high levels of salt or other organic or industrial pollutants.<br /><br />Nearly two thirds of the around 660 cities nationwide, mostly located in coastal areas, report water shortages. Ten of the Chinese provinces are commonly hit by severe water shortage with per capita water availability of less than 500 cubic meters.<br /><br />China's per capita water availability stands at 2,200 cubic meters, which is about a quarter of the world average, according to China's Ministry of Water resources. Severe water shortage has led to the over-tapping of groundwater in many parts of China, which in turn has caused serious problems like less drinking water for future generations and large areas of earth degradation, said He Bin, an engineer of Haihe River Water Resources Committee affiliated with the Ministry of Water Resources.<br /><br />The water deficit in normal years across the country approximates 40 billion cubic meters.<br /><br />China's population hit 1.3 billion last year, and is expected to reach 1.6 billion in 2030. A growing population, combined with rapid economic development and industrialization will strain water supplies even further.<br /><br />Water shortages are costing the Chinese industry and the economy billions of dollars; simply because there is not enough water for industrial uses. A shortage of water causes an average 280 billion yuan (35 billion U.S. dollars) in direct economic losses each year, suggests a report on China’s current status of water resources. The research was funded by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology. The lack of adequate water supply will be a major impediment to China’s social and economic development over the next 30 years.Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-1140416588883274042006-02-20T01:21:00.000-05:002006-02-20T01:29:01.940-05:00China's Water Problems: News ArticlesHere are various news articles about China's growing water crisis.<br /><br />Shortage of water twice as costly as flooding: research<br /><a href="http://tinyurl.com/gj3fb">http://tinyurl.com/gj3fb</a><br /><br />China eyes sea water to ease shortages<br /><a href="http://tinyurl.com/fmuja">http://tinyurl.com/fmuja</a><br /><br />70 percent of Beijing's rivers fail to meet water safety standards<br /><a href="http://tinyurl.com/85ehj">http://tinyurl.com/85ehj</a><br /><br />Northern China wetlands drying up – Xinhua<br /><a href="http://tinyurl.com/a53xd">http://tinyurl.com/a53xd</a><br /><br />Wetlands latest casualty in China's water crisis<br /><a href="http://tinyurl.com/a6f4s">http://tinyurl.com/a6f4s</a><br /><br />China: Shrinking Wetlands Underline China's Water Problem<br /><a href="http://tinyurl.com/7lzsl">http://tinyurl.com/7lzsl</a><br /><br />China Pushing Environmental Cleanup<br /><a href="http://tinyurl.com/7jomn">http://tinyurl.com/7jomn</a><br /><br />China gets tougher on pollution after river spill<br /><a href="http://tinyurl.com/7cevv">http://tinyurl.com/7cevv</a><br /><br />Chinese sewage discharged into ocean breaches pollution standards: report<br /><a href="http://tinyurl.com/afjyz">http://tinyurl.com/afjyz</a><br /><br />China's pollution galvanizes peasants to action<br /><a href="http://tinyurl.com/7g3ar">http://tinyurl.com/7g3ar</a>Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-1139350343428847802006-02-07T16:56:00.000-05:002006-02-07T17:12:23.436-05:00Tea Caddies 茶罐<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/391/134/1600/DSCN1801.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/391/134/320/DSCN1801.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />These are a couple of tea caddies, for storing tea leaves. They are made of pewter. But pewter contains lead. So I never used them for storing tea, only keep them for display. Anyway, there are plenty of other tea storage options besides these kinds of tea caddies.Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-1139349012129928422006-02-07T16:41:00.000-05:002006-02-07T16:50:12.140-05:00Tea Tools 茶道<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/391/134/1600/DSCN1824.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/391/134/320/DSCN1824.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />These are a set of tea tools. They come in a variety of woods, or even bamboo. There are tongs, a tea needle, a tea measure, a tea scoop, a funnel, and a container to hold them in.<br /><br />These are all necessary pieces of equipment for gongfu tea.<br /><br />Notice the tea needle (sharp pointed thing). Cheaper versions of tea tools include a tea needle of solid wood. But that's not very good. That tea needle is often too thick to be useful. Good tea needles are tipped with natural horn, like the one pictured.Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-1137206219193549422006-01-13T21:25:00.000-05:002006-02-01T13:41:11.950-05:00Biography of Lu YuLu Yu (陆羽), known as the “God of Tea” (茶神), or the “Tea Saint” (茶圣), was Tang Dynasty’s most famous tea scholar. Before his time, there were no tea books, and just a few, scant fragments of information on tea and a few tea poems from the Jin Dynasty. But he wrote “The Classic of Tea” and thereby codified the tea rite. He laid out on 3 scrolls the knowledge of tea at that time.<br /><br />His book had ten chapters: Chapter 1 – Origins, Chapter 2 – Tea Utensils, Chapter 3 – Tea Production, Chapter 4 – Tea Wares, Chapter 5 – Brewing, Chapter 6 – Drinking, Chapter 7 – Matters About Tea, Chapter 8 – Tea Producing Areas, Chapter 9 – Summary, Chapter 10 – Plan of the Book<br /><br /><br />His tea book became the outline for many later tea books of the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing eras. And many tea scholars have written commentaries on his writings, and quoted from his original work. Today, the Classic of Tea or Cha Jing is still important for understanding Tea.<br /><br /><br />There is a lot of information on Lu Yu’s life – recorded in various other books, like the “Xin Tang Shu”. Basically, what we know about his life is that he was an orphan. And a Buddhist scholar took him in. Then, he was raised at the Long Gai Temple (龙盖寺) in present-day Tian Men County, Hubei province. Though, later, he had no interest in studying Buddhism.<br /><br />Because he had no name, the Book of Changes (易经) was consulted, and his name was divined. His name comes from hexagram 53. So he was given the surname Lu (姓陆), and name of Yu (名羽). And his pen-name was Hong Jian (字鸿渐).<br /><br />Here is the original Chinese:<br /><br />渐卦,第五十三<br />上九,鸿渐于陆,其羽可用为仪,吉。<br /><br />Hexagram 53 reads:<br />“The wild swan gradually comes to the land. The feathers can be used for ceremonial (dress). Auspicious.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Lu Yu lived in southern China, near tea-producing areas. So he was able to have an intimate knowledge and understanding of Tea.<br /><br />Lu Yu became a scholar in life, and traveled around China to many places. So he was quite well-educated and knowledgeable about the affairs in Tang China. Besides tea books, he wrote many other non-tea related books. But he is most famous for The Classic of Tea.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>A Brief Timeline of Events in Lu Yu’s Life:<br /></strong><br />733 CE Lu Yu was born on an autumn day in present-day Tian Men County, Hubei province.<br /><br />738 CE Lu Yu started to study Chinese characters at the age of 6. He is reputed to practice writing by tracing with a stick while riding on the back of an ox.<br /><br />740 CE Lu Yu is given the task of preparing tea for his master; at the age of 8.<br /><br />749 CE At 17, he learned to pick tea.<br /><br />765 CE Lu Yu produces the first draft of the Classic of Tea.<br /><br />775 CE Lu Yu revises the Classic of Tea on 3 scrolls.<br /><br />780 CE The Classic of Tea is carved onto printing blocks. From this point on, the Classic of Tea can be mass-printed.<br /><br />804 CE On a winter day, Lu Yu takes sick and dies at the age of 72.<br /><br /><br />Notes: It is Chinese custom to count the year you are born as year one. So to Chinese, a newborn is already 1 year old.Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-1136871516461230052006-01-10T00:27:00.000-05:002006-01-11T02:33:27.203-05:00Lu Yu on Teabowls from the Chajing (Classic of Tea)In reading the original text of the Chajing (茶经), or Classic of tea, I made the following observations about his comparision of Tang era teabowls.<br /><br />Lu Yu mentions the teabowls of 7 areas, or kilns. And he compares them. He states which ones are suitable for tea, and which bowls are inferior. Mainly, he compares the tea bowls on the basis of color. Of the 7 he compared, only 2 types were suitable for tea.<br /><br />First he mentions Yue ware (越窑). He labels these teabowls superior. This teaware originates in modern Zhejiang province.<br /><br />Second he mentions Ding Zhou ware (鼎州窑). Dingzhou ware is inferior. It comes from modern Shaanxi province.<br /><br />Third, he mentions Wuzhou ware (婺州窑). It’s also inferior. It comes from modern Jiangxi province.<br /><br />Fourth, he mentions a different Yue ware (岳窑). He pronounces is superior. It comes from modern Hunan province.<br /><br />Fifth, he mentions Shouzhou ware (寿州窑). It’s labelled inferior. It comes from modern Anhui province.<br /><br />Sixth, he mentions Hongzhou ware (洪州窑). It’s also inferior. It comes from modern Jiangxi province.<br /><br />Seventh, he mentions Xing ware (邢窑). In his text, he only states it is inferior to Yue ware of Zhejiang. Xing ware came from modern Hebei province.<br /><br /><br />He goes on to say:<br /><br />“If Xing ware is silver, then Yue ware is jade. This is one reason why it is not as good as Yue ware. If Xing ware is snow, then Yue ware is ice. This is a second reason. Xing ware is white, which makes the tea color red. Yue ware is green, which makes the tea color green. This is a third reason why Yue ware is better.”<br /><br /><br />Paraphrasing here to catch the general idea:<br />“With Yue ware, the lip is not rounded. The bottom is shallow; making it easier to drink the contents.”<br /><br />He then further compares the various kilns colors. Of this he states:<br /><br />“Yuezhou ware (of Zhejiang) and Yue ware (of Hunan) is green. Green ware is suitable for tea.<br /><br />If tea is made with a light red color, then:<br /><br />Xingzhou ware is white, making the tea color red. Shouzhou ware is yellow, making the tea color purple. Hongzhou ware is brown. The tea color is black. All of these are unsuitable for tea.”<br /><br /><br />Note: Lu Yu makes no statement about the color of Dingzhou ware, or the color of Wuzhou ware. He only says these kinds of tea bowls are inferior.<br /><br />But, you can see his analysis is based mainly on the color of the tea bowls, and what effect the color of the tea bowl would have on the color of tea. For him, only green glazed tea bowls were desirable, because it made the color of the tea green. Also, we can infer that Xing ware was a good type of teaware. He says it is like silver. But, he doesn’t like Xing ware because the color of the glaze is white.<br /><br /><br />Lu Yu leaves out two other types of teaware which were in use in the Tang Dynasty: Changsha ware, and Ding ware. Changsha ware was a coarse porcelain, for every day use. Ding ware was a white glaze porcelain from Hebei province (not to be confused with Ding Zhou ware of Shaanxi province). Perhaps the teabowls of these places were not worthy of mention; too inferior.<br /><br /><br />So, the ideal type of teabowl during the Tang Dynasty would be one of a green glaze, preferably of Yue ware from Zhejiang, or Yue ware of Hunan.<br /><br />In fact, the Yue kilns in Zhejiang made both celadon (qing ci) tea bowls, and porcelain bowls of a green glaze. So I would guess that both of these types would be suitable for tea back then. And today, celadon is still popular for teaware.Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-1136791111533121732006-01-09T02:16:00.000-05:002006-01-09T02:36:14.383-05:00Cha He 茶荷<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/391/134/1600/DSCN1816.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/391/134/320/DSCN1816.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Cha he is an interesting kind of teaware for tea art. It's called "cha he" in Mandarin. They are used to display the tea to your guests before you put the tea into the teapot. It's actually a useful thing. You scoop the tea out of the tea container directly into the cha he. Then, you can use some tea tools to transfer the correct amount of tea leaf to the teapot. It's nice to allow your guests, or even yourself to get a good look; and admire the fresh tea leaves.Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-1136612068928097822006-01-07T00:27:00.000-05:002006-01-07T11:47:35.663-05:00Japanese Tea Bowls<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/391/134/1600/DSCN1784.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/391/134/200/DSCN1784.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Much like Song-era Chinese tea bowls, some Japanese tea bowls were made in a similar style. Here is a Japanese tea bowl, or chawan that can be used in Chanoyu.<br /><br />In Song China, they really preferred a black ware tea bowl like this, because the black color better brought out the color of the green powdered tea; the colors contrasted quite well. So in Song China, a lot of black ware tea bowls, from the Jian kilns were quite popular. Some had the so-called "rabbit's fur" pattern on the bowl. Of course, Japanese tenmoku tea bowls are also modeled on the teabowls of the famous Jian ware.Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073345.post-1136611576273786952006-01-07T00:15:00.000-05:002006-02-17T02:02:51.106-05:00Chinese Tea Bowls<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/391/134/1600/DSCN1788.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/391/134/200/DSCN1788.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Chinese tea bowls became widespread in use during the Song Dynasty. Back then, tea bowls were made nearly everywhere. There were two kinds - fine tea bowls for the noble people, aristocrats, scholars, etc; and tea bowls made for the common people - which were made rather coarsely; though they still had their own charm.<br /><br />Pictured here are two tea bowls reminiscent of Song-era tea bowls. The shapes are quite distinct. And the texture of the clay, the apparent skill with which they are made is also interesting. Much like in Chanoyu, the Japanese tea ceremony, Song-style tea used powdered green tea; which would be whisked in a bowl, and drunk straight from the bowl. Although, this style of tea died out in China by the Yuan dynasty.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/391/134/1600/DSCN1773.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/391/134/200/DSCN1773.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/391/134/1600/DSCN1791.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/391/134/200/DSCN1791.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/391/134/1600/DSCN1791.jpg"></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/391/134/1600/DSCN1791.jpg"></a>Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11864305536434125111noreply@blogger.com0