I opened Kong Mountain Tea in 2018 to share my love for handmade tea ware, high quality Chinese tea, and the peaceful beauty of the traditional Chinese tea ceremony.
“Kong Mountain 空山” in Chinese means a tranquil and peaceful mountain. My first impactful tea experience took place on a tranquil and peaceful mountain not far from my hometown. I was hiking in the afternoon and encountered a tea farmer tending his highland tea plantation. He welcomed me to join him for a cup of his green tea. That exquisite cup of tea… sipped, savored, and shared on that tranquil mountainside in the highlands, began a love affair with tea. And I’ve been searching high and low for magical tea moments like that ever since.
The word “Kong” by itself means “empty” in Chinese. In a fast-paced world full of distractions, having a free and clear moment can soothe and rejuvenate our spirit. My wish is that Kong Mountain Tea can help bring soothing moments with tea to fellow tea drinkers all over the world.
Do you typically pour the first steep over a tea pet when discarding? I noticed you don't have one... is this considered silly in ceremonial tea sessions?
Great question! It's not silly, hahaha. Many tea lovers do that, and it's suitable for a laid-back and casual tea session. You will need a more traditional tea tray, which is usually wider and larger, with holes or a bottom carrier to catch the rinse or first steep. Pouring it over a tea pet is a personal preference; I sometimes do it, though not very often. In modern ceremonial tea sessions in China, people now prefer "dry brewing," which uses a waste bowl instead of a large tea tray to collect the rinse or discarded liquids. I personally think it's a neater and cleaner setup, so I prefer to set up my tea area this way. Both methods have their own charm and practicality. It ultimately comes down to your personal preference and the context in which the tea session is being held ;)
As mentioned by another commenter, you must be one of the first and few to suggest keeping the 洗茶 steep to the end. A variation that I do with my puerh in the evening is to steep the last few (tenth or eleventh) for a long duration (five to ten minutes) and store in the fridge for a refreshing drink in the morning.
I only suggest keeping the 洗茶 (first rinse) steep for Yancha (rocky oolong). Some aged puer cakes or white tea cakes still taste better after awakening, as the first steeping usually doesn’t release much flavor. I’ve never tried putting leftover tea in the fridge, but it must be so refreshing to drink it in the morning! There are so many ways to enjoy tea-keep exploring! ;)
When using and pronoucing key words in Chinese, could you please superimpose the characters, too? Helps remember the meaning. *** You already do in some places. Thank you.
Thank you for the reminder! I always aim to include Chinese characters in my mind, but sometimes I forget during editing. I'll make sure to add them for new videos. Thanks for watching!
You’re an interesting character; quite a sweet soul actually. Particularly loved your response when the gaiwan was too hot - I know exactly the feeling of having to keep pouring to your guests while your fingers are in pain! 😂 I’ve been brewing gongfu since around 2005, and still learnt a few new perspectives (like not discarding the first brew!). Thanks for the sharing your time and interest here.
Wow, it's been 19 years since you started brewing in the gongfu style. I'm impressed! My first impactful experience was back in 2013 when I was a college student spending my whole summer at my cousin's tea house. Back then, the gaiwans I used were thinner and harder to grab; my fingertips were always in pain! As you mentioned, there are always new perspectives to learn in the tea world, which makes the journey an endless joy! I'm so happy to connect with you!
Ah lovely thank you for sharing your beginning! Yes since 2005 - but I sometimes practice very casual, and sometimes very seriously to refine my learning - so yes a long time I guess - but very relaxed pace of learning ;) I love a very thin gaiwan. They’re beautiful and delicate to hold :)
Wonderful video and you are the first that I know of to save the first pour. I actually prefer that as if you’re buying premium tea, it should be high enough quality to drink immediately. As some say they rinse to remove impurities and pesticides. I’m afraid that if that’s the case those unwanted impurities etc will remain for subsequent steeping. Well done video, well spoken and very graceful movements. You have a very amicable personality. Best wishes and happy tea (cha) sessions to you and yours! Cheers!
Thank you for your kind words! Honestly, if there are pesticides, how much can a quick rinse do for the tea? Hope you try the method and techniques, happy steeping!
Yes, this is a really cool concept. What I love about gong fu style is that there are rules but then there are no rules. As my tea sensei in Tokyo told me, don't worry too much about following all the rules - be like Bruce Lee and pick and choose elements that appeal to you and create your own style.
You can leave your lid off the lid for the first few brews to avoid over steeping, once the tender tea buds opened more, you can keep the lid on. Hope this helps!
Thanks for this detailed and graceful tutorial. Saving the first infusion to taste cold at the end adds a whole new delicious experience to the tea session!
I used a flash steeping method by pouring 212°F/100°C water over the delicate tea buds (see from video 3.07''), waiting for a brief 3-second infusion, and then promptly pouring it out. This initial flash steeping at a higher temperature helps to bring out the rich fragrance from delicate tea buds. As you progress to later infusions, feel free to extend the steeping time based on your taste preferences. Hope this helps!
Happy to find you on RU-vid. I love that you have many unique items that I can put in my cart on Etsy. I am saving up to be able to purchase one next month - Wish I could purchase the several I put in my cart. Keep up the good work!
