Brewing a 2023 貴妃茶 Guì Fēi Chá (“Concubine Tea”) bug-bitten oolong from 南投 Nántóu county, central Taiwan.
For this tea practice, I decided to bring out some of the older wares. The 朱泥 zhūní (“cinnabar clay”) 宜興 Yíxìng teapot is an antique, a smaller take on the classic shape of the 思亭壺 Sītíng hú teapot, purportedly made famous by a 清 Qīng period artist of the same name (思亭 Sītíng). While the teapot is probably not from the Qīng period, the 茶船 cháchuán (lit. “tea boat”) most likely is, a piece of common ware with a pale celadon glaze. I pair this with a vintage Japanese 伊賀焼 Iga-yaki plate, atop which I place three vintage enameled Yíxìng ware 品茗杯 pǐn míng bēi (lit. “tea tasting cups”). The tea leaves are kept in a Japanese celadon 振り出し furidashi, a small jar used in 茶の湯 chanoyu to contain 金平糖 konpeitō candy, and the scoop is made of a bamboo root. The tea pick is made of a twig from a tea bush that grows in my garden. The lid rest is a shard of blue-and-white tile I found within the garden of the palace of Versailles. The boiling water is heated inside of a vintage Japanese 鉄瓶 tetsubin.
The video begins with the warming and rinsing of the clay tea wares, followed by the placement of the rolled oolong tea leaves into the teapot (a movement often poetically referred to as 烏龍入宮 wūlóng rù gōng (lit. “The black dragon enters the palace”). Once inside the tiny teapot, boiling water is poured over the leaves and the tea vessel is closed, allowing for the tea to steep.
Guì Fēi Chá (named after the famous 唐 Táng period imperial concubine 楊貴妃 Yáng Guì Fēi, 719 - 15 July 756) is a unique tea for it is purposely allowed to be bitten by a leafhopper (specifically the Jacobiasca formosana tea green leafhopper). The attack causes a chemical reaction in the tea plant as a form of natural defense, resulting in an increase in hotrienol compounds (a compound known for its distinctive fruity aroma). As I brew the tea, I remain mindful of this. After years of enjoying this particular tea, I’ve learned that this flavor can be quite volatile. Brew the tea too long and the flavor is overpowering and much of the subtle complexity of the tea is lost. Brew the tea too short and one might miss the big flavors, and the body of the tea might feel weak. In this instance, I opt for a shorter brew, aided with higher heat and a smaller, thicker-walled teapot.
The tea, once decanted, is highly aromatic. Sweet, pungent aromatics rise as the tea beams a deep amber color in each tasting cup. Once brought to my lips, I can begin to savor the rich and layered flavors, ranging from white peach, rose, cacao, longan fruit, and cinnamon spice. Being a higher oxidized tea, these flavors are deeper, with no grassy or vegetal finish. I stead, one gets lost in intensely fruity and floral 回甘 huí gàn (lit. “return sweet”). Even the empty cup is hard to set down as the aromas it retains are lush.
I continue to brew this tea throughout the afternoon, letting my tetsubin boil and the shadows shift across my tea table. Once eight or ten or twelve steepings have been enjoyed, I empty the teapot to enjoy the unfurled leaves, as well as the inscribed calligraphy beneath the teapot. “八月湖水平" is the first line from a Táng period poem by 孟浩然 Mèng Hàorán (689/691-740). The poem, which begins with "八月湖水平， 涵虛混太清。" ("By the eighth month, the lake water's swollen level with the land, Mistily, a reflection of the lake and heavens does there stand." trans. Frank C Yue). It refers to the life of a hermit watching a fisherman, a common theme in tea appreciation.
Old wares and old poetry. Old stories and old favorites. Tea weaves its way through time like this. The simple luxury of tea and time it requires of us to enjoy it, learn about it, and practice it.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this little video, that maybe you learned a little bit about how to approach a tea like this, and that you have the opportunity to brew high-quality tea for yourself and others. Regardless of what wares you have at your disposal, so long as you make the time to focus and practice, you can bring out the best flavors in any well-crafted tea. In the meantime, share with me any thoughts, feedback or questions you might have.
Thank you.
🍃 🍵 ♥️
#tea
#gongfucha
#oolong
#guifeicha
#meditation
#taiwanesetea
#teapot
#teatime
#ceramics
#intention
#practice
#mindfulness
#asmr
#工夫茶
#烏龍茶
#台灣茶
#貴妃茶
#茶壺
#品茗杯
#茶船
#泡茶
#潮州工夫茶
2 май 2024
