I so wish we could see this in a nice setting, without the rude noises in the background or the rude fuss about the number of cups. The gracious young lady is lovely and the ceremony soothing to watch.
Same! I have watched that video many times to relax and everytime I want to shout at that guy: "But you saw she had 3 cups from the beginning, if you wanted 4 you should have said that before she started!!!" He is so rude, the ceremony is about tea, but mainly about exercising grace and calm and a form of meditation.
It's cool to see that the Japanese and Chinese tea ceremonies are so different. The Japanese ceremony seems like architecture, it has tight movements and strong visual composition. Whereas the Chinese ceremony seems like a ballet, it has fluent movements and it feels more organic.
The reason why she doesn't pour four cups right away is probably because there isn't enough tea in the gaiwan for four cups, only for three... That's why she has to go through the process again for the fourth cup..
Someone please help me understand why she didnt used the waste bowl more often, why the tools are no on her side of the table and mainly why did she pour out the first batch of tea?
@GlassDono I can't answer all your questions, but the one I can answer is the first batch of tea. What i have read about it is that it is to wash it and awaken the tea leaves so that you get a stronger taste. I have also read that is an offering. The reason there are so many steps is because you are trying to achieve a perfect cup of tea. Hope this helped a little. :)
I bought myself a Chinese Gong Fu Cha, after taking a traditional lesson on the process of the ceremony. Additionally I learnt a lot from this video. Thanks for the nice upload.
@rsbonati From this video, after she poured hot water in to tea and filled the tea cups immediately. Could you tell how long the tea stay in hot water?
I dont know why the waste bowl wasn't used. maybe just part of the set and no need to use it since the tea tray did the same job? They always pour out the first batch as its considered to have too much caffine in it.. If you want to learn more about the tea ceremony, and tea culture I recommend subscribing to sevencups channel.
@truthinlifeful Where is this online information available? I have done an online search, and felt some of the sites I got were sketchy. I'm doing more research on it for a class and my own personal enjoyment. Any idea where to find reliable information?
Very relaxed and well-paced! Is this a DanCong oolong ceremony? Maybe that's why there were only 3 cups (traditional number). Thanks for sharing the video! :-)
Does anyone know why the tea is dipped behind the wooden tray/table used before it is placed on the small placement? This happens at the very end, and is basically the last movement. I'm writing a paper and I do enjoy being correct!
@aieoua That first "brew" is used to clean the tea leaves (they are hand picked and rolled) "wake up" the leaves and warm up the cups. The length of the second brew is dependent on the type of tea. Some teas reach their best flavor in seconds, other take a couple minutes. Over brewing (too long or too hot) usually results in bitter tea.
I have been comparing Chinese, Japanese and Korean (alphabetical order) tea ceremonies with various videos online. I am confused by the discard bowl in Chinese tea ceremony. I understand its usage in Japanese and Korean tea ceremony, since they don't have anywhere else to dump the water used to warm the teapot and cup. However, Chinese tea ceremony uses that tray, so why do they need a discard bowl?
You really have to love us westerners ! Between the guy who complains on the video and all the people who complain on this comment section, this is really all westerners seem to be able do ! This is actually hilarious to watch and read. We are the very definition of self-indulgence and self-righteousness yet so quick to judge and throw sticks and stones at other. What a delight we are to be around really ! Especially when we go abroad in countries we do not know (or bother to learn) the culture and language of, and yet expect to be treated like royalty, even when offered (make no mistake, this tea was for free, right Robert ?) a cup of tea ! I remember being in France (Boy how i wish i had my phone on me that day) to a Japanese tea ceremony . The guest were offered traditional pastry from Toraya (which is the best traditional japanese confectionery maker, who caters to the imperial family) , and then a cup of the best Matcha possible prepared by two tea masters. The lady next to me tried the pastry and said "Beurk", (which means Ewww in french) , and put the plate down before (and i swear i am being honest) spitting the bite she took in the little cloth towel we were provide with to wipe our hands. And one guy two persons away from me (next to my Japanese spouse, took a sip at the tea and said "Mais c'est degueulasse" (meaning, But that's disgusting) and refused to finish his cup of tea and just gave the cup back to the host saying "sorry i can't drink that" . I was mortified and also about to have a nervous laugh so i bit my tongue and just looked down, trying to astral project myself to another place. I am not French but i thought , and there we go again, the western world in all its splendor ! My husband (yup i'm married to a guy) just stood up and left saying to the host in Japanese "why bother" , which made the host bite her tongue not to laugh i am sure. Since the astral projection wasn't working i just said to the host that the tea was delicious and the pastry exquisite and that i was from Iceland , not France . I am not saying Asians are perfect , far from it, as a gay man, veterinarian and animal lover , Asia is the very last place on earth i want to live in today. But when it comes to basic manners and decency, we have a bit to learn . Not sure about China but Japanese know how to behave in public and show respect to their host.
The steeping times extend with each infusion. I.E. The first pour (pot full) is just to wash the tea leaves and to help them to begin to hydrate. The second pour (first to be served) might be steeped for 20 seconds...the second serving would add about 75% more steeping time (35-40 seconds)...the 3rd, add another 75% of steeping time. (55-60 seconds) A good tea, like a high quality Tie Guan Yin, would allow over 7 servings. An important thing is to be sure to fully empty the pot each time.
I wish we could have some kind of translation as to what she is saying. The people she is brewing the tea for appear to be Australian or british from the accent. Please post a version of the video with sub titles perhaps. Thank you
Water temperatures are determined by the type of tea leaves. White tea would use the lowest temps, then green teas, oolongs (wulong), pu-erhs and black teas using the highest temps. Traditional style, yi-xing tea pots, with a handle are easier to hold with hotter temperatures than are gawains (the type of pot this lady is using.) The benefit of a gawain is that the porcelain does not absorb tea flavors as a yi-xing clay pot would. So they can be used for many different teas rather than just one
The steeping time is determined by the type and quality of the tea leaves. Generally, the 1st serving is only about 20 seconds and it increases for each subsequent serving as the tea leaves lose their strength.
@aieoua good tea does not need to be brewed for that long, especially the way they make it in China (they age the pu-ehr tea) Also, as she washes the tea beforehand, it has already opened up by the time she pour in the water again
@rsbonati @subtleserveyor - Nope, this is not pu er. Its Da Hong Pao (she said this) - chinese imperator's high fermented Wu long tea...mmm... but I wonder why she made a pin cha ceremony (the simpliest one) but not gong fu cha ceremony - the special ceremony exactly for wu long teas(
@rsbonati yes i know,,just kidding.sorry if I hurt your feelings! in our country we have mediation like yoga and such, so do have Chinese and Japanese...but i love exploring cultures like these throughout the world.
All you who are visiting London, why not come and see the Chinese Tea Ceremony for yourselves? You can visit our tea house and try the tea we make in the ceremony. Check out The 'Chinese Tea Company' (Video above)
the tea is considered and perhaps rightly to be anti-bacterial etc .. so the water rinse to get the big hunks and the tea rinse to kill the littler critters
@OperaG01 No kidding. It's like, shut up and let her make it. Cool vid though. I've only seen Japanese tea ceremonies. It's interesting to see how the two differ.
@elmiller1004 The first part of her speech is translated up above in the Top Comments section. I wish the rest was translated too. But you can infer what she is saying with her movements.
Glass dono she didn't use the waste bowl alot because she had the boat the tools are on the watching side so they can admire them and it wasn't rinsed probably because it was green tea and not pu erh or aged wrong. The reason why you rinse your tea is to remove impurity sometime mold on old pu erh
She said : 各位嘉宾大家好，欢迎来到福寿品茗茶叶，我是99号茶艺师，今天各位嘉宾所点的是大红袍。which means: hello everyone, welcome to the Fushou ( happy and live long ) tea shop. I am tea specialist NO.99. You are ordering Dahongpao (big and red gown ) tea . Then she started to present the tea ceremony.
