Gongfu tea ceremony facts for kids

A gongfu tea table with accessories

The Gongfu tea ceremony (also called Kung Fu tea ceremony) is a special way of making and serving tea from China. The name "Gongfu" means "making tea with skill," and that's exactly what this ceremony is all about! It's a careful and artistic method to prepare tea, especially tea from China. This style of tea making likely started in the Fujian and Chaoshan areas of China.

In a Gongfu tea ceremony, people often use smaller teapots and more tea leaves compared to how tea is usually made in Western countries. This helps to get the best flavor from the tea. Today, many tea shops that sell Chinese teas use this method. Tea lovers also use it at home to enjoy their favorite teas, especially fancy ones, to the fullest.

The History of Gongfu Tea

Chinese people have always paid close attention to how their tea is made. For a long time, different types of tea, like loose leaf tea and pressed tea blocks, were all popular. By the end of the 1300s, loose leaf tea became very common in homes. During the Ming dynasty, even the emperor started using loose leaf tea.

Over time, special tea tools like the teapot and the gaiwan (a lidded cup) were created. People believe the Gongfu tea ceremony itself began around the 1700s. Some experts think it started in Wuyi, Fujian, where a type of tea called oolong tea was made for selling to other countries. Others believe it began with the people in Chaozhou, which is in the Chaoshan area of Guangdong.

Even in the 1940s, people still called it "Chaoshan Gongfu Cha." This suggests that no matter where it first started, the Chaoshan area was the first place to really make it a part of daily life. Because of this, some people call Chaozhou the "Capital" of Gongfu tea.

The Science of Great Tea

When you perform a Gongfu tea ceremony, the goal is to make tea that tastes amazing and feels good for your spirit. Tea masters in China and other Asian countries spend many years learning to perfect this method. But just knowing the steps isn't enough to make a perfect cup of tea. Two important things need to be just right: the water's chemistry and its temperature.

Choosing the Right Water

The water you use is super important for Gongfu tea. Water that tastes or smells bad will definitely make your tea taste bad too. However, you should never use distilled water or water that is too soft. These types of water don't have enough natural minerals. Minerals are important because they help bring out the tea's flavor. Without them, the tea might taste "flat."

That's why most tea masters use clean, natural spring water. If you can't get natural spring water, bottled spring water is a good choice. But be careful not to use water with too many minerals, as that can also affect the taste.

Getting the Temperature Just Right

During the Gongfu tea ceremony, the tea master first figures out the best temperature for the type of tea they are using. This helps to get the best smell and taste from the tea. It's important to reach this perfect temperature and keep it steady. The right water temperature changes depending on the kind of tea.

Here are some general guides:

• For green tea, use water between 75–85 °C (167–185 °F) (80 °C (176 °F) is often perfect).
• For white tea, use water between 75–80 °C (167–176 °F) (75 °C (167 °F) is often perfect).
• For oolong tea, use water between 80–85 °C (176–185 °F) (85 °C (185 °F) is often perfect).
• For pressed teas like Pu'er tea, use boiling water (100 °C (212 °F)).

You can tell the water temperature by watching the bubbles and listening to the sounds in the kettle.

• At 75–85 °C (167–185 °F), the bubbles look like "crab eyes" and are about 3 millimetres (0.12 in) wide. They make loud, quick sizzling sounds.
• At 90–95 °C (194–203 °F), the bubbles are bigger, about 8 millimetres (0.31 in) wide. They make less frequent sizzling sounds that are lower in pitch, like "fish eyes."
• When the water is fully boiling, you won't see many new bubbles forming, and the sizzling sounds will stop.

Remember, if you are at a high altitude, water boils at a lower temperature. So, you might need to adjust these temperatures a little bit.

Cool Tools for Tea

Here are some of the main items you might use in a Gongfu tea ceremony, especially in Taiwan, where it's sometimes called Lǎorénchá (which means "old person's tea"):

• Brewing vessel: This is where you brew the tea. It could be an Yixing clay teapot, a porcelain teapot, or a lidded cup called a gaiwan.
• Tea pitcher (chahai): This is a special cup used to pour all the brewed tea into before serving. It helps make sure every cup of tea tastes the same. In Chinese, it's called gōng dào bēi.
• Hot water kettle: You'll need a kettle to heat your water, like an electric kettle.
• Brewing tray: This is a tray or a flat plate with a deep bottom. It catches any spills, which are common during the ceremony.
• Tea towel or tea cloth: A dark-colored cloth is usually used to wipe up spills.
• Tea knife or tea pick: This tool helps clear the teapot spout if it gets blocked or to break off pieces from pressed tea cakes.
• Tea cups: Traditionally, three matching small cups are used. They are also called Pinming Cups.
• Strainer: A tea strainer is often used to catch any small tea leaves when pouring the tea. Sometimes it's built into the tea pitcher.
• Tea holder or spoon: This is used to measure out the right amount of tea leaves. In Chinese, it's called chá chí.
• Optional: Tea basin or bowl: This is a bowl where you can put used tea leaves and any extra water.
• Optional: Scent cup (snifter cup): This special cup is used to smell and enjoy the tea's aroma before drinking. In Chinese, it's called wén xiāng bēi.
• Optional: Tongs (Jiā or Giab): These tongs can be used to handle hot cups or tea leaves.
• Optional: Calligraphy brush: Sometimes a brush is used to spread wasted tea evenly over the tea tray. This helps the tray develop a nice, even color over time.

A fun addition to a tea ceremony is a tea pet. These small statues are often made from the same clay as Yixing teapots. One type of "tea pet" is a "tea boy." Before the ceremony, you soak him in cold water. Then, when you pour hot water over him during the ceremony, he will "pee"! Traditionally, these 'pets' are figures like a Dragon, Lion Turtle, or Toad. People pour leftover tea over them to help them develop a shiny, smooth surface over time.