Gongfu tea

Gongfu tea (Teochew: gang1 hu1 dê5) or kung fu tea (Chinese: 工夫茶 or 功夫茶; both gōngfū chá), literally "making tea with skill", is a traditional Chinese tea preparation method sometimes called a "tea ceremony". It is probably based on the tea preparation approaches originating in Fujian and the Chaoshan area of eastern Guangdong. The term Gongfu (工夫) in Chaoshan dialect means the technique is meticulous, subtle, graceful and exquisite as well as needs some patience and practices to make it perfect. The practice involves using smaller brewing vessels and a more potent leaf-to-water ratio than in Western-style brewing. Today, the approach is used popularly by teashops carrying tea of Chinese or Taiwanese origin, and by aficionados and trained masters as a way to fully realize the taste of a tea selection, especially a finer one.
Attention to tea-making quality has been a classic Chinese tradition. All teas, loose tea, coarse tea, and powdered tea have long coexisted with the "imperially appointed compressed form". By the end of the 14th century, the more naturalistic "loose leaf" form had become a popular household product and by the Ming era, loose tea was put to imperial use.
The related teaware that is the tea pot and later the gaiwan lidded cup were evolved. It is believed that the gongfu approach began around the AD 18th century. Some scholars think that it began in Wuyi (Bohea) Mountains in Fujian, where the production of oolong tea for export began; others believe that it was the people of Chaozhou in the Chaoshan area in Guangdong started this particular part of the tea culture.
Oral history from the 1940s still referred to gongfu tea as "Chaoshan gongfu tea". It is likely that regardless of the earliest incidence of the approach, the place that first successfully integrated it into daily life was Chaoshan area. Chaozhou is recognized by some as the capital of gongfu tea.
In essence, what is desired in gongfu tea is a brew that tastes good and is satisfying to the soul. Tea masters in China and other East Asian tea cultures study for years to perfect this method. However, method alone will not determine whether a great cup of tea will be produced. Essentially, two things have to be taken into consideration: chemistry and temperature.
Water should be given careful consideration when performing gongfu tea. Water which tastes or smells bad will adversely affect the brewed tea. However, distilled or extremely soft water should never be used as this form of water lacks minerals, which will negatively affect the flavor of the tea and so can result in a "flat" brew. For these reasons, most tea masters will use a good clean local source of spring water. If this natural spring water is not available, bottled spring water will suffice. Yet high content mineral water also needs to be avoided. It is said that hard water needs to be filtered although the mineral content of even very hard water is solvated, and no amount of filtering will affect it.
During the process of gongfu tea, the tea preparer will determine the appropriate temperature for the tea being used in order to extract the desired flavors and aromas. This temperature must be reached and maintained. The water temperature depends on the type of tea used. Guidelines are as follows:
Generally, cooler water is best for less-oxidized varieties such as green teas and Taiwan oolongs. Hotter water is suitable for more heavily-oxidized teas (e.g., red tea), as well as fermented teas like pu'er. Lower temperatures highlight sweetness and smoothness but may not extract the full potential of darker teas, while higher temperatures emphasize brightness and intensity but can "scald" light, delicate teas, leading to excessive astringency and/or bitterness.
The temperature of the water can be determined by timing, as well as the size and the sizzling sound made by the air bubbles in the kettle.
At high altitudes, water boils at lower temperatures, so the above temperature ranges should be adjusted.
Below is a list of the main items used in a gongfu tea ceremony in Taiwan, known there as laoren cha (老人茶; lǎorénchá; 'old men's tea').
A tea pet, often made from the same clay as a Yixing teapot, adds aesthetic appeal to a tea session. Traditionally, these "pets" are classical Chinese figurines, such as a dragon, lion, turtle, or toad, over which tea water is poured, usually to develop a patina.