Gong fu cha: Chinese Tea Ceremony

The Tea Ceremony in China: History, Materials, and Preparation with the Gong Fu Cha Method

The tea ceremony is a widespread Eastern tradition, a social and spiritual ritual that goes beyond mere tea preparation, but embracing the Zen principles of harmony, respect, and contemplation takes the form of a cultural activity. In Chinese culture, tea is of fundamental importance: perhaps many are familiar with the Japanese tea ceremony, but do not know that the ritual originated in China, where tea preparation involves precise gestures, meticulous attention, and dedication, transforming into a communicative and meditative means. In this article, we will discover all the secrets of Gong fu cha, the Chinese tea ceremony.

The Tea Ceremony

The tea ceremony, or Gong fu cha (工夫茶, gōngfūchá, gōngfūchá) also known as "Tea Ceremony Kung Fu" refers to the art of tea preparation in Chinese culture and tradition according to a precise choice of materials, preparation phases, in respect of the fundamental principle of harmony. The tea ceremony originated in the provinces of Fujian and Guangdong, where tea production and cultivation are high, but it has spread throughout China and has been imported by other Asian countries, such as Japan and Korea, taking on new forms and meanings.

The importance of the tea ceremony can be understood from the meaning of the name given to it in Chinese: gongfucha is translated as "tea prepared with care and attention": while cha in Chinese means tea (but also means harmony between man and nature), the expression gongfu can be translated in different ways, referring to the use of time, effort, and attention to perform a task, and the acquisition of skills and results. The Chinese tea ceremony is a true cultural tradition that involves all stages of beverage preparation, from the choice of objects, to preparation, serving, and tasting tea, all gestures and rules based, presumably, on ancient traditional preparation methods.

The tea ceremony is not just a spiritual ritual, but a way to prepare tea in the best possible way, used in tea rooms and by connoisseurs to enhance the taste of this beverage to the fullest: an aesthetic, meditative ritual that, according to Zen texts, requires respect for others and things, grace and harmony, sobriety and candor, tranquility and solitude.

 

The Culture of Tea in China

Tea is a very important element of Eastern tradition, especially in China, where the tea ceremony originates. The preparation of tea is not only aimed at the act of drinking it, consuming a beverage, but the preparation process itself has an essential and ritual importance, passed down through the centuries and used to celebrate important moments, from the arrival of guests in the house to weddings: the tea ceremony is indeed a suggestive, refined ritual, made of precise codified rules.

In China, the spread of tea, initially consumed during the Song dynasty for medicinal purposes, soon expanded to all social classes, and by the 14th century, the majority of the Chinese population drank tea. Not only consumption, but also production: to this day, China is the largest tea producer in the world, with many precious varieties specific to regions of the country, such as the tea from the Wuyi mountains in Fujian.

It is difficult to attribute a date to the birth of tea: if one were to believe the legend, a myth tells that in 2737 B.C., Emperor Shen Nong, who used to drink hot water, fell asleep one day under a tea tree, and some leaves fell into his cup, giving rise to the infusion, which left the emperor intoxicated.

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The Origins of Gong fu cha

There are no precise traces regarding the birth of the tea ceremony: it was already mentioned in the Tang dynasty, over 1000 years ago, when tea was used by monks in Buddhist temples for medicinal purposes: the tea preparation already had a spiritual and meditative aspect, based on principles rooted in Confucianism and Buddhist philosophies: it is said that Buddhist monks used to drink tea at different times of the day to remain vigilant and focused during meditation but also to assist in meditative mental states. It was only in the 8th century, with the book "The Classic of Tea" by Lu Yu, a Chinese monk, a detailed, as well as the oldest and most complete documentation on tea, on all stages of its cultivation, processing, on the necessary utensils to prepare it and the preparation methods themselves, that this practice took on a ritual character, almost like an art, which gathers not only regulated practices, but also aesthetic, technical, and theoretical knowledge on all stages, up to the tasting.

In centuries, the tea ceremony has evolved, becoming not only a ritual with a spiritual character, but also a social one, celebrating a moment or communion. The most well-known Chinese tea ceremony is certainly the Gong fu cha, attributed to the 18th century and still incredibly widespread. However, there are other ceremonies, such as the Wu-Wo tea ceremony, much more spiritual in nature, similar to the Japanese tea ceremony, where guests are invited to a moment of inner contemplation, to forget about wealth and knowledge, as well as individuality, in favor of achieving equality, a community, or the Pin Cha ceremony, much less rigid in rules, purely focused on the full tasting and evaluation of tea, encouraging guests to know, appreciate, and savor tea with a critical spirit and full observation of taste, aroma, and sensations it evokes. The Chinese Tea Ceremony: Materials In tea ceremonies, there is fundamental importance given to materials, ingredients, and objects. Not only the quality of the leaves, but also the water used to prepare it, which must be pure, the fire, and the teapot must be carefully chosen and handled. Since the time of the "Tea Code," a particular importance has been given to the materials used in tea preparation, which originally had to follow precise rules passed down from master to apprentice, but did not adhere to uniform standards, as each master had their own beliefs. You can find all the necessary objects for organizing your personal Chinese tea ceremony in the dedicated section on Terza Luna. Types of Tea In the tea ceremony, Oolong tea is generally used, a semi-oxidized tea that requires expert craftsmanship in production, although Pu erh tea is also used on some occasions. Oolong tea is the most produced in the provinces where Gong fu cha originated, Fujian and Guangdong, as well as Taiwan. A characteristic teapot is also used, very small (about 150-250 ml) called Yixing, which highlights the aesthetic character of this ceremony. Utensils for Gong fu cha The tea set used in Gong fu cha is called "cha dao" or "the way of tea," and includes:

• A handmade ceramic teapot of about 250 ml, called Yixing, named after the place of production. These teapots have a porous surface that allows the absorption of tea aromas.
• 100 ml cups (usually 4)
• Wooden tools: tongs to move hot cups, a spoon similar to the one used for matcha for tea dosing made of bamboo called chásháo, tools to collect leaves from the teapot.
• A bamboo tray called chájìà  with a hole to collect the water poured from the teapot and cups.
• A kettle for water
• A cloth and a tablecloth

Check out our section dedicated to Gong fu cha to discover these and many other materials for the tea ceremony.

Chinese Tea: Gong Fu Cha Preparation

Tea preparation during the Chinese tea ceremony follows well-studied gestures, phases, and steps that lead to obtaining a perfect cup of tea. Perfection is an important attribute in the tea ceremony, and it should not only be sought in material things but also in the spirit and attitude of those who participate and in the atmosphere in which it takes place.

Depending on the areas, regions, and tea preparers, the phases may vary, as well as the tools used: in some traditions, additional tools such as tongs and strainers are used. However, there are fundamental phases common to the Gong fu cha preparation:

• First of all, the teapot and the four cups, called gāiwǎn, are placed on the bamboo tray, and the wooden tools and the tea box are prepared.
• The kettle is filled with water, 6 times the capacity of the teapot, and brought to a boil. There are optimal temperatures for brewing different teas, which are often different from the boiling temperature: tea masters can determine the water temperature based on the size and shape of the bubbles that form at the bottom.
• Once the water reaches the right temperature, it is poured into the teapot, filling it and even letting it overflow. Then the water is poured from the teapot into the cups, and with the tongs, the water is poured from one cup to the next, until they are all empty. This will serve to warm both the teapot and the cups.
• At this point, the amount of tea is measured using the bamboo teaspoon, the chashao, and the tea leaves are shown to the guests, who can thus assess its quality, after which it is poured into the teapot. The phase of appreciating the quality and aroma of the tea is a very important part of many tea ceremonies, inviting guests to tune into the moment, to appreciate the aesthetics and the importance of the ceremony.
• The water is poured from the kettle into the teapot, then after a few seconds, it is poured into the cups, quickly, from the first to the last and then from the last to the first. This water is also thrown into the tray, which generally has a grid and a hole to collect these water residues. This process serves to rinse the tea of any powder.
• At this point, water is poured into the teapot again, and it is left to infuse for the entire time. Once the infusion is complete, the tea is poured into the cups in a single quick and fluid motion, from the first to the last and vice versa, ensuring that the color of the infusion and the appearance are uniform in all cups, as the initial tea tends to be lighter than that at the bottom, where the leaves are. Therefore, a certain skill is required in pouring the tea and understanding the infusion, which becomes a true art. In China, tea kung fu shows are common, where tea masters pour the drink with acrobatic gestures using teapots with very long spouts.
• Infusions can be repeated, producing up to 6 cups of tea for the highest quality teas.

Tea Ceremony: On Which Occasions is it Practiced?

In China, the tea ceremony is performed at different times: it is certainly a welcoming gesture, and is practiced when a guest arrives for a visit, but also when the family gathers, aiming to fully enjoy the company of those who have arrived in their home.

However, these are not the only occasions to prepare a tea ceremony: it is very common to hold it during a wedding, where tea plays a symbolic role, as the tea ceremony is in itself a practice of harmony and respect. The bride and groom kneel in front of their parents and serve them tea as a sign of gratitude: the tea ceremony for the bride's family takes place in the afternoon, while the one for the groom's family in the morning, and sometimes the bride serves tea to the groom's family, as a symbol of inclusion in the family.

Tea has fundamental importance in Chinese culture and society, and is seen as a sign of respect: young people show respect to the elderly by offering a cup of tea, as it used to happen between individuals of different social status, and pouring a cup of tea for someone is a sign of an apology.

Although nowadays the tradition of tea preparation is much less structured or emotionally charged, the tea ceremony is a practice that retains significant social importance, capable of creating social unity and communion.

 

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