Gongfu Tea Part II: Brewing Tips November 2016

[@crazylikeafox1000]

Would love to find a water bowl like that!

[@vegginspired]

Excellent and inspiring teachings. I like your pronunciation of Tao, too!

[@Lou.B]

Hello Wu De. I'm enjoying your videos very much! I liked your Gong Fu Vegetable Soup analogy, and it made me think of Clam Chowder! 'New England'? 'Manhattan'? Who knows what it means??? Thanks very much for your work!

[@uhlenloch]

Finally someone mentioned the ming dynasty! When people hear that I steep my tea (mostly "non-oolongs") in a large yixing pot, they look at me as if I've just committed some crime of expropriation by using a supposedly western method of brewing, when, as Wu De mentioned, it's quite Chinese in its origins. It should be noted though... in the video it was said that saucers are a western innovation. But judging by saucers used with gaiwans and the ming porcelain cups, the only thing europeans added was a handle... and quite later too. British saucers are more shallow though, the original ones were quite deep.

[@globalteahut]

Actually, saucers did start in the West and move to the East. There were saucer-like holders for bowls dating even back to the Tang Dynasty, but actual saucers on cups for drinking from really moved the other way. Chinese saucers had stands and were really more like stands than saucers. True plates with indentations for cups come from the West.

[@uhlenloch]

So the Dutch used them and then asked the Chinese to produce them, not the other way around? Plates with identations are for sure a later invention but the export porcelain did have deep saucers along with cups with no identations really early on... so that's why I'm wondering how they could influence the Chinese market so fast and, moreover, where did the get the idea to use saucers for cups? The saucer thing is also present in the Central Asia and Turkey... and it does not seem that they go it from the British or the Dutch. So while I'm not denying that what you said is true, I'm wondering if there are any historical sources to back-up whatever theory, because I'm, of course, just speculating. Thanks for the reply!

[@globalteahut]

I guess we are really just discussing semantics mostly, as I would call those a "coaster," since they stay on the table and the "saucer," which has the indentation and is held in the hands was Western :)

[@uhlenloch]

Got cha!

[@woody3307]

My gaiwan saucer is my favorite drinking cup. Haha! Esp. handy when travelling. As Lao Tzu says: "Extravagance leads to disobedience. Thrift leads to uncouthness. Better to be uncouth than disobedient." Therefore, perhaps I am uncouth. Oddly, on Hyouge Mono I noticed the "Master" drinking frequently from what looked like a saucer and that was set in 16th century Japan. ?? What would Furuta Oribe say? Haha.

[@woody3307]

Great observation on frugality of tea. It is too precious to waste! How does gong fu tea fit in with mindfulness, minimalism, environmentalism....the Tao? Haha. :) Very informative talk from one of the great tea masters and much appreciated.

[@ocaminhante]

Ive a doubt in here. As someone who normally drinks tea alone, 22 steppings means 22 times 100 ml so its 2,2liters of tea per session. Isnt it too much for one person? So for making gong fu tea alone, i should have a smaller teapot? Or is it because gong fu tea is intent to be done with more than one person? Thanks for the teachings!

[@globalteahut]

Small pots are indeed better fo solo sessions, or perhaps other brewing methods as well... How much tea is "too much" is relative though. We all have different constitutions. The quality of tea and its cleanliness also can be relevant. It isn't uncommon round these parts for folks to drink a lot more tea than that in a sitting, together or alone....

[@ocaminhante]

@@globalteahut Thanks!! It makes sense. Ill try making this way and see if for me it is "too much".

[@bankmind80]

Wu De, Can you please tell me who the artist is...on the song that played in the end? Or maybe a couple of artist that does this particular style of music. I really enjoy the music. Thank you.

[@globalteahut]

That is a tea album that is actually made by Master Lu's wife. We wrote about him in January 2015 issue (available for free on our Past Issues page). It is traditional Gu Zhen music, so you can search for that and surely find something similar. Or, if you come to the Center we can give you one of her CD's. In the meantime, we will pass on to her your appreciation.