From\uff1aChina Daily<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Chaozhou people, a cup of tea is about far more than just quenching\ntheir thirst\uff0dit is a kind of ritual,\ncommunication and relaxation. It finds its full expression in gongfu tea, a\nlocal traditional tea ritual prevailing in the city in South China’s Guangdong\nprovince.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With its set of specific procedures passed down from ancient times, the\nritual was listed among China’s national intangible cultural heritage in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It is not for personal ostentation but shows our lifestyle, that\nis, no matter how hard we work, we can still manage to find a way of enjoying ourselves,”\nsaid Huang Jingzhong, vice-president of Hanshan Normal University in the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Though the “gongfu” in gongfu tea sounds like kung fu, it has\nnothing to do with martial arts, but rather, means focusing attention and\nspending elaborate efforts making the tea, said Ye Hanzhong, an inheritor of\nthe cultural heritage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gongfu tea features a small tea set. Typically, the teapot used for it\ncan fit into the palm of an adult’s hand and each of the cups without handles\nis smaller than a table tennis ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead of waiting for the tea to cool down to a suitable temperature,\nit only takes a few minutes to serve a steaming cup of tea during a gongfu tea\nritual. So no tender green tea will be used for the ritual, instead\nsemi-fermented oolong tea is a popular choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dancong (single bush) tea from Chaozhou’s Fenghuang Mountain, a type of\noolong tea, is a local favorite. After a sip of the strong tea, the taste\nlingers subtle and sweet, bringing about a feeling of relaxation and\nrefreshment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“From where you pour the (steaming hot) water from the pot, such as\nthe height and angle, as well as the water temperature, will affect the flavor\nof the tea,” Ye said, adding that tea leaves of the exact same variety\nbrewed in the pot can come out with completely different flavors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No step in the ritual is unnecessary\uff0dall the procedures and standards are designed to make a satisfactory cup\nof tea for guests\uff0dfrom the choice of the\ntea-making utensils to tea-making techniques and tasting tips, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It is natural to follow the procedures when making gongfu tea.\nLike a kung fu master, it has become an instinct to react, without a conscious\neffort to recall what to do next.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the steps is called Guangong (an ancient Chinese general famed\nfor his good faith) Patrolling City, where each cup, set together in a\ntriangle, is liked to a city gate, and the teapot is moving around them to\nserve out the tea evenly without pause, like a general patrolling recently\ngained ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another is called Han Xin Inspecting Troops. It has no connection with\nmilitary operation, though Han was a talented ancient military chief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this step, the last few drops of tea will be shared among the cups to\nempty the teapot. During the process, the host can adjust the taste of each cup\nof tea according to each guest’s personal preferences, by adding or reducing\nthe tea in each drop distributed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It is real fairness, not in terms of the same quantity, but in\nterms of the specific needs of guests,” Ye said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The ritual itself is a dialogue between people and tea, the host\nand the guests,” he noted. “Intangible cultural heritage is a vehicle\nfor communication, promoting folk conventions and unique lifestyles.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As well as gongfu tea, Chaozhou is home to 17 national-level intangible cultural heritage items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From\uff1aChina Daily For Chaozhou people, a cup of tea is about far more than just quenching their thirst\uff0dit is a kind of ritual, communication and relaxation. It finds its full expression in gongfu tea, a local traditional tea ritual prevailing in the city in South China’s Guangdong province. With its set of specific procedures passed<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/en.ctma.com.cn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/image-6.png\")
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