The Tea Ritual
The art of the unhurried cup.
A simple way to prepare Chinese tea at home, and why it is worth the few minutes it takes.
Before you begin
Very little is needed.
Fresh, good-tasting water, a kettle, and one simple vessel. Everything else is attention.
- 01
Gaiwan
A lidded bowl on a saucer: the most versatile vessel, and the easiest way to watch the leaves.
- 02
Small teapot
Ideal for repeated short infusions, especially for deeper teas such as black tea and pu'er.
- 03
Glass
Perfect for green teas and flowers, where the leaves and buds are part of the pleasure.
- 04
Small cups
Little cups keep each pour fresh and invite you to drink more slowly.
The ritual
Measure. Infuse. Experience.
01
Measure
Warm your vessel first, whether a gaiwan, a small teapot or a glass, with a splash of hot water, then pour it away. A warm vessel keeps the temperature steady and wakes the aroma of the leaves.
Measure the tea into it. Look at the dry leaf for a moment: its shape and color tell you how to treat it.
02
Infuse
Pour water suited to the tea. Delicate green teas prefer water well below boiling; black teas, chrysanthemum and pu'er welcome it hotter.
Keep infusions short and repeat them. Fine leaves give several cups, and each one shows a slightly different character.
03
Experience
Pour into small cups and drink slowly. Notice the color, then the aroma, then the way the taste lingers and changes as the cup cools.
If you are sharing, pour for others first. The ritual is at its best in company.
General guidance
A starting point, not a rule.
Every tea, kettle and palate is different. Begin here, then adjust the amount of leaf, the temperature and the time to your taste.
| Style | Leaf | Water | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine green teasBi Luo Chun, Hangzhou Green Tea | About 3 g per 150 ml | 75 to 80 °C · 167 to 176 °F | 1 to 2 minutes, several infusions |
| FlowersChrysanthemum Buds | 6 to 8 buds per cup | Just off the boil | 3 to 5 minutes, may be infused again |
| Black teasWuyi Black Tea | About 3 g per 150 ml | 90 to 95 °C · 194 to 203 °F | 1 to 3 minutes, several infusions |
| Pu'erXiao Qing Gan Pu'er | One mandarin per small pot | 95 to 100 °C · 203 to 212 °F, rinse first | 30 to 60 seconds, lengthening each time |
| Gift sachetsSnow Pear Chrysanthemum, Ginseng Five Treasures | One sachet per cup | Freshly boiled | 5 to 8 minutes, may be infused again |
Begin your ritual.
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