Chinese Tea: A Ceremony of True Friendship and Love
Chinese tea ceremonies are very important in the lives of all Chinese, from the ancient times to the present. Its evolution reflects its influence in the growth and significance of tea in the Chinese culture. The art of drinking and serving is in itself a major subject in each ceremony. For several years, the ritual of preparing and serving tea was well loved by Chinese aristocracy, court officials, intellectuals and poets.
In ancient times, Chinese tea was primarily cultivated and used for medicinal purposes. It was the Monks who taught the deeper values of like respect for nature, humility, sobriety and calmness. These values were incorporated in the preparation and serving of tea. In fact, the spirit of Chinese tea ceremony is known as he, jing, yi, zhen which means, peace, quiet, enjoyment and truth. This is because Monks believed they could share more philosophical concepts through tea service.
The center in the Chinese tea ceremony is the tea itself, and not the ceremony. It is everything about the taste, smell or aroma of the tea, and how that tea tasted compared to the previous ceremonies. Chinese tea ceremony is a tea celebration, considering that tea plays an important role in the Chinese culture. Although they are not that strict on how the tea is prepared and served, it is important that tea is of the best quality. Each step in the tea ceremony is a sensory journey and enjoyment.
There are six major aspect for a successful Chinese tea ceremony. The host of the ceremony should possess a happy, peaceful and calm attitude when serving the tea. To select the best of tea, in addition to taste, smell and shape, the tea should have a nice name and story. The water that will be used to brew the tea should be of the highest quality to achieve the best taste and smell of the tea. Moreover, select teawares that are functional and beautiful to attract the uests while the tea is served. Lastly, it is important that the Chinese tea ceremony be hosted in a beautiful, clean and peaceful ambiance, and tea should be served with graceful hand and body movements.
Chinese tea ceremonies used tea that are largely cultivated in the mountains of Taiwan. The tea there are refined, like the ooling and red teas. There are other types of Chinese tea grown there, including black tea, green tea and yellow or white tea.
There are several types of Chinese Tea available on The Big teas website. Choose one that suits your needs.
