Gongfu tea (sometimes called Kung fu Tea) is a name given to a traditional Chinese way of making tea, not a type of tea. Instead, it’s a way of brewing tea.
Because of the artistic side of such steeping method, it can also be considered a kind of tea culture. Especially, during ancient times, people practice gongfu tea to self-cultivate. The real essence of this is to become aware of the ‘cha qi’ (tea energy), so that tea is experienced beyond just taste, aroma, and appearance, but also how it affects one’s body and mind.
Gongfu Brewing Steps
1.The teapot should be rinsed with hot water. This is done to clean the pot and warm the pot in preparation for brewing the tea. After rinsing, the water should be poured out.
2.Immediately, place the tealeaves into the teapot. Put in about two teaspoons or about enough to cover the bottom of the teapot. Fill the teapot to the rim with boiling water and quickly pour it out, this is done to rinse the tealeaves and removes the dust.
3.Add boiling water to the rim of the teapot and let the tea brew. Cover the teapot with the lid and continue to pour boiling water on the outside to ensure equal heating of the tea. For Oolong tea, add water 10 to 20 degrees Celsius below boiling for three to five minutes. For Black tea, add water 5 to 15 degrees Celsius below boiling for about three minutes. You may want to experiment a little to find the perfect brewing time with the specific teas.
4.Rinse the aroma cups and the drinking cups with boiling water.
5.When the correct amount of time has passed, pour the tea into the serving pot.
6.Pour the tea from the serving pot to the aroma cups.
7.Pour the tea from the aroma cups to the drinking cups and put the aroma cups under your nose.
8.Enjoy your cup of tea.
9.Repeat step 3 to step 8 for additional infusions. The infusion time should be a little longer for each subsequent infusion.
What Teas Are Suitable For Gongfu Brewing
In practice, mostly oolong, pu erh and certain black teas often prepared in the gongfu way in China. The reason is because these teas simply taste better in such a way. This doesn’t mean that other teas can’t be brewed with this method. As said, gongfu tea extends beyond tea tasting. It’s also about performing art and connecting with ones body and mind. As more and more people enjoy tea today, the art of steeping tea is flourishing and there’s a lot of experimentation and development going on with brewing green and white tea in such a way.
How to Drink Pu Erh Tea for Weight Loss
Pu-erh tea is one of the favorites in the weight loss tea category because it has a number of properties that will help you lose weight more quickly and effectively.
Tea with Caffeine
Caffeine occurs naturally in tea. A mild stimulant, it accounts for tea’s reputation as a beverage that clears the mind and lifts the spirit.
Chinese Black Tea Benefits
Chinese black tea is often confused with red tea because black tea in America is something completely different. Chinese black tea can also be called fermented tea or more commonly known as dark tea.
