Tea is not just a drink. The spirit and soul of the tea plant have a lot to tell us. Each tea plant has its own character and personality. It is an adventure to get to know each tea and its characteristics in a very unique way.

What is the Chinese tea ceremony?

The Chinese tea ceremony is called Gong Fu Cha (功夫茶). Gong Fu (功夫) stands for ‘hard, arduous path’ or for acquiring a skill with hard work, effort and time, i.e. achieving mastery. This is why it is also referred to as a Gong Fu Cha master.

Many people know the term gong fu in connection with martial arts and it is pronounced as kung fu here. Cha (茶) means tea and is made up of the characters wood 木, human 人 and grass 草. The characters 十 (ten) and 八 (eight) can also be found. In China, tea is considered to be very healthy and it is believed that regular tea consumption will help you live to be 108 years old. The number 108 is therefore hidden in the character 茶.

Gong Fu Cha was developed during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in the Chinese southern province of Fujian. This province is considered one of the largest and most famous tea producers in China. The tea ceremony is still practised in China and Taiwan today. In Gong Fu Cha, the focus is on the taste experience. Every action is aimed at eliciting the best from each of the many tea infusions.

What type of tea is used in the Chinese tea ceremony?

Traditionally, oolong tea (乌龙茶) is used for gong fu cha. However, my research has shown that other types of tea such as white, green and black tea are also brewed using this technique.

Before I familiarised myself with Gong Fu Cha, I couldn't drink caffeinated teas. Green tea made me downright nauseous and black tea gave me palpitations. After I was in Beijing I visited a tea shop and was able to drink green tea there without any problems, I was determined to take a closer look at the Chinese tea ceremony and learn this way of preparing tea.

Information about tea

• Green tea (绿茶) is unfermented tea.
• White tea (白茶) is slightly fermented tea.
• Yellow tea (黄茶) is fermented tea.
• Oolong tea (乌龙茶) is a semi-fermented tea.
• Red tea (红茶) is whole or fully fermented tea and is called black tea in the West.

Tea can also be flavoured and becomes jasmine tea (茉莉花茶). Subsequently matured, stored or post-fermented, it then becomes the particularly valuable and health-promoting Pu'Erh tea (普洱茶).

The quality of a tea depends on many factors, such as

• chemical fertilisers and pesticides are used
• how the tea is processed
• how and when the tea is harvested
• where does the tea come from
• what is the soil composition, the climate and at what altitude is the tea cultivated?
• how is the care for the tea plants

I only use teas from very select traders and tea farmers from China with organic certification or labelled pesticide-free.

What kind of tea type are you?

In our hectic times, the ‘tea bag type’ has become popular. Water hot, tea bag in, enjoy tea quickly and easily. But is it really a pleasure? The quality of tea in tea bags usually leaves a lot to be desired and often only contains the ‘waste’ from the tea harvest. The soul and spirit of the plant disappear when the tea leaf is destroyed.

Or are you more of the ‘medicinal tea type’ who only reaches for tea on special occasions such as upset stomachs, flu and colds?

As a ‘tea additive type’, you refine your tea with sugar, sweetener, milk or other additives. In China, bubble tea is popular, a mixture of milk, small (very) sweet jelly balls and usually green or black tea.

The ‘scented tea type’ only likes tea in flavoured form. It should taste of roses, vanilla or other flavours.

Or perhaps you are the ‘natural tea type’ and enjoy a freshly brewed cup of good tea made from loose leaves, organic, without additives, perhaps even from your own garden? Simply pure and unadulterated.

No matter what type of person you are or what your previous experience with tea has been, Gong Fu Cha will completely change your perspective on tea.

With tea you can train your patience and composure and expand your self-knowledge. Can you believe that tea can lead you to more freedom and mindfulness? Try it out!

What is so special about Gong Fu Cha?

Gong Fu Cha is not just about drinking tea. Discipline, patience, diligence, skill, concentration and attentiveness are required of the tea master. They enter into a special relationship with the spirit of the tea and use their skills to elicit as many infusions as possible from the tea leaf and bring out the personality of the tea. Every infusion tastes different and has its very own character.

With the Chinese tea ceremony we become connected with our senses, we experience patience, mindfulness, beauty, stillness, awareness, dignity, respect and gratitude.

The tea ceremony is an art in its own right and participating in it helps us to achieve greater inner balance.

Qi Gong and Gong Fu Cha

In Chinese culture, the arts such as painting, poetry, calligraphy, martial arts, the art of tea and medicine are closely interwoven.

Qi Gong is part of traditional Chinese medicine, combines elements of martial arts and is used to maintain a healthy and long life. Tea is considered a special remedy that strengthens, promotes and maintains the life energy Qi.

The Gong Fu Cha tea ceremony contains the meditative aspect of the Qi Gong, balancing yin and yang, strengthening the senses and learning mindfulness.

In the Qi Gong we speak of the monkey mind, which swings from one thought to another, makes us restless, arouses fear and desire. It fights and criticises and pulls us out of the present.

The elements in the Chinese tea ceremony

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is based on the elements.

The concept of the elements can be found in traditional Western medicine as well as in Ayurveda.

Based on astronomical and astrological observations over the centuries, not only the seasons, shapes and colours, but also every animal and every plant have been assigned to an element. The human body, as part of the universal creation, also follows this law. Our internal organs, body tissues, sensory organs and sensations can be assigned to the 5 elements.

The Chinese tea ceremony combines all 5 elements of TCM.

Wood = the tea plant
Metal = the tool for processing the tea leaves
Fire = the element used for the final drying of the tea leaves
Water = the tea is brewed with water
Earth = tea is traditionally drunk from clay cups

Have I aroused your interest in the Chinese tea ceremony?

You can find more information and what to expect here:

Source reference: Mit Buddha Tee trinken, Sandy Taikyu Kuhn Shimu