When
you asked me what is Gong Fu Tea Cups?
Gong fu tea is a folk
custom of tea tasting or drinking. The practice is popular in Guangdong, Fujian
and other places in China. Gong fu tea literally means ’making tea with skills’;
basically it’s an exquisite way of brewing tea.
In order to do that
you will need the Gong fu tea set, which is: teapot, gaiwan, tea cup(s), plate,
tray, tealeaf plate, bamboo utensils, etc.? Now I am being specific on the Gong
fu tea cups.
As I am creating
the dozens model of gong fu tea cups, I am reminded by 4 important points for a
gong fu cup:
1.
Small
2.
Light
3.
Thin
4.
White
These 4 elements
are the best way to experience tea drinking. With one sip, which is the way of
enjoying the tea ’one inhale of your breath and you will fill the senses of
aroma, perfect temperature of tea, perfect color of brewed leaf, and perfect
moment spent’
Of course the
white thin-walled porcelain tea cups are the best choices, which in the case of
effectiveness: will not affect the color and taste of tea, plus easy to clean.
There are many kinds
of Gong fu tea cups. China purple clay
gong fu tea cups (the clay material has double pore structure, with strong
absorption that will keep aroma and taste of tea also it will not cause the
tealeaf to get moldy and rancid. Then you have the glass teacup that has neither
metal oxides content nor does it has chemical element of metalloid that will
harm you. Now the 3rd one is where we are getting at: the ceramic
gong fu teacups.
Striking off the
check list of the no-no on the above important notes, why a small cup? How to
quench thirst?
1. Gong
fu tea only to be enjoyed slowly
2. Gong fu tea is
served boiling hot, the small cup is for the heat to dissipate
3. Gong fu tea is
too thick to drink; to drink in small sips won't hurt your stomach
4. The charm of
Gong fu tea is to taste. So the small cup will be the best choice
5. Good tea is
rare, so save it for special moments. And you can easily get drunk on tea, litteraly!
6. Gong fu tea practice
is very closely related to being Zen; the state of Zen and big is not in the
same affinity.
Jump into
selecting the best gong fu teacup, I bypasses rim of the cup should be even to
having it smooth, and at least can stand without wiggling. The size of the tea
cup I have made can be matched with the teapot serve. For a small teapot, the
capacity of my tea cup is 20ml to 50 ml. For larger teapot, the capacity of the
tea cup I have made is 100ml and 150 ml.
Your gong fu tea
cups will accumulate some tea stains, do not men-handle it by wiping them with
steel balls or rough tools, it will cause damage to the surface of gong fu tea
cups. You can apply toothpaste on the surface, and then wait for about 5
minutes, and wash it gently.
There is a
pleasure of having your tea alone, sink into the feeling of your self-Zen, whether
in a green luscious nature, up on the highland, by the river or by the
waterfall… Even in an elegant tearoom! Let your mind wonder of how life and
this universe come together in your soul.
It is also a
great pleasure to have a friend enjoying your tea with you, where a delightful
communication is conversed in your souls instead of by spoken words.
Deep, philosophical, tranquility, levity, and elevated it the aesthetic conception for a tea practice (tea ceremony).
It is beyond the mundane world.
Tea is the religion of
the art of life...
