Rinse the teacup and briefly scald it with boiling water. This step warms the cup.
2. Awaken the Tea
Place the tea leaves into the scalded teacup and pour in boiling water at 85°C. Use enough water to slightly cover the leaves. Allow the leaves to unfurl briefly, then discard the water.Why is this step necessary? It fully awakens the tea leaves, allowing their true essence to emerge. Additionally, impurities and dust particles are flushed out during this process, ensuring the subsequent brew is fresher and purer.
3. Brewing
Raise the kettle slightly and pour water in a cascading motion from above, allowing the leaves at the bottom of the cup to receive a thorough soaking. Note that an optimal brewing temperature is 80-90°C (176-192°F).
4. Appreciating the Tea
The freshly brewed tea is too hot to drink immediately. Take time to appreciate it first: inhale its aroma, observe its color, and note the transformation of its appearance.
5. Drinking the Tea
Wait until the tea has cooled to a comfortable drinking temperature, then savor it slowly.
Tea Brewing Techniques
The most common method involves rinsing the leaves 1-2 times with boiling water, then steeping them until they unfurl (though many mistakenly drink it before unfurling). Once unfurled, it's ready to drink.
Advantages: Delicate fragrance, sweetness, and lingering aftertaste.
>Disadvantages: The tea flavor is not strong enough, offering only a light fragrance, making it less suitable for northern regions of China.
Another method is boiling tea: This involves placing the tea leaves directly into a container and heating them on a stove. Rinse the leaves when they are half-opened (many people wait until the leaves are fully opened before rinsing, which causes the flavor of the first infusion to be completely lost—this is incorrect).After rinsing, heat the tea until boiling for consumption.
Advantages: Produces a sufficiently strong brew that fully expresses the tea's overall flavor. Leaves a sweet aftertaste in the throat.
Disadvantages: Boiling tea risks bitterness if not carefully controlled, making it extremely unpleasant to drink.It fails to achieve the delicate fragrance of traditional brewing. This method is more suited to northerners. Additionally, in Fujian, there's a technique called "beating tea." This uncommon brewing involves processing tea leaves using oolong techniques, then crushing them into powder before steeping with boiling water. Advantages: Smooth mouthfeel, exceptionally strong lingering aftertaste, consistent flavor profile.It occupies a middle ground between the first two methods. Disadvantages: Prolonged consumption may cause mouth discomfort and lingering odors; it demands exceptionally high water quality.