Chao Shan Gong Fu Tea

The last section will talk about the brewing and savoring of Chao Shan Gongfu tea. We’ve discussed so much earlier, but if you only know how good tea is made without understanding the proper way to enjoy it, it’s all in vain.

Chao Shan people treat tea as life itself. It’s no exaggeration to say that they drink tea from the moment they wake up until they fall asleep. Not only do Chao Shan people love tea, but they also know how to drink tea, and the Chao Shan Gongfu tea ceremony forms the basic steps for brewing tea in their daily life.

Gongfu tea — be careful not to write Gongfu as Kungfu — although the pronunciation is the same in Mandarin, it’s different in the Chao Shan dialect, as is the meaning. “Gongfu” in Chao Shan means something done meticulously and with care, so Gongfu tea, as the name implies, requires careful and unhurried brewing steps.

How meticulous is it? Mr. Weng Huidong(翁辉东) wrote a piece called "The Chaozhou Tea Classic" 《潮州茶经》,which provides a very detailed explanation of Chao Shan Gongfu tea. Although it was written over half a century ago, there is arguably no other work that surpasses this article in its description of Chao Shan Gongfu tea. Below, we’ll break it down into several main sections and go through Mr. Weng’s "The Chaozhou Tea Classic: Gongfu Tea"《潮州茶经· 工夫茶》 sentence by sentence with explanations.

1. Tea utensils

The tools for Gongfu tea can range from simple to elaborate. At its simplest, all you need is a portable gaiwan (covered bowl) and three teacups. At its most intricate, you might need a large table full of equipment.

Among these tools, the most famous are what Chao Shan Gongfu tea enthusiasts call the "Four Treasures of the Tea Room," which include **Yushu Pot(玉书煨), Chao Shan Stove(潮汕炉), Mengchen Pot(孟臣罐), and Ruoshen Cups(若琛瓯)**.

Yushu Pot, also known as Tea Kettle(茶锅仔) or Sand Pot(砂铫), is a flat-shaped kettle made from red or white clay. Why made of clay? According to Mr. Weng, kettles made of iron or tin inevitably have a metallic taste and are therefore unsuitable.

Chao Shan Stove refers to the traditional red-clay charcoal stove used in the Chao Shan region. In ancient times, it was used for warming wine. Because it allows precise control over the flame, it came to be used for brewing tea in Chao Shan.

Mengchen Pot: Hui Mengchen(惠孟臣) was a master teapot craftsman during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. The term "Mengchen Pot" refers to the Yixing Zisha (purple clay) teapots that bear the “Mengchen” signature on the base of the pot. It later became a general term for Yixing Zisha teapots, colloquially called "chunguan" (冲罐, brewing pot). A key selection criterion for these teapots is the "Three Points in Line," meaning that when the lid is removed and the pot is placed upside down, the spout, mouth, and handle should align perfectly in one plane. As Mr. Weng wrote, “A perfect Mengchen Pot should have a level spout, lid, and handle when inverted — this is ‘Three Points in Line.’”

Ruoshen Cups(若琛瓯) are thin, white porcelain cups used for enjoying the brewed tea. Originally referring to small porcelain cups produced in Jingdezhen(景德镇), Jiangxi Province, the name is tied to a mythical porcelain craftsman named Ruoshen(若琛). The first rinse of tea leaves, often poured out, is also called "Ruoshen Washing Away Dust."

Beyond the Four Treasures, two additional essentials are water and live fire. As for water, Lu Yu(陆羽) (famed author of “The Classic of Tea”) advocated for clean and fresh spring water, and Mr. Weng echoed this sentiment. In modern times, direct tap water may carry a chlorine taste and is unsuitable — at the very least, purified water should be used, and bottled mineral water is even better. As for live fire, it refers to the charcoal used with the red clay stove. According to Mr. Weng, “Chao Shan people prefer tough wood charcoal for boiling tea, produced by burning logs in a kiln until the sap is consumed, leaving dense, black, smoky pieces that sound crisp when knocked together. Olive pit charcoal, made by kiln-drying fruit pits after their flesh and seeds are removed, is another top-tier option.” He deemed pine, mixed wood charcoal, firewood, and coal unsuitable for Gongfu tea.

In addition to the Four Treasures, other utensils mentioned by Mr. Weng are still widely used in Chao Shan, such as the gaiwan or “three-piece set” bowl. White porcelain gaiwans, called "White Jade Decree"(白玉令) are popular in the Chao Shan region today due to the relative scarcity of authentic Zisha teapots. Besides these, tea trays, tea washers, and tea mats are commonly seen, creating a table full of tea tools.

Of course, many of these items, including the Four Treasures, are becoming less common. For example, tin containers for storing tea leaves are increasingly rare and prohibitively expensive. With the spread of glass products and electric kettles, traditional red clay stoves have been largely replaced by induction heaters, and Yushu pots(玉书煨) have been replaced by glass kettles. Tools like fans (for controlling the stove's flame), Tong Zhu(铜箸) for handling charcoal, or bronze chopsticks mentioned by Mr. Weng are even harder to find today.

Yet, some enthusiasts still use charcoal with a red clay stove to boil water, which takes much more time compared to an electric kettle. Slow-brewing tea over charcoal can last hours, and you can even take the opportunity to roast gingko nuts while the water boils — quite a delightful pastime!

Some might find all this trouble unnecessary, asking, “Why go through so much just to brew tea? Why not just throw some leaves into a big teapot?” While that’s certainly easier and still makes tea, for Chao Shan people, tea is not just a simple beverage. Naturally, they won’t approach it carelessly, which is why Gongfu tea is as it is. As Mr. Weng said, "Quality of tea, water, fire, and utensils must all be considered. If any are mishandled, how can there be talk of Gongfu tea?"

2. Brewing Steps

(1) Cleansing the Utensils
This involves rinsing the tea utensils with hot water to cleanse and warm them.

(2) Adding Tea Leaves
This step involves portioning the tea leaves for brewing. A piece of plain paper can be used to take the tea out from a tin, sorting leaves by size. Place the coarser leaves at the bottom, finer pieces in the middle, and the largest ones on top, filling the pot or gaiwan about seven to eight parts full. This arrangement ensures that as the tea leaves expand in water, the finer leaves in the middle won’t scatter, and their flavor won’t extract too quickly. Meanwhile, the coarse leaves at the bottom will release flavor slowly, resulting in a more even extraction. For a 150ml gaiwan, Chao Shan people generally use 10 grams of leaves, but for beginners trying Single-Origin Oolong, it’s recommended to start with 5-6 grams to avoid excessive strength or bitterness.

(3) Heating Water
This relates to boiling water. Mr. Weng quoted "The Theory of Tea"《茶说》, which states: “Water controls tea's essence. When bubbles resembling fish eyes appear with a faint noise, it’s at the first boil. When the surrounding edge bubbles rise like linked pearls, it’s the second boil. When waves roll like roaring tides, it’s the third boil. The first boil is too raw, called 'infant water'; the third boil is too old, called 'old-age water.' The optimal stage is the second boil, when small bubbles rise to the surface and the sound resembles pine winds.” The second boil, or the stage where bubbles form but the water isn't fully boiling, is considered ideal for Oolong tea, at approximately 80-90°C. Modern tools allow precise temperature control, but in ancient times, practitioners relied on sound to judge the boil.

(4) Pouring Water
This refers to pouring water into the teapot or gaiwan. Mr. Weng wrote: “Using boiling water, lift the kettle high and pour around the rim of the pot, avoiding the center. Do not pour water intermittently or too quickly.” In Chao Shan slang, this is called "high pour," a method that ensures water flows smoothly into the pot while keeping the tea leaves in place. The goal is to “move the water, not the leaves,” preserving the tea core (茶胆), which ensures even flavor extraction over multiple infusions.

(5) Skimming Foam
After the first pour, foam often forms on the surface. Tilt the lid gently to skim off the foam, letting it disperse naturally.

(6) Rinsing Pot and Cups
After skimming foam, pour hot water over the teapot or gaiwan to rinse its surface. Similarly, pour hot water into the cups to warm them.

(7) Serving Tea
This refers to pouring the tea into cups. The first infusion is usually discarded or used to rinse the tea leaves, as Mr. Weng noted, “After cleansing the pot and cups, pour out water; only after several steps is it suitable for drinking.” Serving tea also involves careful control of soaking time to ensure even flavor. A common technique is "Guan Gong Patrolling the City"(关公巡城) where cups are arranged in a line or triangle, and tea is poured sequentially into each cup to ensure consistent flavor. "Han Xin Mustering Troops"(韩信点兵) refers to evenly dividing the last drops of tea among all the cups, avoiding residue in the pot, which could make subsequent brews bitter.

These are the main tools and steps involved in Chao Shan Gongfu tea. Though it may seem complex, experienced practitioners find it intuitive and seamless. Simplification is possible, but even at its simplest, a gaiwan, three cups, a small draining tray, and a kettle are essential.

While simpler methods like brewing with a large pot or an infuser can save effort, the charm and depth of Gongfu tea — with its intricate steps and evolving flavors over multiple infusions — are unparalleled. Still, within practical limits, it’s most important to find a brewing method that suits your lifestyle.