Anxi & Tieguanyin

GLOBAL EA HUT Tea & Tao Magazine 國際茶亭 August 2018

鐵 觀 陳 音 兩 固

Anxi Tieguanyin Master Chen Lianggu GLOBAL EA HUT ContentsIssue 79 / August 2018 Tea & Tao Magazine Cloud雲女神 Goddess

Anxi Tieguanyin is a must-drink for all tea lovers. Tieguanyin is a quintessential oolong, Love is and Anxi is one of the tea capitals of the world. We are thrilled to steep up a long session of Tieguanyin and Anxi, as well as get to know changing the world Master Chen better after introducing him to you last month. bowl by bowl Features特稿文章

19 The Two Stories of Tieguanyin By Wu De (無的) 51 23 Anxi (安溪) & Gande (感徳) By Xie Zhiqun (謝志群) 37 Tieguanyin: 19 Planting & Growing By Xie Zhiqun (謝志群) 43 Master Chen Lianggu 43 By Wu De (無的) 51 Tieguanyin: Harvest & Processing By Xie Zhiqun (謝志群)

Traditions傳統文章

03 Tea of the Month “Cloud Goddess,” Tieguanyin Oolong Tea, Anxi, Fujian, China 23 31 Gonfu Teapot Behind the Scenes Guidelines for Experimentation By Connor Goss 雲 © 2018 by Global Tea Hut All rights reserved. 49 Expansion Pack VII No part of this publication may be re- Wild vs. Plantation Tieguanyin 女 produced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means: electronic, mechanical, pho- 61 TeaWayfarer tocopying, recording, or otherwise, 神 without prior written permission Resham Daswani, Hong Kong from the copyright owner. n August, theFrom weather in Taiwan is still very hot andthe we lineage, but as a communityeditor of people who love the Leaf and drink a lot of greener teas, white teas, lightly-oxidized want to learn and grow together, make friends and hopefully oolong and, of course, young sheng maocha and dian support better, healthier agricultural practices. hong. Our Light Meets Life teas also start arriving at This issue is an important return to Anxi, where we spent Ithis time of year, which is a very exciting as it means we can a part of our annual trip this year. We had such amazing ex- taste our own creations for this community. We have some periences there that, as we promised in last month’s issue, we very exciting teas this year, including some great dian hong teas decided to return there and devote a whole issue to Tieguan- and one of the best shou puerh teas we have ever tried! yin and the work of Master Chen. As some of the partici- This month, we are offering the first-ever old student course pants in the trip noted in last month’s issue, Anxi is a victim at the Tea Sage Hut, which is a very important stage in passing of its success, like many beautiful places that are harmed by on the wisdom of our lineage to the next generation, training the tourism they attract. The popularity of Tieguanyin made teachers who can spread these teachings and brewing methods Anxi into a tea capital, and large domestic demand turned the around the world. We hope to make this an annual tradition, surrounding area into some of the largest tea plantations on continuing to develop this Way and its positive influence on earth, deforesting mountains to create terraces that extend for the life of Chajin globally. This monumental course offers me kilometers. This tremendous demand also motivated farmers the chance to briefly clarify the relationship between our tra- to increase yields with agrochemicals, making the area a gross dition and this magazine, an issue to that I hope to devote an example of agricultural irresponsibility and the effects of so- longer article to in the coming months. called “conventional” farming. First of all, let me explain what our tradition is: we practice Originally, we planned to only spend a day in Anxi, most- a way of life centered around tea that includes, most impor- ly teaching the trip participants directly about the effects of tantly, five traditional brewing methods handed down to us such monoculture, which are obvious. But after meeting Mas- from centuries, or even millennia, of tea practice. Of course, ter Chen Lianggu (陳兩固), we decided to spend three days any tradition is nothing but a series of innovations, and these there, and left feeling like even that was not enough. His amaz- practices have grown and evolved over time, including in our ing life, and the glorious tea to which he has devoted it, has generation with the addition of sidehandle brewing, which we opened a door to an important part of Tea’s history, allowing us discussed extensively in the October 2016 issue. These brew- to discuss Tieguanyin in greater depth while drinking a beauti- ing methods serve our purpose of brewing tea in all its forms, ful example of why it became so famous in the first place. This casually and ceremonially, with an emphasis on creating sacred also brings hope, allowing us all to not dwell on the problems, space that allows people to connect to themselves, each other but rather focus on the solutions, with shining examples to and Great Nature. Beyond just the precise methods we use to lead our way into a bright future based on harmony with Na- prepare tea, many of which we have shared with you in these ture. We already have all the tools we need, as individuals and pages, our tradition is also a repository for many teachings, societies, to build modern, technologically advanced lifeways verbal and nonverbal, that make this practice much more than that do not destroy our Mother Earth, the source and founda- a recipe for tea. Like any art, our tea practice includes a general tion of our own lives, but rather foster cooperation with Her philosophy for how to approach a human life and the world that supports us physically, mentally and spiritually. in which that life is lived. This outlook is, in part, conceptual, but it is also spiritual, and in that way, ineffable. These teach- ings include how to create the sacred space within which tea is prepared, affecting change in the brewer and guests. Of course, our tradition also fosters community—what is called “sangha” in Buddhism. This offers us support and guidance on our path. Wu De It is very important that all of you understand that while this magazine was created to support our Center, Tea Sage Hut, emotionally and financially, it is absolutely not just a mouth- piece for it. These issues started out as a newsletter for mem- bers of our lineage but long ago evolved out of that. Global –Further Reading– Tea Hut is a “global” community of tea lovers from any and all traditions (or none). It is a community of tea lovers from all walks of life with many different perspectives, approaches This month, we recommend rereading the Sep- to tea and tea brewing methods. It is there to foster friendship tember 2016 Extended Edition issue that was all through tea and education in the form of a magazine that is, about Taiwanese tea, as Fujian and Taiwan are in- once again, not a pulpit for our tradition. We translate and credibly related! Understanding Tieguanyin will publish articles from all kinds of different tea people, teachers, help you understand Taiwanese oolong and vice lineages, etc., including farmers’ perspectives, scholars, clas- versa. All our past issues are in .pdf or .html ver- sic texts and much more. We gather not as members of one sions on our website!

2 of the

ur Tea of the Month, Cloud Goddess (雲女神), is a Our Tea of the Month was picked at midday by hand, us- beautiful organic Tieguanyin from Gande (感徳), Anxi ing skilled workers whom Master Chen pays by the day, not by (安溪). It was cultivated by Master Chen Lianggu (陳兩 weight. When pickers are paid by weight, they will pick bigger 固), whom we met in last month’s issue about our annual trip. sets to add weight to their bags and move faster and with less He was one of our hosts, and he impressed us all with his power- care. The hardy leaves of Tieguanyin trees are best harvested ful presence, love of Nature, protected wild forests and incredi- when they are more mature. They are picked in bud sets: one bud ble devotion to tea, focusing all his energy on his tea processing and two leaves. The bud is allowed to open, allowing for more skills with the aim of improving every year. We were thrilled and breadth, astringency, bitterness and fragrance. This is typical for honored to introduce Master Chen to you in last month’s issue most kinds of oolong tea. and also so excited to offer you the chance to get to know him The tea is withered outdoors for thirty minutes and then better this month, including an article about him on p. 43. bought inside to wither for seven hours, with four ninety-min- The reason we chose to call this amazing Tieguanyin “Cloud ute shaking periods in the middle. The first two shakes are light- Goddess” is because it was grown on “Cloud Hidden Mountain er and the second two heavier, tumbling the tea in a great bam- (Yun Zhong Shan, 雲中山)” in Gande. The grove where these boo drum with more force. Then the tea sits and oxidizes until trees grow is stunning, with clear air and forested mountains the following morning at around 7 a.m., when the oxidation all around. A bright and clear stream runs right next to the tea is arrested with a firing. This is done in a large, hit drum that garden with water clean and clear enough to drink from. Some looks similar to the bamboo drum used to shake the tea, only trees break the plantation and, along with tons of undergrowth, it is metal and hot. The master feels the leaves and smells them, add dimension and ecology to the plantation. There are boul- never leaving the opening, and knows when they are done by ders around, suggesting a mineral-rich soil ideal for tea grow- sense. After the firing, the tea is rolled three times for a total of ing. This isn’t the wild living tea Master Chen grows—there is no thirty minutes. This breaks down the cells and brings the juices way that we could afford that—but this is as healthy as organic of the leaves to the surface. The rolling also shapes the tea. The plantation tea gets. We didn’t need to ask Master Chen about tea is roasted slightly between rolls, beginning the drying as the this mountain’s amazing name. Instead, we just asked if we could leaves are shaped. Cloud Goddess is a ball-shaped oolong,雲 which see the mist. He took us up in the morning, and sure enough, we means it is rolled in a tightly twisted cloth bag by a machine that couldn’t see a thing long before we got to the parking spot, which presses it down with great force and rolls it over metal ridges. was only halfway up the mountain! The entire top two-thirds of The operator guides the ball, turning it toward the center. Final- this mountain were enshrouded in mist, which tea loves as much ly, the tea is roasted at a low temperature to dry it. A few weeks as we do. It lends magic to your morning, and you quickly lose later and it is roasted again to develop and mature the flavors— your companions and walk in quiet, discovering new tea trees once for three hours, next for five hours and once more for three as you go. hours. This gives it the classic golden hue of fine oolong. The trees in this plantation are all around thirty to fifty We find this tea floral, fragrant and gorgeous, with a years old. They are all Tieguanyin varietal. (Don’t get confused: long-lasting body and a liquor that coats the mouth and throat. Tieguanyin is both a type of tea and a varietal of tree. More on It also lingers on the breath long after you swallow. There is a this later.) Master Chen lets them grow waist high, which is pret- paradoxical strength and depth to this month’s tea, as well as ty great considering almost all bazillion trees you pass in Anxi a lightness and floral subtlety above the depth. It is incredibly are only up to your calves. (As we will discuss later in the issue, uplifting, and you find yourself soaring into the Cloud Hidden Anxi is one of the most over-cultivated tea areas in the world.) Mountain after just a few cups. We recommend this as a long The ecology feels vibrant and rich, and we spotted tons of spider afternoon session with some good friends or fellow Global Tea webs, which is always a great sign. Master Chen says these gar- Hut members. Quiet goes a long way with this tea, as it is so dens have been organic since at least the early 1990s and may radiantly upward it deserves some time and space to truly enjoy have never been sprayed, though he cannot be sure about the the experience. This is one of our favorite teas we’ve shared with previous owners. you over the years.

3 Cloud Goddess (雲女神)

Anxi, Fujian, China 傳 鐵 觀 統 音 Tieguanyin Oolong Tea 烏 烏 龍 Han Chinese 龍 茶 ~600 Meters

雲 女 神 Tea of the Month

A Deeper Session Further Exploration into Our Tea of the Month

ver the course of this issue, flavor and aroma, and the patience of Stream,” maybe referring to the largest we are going to explore Iron this tea—one of the longest-lasting river in the area. It is roughly 3,000 茶Goddess tea (Tieguanyin, teas there is. The vibrancy of the trees, square kilometers with tea growing all O鐵觀音), which is one of the most the processed leaves and the liquor suit throughout. The best teas are grown important types of tea there is, and a the name, in other words. between 1,200 and 1,600 meters, with paramount oolong that every tea lover Many authors, especially in En- lowland tea plantations as well. As you will come to know and love. Tieguan- glish, write that “all tea is Camellia drive into Anxi, you are immediately yin originally comes from Anxi, in sinensis and that the differences in teas struck by the amount of deforesta- southern Fujian. Oolong tea began are all in the processing.” This is very tion in the name of tea production. in the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911). misleading. First of all, as we have dis- This always saddens the true tea lov- Oolong processing evolved in Wuyi, cussed often, many species of Camellia er. Though Anxi is one of the largest in northern Fujian, and slowly spread are used to make tea, though Camellia tea-producing regions in China, and south to other tea-growing regions like sinensis is certainly the most popular. it’s even called the “Chinese Tea Capi- Anxi. Though oolong tea began in the It is also important to remember that tal (Zhongguo Chadu, 中國茶都),” al- Qing Dynasty, tea farming in Anxi processing methods developed over most all of this tea is for domestic con- is ancient. There are many wild trees time in response to certain varietals of sumption and is therefore produced on there, including one that is more than tea, which in turn evolved in response a large, industrial scale with terraced a thousand years old, with a six-meter to a particular terroir. Farmers were hills and mountains to maximize pro- crown shining beneath the sky as testa- learning, honing their skills through duction and heavy agro-chemical use. ment to the heritage of Anxi tea. some trial and error, as well as a deep In 2012, Tieguanyin faced an in- The most renowned Qing emperor connection to a life of tea, trying to ternational scandal when Greenpeace Qianlong (1711–1799) was a great tea process their local varietals in a way that reported that Tieguanyin and other lover. He loved Tieguanyin and is said would highlight their greatest qualities Chinese teas had dangerous pesticide to have been responsible for spreading and fulfill the tea’s potential. It would levels. These reports even reached the its acclaim throughout the empire, not be correct to say that oolong, for domestic market, and many tea lovers and also for naming it. According to example, is just a method of processing in China and abroad started calling legend, Tieguanyin was discovered by tea, because that processing was ad- Tieguanyin “toxic tea.” Sales started a contemporary farmer named Wei vanced to suit certain varietals of tea. to decline and many farmers began to Yin (1700–1775), and was originally And as varietals have changed, moving switch to organic farming methods, called “Wei Yin Tea” until the emper- from place to place (whether natural- sometimes feeling a need for at least lo- or renamed it. There are actually two ly or carried by people), so too have cal certification to sell their products at different stories of how Tieguanyin got processing skills adapted and changed, all. The boom that had inflated the en- its name, the “Wei shuo (魏說)” and creating a whole array of different teas. tire tea industry throughout the 2000s “Wang shuo (王說),” which means the started to crash in Anxi, and prices fell Wei or Wang “story.” In the coming dangerously low (some farmers claim pages, we will share these legends of Anxi & Tieguanyin prices fell to 25%). While it is import- how Tieguanyin got its name, but the ant to note that some scholars were very obvious reasons why it was named thus Anxi is a tea-growing mecca in critical of Greenpeace’s testing meth- are the thick juicy leaves of this vari- Quanzhou, Fujian Province. The name ods and argued that the samples from etal, as well as its strong and powerful “Anxi (安溪)” literally means “Peaceful other regions also corrupted the study,

5/ Cloud Goddess Tieguanyin Oolong (雲女神鐵觀音烏龍茶) the result is a new market that is, in a well. Like most kinds of tea, geography Sometimes quality shifts in oth- strong way, influenced by value in rela- affects quality and price. This is often er unexpected ways, like when the tion to “clean tea.” very complicated, though. Sometimes reputation of a newly-cultivated area This incident and the results are places that are super gorgeous attract a so outstrips the original that it be- very important, as they demonstrate tourist industry that makes that place comes the new standard. Most histo- how the laws of supply and demand not so beautiful anymore. Often times, rians agree that Tieguanyin varietals can have a huge influence on agricul- the particular mountain a puerh comes and processing originated in Xiping ture and its impact on the environ- from, the gorge a zheng yan (正岩) (西坪), but nowadays Tieguanyin ment. Setting aside the Greenpeace Cliff Tea grows in or the mountain in cultivation is qualitatively separated study and its relevance, the perception Anxi County a Tieguanyin comes from by the “Inner” and “Outer” Moun- of consumers was that Tieguanyin are famous for good reason. They are tains, and Xiping is one of the “Outer was “dirty” (which it most certainly often the ideal terroir for tea in the area Mountains.” The other Outer Moun- was) with such a tremendous amount and are famous because the tea grown tains are Da Ping (大坪), Hu Tou (湖 of plantation tea and heavy agro- there is consistently of high quality. 頭), Long Juan (龍涓) and Jin Gu (金 chemical use. The consumers’ de- Over time, as the tea industry in any 谷.) The Inner Mountains are Chang mand for “clean tea,” as well as the region expands, new locations that are Keng (長坑), Xiang Hua (祥華), Jian price drops, caused the entire market also excellent for growing tea are dis- Dou (劍斗) and the home of our Tea in Anxi to change. This proves that by covered or cultivated (we say “discov- of the Month, Gande (感德). Despite educating consumers through maga- ered or cultivated” because sometimes the fact that the Anxi tea-growing area zines like this, we can make a differ- wild trees are found in a new place and is already incredibly vast (3,000 square ence. When global demand for “clean” other times people expand into that kilometers, as we mentioned), the ma- agricultural products is strong enough, area). Sometimes these new areas are jority of Tieguanyin teas sold in the farmers will have to shift to survive. even better than the famous places, world are from outside (wai shan, 外 We will talk about this in greater detail especially if the fame of a mountain 山), which is akin to many tea-grow- in next month’s issue, but it is worth or gorge has caused over-production, ing areas like Wuyi, where 65-70% of contemplating how you vote with your deforestation and invited the use of ag- tea is “wai shan,” which means grow- dollar and the effects your purchasing rochemicals. In other words, the fame ing outside the park area. In Anxi, tea decisions are having on people on the of a region can cause farmers to destroy plantations extend for many kilome- other side of the world! Thanks for al- the ecology and soil (the terroir) that ters beyond the main growing area that lowing for this important message... made the tea great in the first place, made the tea famous, and all this essen- Now back to our regularly scheduled though the reputation of a “great tea” tially fake, mass-produced tea is sold as program, “Anxi and Tieguanyin.” often continues long after the quality “Anxi Tieguanyin,” even though it may The tremendous demand for has started to decrease. The reputation be from Zhang Zhou (漳州). Tieguanyin from the 1980s on, and es- of certain tea-growing areas is always It is always important to buy the tea pecially in the early 2000s, caused the exaggerated and never the whole story. in front of you, not the reputation of tea-growing area to balloon to the 3,000 The weather also plays a tremendous the place where it comes from or any square kilometers it is today. There are role in the quality of any tea, and so other story about its production. That many mountains in this vast area, and do the processing skills of the farmer. said, it is also important not to grow differences in terroir mean that the teas Always buy the tea itself, not the story jaded and assume that all farmers and from each one can be very different as of where it comes from. tea merchants are out to make a buck.

6 Tea of the Month Varietals of Tieguanyin 鐵觀音品種

There are seven main varietals of Tieguanyin tea, with many wild and new graftings being created as well. Most all Tieguanyin tea still falls into one of the seven varietals: Tieguanyin (鐵觀音), Ben Shan (本山), Huang Dan (黃旦), Mao Xie (毛蟹), Ming Hua (茗花), Mei Zhan (梅占) and Shuixian (水仙). Let’s briefly introduce each of these.

Tieguanyin All Anxi tea is, of course, called “Tieguanyin,” but this is also the most famous varietal of the region, the one all the legends are about. It is incredibly robust and suited to the terroir of Anxi, with thick and strong leaves and a peach shape. The buds very often mutate 鐵 red or reddish purple, which is caused by a type of pig- ment called “anthocyanin” that protect the tea from high levels of UV. These pigments are the same as those found in all reddish or purplish plants, like grapes or maple leaves. The long patience, deep body and subtle, 觀 radiant fragrance of this varietal make it not only the most famous varietal in Anxi, but one of the most fa- mous in the world. Our Tea of the Month is made from Tieguanyin trees. Unfortunately, the boom in the Chi- nese tea industry means that a lot of plantations began 音 replacing Tieguanyin with other, often human-made varietals in the 1980s.

Ben Shan This is also one of the oldest and best varietals of Tieguanyin. It most likely originated in other parts of Fu- jian, where it is still grown today, and 本 may even pre-date the Tieguanyin va- rietal in Anxi. It has thick leaves that are similar to Tieguanyin without the propensity to turn red. The trees are not as hardy, and often require a spe- 山 cific terroir to thrive.

Ming Hua This varietal is also called “cotton (Mian Hua, 棉花),” as it has downy, whitish buds and may even be relat- ed to Mao Xie. These two varietals 棉 may be more pest-resistant, and were developed to be thus. Many early ex- periments in cross-breeding varietals happened before the widespread use of pesticides, so farmers were invested in 花 more resistant strains. These trees are also less vibrant than Tieguanyin, with a subtle orchid fragrance.

7/ Cloud Goddess Tieguanyin Oolong (雲女神鐵觀音烏龍茶) Huang Dan It is common for tea types and va- rietals to be confused, like “Tieguan- yin,” which is a type of tea to which all of these varietals belong, and also a varietal in and of itself. Huang Dan is also like that. This tea is much more well-known by its finished/processed name, “Huang Jin Gui (黃金桂),” 黃 which means “Golden Osmanthus.” The leaves of this tea are much more delicate than Tieguanyin or Ben Shan. The finished tea is famous for having a very distinct osmanthus fragrance. It is 旦 a very unique kind of tea. Recently, it has been crossed with the Tieguanyin varietal to create the “Huang Guan Yin (黃觀音)” varietal, which we find quite strange in flavor and aroma.

Mao Xie The name of this tea literally means “hairy crab,” as the buds are covered in downy hairs and said to resemble a crab’s claw. It is common for tea buds to have hair on them, which most biologists argue is a defensive mecha- 毛 nism that prevents insects from eating the sweeter, juicier buds that are not able to protect themselves chemically. This tea is not as hearty as the older varietals, with a delicate and soft flo- ral fragrance. The larger leaves have a 蟹 stronger serration than most varietals of tea, which may also be the reason for the name. This tea is usually oxidized very lightly.

Mei Zhan & Shuixian These two varietals came from Wuyi, in the north of Fujian. Many of the wild tea trees in Master Chen Lianggu’s forests, which we will dis- 梅 cuss later in this issue, are actually Shui xian. Mei Zhan and Shuixian both have large, elongated leaves with strong 水 fragrances. Shuixian is usually floral, delicate and bold, while Mei Zhan is 占 said to have a depth some liken to the Japanese flavor of “umami,” though it is usually referred to by locals as simply 仙 “Mei Zhan fragrance (梅占香).” Both varietals are cultivated in Anxi and Wuyi even today, and have also spread to other tea-growing areas.

8 Tea of the Month The Processing of Tieguanyin from Tree to Cup 鐵觀音製作工序從樹到杯子

Plucking Roasting Dry 濃 (zou shui bei, 走水焙) 烈 Withering 厚 Roasting (indoors and outdoors) 鐵 實 (hong pei, 烘培)

Shaking Sorting (lang qing, 浪青) 黑 (fen ji, 分級)

Withering/Shaking Packaging in 90-minute cycles 烏 Firing 清 (Sha qing, 炒青) 雅 Preparation 芬 龍 Rolling/Shaping 芳 Cloud-Soaring (rou nian, 揉捻) (yun teng, 雲騰)

In the earlier section on our Tea of the These more mature leaves are what the shaking increases in vigor and is Month (pp. 3-4), Cloud Goddess, we gives oolong tea its boldness. done three to four times. This breaks discussed the processing of the tea we Traditional oolong production is the cells down, oxidizes the edges more are drinking together this month. In semi-oxidized, usually between 40% and makes the tea more flavorful. The this section, we would like to focus and 70%, with some outliers like best oolong leaves will have a red rim more on Tieguanyin in general. There Eastern Beauty, which has heavier around the edges after brewing, but are, of course, a lot of variations from oxidation. All of the processing steps this can only really be achieved when mountain to mountain and house in Tieguanyin take into account the the processing is done by hand. Most to house in Anxi, so understanding thicker, tougher leaves of this varietal, oolong nowadays is shaken in large a more basic formula will be an im- which furthers the argument we just tumblers, which do not bruise the portant guide to understanding all discussed that processing techniques leaves so perfectly or uniformly, and Tieguanyin. evolve to suit certain varietals. This rarely just on the edges. The withering Unlike most other kinds of tea, starts with the withering, which is usu- and shaking will continue until the Tieguanyin is best picked at noon, ally piled more deeply than other types farmer is satisfied with the aroma. rather than early in the morning. The of oolong. The outdoor withering is The oxidation process is then ar- strong leaves of this hearty varietal usually short, and depends on the sun. rested by firing. (This is technically thrive in the sun. The leaves are thick The indoor withering also lasts longer not true as oxidation will continue in and strong. Like all oolong teas, the than other kinds of oolong and can the tea indefinitely, but it does slow to best method is to pick one bud and take as long as fifteen to even twen- such a molasses drip that we can for all two leaves in sets, though most farmers ty-four hours. practical purposes say that it is halted.) nowadays pick larger sets to increase The most defining step in all oolong The firing of oolong is done in large yields. Like all oolong, Tieguanyin is production happens during the indoor metal woks that are heated from un- made of more mature, slightly to half- withering, as the leaves are shaken ev- derneath using a wood-fire stove. The way open buds with two leaves (Zhong ery hour to ninety minutes to bruise duration of the firing depends on the dao Da Kai Mian, 中到大開面). their edges. Usually, with Tieguanyin, moisture content in the leaves.

9/ Cloud Goddess Tieguanyin Oolong (雲女神鐵觀音烏龍茶) 精

10 Tea of the Month Immediately after the firing, the tea tough. A more rigorous rolling was re- an oolong oxidized to 40% has more is rolled. Tieguanyin is a ball-shaped quired. Rolling Cliff Tea in a bag like room for roast, whereas one oxidized oolong, which means it is rolled in a that would damage the more delicate to 70% has less roast. (This doesn’t twisted-up cloth bag. Traditionally, this leaves used to make Yancha (Cliff Tea, apply to modern, lightly-oxidized was done with the feet, though nowa- 岩茶). oolongs, which are fragrant, light and days the ball-shaped bag is rolled over One of the characteristic steps of floral, and a heavy roast would there- metal ridges by a machine that presses Tieguanyin is that it is often gently fore just burn them.) Back in the day, the bag down and spins it in a circle. roasted between rolls to start the dry- farmers would often send maocha This vigorous rolling is yet another ex- ing process before the tea goes through (毛茶, unfinished, rough tea) to shop ample of the ways in which processing its dry roast, which is different from owners who would roast it to their cus- techniques have evolved to suit certain the final roast that is done to change tomers’ tastes. Roasting techniques are kinds of tea. The rolling of the tea is the flavor of the tea. often very secret, passed down from to break down the cells and bring the After the rolling, the tea is roast- father to son and held as dear as great juices to the surface for brewing. It ed at a low temperature to dry it out. recipes at famous restaurants. Nowa- also shapes the tea. Tieguanyin is, of Eventually, it will get two finishing days, many farmers do their own roast- course, the first ball-shaped oolong. roasts. Traditionally, Tieguanyin is ing. With the popularity of Taiwanese The thickness of the leaves means that the most roasted of all oolongs, often oolong, Anxi Tieguanyin has also start- the striped rolling across ridged bam- for up to seventy-two hours! You can ed to trend towards more lightly-oxi- boo trays, like the first-ever oolong, think of the traditional processing of dized and roasted teas, making many which is Wuyi Cliff Tea, would not oolong as a glass that the oxidation and green varieties these days, which brings be strong enough to break the cells roast work together to fill up, starting us to the issue of what traditional pro- down for Tieguanyin. Also, the shape with the fact that such oolongs were cessing is and the changes in oolong wouldn’t hold, since the leaves are so oxidized 40–70%. In other words, production in Taiwan.

Monkey-Picked Oolong

ven to this day, you may hear secret. One can guess that the farmers about so-called “Monkey-Picked were instructed to withhold informa- Tieguanyin.” It is very unlikely tion from the foreigners, and that one 優 Ethat monkeys were ever trained to pick farmer made them the butt of a joke that 猴 tea, let alone from difficult-to-reach would go on to influence tea in a huge 秀 cliffs where some rare and spectacular way, as Aeneas Anderson’s published tea grows. Like most legends, however, record would influence tea shops and 中 this one probably does have some his- marketing back home. In fact, it was a 的 torical basis, and certain records even joke that was meant to deflect questions point to one specific event. and left the farmers guffawing and slap- 子優 In 1793, during a trip to China, Brit- ping their knees until late into the night. ish ambassadors and emissaries from Though we now know that no 秀 the East India trade company were Tieguanyin is “monkey-picked,” the title permitted inland to visit other nobles, is still conferred upon the highest qual- gardens, tea farms and even the emper- ities of Tieguanyin in some traditional 摘 or’s summer palace (though he wasn’t shops. The legend died, but the name there), where they received gifts from still refers to the best grades of Tieguan- the throne. One of the emissaries, Aene- yin, which is a tradition we enjoy. It is as Anderson, wrote a diary of the trip, nice to use this name for a Tieguanyin, which was later published. In it, he says suggesting it is a legend. Our Tea of the 烏 that the Chinese were very reluctant to Month is certainly “monkey-picked!” answer questions about tea or tea pro- The trend also applied to some Wuyi tea cessing, and would look on with blank as well. Our own Global Tea Hut mem- stares, as if they didn’t understand the ber, James Norwood Pratt, says: “A pro- question. He then says that he was told prietor’s monkey-picked tea is like his 龍 that tea was picked by monkeys. The Chi- calling card, representing his tea philos- nese considered tea processing methods ophy. No traditional tea merchant calls a very important and state-protected a tea ‘monkey-picked’ lightly!”

11/ Cloud Goddess Tieguanyin Oolong (雲女神鐵觀音烏龍茶)

Tea of the Month Of course, it is very important to the 1970s and 1980s. Light oolong is Also, some farmers have started remember that processing is always oxidized in a much more controlled making Tieguanyin sour by shaking it far subtler than such a recipe im- environment, sometimes even with very little or not at all and leaving it to plies. Most of the time when you ask machines to control temperature and wither longer, delaying the kill-green a farmer for specifics like “How long humidity. This tea is very fragrant, (sha qing, 殺青) phase for anywhere do you…” they always answer, “It de- but lacks body, depth and patience. from one to even three days. This is pends,” because they are listening to It also requires vacuum sealing and, called “delaying until sour (tuo suan, the leaves and watching. They touch in the case of light Anxi Tieguanyin, 拖酸).” This sour Tieguanyin tends to and smell, adjust and change, to bring refrigeration after production. Lighter be polarizing amongst tea lovers, even out the best in the tea. The best teas Tieguanyin teas come from sets with in Anxi, as some people love it while are also never made just for money. less opened buds (medium), whereas others think it is a deviation from tra- They are made by artists who love their traditional oolong is often from more dition that is in poor taste (literally). craft. This means the heart is involved open, mature sets. When the sorting is done by hand, as well. The path from the head to the There are other differences in the it can take weeks or even months, to hands travels through the heart, after processing of these two varieties of finish. This task is often done by wom- all. The master always works with her Tieguanyin, including the shaking, en, as the locals consider them to be entire being. which is obviously much heavier in tra- more dexterous of hand. All of the At this time, there are two main ditional Tieguanyin. Some farmers and huang pian (黃片) or “old leaves (lao ways of processing Tieguanyin: the tea lovers further dissect Tieguanyin, ye, 老葉)” are sorted out, along with traditional style (chuan tong, 傳統), separating the influence of oxidation the broken bits, discolored leaves, etc. and the lightly-oxidized, greener, more and roast. In that case, there would be Some families also sort the leaves into modern kind of oolong called “light two different types of processing: light grades at this point. fragrance (qing xiang, 清香).” The (qing xiang) and traditional (chuan These days, we have noticed a main difference is in type and degree of tong), which could then be roasted in growing trend to package oolong in oxidation and/or roast, though primar- different ways as well, which are usual- single-serving packets, which wastes a ily oxidation. Taiwanese oolongs have ly called “heavy/strong (nong, 濃)” and lot of resources. In Anxi, they some- greatly influenced the Anxi Tieguanyin “light (qing, 清).” However, a light tea times even double pack each brew. market since Taiwanese tea boomed in can only be roasted so much. Prayers for the Earth!

The body is dropped Without any understanding, Let go like the leaf, Vision slowly clears Carrying tree essence The Way unfolds Without knowing Pouring its own It’s drinking me, Cups of tea Drinking Her In cellular rhythm

The Goddess of Light Separation is better Shining through cell windows, Now that I have seen Of root, trunk, bough and leaf, What the world looks like Of me and you As a falling leaf And what’s beyond On its way home –Wu De

14 Tea of the Month

Brewing沖泡技巧 完成好Tips茶 Our Tea of the Month is an oolong tea, and there really is no better way to brew an oolong tea than gongfu. Gongfu brewing began in the early Qing Dynasty (1644–1911) in Chaozhou. It spread from there to Fujian and on to Taiwan, where it was preserved, though also changed, until it was returned to China in modern times, where it has become the most popular brewing method. Though widespread, the innovations that occurred in Taiwan and then in modern China have created a vast array of “gongfu” methods, and some have little to no connection to the origin of the brewing. In fact, “gongfu” has become a generic term in China for just about any brewing method. Though oolong and gongfu tea are married, and this will always produce the best oolong liquor, you can put a few balls of this month’s tea (or most any oolong) in a bowl. In fact, watching the leaves of ball- shaped oolong open in a white bowl is a tremendous joy, since more often tea enjoyment is dominated by the senses of smell, taste and touch. The opportunity to also enjoy gorgeous tea leaves in a bowl is always welcome. We love finding teas like this. Ball-shaped oolongs unfurl and unfold like no tea on earth, dancing about the bowl in glory. Fortunately, you have enough tea that you can try a bit of both, which we would highly recommend. Many of you often ask for some guidance for beginning a gongfu practice. We plan to devote articles and even whole issues to the topic in the future, but for now let’s jump in to a basic overview, which can be broken down to the right materials and a simple, basic method to start with. When it comes to materials for tea, never over-complicate things. Gongfu tea is about simplicity. There are traditionally “four treasures of gongfu tea,” and they are all you need: an Yixing pot, a kettle and stove, porcelain cups and a teaboat. As we spoke about at great length in our September 2017 issue, there are a lot of so-called “Yixing” pots that aren’t made of genuine ore. Be sure to find an authentic pot made of real zisha (紫砂) clay. Choose one from the purplish family of clay (zini, 紫泥), as opposed to one of the red pots (hongni, 紅泥) or the yellowish-gray pots (duanni, 段泥). Traditionally, stoves were all made of a special white clay found near Chaozhou, but such clay doesn’t exist anymore and the antique versions are expensive and fragile. We suggest a nice kettle, with a nice pour and a good alcohol stove to preserve heat and gas, electric infrared or charcoal for boiling (charcoal is best). Back in the day, the only place to get cups was the “Porcelain Capital,” Jingdezhen (景德鎮), but nowadays great cups can be had elsewhere. Make sure your cups do not have any strange or industrial ingredients. Also, a tulip shape is the best. A teaboat can be any dish (they were often antique plates), ideally with a flat bottom and gently-sloped sides. With the right tools, one can begin the long road to “mastery,” which is what gongfu tea means. In gongfu brewing, temperature is everything. If the temperature doesn’t change from kettle to cup, the tea releases its essence slowly and evenly and the session becomes more “patient,” which means more steepings. We achieve this by showering the pot both before and after every steeping and by pre-warming the cups every time before decanting the tea liquor. We also practice slow, gentle and graceful movements so as not to disturb the tea. In a stable, warm and quiet environment the tea steeps longer and brighter, with more flavor and fragrance. This is analogous to the environments where tea trees thrive, which also have consis- tent temperature and humidity and are quiet and peaceful—as the tree thrives, so does the leaf flourish in the pot.

Gongfu Leaves in a Bowl

Water : spring water or high-quality bottled Make sure to pre-warm the Fire: coals, infrared or gas cups before every steeping. This Heat: crab-eye; 90–95°C is important as it preserves Brewing Methods: gongfu or leaves in a bowl temperature. The shock from (gongfu is much better) pot to cup will distort the tea Steeping: flash, flash, flash and longer liquor, causing its texture A few balls in a bowl if brewed that way to fracture and become Patience: 15 to 20 steepings / 7 pours rough and disjointed.

15/ Cloud Goddess Tieguanyin Oolong (雲女神鐵觀音烏龍茶)

Anxi Tieguanyin 安溪 鐵觀音 The Two Stories of Tieguanyin

There are two legends that tell the origin of Tieguanyin tea in Anxi, both highlighting different aspects of this magnificent tea: the “Wei legend (Wei shuo, 魏說)” and the “Wang legend (Wang shuo, 王說).” We have here a retelling of both. It is great to bring the folklore and mythology to the forefront before steeping up more linear articles on Tieguanyin history and production. Legends bring their own truths, and though they are metaphorical, we need not assume they are therefore “false.” It is a shame that the word “myth” has come to mean “falsehood” in modern times, as metaphors sometimes are capable of conveying experiential and emotional truths better than literal description. Myths certainly aren’t as useful for describing phenomena or the causes of natural or cultural events, but they aren’t intended for that purpose and therefore need not compete with history or science, but rather enrich our understanding. Myths are ways of relating, and can convey respect or reverence, for example, in ways that no literal exploration ever could.

從 從 天 地 而女 聖而 降神 神起 話 話 The魏 Wei Legend說 ike most Tea stories, this one starts has there not been a candle and incense shone like the purest moonlight embroi- with a farmer... Wei Yin was simple, on this altar for Guanyin. These prayers dered with dew. Her skin was porcelain and like Tea, his best qualities were must continue.” Wei was honored to tend and Her eyes shone like diamonds—clear Lhiding in plain sight. He went about his the temple. Even though it meant a lot of and sharp, but full of the strongest love and chores, tending his tea trees with the same extra time, he would leave early every day kindness he had ever experienced. It was reverence his father and father’s father had, and stop on the way to the fields to pray, as if every loving glance of his wife, every as his people had done beyond memory to sitting beneath the altar for one hour a day. smiling eye of a friend and all the caring the legends that Wei Yin would one day Over time, this practice began to change gazes of his mother were all in Her eyes. join. Every day, he would spend hours in Wei. He grew more and more soft. He Wei Yin fell to his knees and cried. He the fields or quietly walking to and from wasn’t distant or withdrawn. Nor would cried for the joy of Her. She gently raised them. There were holidays, weddings and his neighbors have ever suggested he was his tear-streaked face to Hers, and through funerals, but most days Wei spent pruning, unfriendly. “He’s a quiet man,” they would the warp and woof of the tears She glowed. harvesting, processing and carrying tea have said. “And for some reason, I like With the softest and sweetest touch, she to market. Wei Yin didn’t talk much, not him.” bent down and kissed his forehead. She even to his own wife, but not in a pensive When the third year without rains smelled like cinnamon and osmanthus. or unfriendly way. He was just simple, shy came, Wei’s wife was very afraid, especial- “Wake up,” she said in a voice more beau- and uncomplicated, which is to say pure ly since Wei continued spending a large tiful even than the flute he had heard once of heart. portion of their savings on candles and in- in town. “Wake up… wake up…” echoed When Wei was in his fifty-fourth cense to tend the shrine. When she would in his mind like temple chants, uplifting spring, there was a great drought and many confront him, however, Wei would say and calming him at once—like Tea… Wei people lost their tea farms, to say nothing that now was the time for more prayers, Yin’s eyes fluttered open and he was in the of their vegetables and grain—for every- not fewer. “No drought lasts forever. If we small shrine. The candle had burned low. one knows tea is a tree heartier than most. cannot accept the times when the Heavens He reached up and felt the wetness of his When the following year threatened to be give us less, how will we rightfully celebrate face, covered in tears. the same, some of his neighbors packed up, the times when we are given more?” And The next morning, Wei Yin left home abandoned their homes and left to start since there was a lot less farm work to do, before dawn. He made his way to the river, new lives in the South. But Wei couldn’t Wei did just that: spending more and more now a rock bed due to the drought. After leave. He had a secret. time at the little shrine praying and medi- some time, he found the exact spot where When Wei Yin was young, at the time tating. He continued to offer Guanyin the he and the old man had left the path and before he was married and when his father finest teas, candles and incense he could cut into the underbrush. He struggled was still alive, he once came upon an old buy, despite his dwindling savings. Once a up the steep slope without a doubt in his hermit on one of the paths that meandered month, he would carry firewood to town heart, excited and smiling beneath the can- through the forested hills to the tea gar- to sell for a pittance, which was enough to opy of trees. After an hour or so of arduous dens. Immediately, the young man knew buy some rice for him and his wife. hiking, he found what he sought: the three that the old man was special—maybe even One night, Wei was at the small shrine boulders. He patted the first one with a an immortal. He followed the old hermit praying. He had walked all the way to smile, just as his master had in the dream. back to his home, which was a small tem- market that day after chopping wood all With a reverent cautiousness, he made ple in the forest near Wei’s neighbor’s tea morning and was therefore extremely wea- his way around. Sure enough, there was a garden. The old man lived in a tiny shrine ry. His eyes flickered like the candles and small clearing just as he had dreamed. And devoted to the Goddess of Mercy, Guan- he strayed into a dream… He was walking there in the center of the clearing was the yin. He told Wei that the temple had been with his old master, just a step or two be- healthiest, greenest and brightest tea tree there for centuries, and that every day hind out of respect, as he had always done. he had ever seen… incense and a candle had been lit for the The old man’s white topknot was shining, Years later, all the farmers for miles Goddess. The old cast iron statue certain- and he had a translucence that was differ- around had gardens full of trees descend- ly looked worn enough to have been there ent from how Wei Yin would have remem- ed from Wei Yin’s strong tree, and the tea that long. It was the oldest thing Wei had bered him when he was awake. They were from that region was known as “Wei Yin” ever seen. walking along a path by the riverbank, tea. He never charged his neighbors for the Over the years, Wei visited the old where they had often wandered, slowly as seeds, wishing them health and prosperity monk regularly, bringing him the choic- people stroll through Nature when they are when they came for them. The hearty trees est tea from their harvest and sometimes free. But in the dream, Wei could sense a could survive even the harshest drought, rice. The old man would sometimes teach purpose to the old man’s steps, as if he were produced much more tea than any tea Wei life lessons by telling him old stories, taking him somewhere. Soon, they left the tree the villagers had heard of, and, most though most of the time they just sat to- path and began walking up through the importantly, the leaves were sweeter, more gether enjoying the peace of the forest underbrush. The way was steep, and the fragrant and delicious, tasting of cinnamon shrine. walk soon became hard work. After some and osmanthus. Though the fame of this Years later, when the old man grew very time, they came upon three boulders. The magical tea spread far and wide, even to the ill, he told Wei that his young apprentice old man stroked the first fondly, patting it Dragon Throne, Wei Yin was far too hum- had gone traveling years earlier and never the way you would an old friend’s back. ble to feel responsible, and was opposed returned. He told him that he needed Wei When they walked around the stone, Wei the tea bearing his name. He remained a to tend the shrine after he was gone, un- Yin couldn’t believe his eyes, for there in a simple farmer until the end. He’d be happy til his student returned. “For not a single small clearing sat Guanyin herself! to know we speak of Her by Her true name day,” the master began in a frail voice, “not She was more gorgeous than anything nowadays, though we haven’t forgotten the since even my master’s master was young, he had ever seen. The white of Her dress power of faith…

20 The王 Wang 說Legend

ang Shiliang (王士諒) was ing it a different semblance. Despite being often told his friends that you needn’t walk a scholar with a beard that only a few meters above the path, he felt to Guanyin Stone, since this tea was like W brushed the scrolls he would like he could see farther: the distant peaks stepping off the old stone into the air to calligraph each afternoon. His afternoons receding from greens to blues, light blues ride the currents of immortality. were restful. He would do his studying to the faraway places you can’t be sure are Over the years, Wang’s distant friends at night, combing through ancient texts mountains or clouds. would come to visit and marvel at his and writing his philosophy across meters Wang looked down at the stone he amazing wild tea. They were as impressed of scrolls. But in the afternoons, he made always sat upon stroking his beard, and as he was. He often said that the trees were calligraphy, drank tea, went for walks or though he liked the grander view up here, the real reason his heart brought him to took naps. He especially loved to take a he wondered where he would sit, rest and this peak. The trees didn’t produce much, nice walk, return home and enjoy some think. He looked around behind him and but he always shared some with his friends gongfu tea and then paint a few lines of gasped. He had been so enamored by the when they came, and many wrote that the some verse, his own or classical. grand views of the cliffside, he hadn’t no- tea had healed them in miraculous ways. Wang made his fortune selling wool ticed four of the most glorious tea trees he Some were healed of inner troubles, as and other goods, retiring to the mountains had ever seen, with strong, thick trunks they struggled to find their way in this to write and read, drink tea and go for and huge crowns full of very juicy leaves. world, while others turned to his magical walks. Though his nose was always in his The buds were in flush, and looked slight- tea when they felt unwell, only to wake up books, and his hands were always black- ly reddish as they emerged. Wang was refreshed the next day. ened by ink, Wang was a kind man. When a tea connoisseur. One didn’t retire to a Some years later, the great emperor he worked as a merchant, he had succeed- tea mountain for any other reason than himself, Qianlong, was traveling south on ed by treating his employees like family sipping the last of one’s days away. Wang one of his tours. One of Wang’s dear friends and never being dishonest with his clients. knew good tea when he saw it. He plucked was being honored for his service and was Even now, retired to this distant peak, his two leaves and a bud and chewed on them. going to meet the emperor himself. He former employees would sometimes visit They burst in his mouth with a deep and knew that the great Qianlong was a true to reminisce and ask about his health. Af- lasting bitterness that covered the whole tea lover, often making tea with his own ter tea, Wang would send them away with mouth and throat, like he had just taken august hands when he could steal away to a little money to buy something for their a drink of water. The Qi was marvelous, a corner of the palace and find some peace. wives or children. And as it is in all good rushing up his legs and filling him with He knew that the emperor would love tales, the good deeds he had planted in life warmth. He plucked another bud set and Wang’s magical tea and wouldn’t have tried would soon bear a harvest of fruit… sat beneath the tree looking out at the such a tea before. He told Wang of this, Wang’s greatest fortune, the one he mountains from a new perspective. His and he was deeply honored. They secured would be known for even centuries later, worries vanished, and the birdsong he a precious tea jar made by the best potter came to him as quietly and gently as his hadn’t noticed moments ago, lost in his they could find and carefully processed afternoons. In fact, it all started on one of thoughts, rang clear and true. He heard each leaf by hand, selecting only the best his strolls down the mountain path. One the wind as well, and understood it in ways the trees had to offer. Wang wrote some afternoon, he was walking near his house, he hadn’t before. This tea was better than calligraphy and carefully lacquered it to the down some mountain trails, when he re- poetry, and he hadn’t even drunk it yet. jar for his friend to offer to the emperor. alized that a small avalanche had opened Very soon, Wang’s household had The emperor Qianglong drank the up a path to climb up onto the clifftop carved away the rocks and boulders that magical tea and was transfixed as only a his path had led him past for years. He had fallen and cleared a new route to the Chajin could be. The tea was beyond even wondered what was up there. Wang was tea trees. Wang’s afternoons could go either the tribute teas grown in the imperial gar- a curious fellow, as all scholars should be. way now, sitting beneath Guanyin Stone or dens. He was taken aback. He quickly dis- He stroked his beard and thought about above it near his beloved tea trees. With the patched servants to Wang, carrying gifts whether a man his age should bound up help of some other local tea men, the wild and other honors, hoping to secure some some boulders to a clifftop. In the end, he tea trees had produced immaculate oolong of each year’s harvest for the throne. After smiled and lifted his robes, carefully climb- tea that was beyond what he’d dreamed his first sip, the emperor had closed his eyes ing up. He wound around the path he had when he first tasted the thick, juicy leaves. and slipped from time. When he looked walked most afternoons, only now it was It was the best tea he’d ever had, and that up, his eyes were soft. He exclaimed to all several meters below him. There was a kind was saying a lot. The liquor was golden, those present: of animal track or natural opening to walk with a halo around the edges when you up there. Wang found that it marvelous held it up to the window. The aroma was This amazing tea has a body that is strong that there was a natural path just above the strong, smelling of orchids and osmanthus and heavy like iron, though it is fragrant path his feet had worn below—only this some days and peonies on others. And one and beautiful like the Goddess of Mercy, path was opened by Nature. Eventually sip always brought you right back to that Guanyin. he stood atop the cliff where his walks al- cliffside and that stunning view of all the ways ended, at the giant stone they called green mountains around—the kind of From then on, this magical tea was “Guanyin Stone,” as it was shaped like the vista that overcomes all your worries and called “Tieguanyin.” The name has lin- goddess. He often sat below it, but today allows you to leave behind your human for gered until now— just as bold and fragrant he looked down from above the stone, giv- the Nature part of yourself. In fact, Wang as the emperor’s first sip.

21/ Two Stories of Tieguanyin We were fortunate to meet a direct descendant of Wang Shiliang on our annual trip. This amazing man is seventy-five years old, though all the tea drinking means you cannot see it! He was serving tea in the Wang house, which has been restored.

22 Anxi & 感徳 安溪 Gande Throughout this issue we will explore Anxi Tieguanyin through the lens of one of its brightest sons, Chen Lianggu (陳兩固). We are translating from a book that was written over the course of several years of interviews with him. In this first part, Mr. Xie retells the stories of Tieguanyin more succinctly and with less poetic license than Wu De did in the previous pages. Then, we introduce Master Chen’s home, Gande (感徳). The tone of this book is sometimes promotional, which is necessary for such a work in China, but there is still a lot to learn here.

茶人: Xie Zhiqun (謝志群)

nxi County is home to one from it. The tea this varietal produced These mystical tales impart a sense particularly legendary plant: was heavy like iron and of unique and of the rare and precious aura that sur- Tieguanyin tea. This fabled outstanding quality. So, he named rounds Tieguanyin tea. And quite Atea plant has benefited millions of the tea in honor of the Bodhisattva: rightly—Anxi Tieguanyin is a brilliant people throughout Anxi. Around 300 “Tieguanyin” (鐵觀音),” which may pearl among all China’s famous teas. years ago, tea growers in Anxi discov- be translated “Iron Goddess of Mercy.” Tieguanyin tea is notable for its nat- ered and cultivated the tea varietal that An alternate legend, also taking ural floral fragrance, recalling orchids would go on to become the incompa- place in Yaoyang Village in Xiping, fea- or osmanthus flowers, and its unique rable Tieguanyin we know today. tures a scholar named Wang Shiliang flavor known as “Guanyin charm.” Legend has it that in 1723, in (王士諒). This story also takes place in These, along with its exceptional qual- Songlintou, Yaoyang Village in Xiping, 1736, the first reign year of the Qing ity and appealing taste, have entranced Anxi County, there lived a tea farmer Qianlong Emperor. It was springtime, tea lovers and sent them scrambling to by the name of Wei Yin (魏蔭) who and Wang Shiliang was attending a lit- get their hands on it. For more than had been growing tea ever since he was erary gathering with his friends at the a hundred years, Anxi Tieguanyin has a child. Every morning and evening he foot of the southern mountain, Nan- stood in a league of its own among the boiled some water to brew tea. Being shan. Suddenly, his gaze was drawn by countless famous teas in China and a devoted Buddhist, each day at dawn a dazzling tea tree, different from all abroad, earning its position again and he made an offering of three cups of the others, growing wild between the again and becoming famed through- green tea in front of a statue of Guan- rocks next to the South Pavilion where out the world. yin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion they were gathered. Quite taken by this The single node-cutting technique, (also called the Goddess of Mercy). tree, he transplanted it into the gardens an advanced seedling propagation One day, he was up the mountain of the South Pavilion and carefully method, originated from the cultiva- chopping firewood beside a stone pit cultivated it. Later, he made oolong tion of Tieguanyin tea. This technique named after Guanyin when a solitary tea from its leaves; it produced an ex- proved to be a major contribution to tea plant caught his eye. It was grow- ceptionally fragrant tea that soothed the tea industry in China and even the ing out of a crack between the stones, the heart and lifted the spirits of the world, and won the National Science and was glimmering most curiously in drinker. That year, Wang Shiliang went Award in 1978. the sunlight. Delighted, he harvested to the capital, Beijing, to pay a visit Tieguanyin tea contains a profound the leaves from the tree and took them to the prime minister, Fang Wangxi and mysterious power. This legendary home. Since there was only a very small (方望溪), and took some of the tea tea nourishes millions of Anxi’s people, amount, he strung the leaves together with him as a gift. Prime Minister Fang bringing the county tens of billions with silk thread and put them in with presented the tea to the inner court at of yuan in revenue each year. It has a larger batch of tea leaves to process. the palace, and the emperor was deeply helped people lift themselves out of After he finished shaking and firing impressed with its quality. Seeing that poverty and find wealth, raising Anxi the leaves, he separated out the special it was heavy like iron, and as precious County into the ranks of China’s top leaves and brewed some tea. It had a as the Bodhisattva of Compassion, he one hundred most economically com- very distinctive character and the fra- named it “Nanyan Tieguanyin (南岩 petitive counties. What’s more, the grance was beyond compare. Wei Yin 鐵觀音),” or “Iron Goddess of Mercy global reputation of Tieguanyin has was overjoyed and transplanted the tea of the Southern Rocks.” And this name even made Anxi known to the rest of tree, carefully cultivating more plants lasted the ages. the world.

24 Tieguanyin According to a recent survey by From the 1990s onwards, Anxi the National Tea Technology Eco- Tieguanyin set in motion a new wave nomic Research Office of twelve cities of popularity for Tieguanyin, with a throughout China, Tieguanyin is the focus on health, harmony and style. number one most favored tea among Anxi Tieguanyin is now recognized as Chinese consumers and holds the one of China’s famous tea brands. largest market share. It has become a In 2004, the General Administra- mainstay of China’s tea market. tion of Quality Supervision designat- Because of Tieguanyin’s econom- ed Anxi Tieguanyin as a “nationally ic efficiency, from the 1990s through protected geographical indication to the early 2000s, the surrounding product,” meaning that only genuine counties and provinces successively Tieguanyin produced in Anxi itself introduced oolong varietals from Anxi may carry the trademark. Tieguanyin to their plantations. This massive trend tea has become famous not just in for planting Tieguanyin stimulated Anxi, or Fujian Province, or even Chi- economic development in the nearby na, but in all parts of the globe. Brew oolong-producing regions. The neigh- by brew, Anxi Tieguanyin has gradual- boring regions—including Hua’an, ly transcended all borders and made its Zhangping, Yong’an, Sanming, Shax- way out into the world. ian and Yongchun—all became part of this Tieguanyin effect, forming a circle of economic benefit. The successful ex- pansion of the Tieguanyin market be- A Unique Approach came a model for many other tea-pro- to Naming Teas ducing areas throughout China. In November 2011, the People’s The naming conventions for Anxi Political Consultative Daily and the tea brands are quite unique. If we take National Leisure and Culture Re- a look at the tea industry in general, search Center jointly launched the there are several main approaches to 2013 China Leisure and Culture Sa- naming teas. One of them is to name lon Series—this was the first time the the tea after certain features of the lo- event had focused on tea. Participants cation where it was produced—one had the chance to come together and example is Shui Jin Gui (水金龜), or evaluate renowned Anxi Tieguanyin “Golden Water Turtle” tea, a type of teas, experience the endless charm of Wuyi rock tea whose leaf grows next to a traditional tea culture that has been a water hole. Another Wuyi rock tea, passed down through the centuries and Ban Tian Yao (半天妖), is harvested explore new paths toward revitalizing from tea trees that grow halfway up a the tea industry. cliff face, so the first part of its name During an event themed around means “halfway to the sky.” Another “The Positive Power of Anxi Tieguan- convention is to name the tea after an yin,” Anxi County Head Commission- aspect of its physical appearance, such er Gao Xiangrong (高向榮) gave a as Baihao Yinzhen (白毫銀針), literal- heartfelt speech that included the fol- ly “White Hair Silver Needle” tea. This Like most of the greater Anxi lowing words: “In this era of change, tea is made from the buds of “large area, Gande is covered in tea plan- where Chinese tea is experiencing white” (Da Bai, 大白) tea varietals, tations as far as the eye can see. Most flourishing renaissance, the people of and the finished tea leaves are long and of the local mountains have been Anxi have seized the moment, and thin with downy white hairs. Still oth- completely deforested, and acres have grown the Anxi tea brand into er types of tea are given names intend- and acres of tea have replaced what a world-famous name, a represen- ed to conjure up an image, such as Da was once lush bush. At least Master tative of Chinese tea on the global Hong Pao (大紅袍), “Big Red Robe,” Chen’s plantations are organic, sus- stage. Thanks to these efforts, out of and Jin Jun Mei (金駿眉), “Golden tainable and covered in other trees the hundred most technologically ad- Horse Eyebrow.” and plants, including bamboo for- vanced counties nationwide, Anxi has In Anxi, however, all the teas are ests. The rivers in the valleys of his risen to first place in terms of the tea named directly for the tea tree varietals tea have crystal clear water that ap- industry and ranks among Fujian’s top from which they are made. (Many pear to be very clean, and the tea is ten counties for economic strength. of these tea varietals are themselves left to grow to waist height. The gar- Tieguanyin has changed Anxi, and named after other plants or flow- den above is newly-acquired and on even far beyond Anxi it has quietly ers). This is unique in the tea world. its way to becoming organic. Even changed the lifestyles of so many peo- Each region has its own traditions for the sun is grateful for Master Chen’s ple, bringing beauty into their lives.” naming teas and Anxi is no different. important work.

25/ Anxi (安溪) & Gande (感徳) 26 Tieguanyin Some examples are: Tieguanyin Anxi County is rich in tea leaf re- It sits on a southeast-facing slope of (鐵觀音)—“Iron Goddess of Mercy;” sources, and its abundant varietals dis- northwestern Anxi’s misty foothills. Ben Shan (本山)—“Original Moun- play many fine characteristics. Some Climate-wise, this area falls in the mid- tain;” Huangyan (黃棪)—“Huangyan people in Anxi, like Master Chen, have to south-subtropical zone, with 78% Plant,” also called Huang Jingui (黃 used and developed these resources of the land area covered in forest. The 金桂)—“Golden Osmanthus;” Ma- very effectively, preserving the quality village is located in the same admin- oxie (毛蟹)—“Hairy Crab,” also of the leaf and assuring the sustainable istrative district as Fujian Province’s called Minghua (茗花)—“Tea Flow- development of the local tea industry. Mount Yunzhong nature reserve, with er;” Meizhan (梅占)—“Divine Plum Every day, Anxi’s tea workers contin- its highest peak, Mount Taihua, reach- Blossom;” Daye Oolong (大葉烏 ue to infuse this age-old industry with ing an altitude of 1600 meters (the re- 龍)—“Big Leaf Oolong;” Qilan (奇 new vitality and exuberant energy. serve’s name literally means “amid the 蘭)—“Miraculous Orchid;” Shuix- clouds”). The local tea plantations are ian (水仙)—“Daffodil;” Rougui (肉 largely situated between the altitudes 桂)—“Cinnamon;” and finally Bai of 500 and 800 meters above sea level. Mudan (白牡丹)—“White Peony.” The Charm of Gande Tea The territory of Gande township Each unique varietal is harvested and covers a total area of 221.78 square ki- processed individually, so each name “Clouds rise and mists swirl; the lometers, including 38.67 square kilo- denotes a high-quality leaf varietal and landscape is rich with beauty: jade- meters of Tieguanyin tea plantations. also the brand name of the finished tea green mountains, graceful waters, and The plantations produce a yearly out- from that varietal. fragrant tea leaves.” This is how the fa- put of 5,000 tons of tea, representing Since the tea brands are named di- mous tea village of Gande is described. a value of 1.3 billion Chinese yuan. rectly for their varietals, the distinctive style, characteristics and merits of each varietal are presented very clearly in the finished tea. This allows consumers and tea aficionados to truly appreciate the authentic, original flavor of each tea varietal, as well as the differences between them. Anxi’s abundant tea varietals allow it to produce a diverse array of teas, providing a multitude of choices to delight consumers in all sec- tors of the market. This tea-naming practice, which emphasizes the distinct characteris- tics of each varietal, has led Anxi’s tea growers to place special importance on the discovery, breeding and cultivation of top-quality tea plant varietals. Thanks to its long history of cul- tivating different varietals, Anxi has earned its reputation as a “treasure trove of tea varietals.” At present, there are more than seventy oolong tea va- rietals being cultivated in Anxi, many of which are classified as “top-quality tea varietals.” In 1985, when China se- lected an initial set of thirty officially recognized “top-quality tea varietals,” six of them were from Anxi: Tieguan- yin, Benshan, Huangyan, Maoxie, Meizhan and Daye Oolong. In 1998, the Anxi Tea Research Institute bred two excellent new varietals: Xingren tea (杏仁茶), or “Almond Tea,” and Fengyuan Chun (鳳圓春), literally “Phoenix Round Spring.” The Fujian Provincial Crop Varieties Certifica- tion Committee approved these two for promotion as top-quality varietals from Fujian Province.

27/ Anxi (安溪) & Gande (感徳) The area has a population of 62,000, All the villages near Gande town- In order to achieve this goal, Gande with the local farmers earning the ship have been engaged in a construc- Village has embarked on a systematic highest net income per capita of all the tion and improvement initiative called sustainable development project, con- rural workers in Anxi County. Over the “Five Changes,” namely: 1) sealing structing eco-friendly tea plantations. the years, Gande township has collect- roads; 2) “greening” the environment; They are also actively exploring a new ed a host of honorable titles, includ- 3) improving air quality; 4) expanding model that involves converting belts of ing “satellite town of Fujian Province,” power supplies; and 5) “beautifying” tea plantations back into forest, which “Fujian’s star tea village,” “national-lev- the villages. The results have been quite are planted with osmanthus bushes el ecological village,” and “China’s impressive, and the whole area has an and deciduous trees. Nearby, tea plan- number one tea village.” aura of mystical beauty about it. tations are spread with rice straw as Gande has a long history of tea Times are a-changing, and Gande mulch and planted with soybeans as a production, stretching back over a Village is growing with the times. To cover crop to provide green fertilizer; millennium. Today, the slopes of cement its reputation as a star tea vil- daylily plants are also grown on the Gande are abundant with Tieguanyin lage, the locals have embraced innova- edges of the plantations and terraces. plantations. If you enter the tea village tion and progress, crafting their growth All of these measures contribute to im- during harvesting season, you’ll see ev- strategy around the cornerstones of proving the ecological impact of the ery household busily picking and pro- “ecology, quality, branding and cul- tea plantations, creating a new model cessing tea leaves, and the air above the ture.” Step by step, we hope they will where eco-friendly plantations exist village filled with tantalizing wafts of follow in the footsteps of Master Chen alongside the forest, rich in biodiver- fragrant tea. This is a must-see for all and develop healthier organic tea, sity and symbiosis between the tea and tea lovers. leading the way for other farmers. other plants.

Life is still very simple in Gande. Many of the houses are still built of mud bricks, with winged roofs if the owner can afford them. They are built with three sides, a wall in the front and an open courtyard where residents dry food, husk rice, and, of course, wither their tea. Everyone is open and friendly, and you can stop into any house in the village for a cup of tea and a meal. Sometimes, as Bob Marley sang, “the mostest live in small!”

28 Tieguanyin The local government provides sub- consumers and enjoyed great success and also set up the Anxi Tea College, a sidies for sheep manure sourced from on the market, attracting crowds of tea branch of the university that provides the grasslands of Inner Mongolia, and merchants to Gande. The Gande tea practical scientific tea education. With has vigorously promoted sheep ma- village has become a bellwether for the Gande’s tea plantations providing the nure as a main ingredient in fertilizer. Tieguanyin oolong tea market. experimental base for academic tea re- This boosts the organic matter in the Gande Village also places great im- search (and teaching), they launched soil, improving soil quality and hence portance on tea culture, with the ethos several ecological research projects in the quality of the Tieguanyin leaf. that “culture is a pillar that supports the areas of soil testing, soil improve- In terms of improving sanitation the development of the tea industry.” ments and rebuilding the ecosystem of quality, the growers of Gande are The township has organized a variety the tea plantations. deeply conscious of the fact that safe, of tea-related cultural activities: they As we mentioned above, Gande healthy tea is essential to the develop- held the King of Tea competition; was honored with the title of “China’s ment of the industry. In addition to formed Anxi County’s first town-level number one tea village.” The China increased government supervision and tea art performance group along with Business Enterprise Management As- guidance, the locals are also proactively a children’s tea art performance group; sociation awarded this title based on exploring modern tea production op- and held a county-wide Tieguanyin tea Gande’s “Ten Advantages:” the most eration models, learning from models photography competition. They also outstanding tea growing environment; used in French vineyards. Thanks to organized visits from photographers, the most extensive implementation of these efforts, the local tea enterprises painters, calligraphers, writers and oth- tea science and technology; the most have become leading players in terms er artists from around China to gather refined tea processing techniques; the of food safety. There are several oper- and record aspects of the local culture greatest number of expert tea tech- ation models made up of various en- through their art, infusing Gande’s tea nicians; the best quality tea leaf; the tities, such as: tea enterprise + profes- industry with a deep sense of cultural highest plantation output value; the sional workers’ cooperative + farming significance. most vigorous tea trading market, the households; leading enterprise + farm- Each year, the people of Gande highest income for tea farmers; and ing households; and tea brand + plan- make an offering to a deity called the the most tea brands and the richest tea tation estate. These structures allow Tea King to express their thanks and culture. for accountability and monitoring of pray for blessings and good fortune for The beautiful landscapes of Gande sanitation quality at every level, using the tea in the coming year. This tra- Tea Village, with their scenic moun- modern organic methods to promote ditional folk custom has been passed tains and rivers, are set to become even growth across the whole industry. down for generations, and represents more boundless in years to come. Gande benefits from the excellence the people’s hopes and efforts to create of its people, with experts emerging in a better future. These varied cultural all different fields. Outstanding talent activities contribute to the appeal and is especially abundant in the tea in- accessibility of Gande Tieguanyin, dustry, with untold numbers of mas- raising the profile of the village and its ter tea makers, technicians and tasters. tea. Gande Village is also implementing an The township of Gande has put a initiative to train ten thousand people lot of resources into founding and con- in the tea industry, establishing com- solidating tea companies and brands, munity-based tea processing research investing one hundred million yuan to institutes with the participation of establish Gande as a first-rate tea cap- tea-making experts, such as Master ital and build the Gande Tieguanyin Chen Lianggu’s Tieguanyin Tea Stu- Tea Culture and Innovation Industrial dio and the Gande Tieguanyin Tea Park. They founded more than sixty Research Association. These organiza- professional tea cooperatives, includ- tions provide tea growers with a plat- ing Master Lianggu’s Laogu cooper- form for training and sharing their ex- ative plus the Qingyun and Yifang perience, allowing them to learn from cooperatives. Ten of the associated tea each other’s strengths and upgrade labels—including Longxin, Qingyun, their tea-processing skills. Qitai, Yifang and Dezhen—were This is a traditional raincoat Building on the foundation of tra- awarded the official title of “famous tea made of bamboo, like Master Chen ditional Anxi Tieguanyin processing brands of Fujian Province.” wore when he was young. The sign techniques, the tea growers of Gande To better apply scientific principles above reads, “Anxi Tieguanyin have been bold innovators, developing to their tea planting, Gande Village tools.” Master Chen says he keeps several new methods for the zuo qing places great value on collaboration it up on his wall as a reminder of (做青) stage of leaf processing, in- with scientific research institutes. The where he comes from, so he will nev- cluding the xiao qing (消青), hui qing Fujian Agriculture and Forestry Uni- er forget to stay humble and work (回青) and tuo qing (脫青) methods. versity established a research station for hard. He also smiles and says that Thanks to Gande Tieguanyin’s supe- postgraduate and doctorate students of these old coats keep one much drier rior quality, it has found favor with ecology at the Laogu tea cooperative, than the modern, plastic kind.

29/ Anxi (安溪) & Gande (感徳)

Gongfu Teapot 功夫茶壺

n important part of our tea We always seek a middle ground The ideal experiment is often done practice is making the space between subjectivity and objectivity, with a group of tea lovers, and best for gongfu experiments, so conducting our experiments in silence done twice. The first time, we con- Athat when asked, we can speak from and then comparing notes afterwards. duct the experiment in silence and our own experience rather than from For this reason, it is helpful to do the take notes, not even discussing them what someone else has told us. The experiment twice, once in silence, afterwards. Then, we meet again a few more that we experiment, the greater independent of one another, and once days later (or whenever possible; you our understanding grows as does our with discussion, learning and develop- can even do the experiment twice in ability to brew tea. But how do the ing our tea practice together. the same session if you want to and conditions and guidelines of the exper- As many of you know, we have have the time, perhaps taking a break iment themselves influence our results? never offered the results of a gongfu between each time), discuss our results Are we showing up for the experiment experiment in these pages, since we from the previous time and see if there with a clear mind like a beginner, let- want you to explore and conduct ex- is concordance, questioning each other ting go of what we think we may or periments without being influenced by and learning together. This is a good may not know? Does the experiment our results. Experiential understanding place for the most experienced in the lean one way or the other? On the one is, after all, the aim of gongfu exper- group to answer questions and guide hand, we have to let go of the idea that iments. However, we thought that it those who weren’t able to experience some kind of certainty or objectivity might be nice to offer you a window the difference. Often times, one person within our tea is possible, but then, on into our process, which may offer you will add dimension to the experiment, the other hand, we must prevent other a guideline for how to better conduct and beginners often bring incredi- participants from affecting our results. your experiments at home. ble and new perspectives to the table,

31 Directly from the pot Or Using A Pitcher A Behind the Scenes Look at Gongfu Experiments in the Hut

茶人: Connor Goss

opening doorways for future explora- is just to offer the framework itself, so rience (though we are all really begin- tion, which is further evidence that we that you can conduct experiments of ners) write down as they conduct one all must cultivate the beginner’s mind. your own. of the early gongfu experiments, using After our discussion, we conduct Though there is good reason to a pitcher or pouring directly from the the experiment a second time, trying never show the results of an exper- teapot. to verify our results from the previous iment, we also feel like many of you We hope that the differences in the sessions, with the hope that we will may wonder what kinds of things we participants’ thoughts and experienc- experience the results more deeply the are looking for when we do these ex- es, as well as the overall framework of second time, having had a discussion periments. Of course, we all have the this experiment and our notebooks, with our fellow Chajin. This deepens wonderful Ten Qualities of a Fine Tea inspire you to repeat this experiment our experiential wisdom. This time, we to guide our exploration, but each of with your tea friends. Hopefully, with continue our discussion throughout us comes to an experiment with our such guidelines and the Ten Qualities the experiment, learning and growing own degree of sensitivity and ability to of a Fine Tea, you can also continue to as we go. experience one or many of these qual- explore gongfu tea, experiment more We wanted to offer you a glimpse ities. We also have our own descriptive often and understand why tradition- into this process for one single exper- language for writing down what we al brewing methods evolved and were iment. It is not our intention to spoil experience when doing these exper- passed down to us. Taking the time to this experiment for you. You should iments. For this reason, we thought practice now and again, without losing also conduct this experiment on your that just this once we would open up a love or enjoyment of tea, can really own and may find different results. our notebooks and share what normal be beneficial to one’s sensitivity, skill The purpose of showing you our results tea lovers with varying degrees of expe- and self-cultivation.

32 Gongfu Teapot

茶 The Experiment 道 What You Need Instructions We always recommend using a tea you are very familiar with Bring your water to temperature, then rinse your cups, pot when conducting experiments. When drinking new teas, the and pitcher, followed by the tea. Place the pitcher and one experience will distract us from the teaware or method we are cup right next to each other (maybe on a tray to catch spills). trying to focus on. We also recommend brewing the tea lighter Decant the tea evenly between the pitcher and the cup next to than you are accustomed to. Too much flavor can distract you. it, and then pour the tea from the pitcher into the remaining, Removing distractions is very helpful in general, whether it be empty cup. Now you have one cup that was poured direct- in the chaxi, the tea or the teaware. Keep everything simple and ly from the teapot and one of liquor that passed through the focused on the experiment itself. We rarely choose to decorate pitcher into the cup. Take one cup in each hand and taste back the chaxi (tea stage) for experiments, choosing a simple runner and forth, beginning with the cup from the pitcher and then and the materials we need. You will, of course, need a brewing back to the other one. It may help to have a two-column table vessel (a purple-sand Yixing pot is ideal for gongfu experiments drawn out with the Ten Qualities of a Fine Tea down the mar- like this one). You will also need two porcelain cups per partic- gin. That way you can make sure you are trying to experience ipant, and if they are identical, you will find such experiments all of them and compare the differences. It also helps to do this much easier to do. And finally, you will need a cha hai (茶海), with a fellow tea-lover and share your findings afterwards. Just a pitcher. For this experiment, we chose to use a zisha pitcher remember: maintaining silence throughout will help you focus on made of identical material as our pot so as to evaluate the in- your own experience! Once we finished drinking three cups, we fluence of using a pitcher at all, rather than the influence of the concluded the first part of the experiment, not sharing any of material it is made of (but you could conduct the experiment our observations, and then waited a few days before beginning with any pitcher). the second part of the experiment.

33/ Directly from the Pot or Using a Pitcher; Behind the Scenes Ten Qualities of a Fine Tea 1. Fine teas immediately splash up to the upper palate. The 7. The best teas cause salivation. best teas travel across the top of the mouth, moving upwards as soon as they enter our mouths. 8. Fine teas have a very important feature that the Chinese call “hui gan (回甘).” Gan is akin to the minty, cool feeling of 2. Great teas travel to the back of the mouth naturally, with- peppermint or the air on a cold winter’s day. The word “hui” out having to push them back. They transform through the means “remembrance,” so this term refers to a return of the five flavors smoothly and quickly: bitter, astringent, gan gan on the breath. If you breathe out of your mouth after (we’ll define this one in a second), sour and sweet. swallowing a fine tea, you’ll find your breath is very comfort- able, cool and refreshing. 3. The tea is smooth in your mouth, feeling viscous and soft. 9. Fine teas have a lingering fragrance that slowly rises up 4. A nice tea also swallows naturally; you need not push it the back of the throat and into the nasal cavity. After drink- down. Look for a pinch in the throat as a sure-fire sign of a ing a fine tea, you sometimes get up and still find the aroma lower quality tea or poor preparation. in your nose.

5. Fine tea coats the mouth. Anywhere you take your atten- 10. Great teas have a deep Qi that relaxes you, slowly spread- tion within your mouth, you will feel the tea. ing to the whole body in various ways. Tea enters the subtle body in different places and then catalyzes a flow of ener- 6. Fine tea also coats the throat, leaving it warm, soft and gy (Qi) in many types of vibrations, like spirals around the comfortable. spine, upward-moving subtle sensations, etc.

Part I: Silent Experimentation

Rivo Sarapik Jaanus Leplaan The first thing I noticed is the difference between the colors of the Teapot liquid. I know it is not exactly the aim to compare, but the one from Tea liquor feels more alive in the mouth compared to the pitcher, the teapot looks more vibrant, deep and lush, whereas tea from the and splashes everywhere more easily. It caused a lot of salivation, feel- pitcher looks a bit desaturated and pale. ing thicker with a more smooth, creamy mouthfeel. It was full-bodied Teapot with the structure feeling softer and more pleasant in the mouth. The There is also difference in the fragrance of the tea. Tea from the pot Qi felt more calming and grounding compared with the tea from the smelled more fully, offering several nuances that take time to notice pitcher. and absorb. The fragrance satisfies my senses. Yet tea from the pitcher Pitcher is bland, watery. The tea from the pitcher was less lively in the mouth, not traveling The structure of the tea was very different as well. Tea from the pot back in the mouth easily. The structure of the tea liquor felt harder, felt full but light in the mouth. It filled the upper palate and whole not moving comfortably in the mouth. It felt shallow and thin. The mouth evenly. After swallowing I could feel it moving all over my fragrance travels up the nasal cavity easily and is more noticeable than body. the fragrance from the teapot. Pitcher Tea from the pitcher felt rough and heavy on my tongue. The taste Connor Goss was bland, watery, and it felt burning in my mouth. Teapot Swallows more easily, less effort, smooth mouthfeel, heat seems more Signe Sillasoo full and penetrative, more splash, stays hotter longer in the cup, cooler, Teapot swallows easier, well coating. The tea was smooth, round, sweet, silky, soft. It splashed up to the Pitcher upper palate immediately. It then traveled to the back of the mouth Pinches somewhat when swallowing, cooler than teapot, it feels easily. I noticed that the color of the liquor was darker as well. somewhat shattered or lifeless, though more uniformity over each Pitcher steeping (at least visually), hotter this time (largely because teapot was Tea was angular and rough in the mouth. Some steepings felt un- steeping too long, becoming cooler). This liquor was much rougher pleasantly hot in the mouth. It was harder to swallow, requiring more and the fragrance also did not linger as long—either in the cup or in effort to push it down. The tea had more of a pleasant fragrance. The the nostrils, making me wonder about the effect the pitcher was hav- colors of the steepings were lighter. ing on the aromatic oils in the tea.

34 Gongfu Teapot Part II: Discussion & Re-experimentation

The second part of this experiment began with us having a short discussion about what we each observed and experienced in the earlier stage, and then about what the benefits or downsides there are of using a pitcher versus a teapot. Everyone had relatively similar results during the first part of the experiment, though there were a few outliers among the participants. These made our discussion interesting and worthwhile. Despite the outliers, it was incredible to see how aligned everyone was in a shared experience! Some form of objectivity, or at least “inter-subjectivity,” can really bring the results of these exper- iments home. It helps a lot to know that others are also experiencing what you are. The discussion also highlights just how malleable humans are, and the importance of objective parameters during experiments to ensure what we come to discover is from our own experience and not influenced by what someone else has said or done. This is why it is essential to do the experiment in silence if you are only doing it once; though twice, like we have done, is often better as the discussion also helps make things clear. It also opens us up to the perspectives of others, which can focus on details we didn’t notice and help draw our attention to them the second time around. With that in mind, after sharing our results and discussing together as a group, we tried brewing three cups again, quietly taking notes and observing some of the things the other participants tuned in to during the first experiment that we may not have noticed. 功夫茶系 透過傳統進化

Rivo Sarapik Jaanus Leplaan Teapot Teapot It took little effort to swallow, like liquid gel—creamy, oily The liquor felt thick, coating the mouth easily and causing and rich. There were more nuances of taste that took several salivation. It traveled to the back of the mouth more easily, sips to discover. It also gave a pleasant aftertaste, which made feeling livelier in the mouth and splashing the upper palate. me want to have more. There’s a more noticeable sense of hui gan after each cup.

Pitcher Pitcher It stayed mostly on the tongue; I did not feel it coating my The liquor feels thinner in the mouth, causes only a little mouth evenly. The feeling in the mouth after swallowing the salivation, doesn’t coat the mouth evenly, and has difficulty liquor was unpleasant, rough and messy. It was not inviting for traveling to the back of the mouth. The structure feels harder the next cup. and less smooth.

Signe Sillasoo Connor Goss Teapot Teapot The texture of the tea was creamy, smooth and soft. Again, Hotter, more noticeable fragrance that lingers on the palate, it splashed up to the upper palate immediately and was easy smoother, splashes at the back of the mouth, swallows easily, to swallow. I could feel more fragrance this time; it was lightly maintains temperature in the cup longer and more of a pleasant floral, sweet. The fragrances of the steepings (from teapot and experience overall. pitcher) were even more noticeable the second time. The colors Pitcher of the steepings were darker. Sharper, does not swallow easily, less splash, lacks structure Pitcher and smooth body, does not move as effortlessly, pinching throat These steepings felt unpleasantly hot, burning in the mouth. when one swallows the liquor. This time around, I noticed a I felt more in the first part of my mouth, near the tongue. The difference in the quality of the heat, due to our discussion. taste was angular and rough compared to tea from the teapot. I was clearly able to focus on this after the others mentioned it. It required more effort to swallow the liquid. This cup was much cooler.

35/ Directly from the Pot or Using a Pitcher; Behind the Scenes 茶 道

36 Tieguanyin Planting & Growing 種植和生長 Master Chen is very skilled at crafting high-quality teas, but he also emphasizes the need to begin with a good raw leaf. It’s like the old saying: “Even the cleverest wife cannot make a meal out of rice that isn’t there.” Growing a good leaf begins from plant- ing the tree. Master Chen gives us an introduction to the three elements that he is rather particular about: selecting the tea varietal, selecting the land and employing healthy cultivation methods. In tea processing, the previous step informs the latter ones and is essential for crafting fine tea.

茶人: Xie Zhiqun (謝志群)

ccording to Master Chen, the Tall mountains produce good tea. terrace wall. They are best planted first step in producing a good Master Chen’s tea plantations are situ- in triangular clusters of three plants, leaf is to select a high-qual- ated on a mountainside at an altitude about 40 centimeters apart. This way, Aity tea varietal to grow. Tieguanyin is of around 500 meters, with an excel- the tea plants have enough space to the most precious of all the oolong tea lent natural environment. Far from the grow up healthy and strong. varietals, so Tieguanyin plants are a nearest villages, the area is surround- good choice for the main tea planta- ed by forests, with swirling mists and Planting tion varietal. fresh, unpolluted air. The soil is red, When it’s time for planting, the When selecting seedlings to culti- and more than a meter in depth. It’s roots of the tea seedlings are evenly vate, we must be very careful to only an environment that is ideally suited to coated in a watery slurry of red clay select pure Tieguanyin seedlings whose cultivating tea. soil. This helps the roots retain mois- leaves display the characteristics noted ture, increasing the chance of the plant in the traditional descriptive phrase: successfully taking root and surviv- “red-bud, crooked-tail peach” tea. The Healthy Tea Cultivation ing. Before planting, the furrows are buds are sturdy and reddish-purple, spread with organic fertilizers, mixed and the leaves are round and plump Establishing a Plantation farmyard waste or compound fertil- with crooked tips or “tails” resembling When establishing a new tea plan- izers. The organic fertilizer should be a flat peach (Saturn peach) in shape. tation, Master Chen tills the topsoil to mixed in evenly with the red soil in the It’s best to choose year-old seed- a depth of at least 50 centimeters, then furrows, then covered with a top lay- lings. The seedlings should be elegant, uses straw bricks and the red clay-type er of red soil before planting. This is robust and healthy, with no signs of soil to build up the higher-level parts to prevent the root system from being disease or insect damage. The main of the plantation, with the edges sitting “burned” by direct contact with pure “trunk” should be at least 15 centi- about 25 centimeters higher than the fertilizer. The planting furrows are dug meters tall, and the stalks should be at rest of the plantation’s surface. During about 10 centimeters deep. least 3–5 millimeters thick. The root ploughing, the topsoil is shoveled off The seedlings must be planted up- system should be intact and well-de- and put aside. Later, it is returned to right and steady, with two-thirds of veloped. Ideally, the seedlings should the planting furrows once they have the main stem above the surface of the be transplanted along with the sur- been dug, boosting the amount of or- earth. A layer of soil is piled loosely rounding soil to ensure a good survival ganic matter, fertilizer and nutrients around the roots, and then the seed- rate and robust, healthy plants. present in the furrows. lings are given a thorough watering In terms of terrace plantations, to make sure the roots take hold and where it’s not possible to till a very wide combine with the soil. Then a layer of Selecting the Land stretch of land, Master Chen believes plant matter or rice straw is spread on that the planting area should be kept top to keep the moisture in, protecting Once we have seedlings from a within a width of about 1.5 meters. against the sun and boosting the seed- quality tea varietal, we need to choose The tea seedlings should be planted in lings’ chance of survival. Seed-propa- an optimal planting environment for a single row, with their trunks about gation is rare these days, but Master them to grow in. 50 centimeters out from the inner Chen says it ensures healthy trees.

38 Tieguanyin

One of the largest tea markets in the world is in downtown Anxi. Every morning thousands of kilograms of tea are traded here, with several giant halls like those shown here filled with shops, stalls and farmers sitting around with their teas on wholesale in bags. The sec- ond floor is filled with a museum and more standard shops. Master Chen said that a lot of the tea sold here is not from the Anxi area at all.

Cultivating “Strong, Broad, Lush & In the spring of the second year, the In the third year, the trees can be Dense” High-Yield Tea Trees shoots should be pruned lightly and further fertilized and cultivated. With In the early stages of cultivation, some leaves harvested so that the trees the foundation of healthily maintained ensuring a high survival rate is very continue to grow full and lush. The trees, tea harvesting can begin. Only important. Any dead or struggling trees should also be pruned to keep the uppermost shoots and leaves above seedlings must be replaced prompt- them at a uniform height, around 50– a certain height are harvested; this way, ly to ensure the plantation contains a 60 centimeters. The tops of any shoots the growers can harvest the leaves and healthy tea plant population if yield is exceeding this height are trimmed. In continue to shape the tea plants at the to be high. the summer and high summer, any same time. (For more on this flat-top After the surviving seedlings have new shoots exceeding the specified harvesting technique, see “Oolong Tea successfully taken root, they must be height of 60 centimeters can also be Harvesting Techniques” in A Compre- raised into robust tea trees. Fertilizer pruned off. hensive Guide to Oolong Tea Standards must be spread regularly and thinly. In the autumn, a small amount of 烏龍茶標準綜合體, released by the During the year of planting, the grow- pruning can occur, again trimming Fujian Province Standards Bureau, ers must be sure to properly cultivate any shoots that exceed the desired July 10, 1990.) If each individual plant the new shoots in each season (for this height and leaving the lower shoots in- is cultivated into a high-yield, “strong, purpose, the year is considered to have tact. This is also done to encourage a broad, lush and dense” tea tree, and four seasons: spring, summer, high full shape. After autumn changes into forms part of a superior tea plant com- summer and autumn). In autumn, winter, the whole treetop should be munity with a high survival rate, then a any protruding shoots can be pruned trimmed, again pruning any twigs that magnificent, high-yield and high-qual- to a reasonable degree to encourage are over the required height. Then, the ity tea plantation will take shape. the remaining leaves, trunk and twigs trees are fertilized for the winter, usu- Master Chen has some firm opin- to flourish. With gradual cultivation, ally with organic fertilizer or compost. ions when it comes to cultivating tea the tea plants are shaped into high- The plantation is treated with lime sul- plants. He believes that it’s important yield tea trees, “strong, broad, lush and fur to guard against insects and disease, not to plant the tea trees too densely in dense.” The healthier the tea trees are, and ensure the tea plants make it safely Tieguanyin plantations, as this can be Master Chen reminds us, the better through the winter and continue to detrimental to the development of the quality the tea! thrive. individual plants. When processing

39/ Tieguanyin: Planting & Growing raw Tieguanyin leaf, the leaves should tems that are mostly concentrated in and insect habits and use natural deter- be plump and the shoots stout and the surface layer of soil. Shallow roots rents to insects—in other words, how sturdy. If the tea trees are planted too weaken the plants’ drought resistance, to use organic techniques to produce close together, the trunk and branches making them less likely to survive a guaranteed safe, clean and healthy tea. are unable to grow thick and robust, heavy drought. So, it’s very important and the leaves and shoots will be thin to maintain a suitable height to culti- and fragile, influencing their quali- vate nice wide, bushy treetops with an ty when harvested. So, it’s important abundant yield. A certain height is also A Cooperative to leave enough space between trees beneficial for air flow between the tea to encourage the thick branches and plants, as well as the ease of tending When it comes to managing tea plump leaves required for a high-qual- them. production, Master Chen is not in- ity Tieguanyin. In Master Chen’s tea plantations, terested in ensuring his own venture On the topic of tree height, Mas- the main fertilizers used are mixed stands out ahead of others; rather, he ter Chen believes that the low height farmyard waste, Inner Mongolian strives to enable the surrounding tea favored in some of today’s tea planta- sheep manure and compost. The tea growers to grow and develop together, tions is not the best choice; rather, he plantation is spread with mixed plant jointly building a flourishing organ- maintains that the tea plants should be matter, and soybean plants are inter- ic tea industry in the area. With this cultivated to at least a height of 50–60 planted among the tea trees to serve philosophy in mind, in 2011 Chen centimeters. If the plants are too short, as “green manure.” Yellow-flowered Lianggu established the Anxi Laogu the higher temperature and humidity daylily plants grow at the edges of Professional Tea Cooperative, a union close to the ground make them vul- the plantation and on the walls of the of 107 tea-growing households. The nerable to insects and disease. It also terrace steps. For assistance with in- cooperative drew up a standard of means that in times of heavy rain, the sect and disease control, Master Chen conduct to promote the specializa- lower leaves and twigs get splashed turned to the Gande Village Agricul- tion and standardization of healthy, with muddy water, which can be unhy- tural Technology Station, engaging clean and organic tea plantation gienic. In addition, the taller the plant, their agricultural technicians as in- management methods and the selling the deeper the roots; this means that structors. He studied agriculture tech- of tea products. He has a sincere de- shorter plants have shallower root sys- niques such as how to predict disease sire to help shift agriculture in Anxi.

40 Tieguanyin The leading members of the coopera- lems, continually improving tea pro- le key problems together. The studio tive established a development strate- cessing techniques and increasing the provides an innovative and lively space gy: “green development and intensive overall quality and economic efficiency for exchange within the tea communi- cultivation of ten high-end brands.” of the tea. ty. The interaction, discussion, sharing Their aim was to produce outstanding With the cooperative as a platform, and improvement that it encourages raw leaf resources by strengthening Master Chen also organized the pur- are propelling the art of traditional practices at the first step of the process: chase and sale of the tea produced by Anxi tea processing to new heights. tea plant cultivation and plantation the cooperative’s members. He found- Master Chen Lianggu’s Tea Studio management. This, together with me- ed the Lianggu Famous Tea brand, has earned widespread recognition. ticulous processing, would allow them with the ethos “quality tea, quality It has garnered praised within the tea to produce top-quality, high-end tea stores, quality brand” and “solid roots, industry for its innovative “master’s brands. solid origins: doubly solid tea” (this is studio” model, which enables it to The professional cooperative led a wordplay based on Chen Lianggu’s promote the nurturing of local tea in- the way in strengthening knowledge name: the character 兩, liang, means dustry talent, fostering talented leaders and training regarding healthy tea cul- “two,” and the character 固, gu, name and skilled teams. What’s more, this tivation and plantation management. means “solid” or “sure;” so his name effect radiates throughout the whole Experts from the Anxi County Bureau can be literally interpreted as “doubly province, supporting talented people of Agriculture and Tea and technicians solid”). He built up the brand and to better contribute to industry devel- from the Gande Village Agricultural raised awareness of the need for inno- opment, continually strengthening the Technology Station were once again vation and competitiveness. The Laogu competitiveness and sustainable devel- invited to give further technical train- Professional Tea Cooperative estab- opment of the tea industry as a whole. ing. As was the case with Master Chen’s lished a name for itself and continues Training more experts allows them to plantations, their teachings strength- to expand and break new ground on contribute to the continuing growth ened environmentally-friendly meth- the tea market. and technological development of the ods for the control and prevention of Anxi tea industry. insects and disease. These included forecasting pest and disease damage The Master’s Workshop and natural deterrents to insects. These measures were effective both in dealing In May of 2013, Master Chen with crop damage and improving the founded his eponymous tea brand in sanitation quality of the tea, guaran- his hometown of Huaichuan Village in teeing that the tea produced by any Gande Township, called “Master Chen member of the cooperative was safe, Lianggu’s Tea Studio.” His workshop organic and healthy for consumption. was quite unique in that it was the They also focused on the use of or- first place in Anxi County to provide a ganic fertilizers. As with Master Chen’s space for public discussion around the plantations, bean plants were inter- continuation of an art that is part of planted with the tea, and daylilies were China’s national “Intangible Cultural grown on the terrace edges, which Heritage: Tieguanyin tea processing.” both increased the profitability of the The workshop contains a micro- land and provided organic green ma- cosm of the traditional Anxi Tieguan- nure for the tea plants. Osmanthus yin oolong manufacturing process; the flowers and cherry blossom trees were space is neatly equipped with all of planted around the edges of the tea the traditional tools needed for every plantations, growing into a forest and step in the process: shaking, air-dry- creating a wonderful natural environ- ing, pan-firing, rolling, wrapped- ment on the tea mountain. Likewise, rolling and roasting. The walls are viv- the same principles were applied to idly adorned with all sorts of tea-re- pruning and harvesting, creating the lated knowledge: Anxi’s tea history desired “strong, broad, lush and dense” and culture, planting and processing tea plants that make up high-yield, techniques, the origins of Tieguanyin Master Chen is working hard to high-quality Tieguanyin plantations. and advice for how to produce a good create both wild, old-growth gar- Master Chen also devoted him- batch of tea. dens of living tea and organic plan- self to researching tea harvesting and The platform of the tea studio has tation tea that has a higher yield. processing, making constant improve- allowed Master Chen Lianggu to hold With the latter, he teaches many ments, organizing the tea growers from gatherings for tea growers and expert local farmers to go organic and al- the collective and facilitating exchange tea makers to converse on the art of low their trees to grow taller and between expert tea growers so they tea, and to compare and discuss var- live longer, recognizing that the leaf could share their experiences. He or- ious teas. Here, they can exchange is the tree’s expression of its environ- ganized community discussions and knowledge and experience, give and ment. A healthy tree = juicy leaf + joint efforts to tackle technical prob- receive lectures and training, and tack- processing skill = fine tea.

41/ Tieguanyin: Planting & Growing

Master 陳 Chen Lianggu Master Chen is a champion of Tea, from organic plantations to 兩 the preservation of wild, living, forest tea. He has spent a life- time honing his tea processing skills, hoping to get better each season. His love of Nature and of Tea is an inspiration to us all.

茶人: Wu De (無的) 固

aster Chen Lianggu is ing “tea master.” Unfortunately, there mingles with the new here, and one a true tea master. These are few such masters left these days. finds traditional houses covered in days, the title of “tea mas- When we meet someone who has paintings, dragon lintels and winged Mter” is thrown around far too casually. devoted their life to the mastery of an roofs right alongside more modern In Zen we say that the “masters” are art or craft, their presence inspires us, concrete buildings. But the new hous- those who have passed away, and the for we all have in us a desire to walk es haven’t changed the lifestyle of their rest of us remain students of Zen so such a path and find our way. Such inhabitants too much, as they still are long as we live. The best relationship people live their path in every waking out watering gardens, hoeing the fields to one’s craft is ever-evolving, growing breath and become a symbol of the with old tools and ambling down the and deepening, and the true master creative process. When this process streets to share tea with neighbors in remains a humble student even unto itself is in harmony with Nature and the evening after a hard day’s work the last breath: a student of the Leaf. the Sacred, there is even more pow- farming. Master Chen joins them, However, if there must be “tea mas- er in their presence and life. Yet such working hard to make tea by day and ters,” it is not those of us who prac- people are always humble; they look drinking tea with friends afterwards. tice the preparation of tea, but rather down when you compliment them and His simplicity is his success. the farmers who steward the land and suggest that it is the art that is great, Recently, the village of Huaichuan trees properly and process the tea with not them. Master Chen Lianggu is a was named a “longevity village (chang a skill that brings out its highest poten- living example of this. He is devoted shou cun, 長壽村)” and became the tial. While it is easy to cultivate respect and humble. His great and very much subject of a documentary due to the for all tea farmers and their hard work, earned respect in the tea world hasn’t large number of people who live to be very few meet these two criteria: first, changed him at all: his life and clothes ninety years old or more. There may be a reverence for Nature and the true remain simple, and his smile as bright more than thirty such elders alive even guidance of a tea garden ecology that and pure as the small village where he today. The clean air, high-altitude, allows healthy tea trees to thrive, pro- was born. fresh spring water and fertile land used viding space and freedom as opposed Chen Lianggu was born in 1965, to grow organic vegetables all contrib- to domination over tea trees in a plan- the Year of the Snake, in the small ute to this longevity, but so does the tation; and, second, a living practice of Huaichuan Village (槐川村) in Gan- tea they drink every day. A simple life the tea-processing skills cultivated over de Township (感德鎮), Anxi. At 500 isn’t just about living long, though; centuries that take the freshly-plucked meters above sea level, the small village it also has a shining quality to it. jade leaf and transform it into a mas- still boasts fresh air, clean water and Very few doors are locked here, and terpiece. Such a farmer is more than vibrant gardens all throughout. Even people smile a lot. Master Chen is a one who plucks here, sprays there, or now, the population is but 2,000, product of such pure hearts and bright shows up with a weed-wacker once in a spread over kilometers of mountain smiles. He comes from a beautiful while—such a one is an artist and a liv- green. Like most of China, the old home, surrounded by Nature.

43

Tieguanyin

Chen Lianggu is the second young- ing a large pot of tea and some bowls easy—never has been and never will est, and only boy, of six children. His by the roadside for travelers that the be. His strength shines through this, family was quite large, which was more host would never meet. Sometimes physically and spiritually, and was also common in those days, a trend he has these pots were outside the home, shaped by it, no doubt. continued. He has three daughters, but they were also often left on trails In the 1980s, life improved for the two sons and eight grandchildren. through and around the mountains as village as the market for Tieguanyin tea And every one of them shares his refreshment for weary workers or trav- began to develop and tea farmers were open-hearted hospitality and love of elers. Imagine, if you can, taking the able to earn more. Master Chen’s fa- kindness. When he was young, things time out of your busy schedule to hike ther saved up and was able to build the were much, much simpler. He gets a twice a week to some distant spot to family a new home on a hill at the edge faraway look when he speaks of his refill a large pot of tea and clean some of the village. The traditional house childhood, mentioning that “we suf- bowls, all for guests you may not know with colorful walls, wing-tipped roofs fered… and bellies were never full. and who would certainly never thank and a lovely courtyard surrounded by Life was hard, in those days, but we you for the gift! wooden rooms still stands today. His didn’t know any better, as that’s how As a man, Master Chen helped his ninety-one-year-old mother still lives it was for everyone.” Being born in a father process tea and also began work- there—herself a subject in the docu- tea village in a capital tea region that ing as a carpenter to support the family. mentary film about the longevity of has been producing tea for centuries He said, “The village was so poor that the village. She still gardens and cooks meant that he was drinking tea from people often couldn’t pay for my work, for herself and is sound of body and birth and tending tea gardens from the though they needed it badly. I would mind. People in southern Fujian speak time he could work. “Even at a young do the work anyway. Sometimes, they Minnanese (Minnan Hua, 閩南話), age I had a love for Nature and the would pay in food or other products. which is amongst the most active dia- outdoors, exploring the forests all the Those were hard times.” Knowing his lects of China, and most elders cannot time,” he says. precision, patience and skill in tea pro- speak Mandarin. Though we cannot In many ways, a person is the cul- duction, we can only assume that he communicate with her, the welcome in ture and place where they grew up. was a very skilled carpenter, and that her eyes and smile is enough to make For a tea lover, the best way to under- the time spent doing this affected his returning to his old home a joy. During stand this is through tea. Not only are tea processing. Master Chen lost three our annual trip this year, we had the all doors open in the evenings, and of his fingers from the middle knuck- pleasure of drinking tea just outside you can walk into any home for some le down in a carpentry accident that the home, where Master Chen and his tea, but farmers in rural tea-growing occurred during this period. Though relatives served us bowl after bowl of regions like this had a tradition of this was most certainly traumatic, he gorgeous tea. We were all transported “gong cha (供茶),” which entailed leav- is stalwart enough to know life isn’t on Nature’s currents.

45/ Master Chen Lianggu (陳兩固) These wild gardens are the most vibrant small-leaf gardens we have ever visited. We have never found such ancient, wild forests of tea outside of Yunnan. Master Chen is really doing something very unique in Anxi, and he has created a tea unlike any we have ever tried. If you order this month’s Expansion Pack (p. 49), you will have the chance to taste what such an ecology creates. Around here, we try to never speak of tea as “crappy” or even euphemistically as “low-quality,” as tea left alone to its own devices always turns out amazing. If a tea is, indeed, “low-quality,” it is always due to the human factor, never Heaven or Earth. Either poor quality agricultural practices were used, motivated by greed, or the farmer lacked the skills necessary to process the tea properly to make a fine tea.

As the economy improved, Master the question: Will it last? Will the next These three forest gardens are ver- Chen returned more and more to tea generation live as long? Like all true dant ecologies, filled with plants and farming as a way of life, slowly doing tea masters, Chen Lianggu was lit by animals of all varieties. There are great less and less carpentry and following a love for tea. “I can’t remember ever guardian trees and a thriving under- his ancestors into his destiny as one not loving tea.” He wanted healthier brush as well. The tea trees are magnifi- of the greatest tea masters of our age. tea for his friends, knowing oh-so-in- cent! Many are more than one hundred Though things were improving ma- timately the effects of plantation tea, years old, and several are between two terially for him and his neighbors, he monoculture and agrochemicals, hav- and three hundred years old. Like most watched as more and more mountains ing lived through that change and seen old-growth tea forests, there is a palpa- were deforested to make plantation the impact firsthand. The growth and ble shift in your being when you enter, after plantation of tea grown in rows. industry were good for the pockets of and it’s not just the mist or humidity And then the chemical industry fol- the farmers, and certainly improved the tea trees love. There is something lowed. Master Chen says that when their quality of life, but what is all that spiritual about these gardens. These he was twelve years old, he consciously without one’s health? are the oldest small-leaf tea trees we realized a deep love, respect and con- Around ten to twelve years ago, as have ever seen. Their trunks fork just nection to Great Nature that has never the mountain forests were retreating above or below the ground, often mak- left him. He felt this change deep in his from human encroachment, Mas- ing one tree appear like several. They being, though at that time, he was not ter Chen decided to get involved. are actually the same varietals that are sure what he could do about it. He purchased three large swaths of so dwarfed in the plantations that lit- forest to protect, which was quite erally surround all of Anxi, making the investment: Yun Zhong Shan the transition from the plantations (雲中山), Xing Shi Shan (醒師山) that surround you on the drive up to Wild Tea and Bi Jia Shan (笔架山)—all large these forests, and then walking into forests covered in wild tea. The trees and amongst the old trees themselves, Master Chen saw tea terraces taking here are all wild, self- and seed-prop- all the more pronounced. (Sadly, the over Anxi as the demand for Tieguan- agated trees mostly related to Shuixian distinction from human to Nature is yin skyrocketed. Growing up, the peo- and Tieguanyin varietals. Sometimes like this nowadays.) There is a magic ple of Huaichuan Village would go the term “wild” is used loosely, espe- to their long, sinewy trunks that often into the mountains and pick wild tea cially in the puerh industry, but our hang over the paths through the for- for drinking. “It was a part of every- meaning is tea that is self-propagated, est, creating a kind of tunnel you walk day life,” he says. He thinks that this even if the original trees were brought through that steals the breath away. tea is, in fact, a part of the longevity here long ago by humans. And Master This forest feels like straying through of the previous generation, which begs Chen’s forests are most certainly wild! the dreams of a tea lover, lost in bliss...

46 Tieguanyin Everywhere life thrums through and using wild tea. On our trip, we filled with the forest energy of the wild these forests. Seeing the spiders and casually bumped into the mayor and tea, the amazing honey and fruit—all hearing animals, the birdsong that rings several other government officials of of which create a powerhouse of Na- through the mist, you feel as healthy as Anxi on a walk down the road. They ture energy that is incredibly uplifting the garden you walk through. The trees mentioned to our group how much to drink. This tea is not for sale. Mas- are covered in moss, and rich with life. they respected Master Chen, hoping ter Chen only makes it to share with The leaves are thicker, juicier and more that his work would inspire all Anxi friends and family, or at the request of vibrant. You pick one and taste its farmers to produce healthier tea and very special friends (perhaps?). creamy sweet bitterness, feeling all the return the surrounding mountains to All of Master Chen’s tea is pro- energy that has gone into its creation: forest, mentioning also that they had cessed with incredible heart. He walks from mountain life absorbed through plans to help him increase his project his talk, living and breathing tea. He deep roots to mist and rain, sunshine and its influence. is always striving to improve, hoping and the vibrant ecology. Master Chen The very low yield of these wild for- that each year he is better than the last, says that “whatever we do to Great Na- ests, coupled with the intensity of the though knowing that the best tea is a ture, we do to ourselves. She formed harvest and processing, make this wild cooperative effort between the weather us; She nourishes us and it is through tea expensive, especially as its renown (Heaven), the garden (Earth) and the Her bounty that we live.” Master has grown. On our trip, everyone was human being guiding this transfor- Chen’s brand is called “Ye Shi (野實),” given a small wooden box filled with mation. “Whatever you do, must be which means “Care for the Wild.” He this wild tea, and we know that many done with absolute commitment and hopes that whoever drinks his tea feels of the Global Tea Hut members there heart,” he says. “I make tea. I want my a love for Nature, and is reminded of were unaware of just how princely a tea to reach its highest potential and our connection and dependence upon gift they had been given! Though he that cannot happen if I am motivated Her. We have certainly felt that drink- has made a name for himself, Master by money. I must learn and grow, prac- ing his wild tea—a richness beyond the Chen remains humble and true and tice and work. And I must do all of this ordinary that only a cup can tell… uses the proceeds towards purchasing with my whole being. Without heart, more wild tea gardens to protect, creat- there is no great tea, like anything.” He ing organic plantations and returning hopes that all Chajin who drink his tea cultivated land to wild forests. feel this effort, and that it helps moti- From Wild Leaf Master Chen’s humility is evident vate us to find our own path of heart. to Masterpiece when you interview him about all this, A human being needs a path of heart as he often reverts to simple statements to thrive: something to devote yourself Though Master Chen also grows like: “I just wanted to make healthy to heart and soul. Master Chen Liang- organic plantation tea, like our Tea of tea for my friends—tea like we drank gu is a living example of such devotion. the Month, his passion is for his wild in our village when I was young.” In Every time you are with him, you leave tea. The old trees are harvested only fact, he recreated a very special hon- inspired to give more of yourself, bet- once a year, and the trees are carefully ey tea that was once common in the ter yourself and work harder to man- monitored to make sure that they are village, and to which he attributes the ifest heart in your life and career. His never over-harvested. Most of the trees long life of the villagers. In fact, many tea is an extension of that life, from need to be climbed, requiring scaffold- of the travelers on our trip found the Great Nature to cup. And following ing. It takes thirty people a week to honey tea session to be the most pow- the journey of these incredible leaves harvest these gardens, while seven oth- erful on the trip. This special tea is from the long drive up to the awe-in- ers, along with Master Chen, process made from wild Tieguanyin leaves that spiring hike into the old-growth for- the tea by hand. are processed to completion like usual. ests, through the tree-climbing harvest The wild tea is processed much like The next step is to collect wild honey, to the incredibly skilled processing is traditional Tieguanyin, though they which Master Chen says is also a dy- enough to restore the term “tea mas- have adapted to the larger, thicker ing art. He often has to hike to very ter” to its former glory. leaves. There is an outdoor withering rural homesteads in the area, where of around thirty minutes, indoor with- elders still find and gather the wild ering and shaking for around eight honey of the forests. The tea is roasted hours, firing, three rolling periods and for hours in a large wok, slowly adding then a roasting before the tea is sorted the honey. It is roasted until it is crisp by hand to remove unwanted leaves and hard, without any stickiness. Old and stems. All of this is done with the buddha’s hand (fo shou, 佛手) fruit is care and skill such tea deserves. collected and sun-dried. This is a Chi- Over the last five years, Master nese fruit that is related to bergamot Chen has won many awards for his that has been a Traditional Chinese tea and grown to great fame. He is Medicine ingredient used primarily to This candid photo was taken now a “Grandmaster (大師)” in the treat the throat for centuries. The sun- from a distance as Master Chen in- eyes of the local tea industry and the dried buddha’s hand is added during spects some roasting tea to see if it government. Others have even begun the roasting with the honey. The result is time to roll it again. It shows his to follow in his footsteps, protecting is an amazingly vibrant and sweet tea clear love for the Leaf.

47/ Master Chen Lianggu (陳兩固)

Global擴 Tea Hut Expansion充 Packs Expansion VII: Wild Living Tea Vs. Plantation Tea

We’ve developed a new and exciting way to expand your tea education. We offer three or four of these expansions a year. Each will come with two or more teas that expand upon the topics we are covering in that issue, allowing包 you to taste more, rarer and sometimes higher-quality samples, in order to learn more about various genres of tea. This month, we have the pleasure of drinking some incredible samples from Master Chen’s various farms, including the old- growth trees we discussed in this issue and the previous one. This is a wonderful opportunity to understand the human relationship to Nature through tea.

ver the years, we have shared about in these magazines. The issue is as affordable as possible, with little to simple, clean teas that remind that we aren’t tea merchants; we are a no mark-up. The expansion packs will us to celebrate all the simple tea school. And we don’t have a lot of be limited, and distributed on a first Omoments of our lives, as well as bright experience buying tea online, so we come, first served basis. If we find that and transcendent examples of rare don’t know where to send you. Also, demand for them is high, then we will and unique teas that epitomize their in our commitment to stay ad-free and try to make more next time. genres. But there will always be a much not endorse any one tea brand, mer- These Expansion Packs have offered greater variety of tea than we could chant or shop, we prefer to abstain you the opportunity to taste some rare ever send you, both in kind and qual- from recommending any given tea and special tea that we cannot afford to ity. Some teas are too rare to get in the merchant, even if they are a friend or send as Tea of the Month samples, or amounts we would need to send with supporter of our Center. perhaps the quantity is too small to of- our magazine, and others are just too The idea is that when we can, we fer to the community in that way. This expensive for our friends to donate, no release a limited-edition expansion month’s expansion is a bit of both. matter how strongly they support our on the topic covered in that month’s In our article on Master Chen Li- message. And yet, a large part of the magazine, affording you the chance to anggu (陳兩固), we spoke about his motivation for including tea with this drink at least a couple more samples of amazing forests of wild tea trees and magazine is so that the education in the type of tea we are discussing. Of- the hand-processed Tieguanyin he tea we are providing isn’t just intellec- ten, these extras will be rarer and/or makes from it. These are the same for- tual, but experiential. Drinking twelve important to your journey exploring ests that inspired and moved all the unique teas together every year is more that kind of tea. Each expansion pack participants in this year’s annual Glob- than half of what Global Tea Hut is all will be exclusively for Global Tea Hut al Tea Hut trip. Of course, we could about! And now, it will be about more. members. We will keep the expansions not afford, nor is there enough of this Many of you have been emailing us transparent, letting you know our cost tea, to send as a Tea of the Month, but over the years asking for a way to go for the tea, shipping and how much we we wanted to make it possible for you deeper into the rarer genres we cover, think is a fair minimum donation. As to try some if you are interested. This how to get more of a particular Global with all our work, you will be able to tea comes from one-hundred- to two- Tea Hut tea and other questions con- choose the amount you donate based hundred-and-fifty-year-old trees, and cerning furthering your tea education on the cost of the tea and the mini- is all hand-picked, often using scaffold- by drinking more and different exam- mum suggested donation. Our goal is ing, and then hand-processed to bring ples of the many kinds of tea we talk to keep each and every expansion pack out the best in these precious leaves.

49 雲 野 女 生 神 茶

Cloud Goddess Wild, old-tree Tieguanyin

This rare tea is all ordered long before The aim of this expansion pack is to let you try the difference the season, and sells out immediate- ly, so we are lucky to even have this between wild, living, forest tea and organic plantation tea. small amount. It can be brewed leaves This will help you to understand what we mean when we say in a bowl, with just a few leaves, or, more ideally, brewed gongfu. (There is “living tea,” and what the characteristics that define living enough that you can try both.) Watch- tea make a tea into: seed-propagation, room to grow, biodi- ing the balls open in a bowl is a treat, but gongfu brings out the best in versity, no agro-chemicals, no irrigation and a positive stew- oolong tea. Either way, the Qi of this ardship by the farmer defined by a love of tea, not financial tea is powerful and has the vibrancy of an ancient forest, so be sure you have motivations. This comparison allows for a true, experiential set aside time for a long session. understanding of these principles.

This Expansion Pack comes with

茶 1 10g tin of wild, old-growth Tieguanyin 茶 1 more 10g serving of our Tea of the Month, Cloud Goddess (雲女神)

This amazing Expansion Pack is $25 + $10 shipping

www.globalteahut.org/expansions

50 Tieguanyin Harvest & Processing 收成和製作 Master Chen is among the best tea producers we have met. In this article, Mr. Xie takes us deep into the production of Tieguanyin at Master Chen’s processing facility, including all the intricacies that go into the creation of this magic tea. There is always more than a description can convey, though. Many times when you ask a master how a certain step is done, they answer, “It de- pends!” Most of the skill is in the hands, not the concepts used to describe the process to us. Nevertheless, understanding the skill required to make our tea deepens our appreciation.

茶人: Xie Zhiqun (謝志群)

aster Tieguanyin tea maker process. The leaves must retain their and the changes that occur due to oxida- Chen Lianggu (陳兩固) tells fresh, lively state from start to finish. tion during the zuo qing process. Every M us this: “To make a good This is the only way to achieve an op- step must be fine-tuned, including how brew of Tieguanyin, one must master timal result from the oxidation process, many times the leaves are shaken and three steps: selecting the leaf, protecting and to truly create the unique Tieguan- how heavily, plus how long the leaves are the leaf, and ‘making’ the leaf.” Let us yin color, flavor, fragrance and shape. air-dried. take a further look at these three steps: This is the origin of a common saying “Watching the weather” means ob- among tea farmers: you can’t use “dead” serving factors such as wind direction Selecting the leaf tea leaves; you must use “living” leaves if and precipitation and adapting accord- 選青 you want to make good tea. ingly. Is there a southerly or northerly (xuan qing, ) wind? Is it sunny, or rainy and overcast? A southerly wind brings high tempera- In Chinese, fresh tea leaves are re- tures and humidity, which means the tea 青 ferred to as qing ( ), which literally “Making” the leaf leaves oxidize more quickly. This calls for means “green.” The first step is to select (zuo qing, 做青) light shaking and piling the leaves in a high-quality Tieguanyin tea leaves. The thinner layer. A northerly wind means leaves must be harvested from tea trees This process is crucial to the charac- low temperatures and humidity, and that grow in high-altitude mountain ar- ter of the tea, and involves three steps: hence slow fermentation. This requires eas, with a good natural environment, sun-withering, shaking, and airing. To- more thorough shaking and thicker no pollution and red soil rich in organ- gether, these three steps form a process piling to boost oxidation. A northerly ic matter. The very best Tieguanyin tea known to tea farmers as zuo qing, liter- wind, coupled with a well-controlled zuo leaves are those whose color and shape ally “making the green” (recalling that qing process, produces the best quality fit the traditional description: “red-bud, “green” refers to the raw tea leaf). tea. (This is because northerlies bring crooked-tail peaches.” The zuo qing technique is the key to cooler weather, resulting in an ambient The fresh leaves should be suitably Tieguanyin’s unique flavor and quality. room temperature of around 20°C. At tender. The new tea tips should be picked To produce a truly great brew, the tea this temperature, the enzymatic oxida- in sets of one bud along with two or maker must painstakingly master every tion in the leaves occurs more slowly, three leaves; in other words, the two or technique and step of this meticulous which is beneficial for the quality, flavor, three nearest the tip of the shoot, which process. It takes real depth of knowledge fragrance and freshness of the finished may be only partly opened. The leaves to produce a good Tieguanyin. Thezuo tea.) Hence, a lot of experience is needed should be whole and unblemished, with qing process in particular requires great to master all these factors and to produce no signs of disease or insect damage. flexibility and technical skill. Those who an excellent Tieguanyin tea. are proficient in the art of tea-making Of course, Heaven and Earth are are able to “watch the tea while making also needed to make fine tea, meaning Protecting the leaf the tea,” as well as to “watch the weather the right weather and the right garden, (hu qing, 護青) while making the tea.” soil, ecology and tea trees. This means “Watching the tea” means adapting that the source material must be great, Freshly picked, fine-quality Tieguan- the zuo qing method according to fac- and from strong and healthy tea trees yin tea leaves must be treated with as tors such as: the age and water content that grow in a vibrant environment. The much care as a newborn baby through- of the tea leaves; whether they were more healthy the trees, the better the out the first part of the manufacturing picked in the morning, noon or evening; leaves for tea.

52 Tieguanyin

There are more than twenty steps five days after the end ofLixia . This pe- don’t sustain damage or leak any “juice.” involved in processing Tieguanyin. riod falls from late April to early May. The young tea tips must be preserved in They happen in the following sequence: The harvesting period for autumn tea be- their entirety, with no bent or snapped Harvesting→ sun-withering/airing→ gins ten to twelve days before the Hanlu leaves, and no damaged leaf edges. shaking→ indoor withering (the shak- (寒露, “Cold Dew”) solar term and fin- As such, it’s important not to grasp ing and withering steps are repeated ishes eight to ten days after the end of the leaves too tightly during picking. The multiple times)→ kill-green→ rolling→ Hanlu. This period stretches from late harvesting method involves cupping the speed-wrapping→ wrapped-rolling (the September to early or mid–October. tea leaves in the palm of your hand as speed-wrapping and wrapped-rolling The autumn tea harvesting period can you pick; once you have a handful, you steps are repeated multiple times)→ be prolonged according to the growth deposit them into the tea-picking bas- roasting→ drying over heat. Each of of the leaves, which varies by altitude ket, to avoid over-stuffing your hand and these steps must be meticulously con- (in high-altitude regions, the new shoots crushing the leaves. Modern tea farm- trolled; there’s no room for the slightest grow more slowly). ers have now begun using small shears sloppiness. Considering that a literal Harvesting time: The tea-picking to harvest the leaves, using one hand to interpretation of gongfu is “time and ef- begins each morning once the dew has snip the shoots and the other to collect fort,” this tea truly lives up to its name as dried, at around 9 a.m., and continues them. This results in cleaner cuts and in- a gongfu tea. until around 4 p.m. creases speed and efficiency. Harvesting criteria: The tea is har- The leaves in the tea basket must not vested by picking the tender shoots be packed too tightly, to avoid damage Harvesting at the tip of each branch or twig. The or yellowing. Once a suitable volume is shoots are picked in clusters that include reached, the tea leaves must be prompt- The best quality teas are those har- the bud and the next two or three leaves ly transported to the processing location vested in the spring and autumn. There’s closest to the tip. Shoots that remain to be spread out and aired, to avoid too a saying that roughly means “Spring has particularly tender are sometimes picked much direct sun exposure out in the water; autumn has fragrance.” In other with three or four leaves. plantation. The leaves must be packed words, for spring tea the emphasis is on Harvesting method: The leaves loosely and gently and transported the taste, while for autumn tea it’s the should be picked using the “cupped quickly, to prevent any damage or yel- fragrance that stands out. hand” method. This involves taking the lowing and to make sure the leaves retain Harvesting period: The harvesting young shoots between the thumb and their freshness and life when they arrive period for spring tea generally begins ten forefinger and pinching them off with at the factory or workshop. days prior to the Lixia (立夏, “Start of an appropriate amount of force. During With Anxi oolong tea, great impor- Summer”) solar term on the traditional harvesting, it’s important to avoid tance is placed on processing the various Chinese calendar and finishes around squashing the leaves to make sure they tea varieties separately, so each variety is

53/ Tieguanyin: Harvest & Processing Above and directly left you can see the tea withering outdoors. Then it moves indoors (far left), where the shaking begins. The effects of the with- ering are evident in the decrease in moisture and the darkening of the leaves’ color. The shaking is what caus- es the leaves to turn reddish around the edges, which is also a sign of shaking by hand, as a machine will bruise the leaves all over, without such precision. The master constantly smells the tee to know when it is done withering. It must be stopped at a precise time. both picked and processed individually. water and activate the enzymes in the Test data: After sun-withering, the When it comes to picking Tieguanyin, freshly-picked leaves, speeding up bio- leaves had lost 4.8% of their water con- the purity of the leaf is especially import- chemical transformation. (On cloudy tent. (We recorded the water loss data ant, and other leaf varietals must not be or rainy days when sun-withering is not given in this article from on-site tests mixed in. This preserves the quality and possible, the leaves can be blow-dried or on an experimental batch of tea leaves at purity of the final Tieguanyin tea prod- naturally air-dried). each stage in the manufacturing process. uct. Sun-withering time: The best time The percent values are calculated with Because Tieguanyin is such a valuable for sun-withering is around 4–5 p.m., reference to the original water content.) tea, the tea harvesters are very particular when the sunlight is weaker and gentler. about harvesting the tea shoots at a con- This prevents the possibility of overly sistent degree of maturity to produce the strong sunlight scorching the tea leaves. Shaking & Indoor Withering required fine quality and flavor. There- Sun-withering method: The leaves fore, within the same tea plantation, are spread out on white cloth in bam- Shaking or tumbling the tea leaves, leaves are harvested and processed in boo drying pans or containers. The tea yao qing (搖青), is a unique technique several batches as the shoots mature at farmers use these cloths to preserve the that contributes to the special character different times. cleanliness and hygiene of the tea leaves. of Tieguanyin and is crucial in determin- A day’s harvest is divided into three The leaves are spread in a layer approxi- ing the quality of the final tea. periods, resulting in “morning leaf,” “af- mately 4–5 centimeters thick. The leaves Shaking causes the fresh tea leaves to ternoon leaf” and “evening leaf.” “Af- must be turned over regularly during move around and rub against each other, ternoon leaf” is harvested on clear days the sun-withering process to ensure that resulting in a certain amount of damage from after midday until around 4 p.m., they dry evenly. This must be done gen- to the cell tissue in the leaves, and to the and is the highest in quality, so it is man- tly to avoid damaging the leaves. leaf edges. This encourages the evapora- aged and processed separately. Sun-withering process: Depend- tion of moisture and advances the bio- ing on the strength of the sunlight, the chemical reactions catalyzed by the en- sun-withering process takes anywhere zymes in the leaves. Sun-Withering (Outdoor) from fifteen to forty minutes. When they The technicians carefully control the are sufficiently dried, the fresh leaves lose shaking and withering steps, produc- Once the leaf is harvested, it is then their original luster, and their bright ing the desired speed of oxidation and sun-dried, provided the weather is clear. green color becomes duller. They go from moisture loss in the leaf. The tea leaves Sun-withering improves the quality of rigid to soft, with the leaf tips drooping gradually undergo chemical and physi- the end product. slightly. At this point they should be cal changes that will improve the quality Sun-withering function: This step moved into the drying room and spread of the final tea. Altogether, this process uses the heat of the sun to evaporate the out to await the shaking process. takes more than ten hours.

54 Tieguanyin Achieving the perfect degree of oxi- apparatus, the movement redistributes Second shaking time: The leaves are dation during the shaking stage to pro- the moisture. It also damages some of shaken for around 5 minutes, at a rate of duce an excellent Tieguanyin requires a the leaf cells, catalyzing enzymatic oxi- 32 revolutions per minute. During the wealth of experience, plus flexibility and dation. second shaking, the tea leaves give off a technical precision. First shaking: This step is done us- noticeable vegetal aroma with a subtle As Master Lianggu puts it, Tieguan- ing a tumbling apparatus made of wo- hint of sweetness. The leaves turn slight- yin tea-making is an endlessly profound ven bamboo. The leaves are tumbled for ly red around the edges—the tea farmers topic; one could study and practice it for 1.5–3 minutes, at a rate of 32 rotations call this “cinnabar edges” or yinzhu bian a lifetime without exhausting the sub- per minute. When shaken sufficiently, (銀朱邊). The tips of the tea shoots stick ject. In particular, the shaking technique the tips will stick up, and the leaf sur- out and turn red, while the second leaf in requires great skill and adaptability— faces will appear slightly glossy. If you each cluster reddens slightly at the edges, true understanding is simply not replica- pick up a handful of leaves, they will feel and the third leaf doesn’t yet display any ble by machinery. The shaking technique slightly oily. redness. must be adapted differently for each sea- Withering: After shaking, the leaves Withering: After the second shaking, son, each day, and even for each batch are spread out on large round bamboo the leaves are returned once more to the of leaves on a single day. It relies on the trays and arranged on racks in the drying airing house. This airing phase lasts for meticulous observations and accumulat- room. The tea leaves must be handled around 1.5–2 hours. The leaves are ob- ed experience of the master tea maker to gently to avoid crushing them. They are served after 1.5 hours, to check wheth- achieve just the right result. spread out in a layer about 4–5 centime- er the leaves have lost enough moisture Under the careful manipulation of ters thick; each bamboo pan can hold (they should be drier than before), and the experienced tea maker, the tea leaves 1–1.5 kilograms of leaf (the pans vary whether they have become soft and are alternately shaken and then allowed from 1–1.2 meters in diameter). slightly oily to the touch. to sit and air dry; these two steps are re- The temperature in the drying room From witnessing Master Chen’s peated several times. Under the influence is controlled with air conditioning, and tea-making process firsthand, the follow- of enzymes, the compounds in the leaves is maintained between 18–22°C. With ing observations could be made from the slowly begin to oxidize, causing a host the right temperature and humidity, experimental batch of tea 1.5 hours after of complicated biochemical transfor- the compounds in the leaves will slowly the second shaking phase: the tempera- mations. This results in the natural flo- continue their physical and biochemical ture in the air-conditioned room was ral fragrance and “Guanyin charm” that changes throughout the drying phase. 18.5°C, with a humidity of 77%; and Tieguanyin is known for. After the leaves have sat for around the temperature was kept more constant Following closely from this stage, 1–1.5 hours, they are observed to check than during the first airing phase. (These the tea leaves undergo a series of fur- for the desired changes: the leaves should observations were made at 8:30 p.m. on ther steps, including kill-green, rolling, display a slight greenish-white hue and October 3, 2013; the natural ambient wrapped-rolling to shape the leaves and feel soft to the touch. The tea farmers re- temperature outside the air-conditioned roasting. All these steps culminate in a fer to this as luo ruan (落軟), “falling into airing room was 24°C.) The humidity, finished Tieguanyin: a tea that is known softness.” The leaves become soft due to however, was 7% higher than the 70% for its outstanding character in terms of a certain amount of moisture loss after humidity of the first airing phase. This color, aroma, flavor and appearance. airing. Upon reaching this state, they are indicates that the leaves were losing more With today’s “light oxidation” ready to be shaken a second time. moisture into the atmosphere the second method, the leaf is generally shaken Test data: During the first wither- time around. three times, or occasionally four (light- ing phase for the experimental batch, Closer observation revealed that the er shaking results in lighter oxidation). the temperature was set to 18.5°C, with vegetal smell of the tea leaves had faded, The leaves are tumbled only a few times 70% humidity. but the leaves still felt somewhat firm to during each “shake.” (In the past, heavi- the touch, and not sufficiently soft, indi- er oxidation was favored, meaning that cating that they had not yet lost enough Second shaking: the shaking step was repeated five or six moisture. So, the leaves were left to sit “Shaking the leaves to life” times, with more revolutions each time.) under observation rather than proceed- ing to the third shaking phase. Master Chen describes the purpose After 2.5 hours, Master Chen eval- First shaking: of the second shaking as “shaking some uated the leaves again and determined “Shaking to make the water flow” life into the leaves.” that it had developed enough to meet Shaking the leaf a second time even- the requirements, and the third shaking After the initial sun-drying (or with- ly redistributes the moisture once more, phase could begin. ering) step, the fresh leaves have lost reviving the tea leaves that have been some of their moisture and have become left wilted and withered after the initial somewhat withered. The first shake withering phase. This leaves the tea leaf Third shaking: should be done gently. firmer and fresher. Tea farmers call this “Shaking to bring out the red edges” This initial shaking evenly redis- process huan yang (還陽) or “bringing tributes the water content in the leaves back the Yang” (陽,Yang, is the princi- The goal of the third shaking phase and shoots, and is commonly known as ple associated in Chinese philosophy and is to advance the process of oxidation in “moving the water” or zou shui (走水). medicine with the sun, and positive or the leaves. This phase requires the great- As the leaves roll around in the shaking masculine energy). est amount of adaptability, and the leaves

55/ Tieguanyin: Harvest & Processing This large basket is a traditional way to shake tea leaves that we have only ever seen in Anxi. The basket swings from a rope that attaches to the center, and you swing it around in circles to dance the tea, using a motion that is very much like tai chi, which is true of many steps in tea processing. And like most steps in tea processing, masters like Chen Lianggu make it look super easy, but then when we tried it, most of us were unable to get it swinging in a rhythm, and even spilled tea leaves all over the floor. When it is done right, however, it makes a beautiful swooshing sound, and the tea tosses perfectly, bruising the edges as you swing the basket around. Most oolong production these days is done with machinery. The shaking machine is a large bamboo cylinder that tumbles around like a clothes drier, shaking the tea by rolling it up the sides, which are ridged on the inside. Even when farmers do shake by hand, it is usually done with the same circular tray that is used to wither the tea indoors, as shown to the right. The swinging basket we found at Master Chen’s tea factory is therefore quite unique, indeed. must be carefully observed. The length After the third shaking phase, any When observing the tea leaf, there of time that the leaves are shaken must leaves nearest the tip that have over-ox- are several signs that indicate whether be adapted according to their moisture idized and turned completely red are the leaf is ready for kill-green. The red content, color, luster and aroma. Gener- removed; this results in a clearer, more edges of the leaves will be even more ally, the leaves are shaken anywhere from golden liquor from the finished tea, with prominent than before, with the surface 15-30 minutes. The change in the leaves a fresher, purer flavor. and veins of the leaf displaying a dark is observed every 10 minutes. Next, the leaves are returned to the red color on both sides, manifesting as The leaves are shaken until they give airing room to continue oxidizing until irregular spots or vein-like lines. Faint off a clean, pure aroma and feel soft and they are ready for the kill-green phase. dark-red patches will emerge, resulting oily to the touch. The topmost leaf in For leaf harvested in the afternoon, the from oxidation. The leaves will appear each cluster should now display the cin- third shaking phase is usually finished plump and glossy. The tea stalks will be nabar-red color on 50% of its surface. around 10–11 p.m. the same evening. light green with a hint of red. The color- The second leaf will be curled, making a The leaf is then left to air overnight until ing of the buds and leaves will resemble a spoon-like shape, and the edges will dis- about 6–9 a.m. the following morning, partly-ripe banana, with green stems and play an uneven red color, extending in- when the kill-green step begins. leaves, red edges and reddish spots at the ward in places to cover a total of around Master Chen emphasizes the im- center of the leaves. 30% of the leaf surface. The veins on the portance of making sure that the tea When the leaves give off a fresh, clean back of the leaf will also be reddish. The has sufficiently oxidized before going aroma with no grassiness, and a faint third leaf in each cluster will also show ahead with the kill-green process. The floral, orchid fragrance, the leaves have some reddening around the edges, cov- tea makers usually start checking the leaf reached the optimal degree of oxidation. ering around 15% of the leaf. The stalks promptly from 6 a.m. onwards on the At this point, the kill-green phase must will also be reddish. The leaf will have second morning. If you can smell a flo- start without delay. Otherwise, the tea a noticeable floral fragrance as well as ral fragrance upon entering the air-con- will continue to oxidize, and the fra- the unique Tieguanyin aroma known as ditioned airing room, it’s time for kill- grance will continue to change. Certain huang kouwei (皇口味), “magnificent green. (The tea farmers have a saying for compounds in the leaf will be used up, flavor.” Once the leaf displays all of the this: “If it smells leafy, leave it; if it smells and the fragrance will become volatile, above characteristics, the shaking phase fragrant, take it.”) Each step makes way resulting in a vastly inferior tea. Fine tea is completed. for the following one. is all about timing.

56 Tieguanyin On the other hand, if the leaf is not Leaf with a higher water content must Kill-green—three scenarios of suc- yet giving off this floral aroma or dis- be shaken gently to avoid damage. cess and failure: playing the signs of sufficient oxidation For this type of leaf, the oxidation 1. Sufficient firing: as described above, the tea makers must process cannot be finished on the same The resulting finished tea will have a wait a bit longer. Sometimes, depend- evening. Since the moisture content is clear liquor with a pure flavor. ing on the air temperature, the leaf can greater, the leaf is more resilient. After 2. Under-firing: be removed from the air-conditioned the three shaking phases, by the next In this scenario, the tea leaf will retain drying room and piled into large cov- morning the tea in the air-conditioned too much moisture, resulting in a some- ered baskets to increase its temperature drying room still hasn’t developed the re- what cloudy liquor in the final product. and speed up oxidation. It must still be quired pure, fragrant aroma, and doesn’t If under-fired, the leaf will turn what is watched carefully to catch the right mo- display the degree of redness needed to known as “stinky yellow” or chou huang ment for kill-green to begin. indicate sufficient oxidation. In this case, (臭黃). The enzymes are not complete- Producing a quality tea requires three the leaf must be shaken once more; this ly deactivated, meaning that the tea will elements to come together in harmony: is known as bu qing (補青), “supple- continue to oxidize, and even degrade as the heavens (or more literally, weather), menting the leaf.” This fourth shaking time goes on. the earth, and the people who make the phase lasts between 5–15 minutes, or 3. Over-firing: tea. The fourth element is timing; accu- sometimes longer depending on whether This causes too much moisture loss, rately identifying what the tea farmers the leaf displays enough oxidation. and parts of the leaves become scorched refer to as “pan time” is all-important. By the time the extra shaking is done, and charred. The leaves become simi- Master Lianggu puts it this way: a tea the sun will have come out, bringing lar to dried maocha in color and luster: maker selecting the right moment to be- higher temperatures and faster oxida- brown, dry and rough with no lubrica- gin kill-green is like an artist painting the tion. The leaf will usually start to be- tion. The liquor from this tea will have eyes on a dragon—once you have paint- come fragrant within 1.5–2 hours, and a burnt taste. ed the body, the eyes are the final touch kill-green must commence right away. that suddenly brings the whole dragon Once the leaf is removed from the to life. kill-green machine, it is kneaded very If the oxidation has developed beau- Kill-Green lightly so that the leaf tips and edges tifully and kill-green is begun at the ex- that have dried up due to the high fir- act right moment, the tea is guaranteed The goal of the kill-green process is ing temperature fall off and can be sifted to be a good brew; if not, it will be no- to halt enzymatic oxidation in the leaf. out. This will eventually produce a clear ticeably inferior. Mastering the nuanc- This is done by rapidly heating the leaf, golden tea liquor with a reddish tint and es of nimbly combining objective rules which deactivates the enzymes and stops no cloudiness or sediment. with subjective human judgments is one the biochemical reactions they cause. Test data: After the shaking phase of the unique skills of Anxi’s tea makers. This fixes the color, fragrance and flavor was complete and before kill-green, the of the tea leaf after it has undergone the leaf had lost 16.7% of its moisture. After shaking and drying phase. It also ensures kill-green, it had lost 56%. Extra shaking: the correct degree of moisture loss. Kill-green temperature: This de- In today’s tea processing, the leaves pends on the leaves, but is roughly 230– Shaping are harvested while they are relative- 270°C. ly tender, and the degree of oxidation Kill-green volume: Depending on The tea leaves are shaped in two steps: is quite light, meaning that shaking is the capacity of the cylindrical kill-green rolling and “wrapped-rolling.” done quite lightly, too. (From the 1990s machine, the leaf is usually heated in Rolling: The tea leaf is transferred to onwards, Anxi oolong tea processing batches of 3–4 kilograms at a time. the rolling machine while still hot, then techniques improved greatly. The leaves Kill-green time: 3–4 minutes. taken out after about two minutes of began to be picked while younger and Extent of firing during kill-green: rolling. more tender, and the degree of shaking When the tea is first loaded into the cy- Goal: This first shaping step caus- and oxidation became lighter to adapt lindrical kill-green machine, it will make es the leaves to shrink and roll up into to this. These changes resulted in a more crisp, crackling sounds, caused by the strips, and rolls some of the “juice” out delicate, fragrant tea.) leaf cells rupturing. It should be fired of the leaves. These days, the leaf is generally only in the machine until the leaves make Wrapped-rolling: This is a special shaken three times and the withering a rustling sound as they roll around in technique that molds the outward ap- phases in between are relatively long, the barrel and feel slightly prickly to the pearance of the Tieguanyin maocha allowing the leaf to oxidize slowly. How- touch if you pick up a handful. At this (semi-processed leaf). It must be repeat- ever, some leaves need to be shaken four point, the tea is ready to be removed. ed several times to achieve the best shape. times. This includes coarser, older leaves Master Chen reminds us to “fire The traditional method for and “evening leaf” picked between 4–5 young leaves for a long time, and old wrapped-rolling was to wrap the leaf p.m. (for the latter, there is no sunlight leaves for a short time.” This is because in white cloth and roll it by hand. This left in the day to carry out the sun-dry- young, tender tea leaves have a higher hand-rolling technique was summarized ing phase, so the leaves have a higher water content, while older leaves have a by the following steps: “roll, press, rub, moisture content from the beginning). lower water content. grasp, draw back.” The leaf underwent

57/ Tieguanyin: Harvest & Processing several repetitions of wrapped-rolling al- and put into another machine that sepa- Third wrapped-rolling phase:Again, ternated with roasting. As you can see, rates the leaves again. This speed-wrap→ this phase employs the “triple wrap, tri- shaping the tea leaves was quite a stren- roll→ loosen process is then repeated ple roll” method. (For old, coarse leaves, uous task. These days, tea makers use twice more. a fourth wrapped-rolling phase is added speed-wrapping machines and flat-plate First roast: After the first at the end.) rolling machines, which have improved wrapped-rolling is complete, the curled- After all the wrapped-rolling phases the efficiency of the process as well as the up tea leaves are briefly roasted for are completed, the leaves are ready to be final results. around three minutes at a temperature of oven-dried. The balls of tea leaves don’t First wrapped-rolling phase—“tri- 100–120°C. As well as heating the leaves, have to be unwrapped immediately; they ple wrap, triple roll”: After kill-green the machine also sifts out dust. The heat can be placed directly into the drying and the initial (non-wrapped) rolling, causes further evaporation, softening the room at about 20°C for six to ten min- the leaf is wrapped in white cloth and leaves to facilitate the second rolling. utes, until the balls have tightened up a rolled a little by hand to knead the leaves Second wrapped-rolling phase: As bit more, before the oven-drying begins. together slightly. Then it is inserted into per the first phase, wrapping and rolling the speed-wrapping machine, which is repeated three times. These roasts are just to dry the tea, wraps it into a ball shape. Next, it is Second roast: The tea leaves are and should be distinguished from the transferred to the rolling machine and separated once more and put back in later, more intense roasting that is done rolled with pressure applied for about the roasting machine at 100–120°C for to mature the flavors of Tieguanyin tea. two minutes. about another three minutes, which pre- Roasting is traditionally one of the skills After it’s taken out of the rolling ma- pares them for the third wrapped-rolling that is most important in oolong tea pro- chine, the ball of tea leaves is unwrapped phase. duction.

Wooden paddles can be used for the firing (kill-green) or hands if one is experienced. The key is to only touch the leaves, not the hot wok. When rolling, a cloth is pushed down along a bench, growing tighter with each successive roll, until the tea inside is a fragrant ball of wonder that is so pungent, one can smell it from a meter away when it is opened.

58 Tieguanyin The Final Roasts Finished Tea When a tea maker produces a good “brew” of Tieguanyin, the emphasis There are two methods for the final The leaves of the Tieguanyin that is on the cooperation of heaven, earth roasting of the tea: Master Chen produces are tightly twist- and people; the perfect combination 1. Machine-roasting: ed, heavy and evenly shaped, forming of movement and stillness. (The term Family-run workshops generally spiral shapes like the head of a dragonfly. “brew” is used here to mean “batch”— produce tea on a smaller scale, and use They are a glossy dark “black” in color, when tea makers produce a small-scale medium-sized electric roasting ovens. with hints of darker and lighter greens. batch of tea, perhaps only a few or up The tea is stacked into the machine on (When we talk about the color “black” to ten kilograms, they refer to it as a fourteen large sieves. The leaf is spread in the context of oolong and Tieguan- “brew” of tea.) In the trifecta of “Heav- out to a thickness of around three cen- yin maocha, we don’t really mean a pure, ens, Earth and Human,” or tian, di, ren timeters, with each sieve holding around inky black, but rather a dark black- (天, 地, 人), the word 天, which literal- one kilogram of tea. If the tea is spread ish-green.) The stems are sturdy and dark ly means “sky” or “heaven,” indicates a too thickly, it will heat unevenly and will green with a hint of red. The tea liquor is favorable climate. 地, the earth, means a not dry right through, turning the leaves a clear, light golden yellow. Its fragrance suitable natural environment for the tea yellow and influencing the quality of the is delicate and lingering, with a natu- to grow. The contribution of 人, people, finished product. ral aroma of orchids. The taste is sweet is the exquisite skill and technique that The leaf is slow-roasted at a low heat and refreshing, prominently displaying goes into making the tea. Stillness, or of 70–75°C for about 1.5–2 hours. For the famed Tieguanyin flavor known as jing (靜), is the silent element—the tea the first twenty minutes, the door of the “Guanyin charm,” guanyin yun (觀音 leaf itself, which must be of high quality. oven is left ajar to let the evaporating wa- 韵). The aroma and flavor last through Movement, dong (動), indicates human ter escape. After this, the door is closed many steepings. After brewing, the left- consciousness and the initiative to act on and roasting continues. The result is fin- over leaves are similar in color to the skin one’s own subjective judgments. The tea ished dry maocha. of a half-ripe banana, and appear plump maker’s rigorous and elaborate process- 2. Roasting on a bamboo frame and shiny like the curly wood-ear fungus ing techniques sculpt a high-quality raw over a charcoal fire: often used in Chinese dishes. The leaves Tieguanyin leaf into a finished tea that As Master Chen puts it, “Tea is a develop faint red spots and take on a is outstanding in color, fragrance, flavor lord, and the flame is his subject.” The silk-like luster. and shape. leaf must be slow-roasted over a low It is an outstanding tea with a rich Thus, all this hard work naturally flame. The charcoal fire needs to be mellow flavor, highly sought after by tea comes to fruition, culminating in a top- closely tended and kept under control; lovers. notch “brew” of Tieguanyin. if, exhausted from the effort of the zuo qing process, the tea maker lets the flame get out of hand and burn too wildly, then “Hard Work Will Naturally all the previous hard work that went into Come to Fruition” producing a good batch of tea will go to waste. A good brew of tea is infused with The flame-roasting process is car- the essence of the tea maker’s tireless ried out in several steps. The first roast work and rich array of skills. is done at a temperature of 90–100°C. As Master Chen says, “A good tea is Each roasting frame holds about 1.5–2 made with the heart. Tieguanyin in par- kilograms of tea. The leaf is turned over ticular requires special care and focused every five to six minutes to make sure it attention.” Tea-making is not like the roasts evenly. After an hour of roasting, goods manufacturing industry, where the leaf is tipped out of the frames to al- with one push of a button, a factory will low the heat to dissipate and the mois- begin ceaselessly producing hundreds, ture to redistribute evenly. This ensures thousands, tens of thousands of identical that the leaf will heat through properly items. when roasting continues. The process of producing a quality The second roast is a slow roast over Tieguanyin tea is really the application a low flame of about 70–80°C. The leaf of experience accumulated over a much still needs to be turned over from time to longer period of time, of quick wits and time. It is then roasted until the maocha deep wisdom. It’s the unification of This tea is roasting in a bamboo is finished. timely intuition with physical and men- basket at a low temperature in be- Test data: The weight of the fi- tal ability, requiring full engagement of tween rolling. The moisture is re- nal product was 20.2% of the original both mind and spirit. moved as the tea is shaped. It will weight of the raw leaf. In other words, it One could say that an excellent return to the rolling station a few took about five kilograms of raw leaf to Tieguanyin is a result of the skillful more times until the thick leaves produce one kilogram of finished maoc- blending of the tea master’s experience reach the desired ball shape. Rolling ha. Tea is very labor-intensive. It takes a and spirit, meticulously brought togeth- by hand requires much more work lot of hard work to produce tea. er to create a fine work of art. than with a machine.

59/ Tieguanyin: Harvest & Processing 鐵 觀 音 TeaWayfarer Each month, we introduce one of the Global Tea Hut members to you in order to help you get to know more people in this growing international community. It’s also to pay homage to the many manifestations that all this wonder- ful spirit and Tea are becoming as the Tea is drunk and becomes human. The energy of Tea fuels some great work in this world, and we are so honored to share glimpses of such beautiful people and their Tea. This month, we would like to introduce Resham Daswani.

felt it on the plane over to Taiwan. It was a feeling I had once known so incredibly well when I was younger, and during I those magic hour moments of feeling completely nestled in the rhythms of nature. Only this time, the feeling wasn’t outside of me; it was slowly and gently wrapping its arms around me, becoming me. As soon as I got out of the taxi, I saw Wu De and Tian Wu, and since that moment, life has never been the same. Tian Wu, who was ultimately the final piece of my orchestrated discovery of Global Tea Hut, served me my very first tea cere- mony. In a way I feel there is no need to share more than this— words are surface-level at most. The best I can do is say that in the days and weeks I spent at the Hut, every day was a shift of great magnitude. I was in full surrender from the inside out. It was like I blinked, and everything that no longer served me was gone. Instead, there was an instant recognition of something I knew so well, a rebirth into awareness and the encounter of divine intelligence on a deeper level than I had ever experienced before. I clearly remember during one of the evening meditations, I traced through a vast map that seemed to light the way home—a compass of sorts to the Source, and as I followed, every nucleus of every cell in my body felt transformed. It was like a battery being charged, yet I understood it was inner self-realigning to the 茶人: Resham Daswani ways of the Earth. I understood how all the dots of my life, right from the beginning, were so intrinsically connected, like a myriad Tea ushers me down the Path I seek to walk and gently helps me puzzle that reveals a picture in the end. Everything was happening heal my shadows when I stumble over them. She has opened me in a timely, perfect arrangement, and I began to find peace and a up to a community of brothers and sisters whom I see myself in, long-awaited comfort in that. The sacred directions of the heart and a connection to the Feminine. This community has changed always led the way, even when my head thought otherwise; Sacred my life, as it has so many of yours. had placed me in this room, with these new brothers and sisters, I can always return to the bowl, turn inward and seek clarity at that very moment in time. and wisdom. I am beginning to see and live my purpose and am I remembered things I hadn’t thought about in decades, like often brought to tears by all the divine moments of how this jour- how when I was younger, my dad had an export business for toys, ney unfolds. This happened many times on our recent Annual and this meant that anything I received to play with was a sample Trip as we were blessed to sit and meditate amongst old trees. The of what was traded. For the longest time, all I remember playing familiarity, the wisdom and messages between the spaces of the with were dinosaur figurines and porcelain tea sets, and I spent trees echoed in the spaces of our beings, and the knowing that countless afternoons serving tea to the entire Triassic period of once upon a time in a not-so-distant past these trees were young, reptiles. I then caught myself wondering if Tea in China would and our ancestors sat with them, and together they grew, learned statistically contain traces of dinosaur considering the massive and shared the ways of the Earth through whispers in the wind. population that roamed the continent, but likely that’s just the My journey with Tea is one of conscious evolution. Tea has nerdy side of me. become a way of life, and I am often surprised by the simplicity She immediately began to show up in every way; my inner of not really being surprised by certain outcomes when you trust desires began manifesting outwardly. This non-verbal communi- in truth. I am thankful as She has given me a better understand- cation was and still is so full of strength and grace. I feel extraordi- ing of the traditions I was raised with and am honored that this nary blessed to have found the Leaf. She who never stops sharing, is a path I get to learn in. I am dedicated to creating more space nurturing, healing and guiding... How does one begin to express and sharing her in my home city, more so with the intention for the daily celebration of such depths of compassion? Perhaps we Hong Kong. I believe that this is where Her medicine is reverently honor Her by the very way we live each day, as we seek to humbly required and just ready to be transformed. I know I will consis- step forth in love and in gratitude for the abundance of knowl- tently ebb and flow, but as I sit with this bowl, writing to a global edge shared. To me, I try to orient to being the better version of community filled with great souls and an abundance of love and myself every day, whilst experiencing the difficult yet necessary support all around, anything is possible. I hope to share tea with importance of constantly getting “human stuff” out of the way. all of you one day.

61/ TeaWayfarer Inside the Hut

Coming Soon to Global Tea Hut Magazine

茶主题: Organics & Tea 茶主题:Classics of Tea 茶主题:Sun Moon Lake & Elevation 茶主题:Masterpiece Era Puerh

Global Tea Hut is looking for an SEM and Our third annual Zen & Tea Retreat in Spain is Facebook ad professional to help us set up and opti- coming up from October 1st through the 9th. For those mize evergreen SEM and Facebook campaigns in order of you who have never attended, this is a superb chance to reach people we might not otherwise reach. We want to cultivate yourself, deepen your meditation and grow to work with someone who is deeply experienced in this your tea practice, all in the gorgeous Pyrenees Moun- field, and who will be thoughtful and loving. Volunteers tains. We practice silent walking meditation down the have done a great deal of the groundwork already. We trails every day and do a day-long hike in silence in need the right person to take their efforts the last mile. the middle of the retreat. You can read about previous For compensation we can offer tea and a small mone- retreats in the Feb. 2018 and Feb. 2017 issues, or learn tary consideration. Let us know if you can help! more at: www.casacuadrau.org

Check out our new “Brewing Tea” video series on our YouTube channel, where we explore the philoso- phy, history, practicalities and experiments involved in improving your tea practice. Center News Before you visit, check out the Center’s The 2018 Annual Photography Contest is un- website (www.teasagehut.org) to read about derway. Submissions are not limited to Global Tea Hut the schedule, food, what you should bring, etc. members, so tell your friends. The winners will be pub- Make sure you apply early for courses as they lished and receive gifts of tea and teaware. fill up fast. This is why we need a bigger, more awesome Center.

We have created a vast array of teaware for this We have opened all the ten-day courses community, both for bowl tea and gongfu tea. There are to service! This is exciting for those of you who also some amazing Light Meets Life teas this year, in- have already taken a ten-day course and want to cluding a gorgeous shou puerh, some dian hong cakes, come serve one. You can apply on the website. a sheng puerh and an aged Liu Bao as well! This is also another way to visit if a course is full!

Some of you who have been here recently know that we are expanding. We have already moved to a much bigger office building, with August Affirmation tons of room for the future. We now are saving I follow my Dao to expand the magazine design/photography of- fice to a bigger space. Do I love what I do with all my heart? Do I re- member how short and precious life is? I must fol- We are saving up to buy or lease a van to low my heart and do what I love with all my being; drive you around during service periods and to only then will I find fulfillment in this life. Only take you to the tea farm and mountain to fetch then will I find my purpose. water during courses. 雲 女 神

www.globalteahut.org GLOBAL EA HUT The most iron-goddess Tea magazine in the world! Tea & Tao Magazine Sharing rare organic teas, a magazine full of tea his- tory, lore, translations, processing techniques and heritage, as well as the spiritual aspects of Cha Dao. And through it all, we make friends with fellow tea lovers from around the world.