The ancients of China were fastidious about tea etiquette and
ritual. The drinking of tea was looked on as an art form. At any formal
tea repast, specific utensils were de rigueur ˉ for placement,
preparation, partition, drinking, and cleaning. A special brazier and
water container were also required. A total of 24 special items were
required in all for the tea ceremony (茶席). Host and guests would
interact in a refined and elegant process involving decoction of the
tea, admiration of the tea, and appreciation of the tea utensils.
The tea cups of the Tang Dynasty were comparatively simple and
unadorned. In the Song Dynasty the practice of the tea contest (斗茶;
literarally“tea fight”) flourished, which was a competition in judging
the color of the brewed tea, the“liquid flower”(汤花), meaning the
floweriness of the foam that bubbled up when one pours the tea, and the
taste. Emphasis was placed on the color of the utensils too: the color
of the tea cups had to either match the color of the tea, or create a
bright and vivid contrast.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties the tea brewing process was
simplified. As a result, tea utensils were also simplified. However,
even greater emphasis was paid to the pot and bowls. For example, during
the Ming Dynasty even though tea utensils were simplified and
streamlined, more handles and pot grips were added. Utensils in various
novel shapes were also introduced, including teapots with heightened or
flattened bodies. Decorative designs with birds and flowers came to
dominate. In the Qing Dynasty greater emphasis came to be placed on the
elegance of tea utensils, with gaiwan cha or“covered bowl tea”(盖碗茶)
coming to the fore. The gaiwan, or covered bowl, consists of three
parts: saucer, bowl, and lid. The most common decorative designs were
classic Chinese shanshui images and bird-and-flower imagery, many from
the hand of famed painters, adding extra aesthetic value to the piece.
Tea Utensil Materials
On display at the Taipei teahouse Lost Train Found is owner Cai
Yizhe's extensive collection of valuable tea utensils. He says that the
different materials used in tea utensils, and their different shapes,
make them suitable for different teas. An example is pottery, which is
soft and low in density. It must be glazed in order to hold liquid.
Utensils that have a natural glaze or have been finished in a firewood
kiln (where natural ash covers the piece) are best, because chemical
glazes can leach harmful substances into the tea when heated.
Synthetic-glaze containers should be used as decorative items such as
vases, rather than to hold foods or beverages.
Porcelain teapots have a higher density, so will absorb less of
the flavor of the tea brewed. However, because such utensils are less
breathable, they are not suitable for the steeping of tender, young
green tea, to avoid negatively affecting its delicate taste. Lacquer
utensils are not appropriate for tea leaves that need a high temperature
to release the flavor of the tea; they are only suited for green tea
brewed at a cool temperature.
Since ancient times, metal utensils of gold and silver have been
used to indicate wealth and social position. Silver teapots are
especially good for brewing Pu'er (普洱) tea, as they soften the sharp
character of the tea. Silver ions are also effective in reducing the
impact of off-flavor components that accumulate with time, because of
their deodorizing function. However, when using containers made of other
metals for tea, such as copper, iron, and tin, it is difficult to avoid
the introduction of a metallic taste. These are better suited for
boiling water.
Stone utensils will release minerals in small amounts, bringing
diversity to the taste of a tea. Suitable for all tea-leaf types, these
are much appreciated by tea aficionados. Using bone china to brew tea
brings suppleness to the flavor, and brings a pleasant aftertaste that
comes in gentle ripples.
Taiwan's Flourishing Tea Arts, Driving Tea Utensil Innovation
“The people of Taiwan love tea,”says Cai Yizhe,“and it was in the
1980s that the tea culture was developed. In recent years the art of
the tea ceremony and in the creation of new styles of tea utensils has
had a deep impact on the tea culture in Taiwan and mainland China.”Cai
says that in Taiwan's past the trend of drinking fine tea was an
activity enjoyed by the elite, and a fine tea-utensil collection
symbolized social status. The result was that many made mistakes when
searching for old tea utensils, choosing old wine cups, vinegar pots,
and rice bowls, opening themselves to ridicule.
Later, Taiwanese tea aficionados invented the yunbei or“uniform
cup”(匀杯). This was a large cup into which the tea brewed from several
steepings was poured; the resulting blend creating a uniformity of
flavor. Another invention was the high/low double cup (高矮双杯), with
the“high”cup used for smelling the fragrance, and the“low”one for
tasting the infusion. Tea aroma and tea taste are considered of equal
importance, and to enable their separate enjoyment was a big step
forward in the tea arts.
Many Taiwanese artists have also taken to using natural materials
to create tea utensils. Chen Qinan (陈启南) uses rocks and minerals to
create unique tea utensils fired with firewood and salt. Tian Chengtai
(田承泰) uses Taiwanese clay ore as his base material, and uses wood-fired
ash as a natural glaze. Firing his items at the high temperature of
1,280 degrees in a wood-fired kiln, the tea not only pours smoothly, but
the tea pot has an elegant appearance that compares well with older
teapots. Other stars from within Taiwan's current crop of exceptional
tea-utensil creators are Tsai Hsiaofang (蔡晓芳), Tsai Jungyu (蔡荣), Chiang
Yuting (江有庭), and Zhang Geming (章格铭).
“There was another type of tea utensil from the 1980s that many
Taiwan collectors especially liked,”says Cai.“This is the Yixing‘zisha
teapot,’(宜兴紫砂陶) also called the‘purple clay teapot.’The colors and hues
are elegant, the surface texture smooth, flawless, and shiny. Because
there is no need for glaze, the literati love to add lettering,
painting, and inscriptions, greatly enhancing their collectability.”
“When examining and appreciating teapots,”says Cai, take the pot
in your hands and get a feel for it—the gloss, the tactile sensation,
the center of gravity, whether it has an elegant and graceful bearing
when you move it about. Check the luster and gloss of the tea you make
with it, and whether it adds elegance and harmony to the tea. Also check
to make sure the liquid is not too bright (which may indicate leaching
from a chemical glaze).
The Beauty of Zisha Teapots
In Taipei, if you are looking for a first-hand look at the beauty
of tea utensils, head to the National Palace Museum to admire the rare
collection of Northern and Southern Song Dynasty (南北宋) tea cups and the
tea utensils of the Qing Dynasty royal house. Or visit the various tea
arts spaces in the city where owners have placed their private
collections on display. If interested in Yixing zisha teapots, the most
extensive local collection is found in Maokong (猫空) at the Three Stone
Teapot Museum (三墩石茶壶博物馆). On display here is the personal collection of
curator Zhang Kunhong's (张坤鸿) family over the years, featuring over a
hundred antique teapots from the Ming and Qing dynasties, along with
teapots created in the early years of the Republic of China by seven
great masters.
Zhang's passion for collecting the Yixing zisha teapots goes back
30 years.“zisha teapots best bring out a tea's fragrance and finish,”he
says. Though the zisha teapot has no air hole, it has high
permeability. It can absorb impurities in the tea, leaving behind a
fragrance that is intact and pure, and is best suited for Tieguanyin and
Oolong teas. For good reason, this type of teapot is held in great
favor by tea experts. There are two keys to appreciating zisha teapots,
according to Zhang: material and age.“Use a magnifying glass and you can
see the mica and other minerals unique to the purple clay. The color
and crystal sparkle are spread evenly. The best pots are 30 years or
more in age.”
Zhang says that“In order for the Yixing zisha teapot to make the
best tea, it should be repeatedly‘washed’with tea, inside and out, over a
long period, slowly building up a tea flavor layer by layer. You'll
then find that an aromatic pot of tea can be brewed even with the amount
of tealeaves reduced.”
Tea utensils and the tea arts can be seen as ancient poetry in
material form, and though modern tea culture has added new elements, the
tea-drinking experience is steeped in history, and brings you back to
the“original”taste. Enjoy the journey.
