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Class 8: March 16th 2009:
This one is exciting because I'll be talking
about how Japan was introduced to tea. Guess who introduce the Japanese to tea? You're right, the Chinese.
During the Heian era (794-1185),
Japan tea was introduced.
Heian era house:
Chinese influence in Japan was at its height
and the samurai class was beginning to rise to power.
Emperor Saga was the first Emperor to be
introduced to tea.
The person responsible for bringing tea
to Japan in 1191 is a Zen Priest named Myaon Eisai (the founder of the Rinsai sect of Zen Buddhism.)
Eisai: He looks like a peaceful man.
Rinsai Sect Headquarters
Eisai brought tea seeds and
tea bushes back to Japan from China and planted them on the southern most island of Kyushu.
Kyushu Island
Eisai gave some seeds to his friend and
he planted them in the Uji Hills outside of modern day Kyoto, an area that is stilled revered today for its high quality and
expensive tea.
Uji Hills:
Eisai is credited with popularizing tea
drinking in Japan during the Kamakura period (1185-1333)
Eisai is revered in Japan because he weaved
medicianal and healthful benefits and religious ideology.
The Japanese Monk, Kukai (774-835)
was the first to return to China and write of his tea drinking experience.
Monk Kukai, What kind of chair is that?
Many Japanese poets lauded
the refined character of tea and connected it with the importance of seasonality and changing the natural landscape.
Japanese Poetry:
Class 7: March 9th, 2009
Influence that the Song Dynasty
had on tea(960 A.D.-1279 A.D.) Part 2
During the Song Dynasty tea wares were
viewed as objects of desire and value and not just functional tools.
Emperor Huizong favorite teacups were colored
deep chocolate brown, almost blacked glaze teacups, streaked with fine, thin tan lines. Known as "rabbit hair glaze."
These tea cups were very popular because
the black glaze pleasingly offset the color of the froth from wisked tea.
What frothy green tea looks like:
During the Song Dynasty era there were
competitions to see which person could whip a cup of tea that was the greenest in color and frothiest in style.
The Chinese started trading porcelain throughout
the world during this time.
Song Dynasty Porcelain:
Teahouses became popular during the Song
Dynasty era.
Chinese Tea Houses
For the most part people were drinking
tea by using tea cakes. They would chip off parts of the tea cake and brew it. During the last period of the Song Dynasty
the Chinese started using loose leaf tea because the leaves were easier to measure.
Tea cake with wrap on it:
Tea cake without it wrapping:
Class 6: Sunday, March 1st 2009
Influence that the Song
Dynasty had on tea (960-1279) Part 1
The tea manners and social courtesies
initiated under the Tang Dynasty reached a new level of complexity and formality under the Song Dynasty.
Map of the Song Dynasty Territory
Emperor Taizu, founder of the Song Dynasty
Tea cultivation grew immensely
under the Song Dynasty. There were also systems that were established for grading the tea leaf and determining quality.
The Song Dynasty decided that only
people of a certain class could drink certain grades of tea. For example tea that was plucked from Mengding Mountain could
only be drank by the upper class.
Song Dynasty Tea Party
Mengding Mountain
The Song Dynasty hired a commissioner
of tea . The first commissioner of tea was Ts'An Hsiang. His job was to personally supervise the collection and labeling of
high grade teas called 'Tribute Teas."
One of the favorite things for
members of the Song Dynasty to do was add plum juice to tea for sweetness
During this time people in China
started pounding leaves into powder then mixing the powder with water. Along with the tea powder large mouthed earthenware
ewers (vased shaped pitchers or jugs) were invented to pour boiled water into the tea bowl.
Tea Powder
Song Teaware
Also to complement this powdered
tea, Song Emperor Huizong (1101-1125) commanded the royal pottery works to create new tea-drinking cups. Known for his aesthetic
tastes, he ushered in the creation of luxurious porcelains characterized by refined elegance, underglaze
decorations, subtle etched designs, and sensuous glazes. Song porcelains were mostly monochromatic and the most popular type-
Qingbai porcelain- had a bluish white glaze. These cups not only increased tea-drinking pleasure, but they also encouraged
awareness and admiration of the tea liquor itself.
Song Emperor, Huizong
 Song Teaware
Song Teaware
Song Dynasty Porcelain
Next week we'll pick up with the different style of tea drink vessels under
the Song Dynasty.
Class 5: February 28th, 2009
The Tang Dynasty influence on tea (618-907 AD)
The Tang Dynasty was responsible for bringing a sophistication to tea drinking.
People during the Tang dynasty that could afford expensive
tea hired a tea master to ensure that tea was made properly.
During this period many styles of teaware were created, which was subject to
change with every successive emperor, who had his own idea of fashion, glaze color, style, and whether to use incised or applied
design.
Are those your Grandmother's tea cups?
Lu Yu considered the grandfather of tea lived during this period and he invented
formal tea utensils to go along with tea preparation ceremonies.
Lu Yu looks like a real ass kicker.
Lu Yu also made low sided ceramic bowls used for tea sipping.
Members of the Tang dynasty court liked whole leaf tea flavored with fruit
paste to counter the bitterness of tea.
During the Tang dynasty the government setup a tea trade route with the Tibetans.
The Tibetans would exchange the Chinese tea for horses. These trade routes are known as the "Tea Horse Routes."
The road will turn to mud soon.
Those look like mules, "Ancient Mule Road." It doesn't sound the same.
Around 815 AD a Japanese Priest named Saicho who was studying in China returned
to Japan and introduced tea to his Emperor Saga. The Japanese Emperor like tea so much he grew tea plants right in the imperial
court.
Statue of Saicho, Whoever took this picture, use your flash next time
Emporer Saga, Is that his wife's coat?
Class 4.2: February 27th, 2009
Early Uses For
Tea:
During the time of the Shang Dynasty (1766-1050
B.C.) tea was being consumes in the Yunnan Providence for its medicinal properties.
Tea was mixed with forest plants, seeds,
bark, and leaves to concoct healing herbal remedies.
It is believed that these tea concoctions
lead to the famous Chinese tradition of healing ailments with herbs
Tea's Connections
to China's Religions:
China's three great philosophy religions-
Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism sprouted during the middle of the Zhou Dynasty (1122-256 B.C.)
Monks and Priests of these religions used
tea to help them stay awake during long mediations.
I guess it's true Monk's do drink tea
To these Holy Men, tea represented a virtuous
and necessary tonic, which they declared to be the "elixir of life" that should be consumed daily by all people.
As the popularity of Buddhism, Confucianism,
and Daoism spread throughout China so did the awareness of life enhancing tea.
Around 53 B.C. a holy man named Wu Lizhen
is credited with planting a cultivated tea garden in a isolated spot atop Mending Mountain in the Sichuan Providence of China.
The road to Mending Mountain
Tea Garden on Mending Mountain
His tea plants today referred to as the
Seven Tea Trees, established a tea garden that yielded tea of such purity and delicacy that it would become one of the exclusive
Tribute Tea Gardens reserved for use only by the emperor. Because of this Wu Lizhen is called the forefather of tea cultivation.
What an artist thought Wu Lizhen would
have looked like.
Class 4: January 12th, 2009
I want to talk about tea grades. When I say tea grades many people may think that applies to the grade of the taste of
the tea. A tea grade actually refers to the grade of the leaf which in turn applies to the size of the leaf. If you are a
regular reader of my blog you know I like Indian Darjeeling teas. Teas from India use these leaf grades.
Here are the grades of tea leaves from
low grade to high grade
BOP= Broken Orange Pekoe. This is a very
low grade. You will find this in tea bags.
GBOP= Golden Broken Orange Pekoe
FOP= Flowery Orange Pekoe
TGFOP= Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe
FTGFOP= Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange
Pekoe
FTGFOP1= Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange
Pekoe Grade 1
SFTGFOP1= Super Tippy Golden Flowery Orange
Pekoe Grade 1
One could argue the smaller the tea leaf
the worse the tea. I would say most of the time that applies but not always. There are tasty teas that are defined as BOP
and are better than teas defined as TGFOP. Remember the above designations apply to the size of the leaf and not the taste
of the tea.
Here is an example of a SFTGFOP1. Notice
the bigger leaves than the second picture.
Here is a picture of leaves that are BOP. Very tiny.
Class 4.1: February 26th, 2009
Terroir:
What makes tea great is something called
terroir. Terroir is a French word that refers to a distinction of flavor from which something comes from. Tea gets its flavor
from where it grows. The tea regions soil, altitude, climate, and geography determine its flavor. There is one kind of tea
plant. But when that tea plant is grown in China it tastes different than the tea plant grown in India.
The Tea Plant:
The tea leaf is plucked from the same species
of tea plant known as the Camellia Sinensis which is grown from one of three primary origin specific variety of bushes - China
Bush, Assam bush, and Java Bush.
The tea bush is a bush in the evergreen
family.
Tea leaves before production.
Tea bush.
The origin of tea trees:
The original tea trees grew wild in the
Assam region of India, which is in the northeastern part of India. The original tea trees were originally found in the Yunnan
providence of China which is in Southwest China. The Yunnan providence borders the north part of Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, and
Thailand.
In the Yunnan region of China wild tea
trees grow in a forest named Xishuangbanna. The forest rests by the watershed of the Mekong River. This forest region crosses
7 mountains. The people that live in this region and cultivate the tea are the Dai and Bulong people.
Where tea is grown in India.
Where tea is grown in China. See the Yunnan providence.
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Class 3: October 28th, 2007
In this class we are going to talk about why water temperature is important in making tea. Lets go over the general rules.
Green Tea is usually brewed at 180 degrees.
Black tea, Oolong, and Herbal brew(tisanes) are usually brewed at 212 degrees.
Lets talk about Green tea first. Green tea should be brewed with cooler water because the tea leaves are delicate and the
hotter water will make the green tea taste bitter. Some people would argue that 180 degrees is too hot. Another popular water
tempature is 170 degrees.I read articles about tea garden owners in Japan saying their green tea should be brewed
at 160 degrees. In the tea connoisseur community there is controvery surrounding brew tempature for green tea. My advice would
be to try different water temperatures for your green tea. You don't need to go any lower than 150 degrees. You will
know when you made a good cup of green tea when you have a robust flavor without bitterness. If it's bitter you either seeped
it for too long or the water was too hot. Green tea is the most diifficult to brew properly because the leaf is very
delicate.
The water tempature for black tea shouldn't vary that much. Almost everybody agrees that black tea should be brewed at
212 degrees. When the water comes to a raoring boil it's probably 212 degrees. Most people don't even bother to take the waters
temperature for black tea. Basically, get your water as hot as possible and brew your black tea.
You have to be careful with Oolong. I say it can be between 180 and 212 degrees. Remeber what Oolong is. Its a half green/half
black tea. Some Oolongs are more delicate than others. Test your water tempature out. Oolongs are some of the most expensive
tea. An expensive Oolong can be destroyed by 212 degree water. Just like green tea, test the water temperature out.
Herbal brew/tisanes. Who cares. Its not tea. Its dried fruit or herbs. Get your water as hot as possible and brew. Easy
enough.
Class 2: October 21st, 2007
How much tea should I put in my cup of tea? I have heard and read that the general rule is one teaspoon per cup of tea.
I considered that vague and hard to measure. Tea comes in different weights and sizes. Think about your gunpowder tea for
example. Gunpowder tea is tightly rolled leaves and very dense. One teaspoon per cup is probably too much. One teaspoon of
your very light white tea is probably not enough. These examples prove that you should use a scale like the professional tea
tasters use. Professional tea tasters use the modern industry standard of 2.25 grams of tea leaves for every 6 ounce cup of
tea. Before I started using a tea scale I was using too much tea. My tea was too strong and I was wasting tea. Ever since
I have been using a scale every cup of tea that I have made has been perfect. Consider a tea scale. See the Tea Education
section for my review on the Upton tea scale.
Class 1: October 16th, 2007
What is the importance of seeping time? There is a general rule that you seep green tea three minutes, black tea five minutes,
and your tisanes for seven minutes. Personally I don't think these rules are set in stone. Some of your green teas will get
bitter if you seep it longer than ninety seconds. I think most black teas only need three minutes. You can brew tisanes as
long as you want. Five or more minutes is fine. Your finer Darjeelings only need ninety seconds. Remember after the first
thirty seconds of infusion most of the antioxidents and caffeine are released. Your goal in making a cup of tea is not to
make it bitter. Tea can be naturally sweet if you make it right. With each type of tea there should be some experimentation
on your part how long the seep time should be. Only use the historically seeping times as guidelines. You can make a better
cup of tea.
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