When drinking Tea, the first step not to be skipped is “appreciating the tea.”
From the perspective of the person brewing the tea, they need to rely on appreciating the tea to gather information that will help them decide what type of Teapot to use, what temperature water to use, what tea-to-water ratio (i.e., the amount of tea used), and how long to steep it?
From the drinker's point of view, by appreciating the tea, one can understand the degree of fermentation, rolling, tenderness, roasting, and aging of the leaves. This knowledge will enhance their appreciation of the tea when sipping it.
Therefore, before brewing tea for oneself or others, it is best to take a good look at the tea leaves first.
About a pot's worth of tea should be placed in a tea presentation dish, and each person involved in brewing and tasting should appreciate it in turn.
Do not touch the tea with your hands. If you want to smell the aroma, do not inhale or exhale directly onto the leaves.
Why is looking at the tea referred to as “appreciating the tea” before brewing?
To avoid turning “looking at the tea” into an “inspection,” which could lead to the subsequent steps of observing color, smelling the aroma, tasting, and examining the infused leaves all being done with a critical attitude typical of professional evaluation.
Drinking tea, except in the context of tea production, evaluation, or procurement, is about appreciation and enjoyment.
When the brewer looks at the tea, we specially refer to it as “recognizing the tea,” because the brewer must clearly observe the various conditions of the leaves to decide how to brew the tea.
But when the tasters look at the tea, they should approach it with an “appreciative” attitude, preparing themselves for the act of drinking. This is then called “appreciating the tea.”
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The second step not to be skipped when drinking tea is looking at the infused leaves, also known as appreciating the leaves after they have been steeped.
At this point, the leaves have been fully moistened, and even if they are not completely unfurled, they reveal enough to show the true appearance of the processed tea.
Unless the roasting was too intense or the piling too excessive, causing the leaves to char and remain unopened even after a long steeping, the infused leaves are always spread out for everyone to see.
Both the brewer and the tasters can clearly see the degree of fermentation, rolling, roasting, piling, and aging from the unfurled leaves.
The characteristics of the cultivar, the condition of the fresh leaves when picked, the extent of damage during packaging and transportation, and even the quality of the brewing technique, are all laid bare.
The practice of “appreciating the infused leaves” is not universally applied in the tea ceremony world; often, once the tea has been drunk, people feel that's enough.
If the spent leaves are simply thrown away, it shows no lingering fondness for the tea.
“Appreciating the infused leaves” serves two purposes: it allows both the brewer and the taster to gain insight into the past and present of the tea through the unfurled leaves, making it a significant part of recognizing and appreciating the tea.
On the other hand, since the tea has given its essence, those who Drink it should cherish and express gratitude for it.
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The third step not to be skipped when drinking tea is “tea snacks.”
Tea snacks are small bites enjoyed during Tea drinking, not referring to eating sunflower seeds or having desserts while drinking tea.
Instead, they serve to change the taste sensation in the mouth and to adjust one's mood after a while of drinking tea.
Accordingly, tea snacks should be small, requiring just one or two bites. They should not require much chewing, produce residue to spit out, or stick to the teeth, but they should be exquisite and not overpower the aroma and flavor of the tea.
After eating the tea snack, clear away the utensils and return to the original state of tea drinking.
In front of the taster, there should only be a teacup; items such as pens, knives, forks, tissues, etc., should not be placed on the tea table. Otherwise, the scene may become cluttered, and it becomes unclear whether one is drinking tea or eating.
Since it is called tea tasting, the focus should be on drinking tea, and eating tea snacks is just a minor embellishment, a brief pause, before continuing with the main melody of tea tasting.
Some opinions suggest not eating tea snacks while drinking tea, emphasizing the avoidance of external distractions from the appreciation of tea and advocating pure tea drinking.
As a result, the tea ceremony community rarely discusses how to properly incorporate tea snacks into the tea session, leading to their less formal application and lack of established etiquette.
However, tea snacks often play a role in adding variety and humor to the tea tasting process and allow for a rest for the senses of taste and smell.