Category: Others Page 3 of 14

Using #gaiwan or #purpleclay #tixingteapot does not mean it is gongfu cha technique already, and it does not necessarily mean you are making the #gongfucha.

I started to practice gongfucha technique without knowing its true meaning. It took me years to realize the time I have wasted when realized those mistakes I made based on assumption, and corrections took me triple efforts and devotion.

I am glad with the early wake up call that I was able to restart my journey on the right path.

Before learning Gongfu Cha techniques, one must first learn what is tea. Knowledge about tea is must before learning Gongfu cha. Before practicing Gongfu Cha techniques one must first learn what does gongfu means, then what does gongfu means in tea????

Simple process  requires serious and submissive learning.

It is delightful to read different opinions about tea tree cultivar on various social media.

As matter of fact, there are lots of unique varieties in tea trees, growing environment and climate factors around the world today.   It is not only hard but also not fair to compare or to say which one is more superior than the others, because It does not matter what, the most important criteria are:

1. How tea plantation was managed? because all tiny details about how tea trees are taken care and maintain can influence the health of  tea trees which could eventually also influence the taste.
2. How manufacturing processes being managed? This is extremely important to tea that requires complex oxidation, fermentation, rolling and roasting processes. In front of nature and Mother Earth, it does not matter how smart we think we are, we all have to learn how to emerge and show respect.   

Furthermore, there is another question for us to question ourselves is :

When we receive the tea, how much do we really understand and respect the natural characters of that particular harvest of that particular season from that particular region? How can we can brew a cup of tasty tea based on our understanding.

The local TV, VTM, replayed a real medical program – De Kliniek tonight, in the program there was a mid-age woman who suffered the bone pain and was worrying for bone cancer.

The blood test result was surprisingly confirmed she has no cancer, but the source of the problem is because of her tea drinking habit – she liked strong tea and consumed 50 to 60 tea bags per day.

I was stunned when she told the doctor about her ‘healthy life style’ that she ‘loved’ tea.  The doctor was shocked when she explained how much she ‘loves’ the strong tea by using 8-10 tea bag per “cup” for nearly 10 minutes. I was shocked and wonder how could she drink such thing. Actually it makes me sick when I think about the tea that she had in her cup already.

A similar case was posted a year or two ago. A woman in the UK died from drinking excessive amounts of the cheap bagged tea.

The diagnosis revealed the problems in two folds: ⋯⋯
1. The quality used for tea bag is either BOP or dust, in one word “cheap quality”
2. The danger of drinking very strong tea for a long period of time.

Tea is a very healthy drink, but excessive consumption could cause more problems than can be anticipated.

Tea actually is a very economical drink, but if you calculated the cost of 50-60 tea bag per day, I am afraid her daily tea cost more than the 3g of fine tea that I normally like to drink.

Tea provides, tea does not speak unless one is willing to listen. So who or which to blame for this problem? Certainly the problem is not coming from tea itself, this is the case how people misuse the tea.

Tea does not hold the key for your health, it is up to you to manage the life style yourself.

We can think and talk a lot about the importance of enlightenment or finding Tao in life, we can talk about how important it is to live in ecological way or what kind of benefits we can get from mediation and/or relaxation…… Yes, we can talk a lot of wisdom and to share many clever ideas, but at end it all goes back to a simple question of are we really managing our daily life by  respecting the ecology in the nature balance and harmony?

An astonishing film that urges us to rethink our life style. Please share it with your family and friends.  We can be different in many aspects but we share the same planet and life together.  It’s not yet too late for us to wake up and cooperate with each other to save the planet not only for ourselves but for our children and generations after that by taking actions together .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-86806fxJ8

We are the one who are killing the planet, how can we deny our responsibilities further? Indeed talking is important, please spread the message and let’s live by example. Give our future a chance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs2YSxxGmo8

Evaluated the chage in pH and TDS in water from beore boiling and the chage with the green tea brewing.

Water selection： Lifialla, untreated mineral water from Iceland. Even though the pH level according to their brocure is about 8.2, but actural testing showed 7.8. The TDS according to the meter is between 49-50ppm.

First boiled the water, and took some sample for measurement when cooled down.

Added some fresh mineral water to the pot, to bring tge temperature down to 80℃ and brew Chinese green tea, #LungJing.

Tea ：Water 1g：50ml

Water temperature ： 80℃

Steeping time: 30sec plus 1minute

Here is measurement of green tea

When I was young, I couldn’t wait to grow up.

Sharing is a way of moving forwards

Before 30, never thought or worried about age, I was so confident and playful that I forgot about time.

In the late 20, I wanted to stay on 20 longer and thought I still have plenty of time, I did not worry too much because I was so occupied by many other things about work, relationship and preconceived self. I forgot about taking time easily until one day I stood on the cross road and asked what have I done in life, who was I and what did I want in life. My first awakening happened in time that I found my way in tea, the practice of Daoyin Qigong for health and inner peace.

In the late 30, all in sudden, I realised the time pressure. psychological pressures started to mount up, the risk of stress rose; the only thing I thought what I could do was to continue my life as in the 30, I thought could gain time by accepting and tolering. Of course, I was wrong because nothing could stop the clicking of clock,not in the past, now or future.

Life is like a boat journey, don’t ask why you’re on board, because you are already on. The when is not upto our choice, but the key of what and how is on our hands that we have to learn how to manage it ourselves.

Soon stepped into 50 from 49, I realized I couldn’t stop the time and the youth was flying out through windows that I forgot to close in time. I hoped I could stay forever young, ignored menopause crisis; but of course nothing could stop the clock. I started to think and worry about the time and fun that I lost and hoped to stay young longer. But I didn’t know who could I talk to, so I became more silent and submissive. Hopefully the emptiness and pain would go away. Of course, they didn’t.

The bitter betray and chaotic change that my ex-husband （father of my children） forced me through were like iced cubes over my head. I lost the family that I have dreamed about, I lost everything, luckily I and children were protected under Belgian laws. I was alone, I have no family to turn to and I didn’t know who to trust; I was forced to stop my carrier because of the responsibilities for two young boys. Despite all those unthinkable chaos and pain, I found myself back. When it seemed I was abandoned by the world, I realized “ I can’t change others, but I can change myself”. Others can fail me, can deny me, but I have to do my best to be myself and I can’t forget who I am and may not deny myself, simply because I am daughter of General Hsiao Li-Guay. I found so much strengths from the Chinese traditional moral teachings that I was fortunately inherited since childhood, I was enlightened by the wisdom of Chinese Buddhism, Daoism and saw the beauty of implementing the practices of Confusius teachings in life through tea, Chinese tea ceremony and Daoyin Qigong. This time I refuse to be submissive without trying best with a peaceful mind and devoted actions.

When one door is closed, another one is opened. Life goes on and on.

Once said goodbye to the 50, started the number with 6, I realized I couldn’t stop the time, regrets won’t help. I reborn from heart. Everyday from heart I appreciate the time that I gain, I am doing my best for myself through tea without asking why.

My life as tea and tea is as my life. I don’t live for tea, because I am tea, tea is in me.

Indeed I can’t stay as young as before, so what. Because I can keep the young in heart forever, and I am trying best everyday.

My health, my choice; my life, I live with gratitude.

Water as Mother to Tea; Teaware as Father to Tea

Nearly 25 years ago, I met a good friend of mine in Taipei, Olga, who then just returned from Hangzhou and bought back some Xihu Long Jing. When we had a cup of tea in the tea room, she complained the flavors and tastes of Long Jing she bought were not same as the one she drank in Hangzhou, she thought she has been cheated by the tea shop. I explained to her, the chance she was cheated is small, especially when she bought it on spot where it was freshly made. I briefly explained the reason she felt differently was because of Water.

Water used for tea brewing does influence the color, flavors and taste of tea greatly. The first factors we should check are pH and TDS,

• First of all, the pH and hardness of water from the water source in Taipei is different from Hangzhou
• The average pH of our body is between 7.35 – 7.45, therefore the most suitable pH of tea liquor should be as close as to the pH level as in our body.
  • When the pH is lower than 7.0 : Basically the water is more towards to acidic instead of base. Even though the flavor of tea is fine and soft and the color is brighter, but the taste tends to be more flat and weak
  • When the pH is between 7.0 – 7.5 : The tea flavors are more full, the color is more brilliant, the tea liquor is more fine and soft; more able to bring out a good balance in flavors, color and tastes
  • When the pH is between 7.5 – 8.0 : It would weaken the flavor notes, the texture of water is more rough that darken the color of tea liquor. Even though it could present in more full body in taste but sometimes could increase the risk of imbalance in taste.
  • When the pH is higher than 8.0 : The taste of tea is more flat, dull and tasteless; and darken the color of tea liquor.
• Besides checking the pH, we should also consider the influence from TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) value. TDS values represents the amount of dissolved impurities in water (ppm) , which indicates how many milligrams of total dissolved solids are dissolved in 1 liter of water (mg/l). Normally you can find such index on the water bottle package. The content of dissolves, such as Calcium, Magnesium, Ions, Colloids, Proteins, colloids could make a significant influence to the color, flavors and taste of tea as well.
  • the larger TDS value, the greater the impurity content in the water and vice versa. The value should be suitable for human body’s absorption, suggest to avoid either too high or too low.
  • The WHO suggests less than 50mg/l. But the standard is varied in different countries, i.e. 0-50mg/l in the US standards, 0-70mg/l in the EU standards. Basically speaking 100 or less can be accepted.
  • Some water filter system can reduce the TDS to Zero while maintain the neutral pH values, even though the taste of astringency is less, the color of tea liquor is brighter, however, it also weakens the fullness in flavors and tastes that we expect from certain teas.

The above data can give us a guideline when choose mineral water, but still is not the absolute factor. Years ago in a tea event which was sponsored by a very well-known mineral water company. The pH is <6.0 and the TDS is also very low. When I used that water to brew Taiwan Gaoshan Oolong in the first evening, even though the color was nice (bright and transparent), but the flavors and taste of my Taiwan Oolong were flat, dull and tasteless. So quickly I changed the water for the next day by mixing that expensive mineral water with the tap water from Brussels, then my Oolong was alive and tasty. Recently I tasted the natural untreated mineral water from Iceland, Lifjalla, the pH is between 8.2-8.5 and the TDS 9.4mg/l. The natural taste of that water is sweet, and it matches perfectly well with traditional Oolong, black tea, dark tea and Pu’erh with the representation of full body in flavors and taste, and the color is brilliant and transparent.

Therefore selecting the right water is important for tea. However, there are other factors could also influence the flavors and tastes of tea, i.e.

• The conditions of water pipeline would make a great difference to the quality of water from the tap.
• The temperature and humidity in the tasting room would also influence the flavors and tastes, suggested room temperature between 15-27°C and humidity around 70%.
• Even the light, the quality of air, air flow, colors in the tea tasting room should take into consideration.

Making a cup of tea is easy, but there are many fundamental factors could influence the flavors and taste of the tea that you would like to enjoy. Small details require great attention.

Any beautiful cup of tea requires:

1. Well balance in the Eco-environment
2. Well match with the climate conditions
3. Beautiful and skillful people who are devoted to ensure the quality in production, starting from tea picking and then each step in the tea production
4. Well identified and selected quality
5. Well matching water, including pH, hardness and temperature
6. Well matching tea ware

Last but at least, a beautiful and peaceful mind, attitude from heart and willingness to listen, to sense and to learn.

Yesterday evening I received a ‘great’ question on #Instagram – “Which tea I would recommend today”.

There are two key words in this question : WHICH & TODAY.

Personally I love all tea types and I choose always from fine quality pure tea that allows me to enjoy its natural and complex flavors and tastes.

I tend to discipline myself from very vivid and sexy intensive flavors that chanting to my nose. Of course, natural pure scents are important, but can flavors reflect in tea liquid and the complexity in fine tastes are even more attractive to me.

I do pay close attention on which tea type of tea to choose according to the change of season and weather, because there are many choices we have in our tea centre in each tea type. I simply close my eyes and listen to let my heart to guide me with my decision.

The tea I chose last night was an aged Shou Pu’erh because of two reasons :

1) we had a pretty big meal in the evening that we would like to stimulate our digestion a little bit

2) the air pressure was increasing without rain, I sensed the need to stimulate the water circulation through mild sweating.

It rains today, so guess which tea speaks to my body today?