Hello, Ladies and Gentlemen, now I would like to perform the tea art of Kungfu tea for you all. This tea art contains eighteen procedures, of which the first nine procedures I would do myself, but regarding the other nine of them, your co-operation would be greatly appreciated.
The first procedure, censoring and boiling the spring water live. Censoring is a necessary part to create a atmosphere of peace and tranquility, and helps yourselves to relax and enjoy the mood. Boiling the spring water live refers to boiling the spring water in the pot on site.
The second procedure, peacock showing the screen, Ye Jia's treat to guests. Peacock showing the screen is trying to show off its pretty feathers, which similarly I shall introduce the beautiful utensils we use to you.
Ye Jia's treats means I would like to invite you all to savour the King Tea of Wuyi Mountain, Da Hongpao, which is mainly produced in that area, having a beggar's face but a buddha's heart.
The third procedure, Dabin's big shower and the dragon enters in the palace. Dabin's big shower means washing the teapot with hot water in order to warm the teapot, Shi Dabin used to be a master of making purple-clay teapot and people named the precious purple-clay teapot "Dabin pot". Today, we will brewing the Da Hongpao Tea which belongs to Oolong Tea type, deliver the tea leaves into the teapot is called "Dragon entering into the palace".
The fourth procedure, water falling from a high mountain, spring wind touches the face. The term "water falling from a high mountain" refers to holding the teapot high when pouring the boiling water and brewing the tea. "Spring wind touches the face" refers to using tea cup cover to remove the white foam from the surface of the tea.
The fifth procedure, Dark Dragon enters into the sea, clean the saint's face again. The method to brew Oolong Tea is: "The first brew is soup, the second brew is the tea, the third and the fourth brew are distillates". Usually, the first cup of tea is not for drinking but for warming up the tea cup, pouring the rest of the tea "soup" into the water tank is called "Dark Dragon goes to the sea".
"Clean the saint's face again" refers to pouring hot water again into the teapot and outside of it to warm up the teapot again, which would help send out the aroma of the tea.
The sixth procedure, mother feeding, to infuse the amrita again. Infusing the tea from the mother pot to the smaller teapot, just like a mother feeding a child, reflects the most precious love in the world-love between a mother and child.
The seventh procedure, dragon running the rain, phoenix nodding the head. It is called "lucky dragon running the rain" when pouring the tea to the cups, and it is called "phoenix nodding the head" when taking the dropping method to serve the tea, which to shows courtesy to guests.
The eighth procedure, the harmony between spouses, carp turn over its body. Putting the sipping cup on the tea sniff-cup is called The harmony between spouses, or luck of the dragon and phoenix, this procedure is specially wishing that lovers can have what they want and all to have happy family. Turnning over the cup is called "carp's turnning over", which was a legend that the carps would turn to dragons if they could turn over their body and pass the dragon gate. We wish all of you a bright future and good life.
The ninth procedure, hold the cup and serve tea, pass the cup one by one. Through passing tea, serving tea would make the relationship among people closer. The tenth procedure, pleasure to smell the aroma and appreciate the tea color. Please notice that the color of tea in the cup is bright. Pleasure to smell the aroma refers to the first time smelling tea, mainly focusing on the purity of the smell of tea and if there is any peculiar smell.
The eleventh procedure, three dragons protect the vessel, savoring the special tea at the first time. Please notice the hand gesture before savoring tea, we use thumb and index finger to hold the cup and middle finger to support the bottom, ladies could unfold the orchid hand gesture but gentlemen should furl up the other two fingers, which is both steady and elegant. Three fingers stand for three dragons and the cup like a vessel, that is why the hand gesture is called three dragons protect the vessel.
Savoring the special tea at the first time refers to not swallowing tea immediately after drinking it, you should breathe and move your tongue to touch the tea completely in order to get the exact flavour. This procedure is mainly focusing on the skill of the temperature control, to see if the tea had been overcooked or insufficiently heated.
The twelfth procedure, check the water fall again, try the orchis hand gesture again. Check the water fail again refers to the second cup of tea. Now everyone please follow me in putting the sipping cup onto the aromatic cup and then turn it over, this is called lotus from water', the spirit of the Tea Ceremony admires people who appreciate the lotus's quality to not be affected by mud.
Try the orchids hand gesture again' means to try the smell of tea again. The great writer Fan Zhongyan in the Song Dynasty wrote a poem and said "the competitive tea is more flavored than Tihu, the competitive tea is more aromatic than an orchid flower". The aroma of orchids is generally recognized by people, but how do you feel about the fresh, clear, sweet and elegant flavour? Isn't the tea aroma is more competetive?
The thirteenth procedure, savour the rich clouds at the second time, keep the sweet flavour in your throat. Please try the second cup of tea, this time we would mainly check the flavor, to see if it is sweet and fresh or dry and bitter.
The fourteenth procedure, pour the Shiru tea at the third time, which smoothes the breath. Shiru tea was a precious royal tea in the Yuan Dynasty, which became another term for Wuyi Rock tea. Pour the Shiru tea at the third time" means we will serve the third cup of tea, please everyone put the tea sipping cup onto the tea sniff-cup again and turn it over, but this time we use both hands together to do it, this is called White crane opens its wings" wishing you all to do well in business.
The way to smell tea this time is different from before,we breathe in the aroma of tea through the mouth and then to breathe it out slowly from nose, this way to smell tea is called "smoothing the breath".
The fifteenth procedure, keep the tea flower in mouth, appreciate the tea rhyme. This time of savoring tea is different from the previous two, we breathe in the air before but we chewing it this time. Yuan Mei in the Qing Dynasty said ait is suggested that keep the tea flowers in mouth and chew it slowly to get the flavour". Only in this way you could get the endless tea rhyme.
The sixteenth procedure, the relationship between gentlemen is just like dear water. It is said that "the relationship between gentlemen is just like clear water", after having three cups of thick tea, and then doing the same again with a cup of pure water, you probably could still taste the flavour of tea and have an "extraordinary feeling without tea", which reflects a philosophy in life that ordinariness is the real life.
The seventeenth procedure, explore the interesting things within tea, swimming dragon enjoying the water. To explore the interesting thing within tea is to engage with the guests who would like to have a try to brew tea by themselves after the performance has finished.
The "Swimming Dragon" refers to watching the used tea leaves moving when pouring hot water into the cup. Dahongpao tea belongs to the Dark Dragon Tea, of which the color at the bottom bit of the tea leaf is thirty percent red and seventy percent green, it is also called "green leaves with red edge".
The eighteenth procedure, finishing the cup and appreciating. Dr Sun had promoted tea as the national beverage, Mr Lu Xun said "it is lucky to have good teas to drink and to know how to drink" them. People regard tea as excellent medicine, a joy of life, a method for self cultivation and a link to friendship. At last, I wish all of you good health and good luck with this cup of tea, cheers and thank you, that is the whole performance.