The story of fine ceramics in China is inextricably linked to the evolution of Chinese Tea Culture. During the Song Dynasty, Henan province flourished as the cultural and economic heart of the empire, where the arts reached an apex of sophistication. It was during this era of whisked powdered tea (Dian Cha) that the renowned Ru Ware (Ru Yao) emerged, at first as elegant bowls and vessels designed to complement the aesthetics of the imperial court. While the teapot itself would not be invented until the Ming Dynasty, the legacy of Ru-style stoneware began here, setting a standard of beauty that tea lovers still revere today. (Read more)
We've already spoken in-depth about pu-erh and even about the differences between ripe pu-erh and raw pu-erh. Unlike the brisk, fruity, floral, vitalizing raw pu-erh, ripe pu-erh is undoubtedly more of a grandpa of the tea world. Ripe pu-erh is unmistakably earthy, usually with strong notes of tobacco and firewood, cocoa, as well as dried stone fruits. Today, let's take a deeper look into grandpa pu-erh. (Read more)
Any tea advice blog you turn to will say the same thing. Never use soap to wash your teaware.This is absolutely correct. Soaps and detergents can impart unfavorable flavors on delicate teaware. Usually, a quick rinse with hot water should suffice. However, what about those times that our teaware needs a little extra cleaning? (Read more)
In our previous blog post on Tie Guan Yin, we already discussed the brief history and processing method of this delicious oolong tea. Tie Guan Yin remains a worldwide favorite amongst tea enthusiasts. It’s in the top ten of best Chinese teas, top three best Taiwanese teas, and indeed in most if not all best oolong categories! Let’s take a more in-depth look into why this is so. (Read more)
Jin Hou Black Tea, otherwise known as Golden Monkey Black Tea, is a relatively old Chinese tea. In an era when only green teas were consumed, alongside the only black tea being Lapsang Souchong, Jin Hou came about to meet export desires. Black tea was already growing immense popularity in the west. While locals back in China didn't necessarily have a taste for the tea themselves, they experimented with farming techniques to produce some delicious black teas. (Read more)
