It's All About Tea

A Gathering of Literati, or Ya Ji (雅集), is an outstanding Chinese tradition that dates back millennia ago. Ever since, it has been a scene of literary, artistic, and poetic inspiration, as well as a birthplace for outstanding creations from some of the empire's most recognized poets, artists, and literati. The gatherings provided a refined space where literary people could gather, share ideas, and find inspiration on their path to self-cultivation and accomplishment. 

Yaji has evolved with the spirit of times. It remains ever so popular nowadays, providing a much-needed space for people to get out of the usual mundane routine. In these meetings, people indulge their art-related hobbies, gather with like-minded people, and practice self-accomplishment. In today's post, we'll let you into the history of these distinguished gatherings and see how they evolved in time by attending a Yaji in Shenzhen. (Read More)

So, let's explore more about these fascinating teas and the lands they come from. We'll discover High Mountain Tea's fight for survival and how it turns it into a top tea. (Read More)

Diving into the world of tea unveils a vast spectrum of experiences, flavors, and knowledge, each variety holding its unique story and essence. In this article, we'll compare Raw Pu-erh tea (or Sheng Pu-erh) with Green tea. These teas, each revered in its own right, originate from the same plant but diverge vastly in their journey from leaf to cup, offering different narratives of taste, aroma, and experience.

At first glance, both teas might seem very alike. They use similar processing; ongoing discussions in the tea world question whether Raw Pu-erh tea belongs to the Green tea category; even Chinese farmers, when translating to English, sometimes write "pressed Greed tea" on Pu-erh tea cakes. However, Raw Pu-erh tea and Green tea remain two distinct tea types. 

We'll get to know the distinguishing features of these teas, exploring their regional origins, the raw materials used, the unique processing stages they undergo, their oxidation levels, and their transformation over time. We will also delve into their contrasting tasting parameters, including color, aroma, taste, brewing resistance, and varied tea leaf shapes. Let's explore the differences that set them apart, each in their own category. (Read More)

When it comes to enhancing our tea experience, the vessel we use plays a pivotal role. If you've spent some time exploring the modern tea culture, you've likely come across ZiSha teapots, aka Yixing clay teapots. These teapots, hailing from the Yixing region of China (hence the name), have made quite the name for themselves among Gong Fu Cha enthusiasts. They're favored not just for their aesthetic appeal but primarily for the way they make our tea taste. It's like the difference between listening to music on a regular speaker and a high-quality sound system. 

If you've dabbled in the market for one of these, you might've stumbled upon a distinction that isn't immediately clear: fully handmade Yixing teapots versus half-handmade. What does that even mean? And more importantly, does it affect your brewing? Let's delve into the specifics and nuances of these teapots and see if we can demystify this for you. Whether you're a Gong Fu Cha practitioner or someone just beginning to explore the vast world of tea, this is something worth understanding. (Read more)

Ah, the vibrant world of tea, where passionate drinkers delve deep into the intricacies of their beloved brews. One could easily get lost for hours, scrolling through forum posts and group discussions, reading about the best teapots, the ideal cups, and the recommended ways to experience various teas. "You must get a silver tea set!" one person asserts, while another swears by the transformative powers of a ZiNi or ZhuNi clays. And yet another passionately vouches for the unique characteristics of DuanNi. Recommendations, as abundant as the tea leaves themselves, flow freely in the tea community. So, where does one begin? 

Our exploration will navigate through the vast landscape of tea, from the untainted flavors of loose leaf tea to the nuanced changes in taste achieved by brewing in various teaware. From porcelain's pure embrace to ZiSha's memory and the elegance of a silver tea set – there's a world waiting to be discovered (Read more)