Chaozhou Style Gong Fu Cha - A short introduction

Gong Fu Cha, or as one would say in Minnanhua, the local dialect, ‘Gang Hu Dää’, can be found everywhere in the southern Chinese city of Chaozhou and serves as a cornerstone of everyday culture.
This area established the Gongfucha tradition several hundred years ago, which is practised in large parts of China today. Here is an attempt to list its characteristics and share our fascination with this famous preparation method.

Chaozhou Gong Fu Cha is a lively affair. Next to the tea tray, a kettle is constantly boiling. The pots are tiny and are eagerly refilled, there is a lively movement. Tea flows around, cups are bathed, white clouds rise. The strong tea awakens the senses and clears the mind. The porcelain clatters and the tea is sipped loudly, the whole scene is enveloped in fragrant tea steam.

Traditionally, a gaiwan and three small cups are placed on a simple tea tray or a round porcelain tea boat. Where no tea boat is available, a plastic stool or a flat stone is sometimes used as a base. The simplest everyday ceramics are used, unadorned and functional. Small, white porcelain is the most common. All tea ceramics are first washed with hot water. Boiling hot water is always used, including to pour the tea.

Optionally, the cups can be placed one after the other in the neighboring cup that is full to the brim and turned with three fingers so that the rim of the cup is washed all around with hot water. This looks elegant and takes a bit of practice.

The gaiwan or teapot is generously filled three-quarters full with tea leaves. Many short, strong infusions are then made. As the water/leaf ratio is very low, the first few rounds are poured off immediately after infusion. As soon as the tea becomes a little softer, the infusion times can be extended.
The tea is poured back and forth alternately from the gaiwan directly into the three cups with a swirling motion so that they are all filled to approximately the same level. The tea is drunk until it no longer has any flavor, then the next cup is poured.

It is considered polite to thank your host by tapping your finger twice on the table before bringing the cup to your mouth. But you can't really go wrong. Traditionally, three cups are used, but if there are more tea drinkers present, such norms are quickly thrown out the window. There can be no talk of strict ceremony in this everyday activity. It's not about etiquette or style, it's about tea.

Feng Huang Dan Cong (Phoenix Single Bush), an Oolong, is usually used for this preparation, as it is the local tea, but other teas can also be exciting in this preparation.

Chaozhou style is particularly fun when the tea is drunk quickly and noisily. The liquid is inhaled rather than tossed back. Almost without the cup touching the lips, a suction stream of air transforms the tea in the mouth into an intensely flavored cloud. This tastes better and with this technique it is possible to drink even boiling hot water.

If you are not lacking in exuberant passion for this unusual tea preparation, you can also boil the water in the traditional way. Find out about the fire safety regulations in your home, get some good, odourless charcoal, a teapot and a ceramic pot to boil the water in.
With these resources, such a tea gathering could also take place in the open air, preferably near a mountain spring that provides the water for the tea. All you need is ceramics, charcoal, tea leaves and water. A pleasant change.