Articles that might be useful

Since 2006, tea obsession has marked baby steps of my tea journey through the years. There are some useful info and some not. It's time to sort them out and select a few that I feel useful.

This is a rather large tasks for me, so updates will be made continuously in several categories: Phoenix Dan Cong, brewing tips, equipments, understanding of tea beyond leaves.

To start with, information relates to Phoenix - Feng Huang Dan Cong Oolong:
http://tea-obsession.blogspot.com/2007/12/get-to-know-phoenix-dan-cong-1.html
http://tea-obsession.blogspot.com/2007/12/get-to-know-phoenix-tea-2.html
http://tea-obsession.blogspot.com/2008/01/get-to-know-phoenix-dan-cong-3-naming.html
http://tea-obsession.blogspot.com/2008/02/get-to-know-phoenix-dan-cong-4-seasons.html
http://tea-obsession.blogspot.com/2008/02/get-to-know-phoenix-dan-cong-5-old-or.html
http://tea-obsession.blogspot.com/2008/05/get-to-know-phoenix-dan-cong-6-kung-fu.html

An afternoon at the temple

Today is my mother's knitting day at the Xi Lai Temple. She joined a group of women whom share a common hobby knitting. Every Thursday afternoon, all the members meet from 1 pm to 4 pm with their projects to share knowledge, skills and tricks. My time is well spent with a book at the reading room or strolling around.

As Chinese new year is approaching, Monday the 23rd, Xi Lai Temple is well decorated for the holiday.
Yu Lan Hua-Chinese magnolia flower, a flower I remember as a child. It can be bought occasionally for a few pennies, tuck in hair behind ears, a symbol of femininity in the most natural and environmentally safe way, perfume in the most original form as the universe intend it to be. I love this Chinese magnolia varietal, I love the ever green foliage colored like jade, I love the small white flowers simple yet enigmatic, a humble tree yet outstanding. I will bring a thermo cup of Yu Lan Xiang - Magnolia Flower Fragrance Dan Cong to the temple next time.
As for today, I brought a thermo cup of Quin Ti - Osmanthus Flower Dan Cong with me today. Osmanthus tree is not commonly found in the US although it is one of the most common fragrant floral trees in China. It is a must have green in any and all Chinese garden. It is well praised for its fragrance as it drifts with light breeze. The flowers can be consumed as herb in medicine, teasane or pastries. Half a doze osmanthus trees are blooming in the temple garden near the stair cases of the main hall. If you wonder what an osmanthus tree is like, you can smell them here this season. You may also find it in the Huntington Library inside the Chinese Garden.

Shen De Tang Porcelain Jars

Tea is like a can of worms, once you open it, it doesn't end. Tea ware is a big part of tea, pots, cups, jars are some of items a tea drinker accumulates over time. I went through a period of cup hording, maybe still do. :P

Following cups, jars are my favorite collectibles. I may like jars more than pots, simply because I can't use too many pots, but I can use endless number of jars, for tea, grains, spice, herbs, other cooking ingredients, etc...
Last week, I got a hold of a small lot ROC period jars through the old Jing De Zhen Factory. Shen De Tang was an imperial kiln started during Dao Guang Period (1820-1850). Before the end of Qing period, all productions were designed and made of superior quality, hence highly valued in the collectible world. After Qing dynasty ended, all imperial kilns stopped producing imperial grade items. To remain in business and feed the family, civil china wares composed a large part of the production. This trend continued until 1949. The new government took over, combined all manufacturing studios into one central company. All products were marked Zhong Guo Jing De Zhen in Chinese, MADE IN CHINA, and an assigned batch number or alphabet.

In 1985, new privatization regulation is part of the new economy evolution, Jing De Zhen factories once again are in private hands. I met an older gentleman whom took over 6 factories and the entire warehouse collection back dated not knowing when. Over 100 thousand boxes of china ware in deteriorated cardboard boxes. Mid to Late Min Guo ROC through 1985 is a safe estimation of the age (1930-1985).

It's such an education to learn from the current factory owner, he explained how to differential reproduction of old items from authentic antiques, different clays, glaze, firing techniques, color formulas, reproduce from blank old base with old color formula using old firing technique, or reproduce with new base old color formula and old firing technique, etc..

These hand made and hand painted jars are distinctively ROC style. The paint color is also of old formula. Bottom marked Shen De Tang which makes them as least 62 years old. They are so lovely, incorporating a time piece element into tea life is a story of romance in itself.

Top 40 tea blogs award in 2010

Thank you all readers! My blog has received the top 40 tea blogs award in 2010. I am very grateful for your patronage of the blog. Your encouragement is my drive to continue writing about tea "regularly"! As I should have keep up with posting materials in the past couple of months. Change of work load, change of store location caused plenty of unsettling emotions. I apologize for the lack of posting lately. Everything should get back on track shortly.

Many thanks to you all!

Disastrous year on the hills of Phoenix Mountain

Posted on 3/11/2010, worst ice frost disaster since 1943, estimated lost 2 billion RMB.
Foot long ice crystals
I had experienced this 15 years ago in a cold winter of Illiniois. Never in my imagination to see this in Chao Zhou which is in a MUCH warmer climate.
Speechless....

Earth weather has been temperamental for the last few years, it's been coughing up a few symptoms in this new millennium. Tsunamis, earthquakes, warm weather then cold weather, freezing Springs caused failing crops. In 2007, China experienced the worst freezing temperatures across a large tea growing regions up north extending to the south. This year, it has come back, reaching far down south. Phoenix Mountains got the hit this year. Temperature reaching 5 Celsius degrees below freezing consecutively for several days. Ice blocks are as thick as a foot. The entire new growth are wiped out from 500 meters above sea level. 1/5 of the entire growing region is wiped out with 99% casualty. Other areas are affected with 30 to 50% casualty. Very few late sprouting varietals have a chance to survive and produce in later months, but there is no guarantee. Low altitude commercial grade teas are commanding 50% higher price than last year at this point. There will be VERY few high mountain old single bush teas this year, 1%!!! *sigh*

Other years of this time around, the mountain is covered with jade green leaves, vital and tender, so were the spirits of the farmers. This year, the mountain is covered with brown wilted young leaves limping over balding branches, much like the after math of a battle field. Lifeless and messy.

In the last few days, I have experienced and seen many vallies in life. Perspective has changed, fog is drifting away, I am able to perceive with a less tainted mind. What is important in life, what is essential in life, these are questions bubble in mind. When disasters strike and threaten lives, others whining about what color wall paints to pick and choose is the last thing I want to discuss. When families have to worry about how to put food on the table for the next year to come, others complaining about petty office politic at the comfort of a corporate shield is not something I find appropriate. This is the matter of how you circle your sky I suppose. Looking from afar, or looking from the bottom of a well. Most people choose to be in their own well.

When I first heard of the news, the initial panic was will I have enough supply for the year? Selfish bottom of the well mind set. Then my consciousness begin to feel for the people whom farm those lands, what will happen to those families which waited a whole year for the Spring, then hopes were shattered over night. My own concern seems so petty compare to the livelihood of the tea farmers and local tea merchants whom make a living solely base on this piece of land. I am not sure what I can do. Should I take a journey to Chao Zhou, lend a hand helpful or not, or just let time go by, let nature take care of its own course? What is the best I can do? What can I do if I were there physically?

My last name 单 - Shan4

It's a shocking day! I have not had an emotional day like today for a long time, I actually cried. The last time was reading Lu You and Tang Wan, but that doesn't count since it had nothing to do with me.

While I was in Guang Zhou, I met a couple which we had a brief discussion about population migration in Guang Dong Province, and my last name caught her attention. My last name is rather unusual in Chinese. She told me it must be from a noble ancestry. Chinese uses a phrase Gui Xing (noble/precious last name) when asking another person's last name due to respect as common practice. But Chinese phrases are rarely composed randomly. So the more rare the more noble?

Shan's family history

Today, some how, out of the blue, totally random, I googled my last name 单 - Shan4. I am related to Zhou Cheng Wang (1055 - 1021 BC) - 2nd emperor of 周 Zhou dynasty! Zhou Cheng Wang assigned land (county) in He Nan today to his youngest son, named the land 单邑 - Shan4 Yi4 (county). His descendants take on the last name 单 after the assigned county name ever since. The original last name of the Zhou family and also mine was 姬 - Ji. The entire family are descendants of 黄帝 - Huang Di, 1 of the 5 earliest Chinese emperors in the history. Huang Di's original last name was 公孙 - Gong Shun, he lived in 姬水, He Nan region for a long time, then changed his last name to 姬 - Ji. Zhou Wu Wang assigned over 53 counties to the dukes and princesses of his, each descendant later took on name of the county as last name. 姬 - Ji was no longer a main last name as in the 黄帝 - Huang Di period for that reason.

Zhou Cheng Wang is son of Zhou Wu Wang whom is the son of Zhou Wen Wang. Naturally, the Shans were one of noble families of the Zhou dynasty, over 20 generations had important seats in the parliament during Zhou Dynasty.

Zhou Wen Wang is the original author of Zhou Yi, Confucius and his dispels translated it into Yi Jing (I-Ching). The king of Chinese Classic books which shaped the Chinese culture for over 3 thousand years.

It's not up to me to decide whether I should believe in fate. Zhou Yi has been my latest obsession, it has changed my mind set, it has changed my attitude, it has changed my perception of universal matters. I owe it to this 3000 years old ancient Chinese classic of philosophy for everything happening and taking changes in my life now and till the day I die. This is a book I worship!!! When I read philosophy books from the west and the east, I find my brain wave is more coherent with the eastern philosophy, so I automatically assumed me being Chinese, my mind is bias subconsciously. Now that I found out Zhou Wen Wang (author) is my ancestor, the shock was beyond imaginable. I have Zhou Yi in my blood!!!! This is the biggest news since the day I was born! :P

Through out Chinese history, Shan's has produced many famous and capable generals, politicians, poets, inventors, and a LOT of 进士-Jin Shi. Today, there are about half a million Shan's in China. The migration in the last 3 thousand years began at He Nan, west to Gan Shu/Yunnan/Sichuan, east to Shanxi/Shannxi/Shandong/Anhui/Zhejian/Jianxi/Shuzhou, the eastern branch split up north to Shenyang/Jilin, and south to Guangdong/Fujian, this branch has branched out to over seas countries like myself. My family is the Guangdong branch station in Dongguan. Today, a Shan's family Ci Tang is still standing in Dongguan which I'll visit one day. A family tree wood carved print record from the Qing Dynasty of this Guangdong branch is now at Utah Last Name Research Association! How convenient, I'll bug the heck out of them one day! I want to see it in person!!!! Btw, what the heck is a Chinese last name family record doing in Utah???

Boy, that's a lot to live up to after finding out there are so many of my ancestors were over achievers year after year for so many thousands years. No mater what, I am soooo darn proud of my heritage!

Tracing back the family tree is fun.... I was a 公孙 - Gong Shun, then a 姬 - Ji, now a 单 - Shan. :D

Zhou dynasty combined Western and eastern Zhou, together is an almost 800 years old empire which is the longest dynasty in Chinese history. Its longevity had much to do with Zhou Wen Wang's philosophy, Zhou Yi.

I should keep this hush hush, 黄帝 - Huang Di defeated 炎帝 (神农氏 - Shen Nong Shi), the discoverer of tea... I am born to pay a 5 thousand years old Karma bill?! :P

How it's made - Dan Cong Oolong Tea

http://player.youku.com/player.php/sid/XODcxMDUzNzY=/v.swf

Tool collection at the private tea museum

Yixing clay pot making tools
Tibetan milk tea making tool
Pre-electric version of tea rolling machine

Sha Qing Tong - Kill green drum

Tea collection at a private tea museum

Qian Liang Cha - 1000 Liang Tea
A giant Fu Zhuan - Black tea brick from Hu Nan
A Jian of Pu-erh 7 sons cakes in original wrapping
A stack of pu-erh tuo

Centrol government tea gift
100 years Song Ping Hao
Red label
Chunk of a Qian Liang Cha - 1000 Liang Tea (Black Tea)
Giant Tuo of Pu-erh

Guessing game

Can you tell which leaf would make better tea and why?

This is ONE white tea plant less than 10 years old. Both leaves were picked from here. As you can tell, there are many shapes, sizes, shades, shines within one plant.

The reason for this is the climate and weather change. Small dull leaves were caused by lack of moisture when it's still young and tender. The dark shiny large leaves have plenty of food and moisture while growing. The ripples are signs of lots nutrients causing the over growth, deep saw teeth, long pointy tips are all signs of good nutrients causing extended growth. Shine is associated with essential oil, essential oil is....fragrance agent!

The answer is obvious now that the upper leave will make better tea than the lower.

Large Leaf - Small Leaf Varietals

Many of us know of Large Leaf varietals, Small Leaf varietals, wild varietals and such. What are the difference?

Large Leaf:
Arbor tea trees grown in the Southwest part of China and other bordering southeast Asian Countries. These are considered wild varietals or wild to domesticated varietals. The term wild does not only mean grown wildly. Wild species contain stone cells in leaf structure. Wild to domestic varietals also contain stone cells but fewer. Such genetic cell formation is for survival in wild with a hearty structure. Pu-erh teas and Feng Huang Hong Yin are both arbor large leaf wild varietals, Feng Huang Shui Xian/Dan Cong are mutated wild to domesticated varietals. These species can be found and live happily in warm and moist climates.

Small Leaf:
Shrubs with smaller tree size and leaf size. As tea trees migrate from warmer to cooler climates, the genetic changes to adopt to local condition, soil, temperature, moisture, altitude, etc. Small leaf varietals are found in mid to east and mid to north areas of China. Long Jing, Bi Lo Chun, Yan Cha, Tie Guan Yin are all small leaf varietals, also domesticated varietals. These varietals no longer contain stone cells. They can endure cooler temperature than large leaf varietals.

Too see leaf difference:
Wild Hong Yin - Wild varietal
Feng Huang Dan Cong - Wild to Domesticated varietal
Bi Lo Chun - Domesticated varietal

I'm often asked: can one tea tree be made into every kinds of tea, green, black, and such. Leaf varietal is the determine factor of its suitability for type of tea to be made. Wild, wild to domesticated varietals are too strong for green tea. Domesticated varietals are too fragile for oolong tea process. These are factors aside of how young the shoots/buds to pick. Large leaf varietals are more flavorful than domesticate varietals, the hearty nature of the leaf can also endure longer and detailed process that intended for more complicated chemistry reaction.

How to time a good brew without a timer

I have been pondering how to write this article for a while, with my limited choice of words, precisely explain something imprecise has its own challenge.

Many years of brewing tea without a thermometer and a timer is the path took me to where I am with tea today. Reading others brewing reviews with precise time and temperature written down, I always wonder if anyone actually follows with again modern gadgets of thermometer and timer. The bigger question is with all these tools involved, is outcome of tea really at its best? After all, the Chinese or other parts of the world have been drinking tea for centuries if not millenniums without a thermometer and a timer beside them. How did Gong Fu Cha refine its technique by nothing but skilled hands, observing minds and sensitive palates?

While training my new employee Peter, I realized learning to brew tea with borrowed data can not improve ones skill. Peter can now brew DCs really well after some side by side boot camp style training which he learned the initial technique, then later learned to observe color and consistency. This experience has improved my skill in teaching how to brew tea. My brewing has been some what subconscious, kinda like driving. My consciousness does not aware of the subtle difference in technique. Here I propose a simple way to start then transcend your skill level in leaps and bounds.

For oolong and pu-erh teas in general, as a starter brew, use 3 g of leaves, 100 to 120 ml cup or pot

1, preheat utensils (cup or pot)with boiling water
2, add dry leaves in to utensil IMMEDIATELY upon emptying and cover lid
3, shake utensil in circular motion (not up and down) occasionally for 1 minute
4, pour hot water (boiling or off boiled) on side of utensil at one spot (do not go all over the utensil), avoid hitting leaves directly, with force and from high up (6 inches above)for oolong teas, low for pu-erh teas.
5*, cover lid for 15 seconds for 1st brew, empty to pitcher

***For step 5, use 15 seconds as a standard for every NEW tea comes to hand as a reference point. You can change it as you get to know the teas in future sessions.

The most important part begins here, how ever the first brew comes out is your reference, observe color and consistency of liquid. After tasting this brew, you'll find out whether it's 1)just right, 2)too weak, 3)too strong for your own taste. Base on your own preference of strength, when making the 2nd brew, adjust the color and consistency in comparison to the first brew. Current brew will become the reference of the follow brew.

Out come 1, just right: brew subsequent brews with same or "similar" color and consistency as 1st brew.

Out come 2, too weak: make 2nd brew into darker color and thicker consistency. Timing is irrelevant since each tea is different, but the color and thickness of liquid are your most tell tail signs of what's being extracted and at what ratio, which is the influential factors in how strong your tea will become.

Out come 3, too strong: make 2nd brew into lighter and thinner consistency. Same as out come 2, timing is not relevant but the color and thickness of liquid are the indicators of how strong your tea is.

Each brew should be a reference of the following brew as for how long to brew and how strong you prefer your tea. Timer is soulless, it does not recognize your palate preference, it can not smell the aroma of tea, most importantly, a timer does not understand each tea individually. Only you the tea drinker can recognize those desirable attributes of a tea through tasting and more tastings. Practice makes perfection perfect!

The key to this is reproduce the same color and consistency of the brew that you like. It can be achieved for the first 4 to 6 brews depending on the quality of tea. Later brews will have lighter color, consistency can keep up or thinning depending on the quality of tea again.

This is the only way to perfect your skills in making a good cup of tea. A timer and thermometer are not going to get you there.

For other variables (temperature, utensil, leave quantity, type of tea, water, etc.), you can experiment with them in future sessions, after you get familiarize with the tea. No mater what parameters you change at one given session, the fundamental remains reproducing the same color and consistency of liquid that best suited for your own taste, without a timer and a thermometer.

You might wonder how does one know if the potential of the tea has been reached. This will come with experience, and become consistent. No one can tell you how you prefer a tea. No one can formulate a mechanical brewing process for a tea using tools.

Chao Zhou clay pots, why, what & how

What is Chao Zhou Clay Pot?
Chao Zhou red clay pots are made of clay from Feng Xi located on the Feng Huang (Phoenix) Mountain. They are hand thrown on wheels with fine grains of red clay imitating YiXing style. Walls are made very thin. The locals also call it Zhuni although not the same clay as Yixing Zhuni. 2 most famous makers are the Wu's and Zhang's families, generations of pot makers followed traditional techniques, also innovated new styles and techniques. After more than 100 years of making Chao Zhou clay pots, the outstanding current generation makers are now hired by YiXing factories as consultants. What a turn around!


Why use a Chao Zhou clay pot?
For Dan Cong teas, Chao Zhou is preferred over Yixing, because it's made to enhance Dan Cong for number of reasons:
1, clay has the same composition of minerals as the tea trees are grown
2, the wall is thin so it doesn't simmer the leaves
3, shape is also made to accommodate the leaf shape of dan cong
4, spout is medium to big that is easy to control pouring speed since dan cong is extremely sensitive to timing and temperature.
5, size of pots are small, makes 3 to 4 little cups of tea, just enough to drink it fast while it's hot.
6, it's also a timer, after pouring hot water over the exterior, when dried, the tea is also ready for the first 2-3 brews.

How to break in a Chao Zhou clay pot.
Rinse under room temp running water, scrub off the dust inside of the pot. Then soak in room temperature water for 20 minutes. You can now add off boil water to rinse. Then add teas you don't like and hot water into the pot, soak for a few hours. Change tea and make another pot to soak over night. The pot is now ready to be used. In case there is still clay smell, soak another pot of tea over night or until you are satisfied. Do NOT boil them like the YiXings!

For normal usage, soak the pot in room temperature water for 20 minutes before adding hot water. Else it can crack. (It's not always the case for every pot, but I don't think you want to take the chance.) They are very thin, so more prone to easy breaking. I cracked half a dozen pots myself, it took me that many times to figure out what to do. For speedy raising the pot, take out tea leaves and empty all the tea after brewing, leave the lid off and let it dry without rinsing. With some old bush Dan Cong daily brewing, you'll have a very nice pot in a couple of weeks.


Recommend use of Chao Zhou clay pots
1 for old bush DCs (any aroma)
1 for light roasted commercial DCs (any aroma),
1 for heavy roasted commercial DCs,
1 for aged DCs

For current year Dan Cong, gaiwan is better for maximizing the aroma, while Chao Zhou clay pot can smooth and deepen the flavor and texture of tea.

You should also try brewing young green Sheng Pu-erh with a Chao Zhou clay pot, you might find surprising outcome.

First time on blog radio with Steven

Steven at 39steeps.blogspot.com and I had a long chat over the phone last night. We talked quite a bit about Dan Cong Oolong Teas and teas in general. Steven is an eloquent host whom made my first appearance on the blog radio appeared with little trouble. If you were interested in listening to the recording here is the link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/39-Steeps

Steven is a tea enthusiast who reviews various teas on a regular basis. You can find him at 39steeps.blogspot.com.

I apologized for being nervous with public shyness. Hopefully I'll get over it and perform better the next time. :D

Thank you again Steven!

Feng Huang, a boy and a girl

Did you know Feng is a boy and Huang is a girl? So Feng Huang is actually a pair of Phoenix birds with both sexes. The traditional Chinese representation of a couple, Long Feng - Dragon and boy phoenix is actually a gay couple! HAHA

Slope direction can change the taste of your tea

Slope direction: climate and soil contents vary greatly for slopes facing different directions.

Phoenix Mountain has wide range of topography, surrounded by high mountain tops in all 4 directions, crisscrossing mountain ranges with steep and pointy mountain peaks. These mountain ranges run from Northeast toward Southwest. It’s also slanted from Northeast toward Southwest. Phoenix Mountain is the center of the range, creating multiple valleys. There are over 10 mountain peaks are over 1000 meters above sea level. Wu Dong Mountain runs Northwest toward Southeast. Northwest side is connected with Southwest hillside, Southeast side is connected with Northeast hillside. Slope facing Northeast direction is better than slope facing Southwest direction. Cold air from the north will impact slopes facing Northwest slopes, Northwest hill top protects Southeast facing slope, also traps ocean humidity blown from Southeast in the valleys, heavy marine layers provides humidity and protects tea trees from direct sunlight, greatly benefits the growth of tea trees. Southwest facing slopes is subject to strong direct sunlight, humidity is low causing dry soil condition, less ideal for tea tree growth.

4 seasons and tea - Fall

Fall, as we know is the season of harvest, collecting grains, nuts and fruits after a Summer long growth. Leaves start to fall, growth is restrained during Fall. This is the season where Yang energy is changed into Yin energy. Yang energy is taken from outside elements, photo synthesis from sun rays and warm temperature. Physical representation of Yang energy is reaching outward, such as longer and more branches and leaves, flowers and fruits. Yin energy is accumulated excess Yang energy to put away, it's captured within. There is no physical representation of Yin energy since it's kept within. Or we can say, when the trees stop growing, it's the beginning of Yin energy takes over. Although the trees stop growing, the roots are still taking in nutrients, instead of growing outward, it's being collected within which is the resource of Yin energy during Fall when activity is still going at a much slower pace. This is a tell tail signs of Yin energy.

Humans also follow this collective step, subconsciously to most. This is reflected in eating and drinking habits, such as we crave for comfort foods, darker more oxidized teas (including aged teas) in Fall. Teas with these characteristics have mellowed out the strong Yang energy, hence does not conflict with the Yin energy that our body stage is in.

Our brain can command us to do anything we want regardless of our body needs, but our body will give you signs of disagreement. If ignored or not understood, it can cause harm to our health for long period of time without knowing. Most of us does not realize living against nature can cut your life short 5 to 10 years. We have the potential to live 140+ years, average is only 80+. Compare to 40ish a century years ago, our scientist and doctors proudly claim we have extended life span in the last 40 years. We truly underestimated the wisdom, power of our body and its coordination with nature.

I will say this again, find a tea that your stomach agrees with at any time of the day, month, season and mood. Listen to your body, it will tell you. Do not drink a tea just because the media says it's good for this and that, how much weight you'll loose in 30 days.

You may not know when does your body like what type of tea initially. Well, we all go through a learning period of a chosen project including learning our own body. Make a cup of tea and see how well your body likes it, if not, try another type and discard the previous one. It can do you more harm than you'll realize if you force yourself to ingest it. Because the body will have to gather much more energy to digest something it does not agree with and even more energy to eliminate it from your body. Some times it can be trapped in your body as toxins which can cause long term problems. It will take you more time and nutrient to replenish the wasted energy as well. What you gain is not worthy of what you lost as the old Chinese phrase say.

4 seasons and tea - Summer

Summer, after the stored away energy of Winter sprang life out in Spring, it's time to grow, fully utilizing the stored away energy. Hot summer temperature and long day light accelerates the growth of leaves, branches, flowers and fruits/grains/seeds. At this rapid rate of growth, nutrients can not keep up, especially after harvests in the Spring which is where most of the nutrients are captured. Summer teas are in general more fibery, astringent and bitter, hence require higher oxidation to break down the contents. Black tea and dark oolongs are mostly made with summer harvest tea leaves.

Human body in the Summer are also in the Yang Qi growth period. Yang Qi grows so that Yin Qi can accumulate in Fall. Therefore, many of us have craving for Spring teas or young current year teas during summer. The nutrient and energy of Spring and new crop fuels the Yang Qi growth.

Yang in Chinese medicine term is energy that comes from outside of our body, certain food, sun ray, and heat that enter our body. Yin on the other hand is energy reserve, excess Yang put away for later use. When we use more Yang energy than we can generate in a day, our body will release Yin energy as reserve to keep our body going.

Winter stored energy is a Yin energy, Spring energy is the initiation of of Yang energy funded by Yin Winter energy. Summer energy is the growing Yang energy for conversion of Yin energy collected in Fall. That collection of Yin energy is frozen/rested and stored away during Winter, preparing for Spring sprouting. The cycle repeats itself over and over for billions years and will not change unless stopped as the earth disappeared. As cocky as modern scientists think they can do anything they want to the universe, this is one fact that no human can ever interrupt/change eternally.

If a plant does not grow well in Summer, there will not be fruit and fruitful yin energy to collect in Fall, then there will not be energy to store in Winter, in turn, there will not be energy to sprout in the Spring.

Summer hot temperature and long day sun light are Yang energy being absorbed by leaves, since they are external heated energy. We human behave similar ways as plants as we are just a small part of this nature.

High mountain grown ancient Phoenix Dan Cong trees produce only 1 harvest each year, Spring harvest. The rest of the year is for the tree to accumulate nutrients and energy for next year, following the seasonal cycle of Summer growth, Fall collection and Winter storage. This natural growth preserves and guarantees the highest contents in Spring for best quality tea production. If harvest beyond Spring, quality will drop in next Spring, the tree's vitality is also lowered in coming years. It will take years of rest and feeding to revitalize an aging tree. So are human.

4 seasons and tea - Spring

Spring, after a winter long of saving energy, it's time to sprout, "spring" out from the enclosures. Flowers bloom, creation of seeds. It's the energy of creation, vitality and life. Because of this energy, Spring teas are particularly alive and active. Youngsters in teens and 20's are also considered "spring" in human life span. Therefore the energy of a young person and Spring teas goes hand in hand, hence you'll find younger people handle fresh green/green oolong teas better than matured people. People in 50's and 60's, on the other hand may find the energy too active, tell tails are stomach upset, break outs, increase heart beats.

Assuming we live 80 (national average) years, divide 80 by 4, each 20 years is a season. However, human has the potential to live 120 to 140 years. So 20 to 30 years is a season in human life depending on the person's health condition. In Chinese medicine terms, what keeps the body alive is Qi and blood, Qi is the energy that pushes blood circulating. Qi is stronger at younger age, as we all know younger people are more energetic.

Many customers of mine asked me why do they have upset stomachs after drinking green teas, and the outrage is "If green tea is so good for you, why do I get upset stomach?" The mass population follow the most current trends, when the media say green is so and so good for health, they must be good for everybody equally. However it isn't true. Each body is different from another, it's different from it's own at each season, each mood, each hour of the day, each stress we face. The media also show science results of selected teas, not all teas by season, region, grade, type, and age. The results are measured base on a standard condition, rather than suitability of a human body condition at various times.

When it comes to selecting a tea, there isn't a best tea for health. There is better tea by grade, but not for health. Therefore green tea is not the best tea out of all for health as most customers of mine assumed. I tell my customers not one tea is suitable for everybody. Select a type that your body agrees with. Our bodily mechanism is much more intelligent than our own brain when it comes to health and what is better for our body.

Tea at UCLA

NCAM Organizers, Will, Louise and moi

NCAM at UCLA invited me to talk about tea last week. I was excited and honored to have the opportunity to open the door of tea world to young minds. About 40 to 50 students attended the event. Thanks to Will and Louise for helping with tea tasting. :)

Will's explaining steps of Kung Fu Tea

In more than 2 years of tea business operation, I learn that many people are interested in tea but not knowing where and how to start. Given that there are many products available, living habits and lack of information, it's a confusing world of tea in the US and other areas in the world, including China itself.

During the UCLA event, I did not know what to expect from the students. So I planned the topics safely, the normal introduction to tea. During the question session, I am delighted that this group of students are well informed at the level where they ask logical questions. Many of which are helpful for me to reorganize how I should teach in the future.

One question I particularly love is How to identify good tea. The original question is where and how to find good tea? This is a very important topic for novices. I could easily say buy my teas. :P But seriously, its about how to identify good tea more than where to find it. We all go through a learning curve, whether you drink tea since 3 or lead down the tea path when you meet that lovely spouse of yours, or whatever reason. For myself, I have drunk tea since I can't remember, then one day I tagged along a friend for a tea class and has been steeping in tea ever since.

Looking back at my learning curve, I find that sampling various types of tea during one session is actually confusing. Because each type is entirely different from an other. What you can learn from that is the flavor/aroma difference of the teas, but there are much more to it than the flavor/aroma. Given there can be grade/flavor/aroma/texture variations, tasting a Long Jing, Tie Guan Yin and a Da Hong Pao at the same time is like comparing apples to oranges and cherries. One can say I like the taste of cherry, and the orange is better than apple. But that does not reflect how good the cherries, oranges and apples are.

My advice to any one is taste the same kind of tea at the same time to learn the difference in grade. Pick a tea you are interested the most. Say 3 or more Long Jings from various sources or grades at a session, or 3 Da Hong Pao at a session. There ought to be a better one out of 3 right? Then set a palate profile and memorize it, use that as a standard, compare it to future purchase of the same type of tea, raise the bar as you go. After the first one, use the same method on the next type, once you get a hang of this for 3-5 types, you will be able to identify good teas no mater what they are, where they come from. This is a skill to identify good tea, not just to find the flavors you like.

Whether to try various types of tea, or try various grades of the same type of tea first at the beginning of your tea journey, is a personal choice. But the later might save you a few pennies and some shelf space down the road. You'll have to pay tuition no mater what, so don't be afraid to buy something nice and expensive.

Another question I was asked, where should I start, green white or? Well, most tea drinkers who spend the effort to learn and explore Chinese teas, most likely end up with Oolong and/or Pu-erh after trying many many types of tea. That's more than plenty to try for the next 5 years. It's necessary to try as many types of teas as you are willing, it's a process to find your preferred flavors. This is a different process from identifying a good tea.

In my opinion, a good tea is great in flavor, aroma and the most important of all substance. Characteristics of substance are texture, sweetness, long brewing duration and lingering after taste. I can't stretch enough about texture and how it separates the good from bad. Old high mountain teas of 75+ years have this thick texture like a film coats your tongue and mouth. In Chao Zhou local terms, the tea's got bones! Meaning you can feel the tea in the mouth other than the taste, it's not watery. Try drinking a cup of water and some chicken stock side by side, you'll know what I am talking about. Don't focus on the chicken stock flavor though. The substance of tea can not be imitated or hidden, flavors can change, aroma can change, taste can change, but texture will not change and can not be faked.

3 essentials when making good teas: good fresh leaves, skilled master and suitable weather. Without good leaves, a skilled master can make decent teas in suitable weather. With good leaves, an average tea maker can make not bad to good teas in suitable weather. Good leaves with substantial substance are god given and are the base of good tea regardless of the other 2 variables. Of course the tea maker and weather will later influence the out come.