Taiwanese Tea Ceremony

Making and drinking Taiwanese Tea is considered an art form. There are proper ways to hold the teapot, tea cups, etc. There is, also, a proper order in which to pour the tea. (The tea master’s cup is always the last to be filled.) Oh, almost forgot, there is even a proper way to present the dry tea leaves before actually steeping them. This way guests can smell and inspect the leaves (in case there are bugs). Most of this is just for show, but it is an interesting thing to learn how to do and will give you some insight into how seriously the Taiwanese take their tea preparation.

Setting Up

To have a proper traditional tea set, you need more than just a teapot and teacups. You, also, need a tea scoop or hollowed out piece of bamboo. This instrument is used when handling the dry tea leaves. It is used to remove the tea leaves from the bag and measure the appropriate amount of dry leaves needed. Then, the tea master will present the tea leaves to his or her guests before using the scoop to pour the leaves into the teapot. Along with a scoop, you will also need a tea spoon (also known as a nose picker), a pot for dumping used leaves, a pot to hold the teapot (this catches any spillage that accidentally leaks out), and a small ceramic pitcher, which is used to distribute the tea into the cups.

Pouring

The first step to drinking the tea is to warm the teapot and tea cups. For this, the tea master will simply pour hot water into the teapot. From there, he or she will pour it into the pitcher, and from there, into the cups. After pouring into the cups, the tea master will simply dump the water from the cups into the pot designated for such things. This is the basic pouring order cycle the tea master will use throughout the experience. Remember to be patient. The mark of a good tea master is to do everything very slowly.

After warming the tea pot and cups, it is time to retrieve, present and place the tea leaves into the pot. Once the tea leaves have been added, the tea master will allow the leaves to breath, stretch and wake up. This is done by covering them with warm water (not enough to fill the pot, just enough to cover the leaves) and letting them set for maybe five seconds before dumping the water. Yes, before dumping the water, it must go through the entire pouring cycle.

Finally, it’s time to steep the tea. With the freshly relaxed leaves still inside, fill the tea pot with water and let it sit for 30 seconds. (That’s right, all you English people used to just letting your tea bags set for half the day: 30 seconds.) After 30 seconds, pour the tea and your guests can finally drink it this time. In your haste, do not dump the tea leaves after the first pour. The same leaves can be used for four consecutive pours. The trick is to lengthen the amount of time the leaves steep by 10 seconds. On the first pour, let them steep for 30 seconds, then 40, 50 and finally 60 seconds. After the fourth pour, the leaves are ready to be dumped. Use the crooked end of the “nose picker” to dump the leaves into designated waste pot. Before doing this, however, you should use the pointy end to un-stick any leaves that may have gotten caught in the spout of the tea pot.

Congratulations, you’ve just completed your first tradition tea tasting, but you’re not finished yet. It’s not uncommon to try four of five different teas in one sitting. To speed things along, you can skip the fourth pour and just do three for each different type of tea. After dumping the leaves from the first batch, you will need to rinse the equipment (teacups, etc.). This is very easy. Just run hot water through the pouring cycle before getting started with your next batch of leaves.

The Tea

Most Taiwanese tea seems to be Oolong Tea. However, there are several different types and flavors of Oolong Tea. Similar to wine, some Oolong teas have more earthy tones while others are more flowery. For example, “After Winter” Oolong tea is a more earthy and grassy tasting variety of tea. It is, also, a special tea because it can only be harvested for about one month after winter and not every year, but only when the weather has been suitable. Along with Oolong tea, Taiwan does have some black tea to offer. (Interesting fact: When black tea is exported from Taiwan to the United States, sugar is often added to the leaves.) The local population thinks it tastes just fine the way it is. Don’t ask for sugar. It’s not worth the glares and questionable expressions. By the third pour, it will have grown on you so don’t be afraid to try it.

Where to Go

There are a number of fine tea houses located at Dongmen Station. There are, also, some famous tea houses at the top of the Maokong Gondola. However, according to local advice, the shops at Dongmen are the best. I can personally recommend Stop By Tea House, which is located behind the Din Tai Fung at Dongmen station.

Visiting a tea house with friends is a laid back and relaxing way to spend an afternoon. I highly recommend it. It’s an experience that proves the Taiwanese have a few things to teach us about properly relaxing. They, also, have more than a few things to teach us about making a proper cup of tea.