I tried to explain why I brew tea Gong Fu style to my Dad the other day
and I couldn't come up with a satisfactory explanation. I know from
first hand experience that Gong Fu is better than English style, but
it's difficult to explain to someone who doesn't really drink tea. I
know there are posters here who are extremely knowledgable, so I was
wondering what the various reasons are? The one that makes the most
sense to me at the moment is that changes within the tea are more
obvious when you brew with more leaf and less water. Brewing tea
English style, with less leaf and more water, makes these changes
considerably less obvious. What does everyone else think? Why is Gong
Fu better?

xDustinx1164766817.005156.50030@14g2000cws.googlegroups.com11/28/06
21:20xcasper54x@hotmail.com

Hey Dustin,

Aha! Gungfu *isn't* better. However, it
does afford an opportunity to experience
ever changing tastes from steep to steep,
which is in itself an adventure It also
forces the Gungfuer to pay close attention...

xDustinx wrote:

Just my 2 leaves, but I tend to find that the complete freedom of the
leaves allows them to fully unfurl and show themselves. This not only
produces a better brew than in cramped confines, but it allows you to
get a very up-close and personal view of the leaves and the aromas,
instead of almost second-hand if it is further away in a dark cavelike
teapot with just the liquid in your cup up close.

Dustin, the big difference for me is:

English style - small amount of leaves, large amount of water.

Tea used to be rare - exceedingly rare. Only people of middle-class
and above would own tea, and the small quantity of leaves one was lucky
enough to own would be locked in a chest like every other expensive,
rare commodity. This was further exacerbated by the war, in which tea
was rationed like everything else (ref: George Orwell, "The Perfect Cup
of Tea", c.WW2).

In order to make a meaningful brew in the presence of a small amount of
leaf, English style brews it long, with a large quantity of water.

Gongfu style - large amount of leaves, small amount of water.

More leaves means more flavour. It also means shorter infusions, using
less water, which means less tendency to leech bitterness out of the
leaves. Such is the luxury enjoyed by most Chinese for the last two
thousand years.

One of my friends calls gongfucha the "espresso of tea", and while not
totally accurate, I can appreciate his point. :)

---

Michael Plant wrote:

I have seen and always taken Gung (Gong/Kung) Fu to be about the
skillful brewing of tea. And quite often see brewing via gaiwan to be
considered so... both online and in RL. I do fully understand the small
yixing overflowing with leaves side, but that has never held the sole
ownership of the style in my eyes. It's all about the skill and care to
me.

- Dominic

"xDustinx" hotmail.com> writes:

Why not just sit your father down and give him a gongfu session? If
he's open-minded, that should convince him that there's something
interesting going on.

HobbesOxon wrote:

As for Gongfu there is nothing more pleasing than a hole in the middle
of the table with a tube down to a spittoon to drain the boat. I saw
this on YouTube. For the rest of you using Yixing tie a string between
the lid and handle. Then you can pour at a steep angle like the pros.
And I thought this depended on the workmanship of the pot. I also saw
this on YouTube.

Jim

If GongFu is multiple infusions then my modified 1L tea press needed a
passport this morning. I don't like tossing leaves in near zero
temperature and snow. I easily got 2L of tea from leaves I use for
1/2L. The leaves-on-a-stem are so spent I'll eat them with a sprig dip
and a turkey sandwich for lunch.

Jim

Michael Plant wrote:

...for the dialup challenged...

Michael Plant wrote: