China's Tea Contests

The tea contest is a tradition very well established in China.  Tea contests continue to the present day, but their roots are firmly planted in the soil of the past.  The preparation of tea, and tea drinking itself, became quite sophisticated at the Chinese court circle and also among other people during social gatherings.  In fact, tea making contests came into popularity in the Song dynasty.  During the contest, connoisseurs and judges would sample taste and grad the quality of the tea.  They would also, more importantly, appreciate the physical appearance of the tea in the actual tea bowl.  This was always the result of careful preparation.

The preparation of tea requires great skill in order to accomplish.  First, the tea cake is heated.  Then it is ground to a fine powder.  The finely ground tea powder is put in a tea bowl after it is correctly pre-warmed.  The right amount of boiling water at the necessary temperature is poured into the bowl.  Then this is followed by a complete whipping in even circular motions.  If done correctly, the tea will form a silvery white foam on the surface.  The foam clings to the walls of the bowl without showing the presence of water along the wall.  This has been called "biting the bowl" in Chinese.  If this does not happen, the contestant will very likely lose the contest.  Therefore, precision and careful attention are required to be victorious.

Best regards from the East,

Harlan Urwiler

For more information, feel free to visit my website at:  http://www.myorientalgallery.com/.