The Naked Tea Shop at West Lake, Hongzhou

Dear my loving readers and visitors,



The display board at the main entrance of the west lake.



The photo was taken at the main entrance of the west lake.


















"Ripping water shimmering on sunny day,
Misty mountains shrouded the rain;
Plain or gaily decked out like Xizi;
West Lake is always alluring."

These are the words composed by the famous Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo (960-1127) when he compared the West Lake to Xi Zi, the most beautiful woman in ancient China. These poetic sentiments described the glory of the scenery that inspired human beings.

West Lake, Hangzhou
Originally a shallow sea inlet, due to the laying down of silt this 5.68 square kilometers (about 1,404 acres) of water became the famous West Lake. I was told that the depth of the lake is around 2.5 meter to 5 meter and the lake comprises five distinct sections. The largest part is known as the Outer Lake and it is bounded by the North Inner Lake, Yuehu Lake, West Inner Lake and Lesser South Lake.

Held in the embrace of hilly peaks on three sides, this water wonderland has been an attraction for centuries and it is small wonder that it was a favourite imperial retreat. The lake and its surroundings have all the elements of a traditional Chinese garden on a grand scale. The natural setting of strangely shaped peaks, serene forests and springs, dense foliage and a myriad of blossoms especially in springtime are enhanced by a treasury of sculpture and architectural features.




Lotus pond

Another natural spectacle site is the tidal bore of the Qiantang River that has enthralled people for centuries. Overlooking the river estuary stands the 13 story high Six Harmonies Pagoda. Dating from 970 and built on the site of an earlier pagoda that served as a lighthouse, the name refers to the six codes of Buddhism i.e. harmony of the body, speech and thought and the renunciation of personal pleasure, opinions and wealth. A climb to the top of the pagoda carries the reward of an impressive view over the river.

Crossing the river is the Qiantang River Bridge. This is the first two-tier bridge to have been designed and built by Chinese engineers in modern times. The other great feat of much earlier engineering is the Grand Canal. Linking Hangzhou in the south with Beijing in the north, this is the longest man-made waterway in China and surpasses both the Suez and Panama canals.

I trust the above briefing of the West Lake well describe the beauty of its scenery. You can be rest assured that the splendid and diverse landscape will remain long in your memory forever.




The above photo was taken inside of the tea shop - The naked tea shop, where the ambience is not like the normal ones.

I was having tea with my friend after we had our tour; by a small boat, cost us RMB 80 per boat and  light passenger vehicle (cost us RMB 40 per round trip) which it took us round the surrounding of the whole lake.


The weather at that time was high side, slightly more than 40 degree Celsius, and we decided to pop in the nearest tea house at the final stop of our tour. We ended up in the above tea house, not the convention type. I have my lemon tea ice while my friend have green tea. The ice lemon tea, which I seldom have, was a real thirst quenching. I could feel the effect almost instantly after a few sips of it. Some critics are against the cold tea as it is not good for health. However, the heat is overwhelming that caused me to give in to it. To more flexible, a change also good as it add colors to life.

Whereas my friend was having green tea instead - the local delicate drink. He was only drinking and not the tea leaves, despite I had advised him to eat the tea leave. Some believe that the tea leaves is of good health to human body. That's why the people there rather describe the act as "eat tea" rather than "drink tea", so as to give more appropriate meaning to it. If not of the heat, I would rather go for green tea. It also will enhance the blood circulation and causing good appetite, as a result of speeding up the digestion process.

The photo below tells thousands words and it well reflect myself being too exhausted. Thanks for the cozy environment in the restaurant that gave us a good shelter from the heat and we ended up with a long chat of our good old times there.



The photo below taken at one of the traditional tea shops across the road.

It's not unusual to see Chinese tea houses and modern cafes standing side by side, and amidst the modernity and bustle of the city, one can still find serenity and beauty in the vicinity of Hangzhou's famed West Lake.

I really have lots of fun after nearly spending my meaningful time at the Hangzhou West lake and I do encourage you do the same if you have the time.

Thereafter, we rushed to catch a cab to another place for a street walk and dinner before I call off my trip there. Beautiful China - may I visit you again..

Thanks for your time and hope to seeing from you again,

James Oh

Some basic information on Pu'er tea

Dear my loving readers and readers,

As promised earlier, I will dwell more details on Pu'er. To make thing simple and clearer, I let the photos do the talking as each photo tell thousands words.

Below are some of the photos together with short briefing, which can give you a better understanding of what I am talking about.





You will find 7 pieces of Pu'er cake in each pack. Each pack is wrapped by dried big leaf and the weight of each piece is usually ranges from 350 -450 grams. In short, each cartoon consists of 84 cakes.





Opened Pu'er tea cake.



The above photo shown the original pack of Pu'er, which has been removed from cartoon boxes. Each cartoon comprises of 12 packs of Pu'er. In short, each cartoon consists of 84 pieces of Pu'er cake.


The Pu'er cake will be broken in pieces by using the tools displayed below. A container will be used to put all the tools usually come in set comprises of of tea shuffle, Digger, Needle, Tongs and vase.


In short, "Cha Dao" (the Way of Tea) is a set of tools that helps out in tea brewing. Typical tools in a Cha Dao set are:




Tea Shuffle - shuffles tea leaves



Tea Digger - digs expended tea leaves from teapots



Tea Needle - prevents spout blockage




Tea Tongs - handles hot tea ware for your fingers



Vase - provides home for all tools





The above photo taken of Pu'er tea, tea cup, kettle and its accessories.


As such, no tea ceremony would be completed without all the necessary utensils and accessories.

The tea tray is an central part of any tea ceremony or tea serving activity. The tea tray contributes a very distinctive personality when preparing the tea. Each tray has its own place for any consideration when planning on preparing your favorite teas.


Trust this info is useful to you. Look forward to seeing you again.


James Oh

MUCH MORE THAN TEA

Happy day to all my dearest friends.

Is the above statement true?  To answer it, let us go through the following discussion.

It is an undeniable fact that it is a commodity that is widely traded internationally.

It was used as currency at one time. Today, it is also widely used as a investment tool, like wine, to curb inflation. Tea is second most widely consumed beverage worldwide after water.

Brewing good quality tea requires more than knowledge. It needs skills, patience and meticulous. Everything counts here - be it the process, the quality of tea, the type of water used, utensils, tea pot, cups and many others. So, in order to acquire and master that skill, you need to posses all the above.

"Cha Toa" or rule of tea, inherited from centuries, is still practiced so as to obtain the best out of that particular tea in terms of its fragrance, taste, medicinal value and other benefits. To achieve the best, each and every unwritten rules pertaining to its brewing process need to be observed.

Tea can also be used to destress yourself from work, that is why some people have tea sets readily at their offices.  At the same time, they use it to serve tea to their guests. It is commonly practiced in China and other parts of the world where tea is a popular beverage. To them, taking out some time to sip their favorite tea will give them real relaxation to relieve their minds and souls.

Of course, if time permit, you can even have grand tea ceremony ( Kung Fu tea ceremony) whereby you  demonstrate your martial art skills in preparing the tea. Here, you will not only use all the utensils - which are normally beautifully crafted; prefaced with poems, animals, heroes, values and principles; which are so pleasing to your eyes, minds and souls, but also serve as collectors items. These utensils and other tea accessories of various sizes, shapes and colors made of various type of materials are also be used to serve different types of tea accordingly to its characteristics in term of its nature, size, shape and purpose. As a whole, you will see lots of creative works; the practicability,values and uniqueness of each and every utensil. They are either hand or machine made. These master pieces especially those hand crafted ones are valued very much by its collectors for their rarity and antiquity.

Ambience may also play a significant part if one desires to have the best out of tea. Some may choose to have it at a cool, quiet place where you can find lots of greenery. While others may choose to have it at the hilltop where they can hear the bird singing and water gushing down. Of course this is very idealistic and not everyone may have the time and affinity to be close to nature. Actually to enjoy tea, one can have it in one's own home.  Should one can afford it, one can drink tea with one's friends/family in one's beautifully landscaped garden and the Japanese carp swiming gracefully in the pond. However, if one cannot afford it, one can just set aside a small corner in one's home for this healthy practice.

The topic of tea can also used as conversation piece among your circle of friends who share this common interest. New ideas, knowledge and new methods of concocting tea as well as the introduction of tea in cooking can be shared. This in turn will foster their frealtionship and divert their attention from gossiping which is not beneficial to everyone.

Apart from this, it is common to see business deals being concluded during the tea session. I would be happy if anyone is willing to share with me their personal experiences/discoveries during their participation in such sessions. Thank you in advance and look forward to hearing from you.

The side effect of tea is that it contains caffeine. However, in ancient days, tea was only affordable to the scholars and high officials of China. Fortunately, today, tea is easily accessible to all levels of society since it is now more affordable as it is being cultivated on a larger scale.

Now, you can see why I have my own personal tea corner, decorated with articles mentioned above.

Thanks for your time and trust it will also lead you to the path of staying healthy, as I do.

Cheers and have a lovely healthy day everyday.

James Oh

Tea pot from Vitnamese's point of view

Dear my loving readers and visitors,

I came across the article, and I cannot find anything than sharing with you all, whom I care and love of.


Tea pot collector takes time to have a cuppa

Some of Vu’s teapots have exotic shapes.

THAI NGUYEN — For most people, enjoying a cup of tea usually takes about 20 minutes, but for Mong Nong Vu, tea time has lasted nearly half of his life.

The collector, born and raised in Dinh Hoa District, in a province celebrated for its tea – Thai Nguyen – has amassed around 300 teapots in various shapes and sizes, some 800 years old.

Vu has spent years researching and collecting the crockery, as well as drinking tea of course. Sometimes he wants a piece so badly, he is willing to fork out a sum ten times his monthly salary.

His job as director of the provincial Centre of Culture and Information, gives him the ideal conditions to pursue his obsession.

"These teapots show that since our ancestors’ time, Vietnamese tea culture was different from Japanese and Chinese," he says, "the tradition still influences modern culture."

One of the gems in his collection is a teapot called Ga Than (Holy Cock), made around 800 years ago under the Ly Dynasty. It has an interesting design - shaped like the head of a cockel.

Other Vietnamese teapots in the collection date from the Ly (1010-1225), Tran (1225-1400) and Le (1418-1788) dynasties, many shaped like dragons and phoenixes.

The collection also includes teapots from China (since Song, Ming and Qing dynasties) and some have designs following Japanese style.

Must haves

There are many favourites in his collection, Vu says.

"Once I travelled to the central city of Hue, the old capital under Nguyen Dynasty, and bought a Hoa Lo (Portable Earthen Stove) teapot originating from the royal palace. It has two parts, a teapot inside and an insulatory covering to keep the tea warm all day long for the elite."

Vu admits when he first clapped eyes on the teapot, he couldn’t tear his gaze away.

"I just kept staring at it until the owner agreed to sell it to me," he says.

"He understood my passion for teapots, so he gave me a good price."

Vu doesn’t allow anyone to take a photo of the outside of the teapot, only the inside, for fear that someone might try to copy it.

But collecting teapots is just part of Vu’s passion, albeit an indispensible one. His real interest lies in the nature and history of tea culture in Viet Nam.

To make the perfect cup of tea, firstly the water must be fresh and clean, he says, and of course very hot. The quality of the tea must be top notch and it must be brewed in the correct way. The icing on the cake? "Finally, the teapot must be beautiful," Vu says.

"Teapots show the elegance, culture and knowledge of the host in the tea party," he says.

According to Vu, there are three ways to enjoy tea in Viet Nam. The first follows folk style, the second is to show social status and the third is usually made as part of rituals to communicate with the spiritual world. Vietnamese people often use tea as an offering on a special occasion or during holy ceremonies at temples. When the rituals are finished, tea is served for people to drink.

With his vast collection, Vu hopes his teapots will help others understand more about Vietnamese tea culture, and appreciate its beauty and complexity . — VNS

It well demonstrate the point that teapot is the central focus on brewing good quality of tea, regardless whether it is from Chinese, Japanese, or Vietnamese. The emphasize is the same for almost all, if not all.

Trust you do have a good time reading this valuable piece of information.

James Oh

Tea Tray , or so called CHAPAN in Mandarin

Dear my loving readers,



The above "stump" style tea tray is carved from a single piece of wood (similar to American hickory), features with inlaid fish designs. Every of the small level, at various corners, serve to drain into the main tray, which will then drains out via hose attach to the brass spigot. Unique designed by a highly dedicated and caliber artists make it a masterpiece.

I shall add this type to my collection in the near future once my tea corner is in place.

Please share some your thoughts/views by forwarding them through comment. You may view my collection at http://teaartblog.blogspot.com.

Thanks for your time and see you again.


James Oh

Yixing Zisha Travel Tea Set

Dear my loving readers,

This small travel tea set is designed for tea on the go. With a small tea pot, three cups and a tea tray, what you need to brew tea is just your favorite tea and water!









This set is perfectly practical especially for those who often on the move.

Trust you find it is useful as I do.

James Oh

Yixing pottery from Melody Wu

Yixing pottery refers to the unique traditional stoneware made in Yixing, China. They are made from the reddish clay (zisha) found in Yixing area, usually unglazed to display the beauty of the shiny color of the clay. Most of them are teawares (called zisha teapots).

The history of Yixing pottery went way back at early Song and Ming dynasty (A.D. 960 -1505). The change in the way by which the tea is made in Ming dynasty introduced a fundamental revolution in the art of tea-tasting in China. People started to drink tea which is similar to the modern tea made from young leaves from tea trees. Because unglazed zisha teapots can keep the color and the fresh of the tea better and longer, also the rustic elegance in the shape and the natural shine in the colors is in accordance with the search for ideal of the beauty of the nature among scholars, zisha teapots has since experienced a rapid development and gained recognition in Chinese ceramics.

Ming and Qing dynasties are the most flourish time in the historical development of Yixing pottery, and can be divided into three separate periods as early, middle and later periods.

The early period starts from the beginning of 17th century to the beginning of 16th century (Zhende period to Wanli period in Ming dynasty). The styles of zisha teawares absorb the styles in the copperware and silverware, even the furniture style of the Ming dynasty. Most of them have the type called Jinwen (the body of teapot has vivid lines).

The middle period started from early 17th century to the middle of 18th century (corresponds to late Ming dynasty to middle Qing dynasty). Zisha ware reached its summit in this period; many famous potters were active during this time; numerous shapes were made; the most unique styles of zisha ware were developed.

The late period is from the late 18th century to the early 20th century (middle of Qing dynasty to late of Qing dynasty). With the more and more patronage and advocate from scholars, styles with geometric forms and carving inscription were very fashionable. In addition, the techniques of slip painting, enameling, carving etc. were applied to add more fun for scholastic interest.

Yixing zisha ware won numerous prizes from International trade exhibitions all over the world. The three zisha clay are purple clay, red clay and dark green clay. Zisha clay has an excellent plasticity which allows extensive freedom of creation, a small rate of contraction, good in proportions and in dimensions. After firing, the zisha teaware has an appropriate amount of air holes for ventilation such that the teapot can preserve the color, smell and taste of the tea. Also after frequent use and subsequent wiping, the teapot will acquire a natural shine as from pearl and jade stone.

Zisha ware has numerous styles all made by hand slab forming techniques. There are round style, angular geometric style, sculpture style, and teawares with vivid lines style.

There are also a variety of decoration methods for zisha ware. They can be made by clay mixed with grains, clay mixed with another different color clay, polishing etc. The surface embellishments involves glazing, carving, slip painting, enameling, applique and lacquer encasing. The most famous and the one which has the biggest influence lasted to today on the zisha history is the carving inscription of calligraphy and painting. This is a decoration to include the culture, calligraphy, carving and painting in the art of teapots, and was advocated by Hen Mansheng who was famous for calligraphy and seal engraving in Qing dynasty. This makes the zisha teaware having great artistic and culture values.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Melody_Wu