TEA TALES: Treasured tea started as a dream

Shuai's latest article on the Chinese Tea Ceremony published by the Times-Standard "Tea Tales: Treasured tea started as a dream."

According to legend, during the Qing Dynasty around the year of 1725, there was a tea farmer, Wei Yin, in Anxi County who was very diligent about growing a tea bush. Wei Yin also believed in Guanyin, which is a Bodhisattva in Buddhism. He showed his devotion by enshrining a statue of Guanyin at home…

Tea Harvest begins!

Kumi sent this: "The tea harvest season began in Japan! This picture is from Asahi Newspaper in Osaka, Japan."

Thanks, Kumi!

Tea Tales by Shuai Chen

This is the first of what promises to be several articles by Shuai Chen, Chinese tea practitioner, HSU finance student and tea friend. Shuai joined us for Cha-no-yu recently.

http://www.times-standard.com/lifestyle/ci_9103812

HSU Tea Demonstration April 10, 2008

Each year, Humboldt State University's Associated Students and the Multicultural Center organize an Asian-Pacific Heritage Celebration, a week of events and exchange of Asian culture.

We demonstrated ryakubon date (O-bon temae, tea made on a tray) in a three-mat "room" for about 19 attendees — students, staff and faculty. It was a very simple and informal demonstration, but perfect for the occasion. The tea we served was Pacleaf "Starlight."

Above, L to R: John, Kristin, Harvey, Pia and Laura. (Holly is behind the camera.) Harvey gave a brief introduction before Kristin, Pia and Laura demonstrated tea:

After our demonstration, Shuai Chen demonstrated Chinese tea ceremony. I was impressed by how differently each ceremony expressed appreciation of tea, yet I could sense an underlying similarity — perhaps a common stem from which both ceremonies grew. The tea she served was Oolong. Each step of the ceremony had a poetic name — and forgive me if I get this wrong — such as "Peacock Spreads its Tail." Her motions were as graceful as a dancer, and small flourishes while pouring or closing the teapot lid were deliberate and restrained. The tea leaves were rinsed once (a preliminary infusion which, I assume, should remove most of the bitter elements such as caffeine) then there was a series of seven infusions. The first infusion was poured into a tall teacup called the aroma cup, a shorter cup was placed over it then both cups were inverted. When the tea was served, the participant would remove the aroma cup (now on top) and appreciate the fragrance of the tea before drinking from the second, shorter cup. Here are photos of her beautiful equipment:

After both ceremonies, there was a relaxed time for questions. Shuai made more tea, and Kristin, Pia and Laura made bowls of tea which we shared with attendees in paper cups. Not as good as a chawan, but good for a first taste of matcha. (I'm always amused by the variety of facial expressions when someone tastes matcha for the first time!)

Chinese-Japanese Tea Exchange

Recently we were approached to demonstrate Cha-no-yu to a Chinese student who practices Chinese tea ceremony. Shuai has studied Chinese tea since she was a teen and learned through a mutual friend at HSU that we practice Japanese tea ceremony. On March 15th we arranged a demonstration at our home chashitsu.

Kristin performed Usucha. Guests were Laura, Kumi, Jay (Kumi's husband), Shuai (the Chinese student) and Holly. Harvey narrated. Kumi and Jay had just gone to San Fransisco and brought fresh manju sweets. We enjoyed Haiken after Usucha.

After tea, Shuai asked several questions about the ceremony, and was interested to know about any symbolic meaning what movements or actions might have. Harvey explained about the Four Principles -- Purity, Tranquility, Respect and Harmony -- and their influence on Cha-no-yu. And later, while we were enjoying sake and senbei in the kitchen, Harvey and Shuai sat down at the computer and watched YouTube videos of both Chinese and Japanese tea ceremonies.

Shuai is anxious to demonstrate Chinese tea ceremony for us, and we are equally excited to see it. We hope to see it at HSU's Asian-Pacific Cultural Festival or sooner if we can manage.

Here's an article written by our local paper about Shuai and her tea practice:

http://www.times-standard.com/ci_8622571

We are arranging a tea demonstration of our own at the HSU festival, but nothing has been finalized yet.

Deadlines and flower arranging

Originally published
Wednesday June 28, 2006

The biggest drawback of working for a publication is meeting its deadline.

Now, I am not whinging about either work or deadlines. I enjoy my job and the the newspaper I work for is published weekly. But the one evening a week that I need to work late is the same night that we practice Tea. On a good day, the paper is finished by 7:00 and I'll be home somewhere between 7:30-8:00. On a rough day we still can be working at 8:00. Or later. By the time I'm home I'm ready for shoes-off, sweat pants-on, cocktails and dinner, not sitting seiza and folding fukusa. In the end, though, Tea practice refreshes my weary mind and I'm glad for it. My knees are another matter.

This week's practice -- with Annie, Kristen, Pia, John and myself -- was excellent. I was home at a decent hour and since I had not been able to arrange Chabana that morning as I usually do -- nor had Harvey been able to -- I asked him if he still wanted me to take care of it. He replied that he was going to have one of the other students volunteer to select and arrange the flowers. I pulled a selection of vases from the cupboard and brought in a variety of flowers from the garden. The situation evolved into a workshop, with everyone arranging flowers (except me!). Annie was especially inspired. We put all the flowers in the tokonoma, whereupon Nikko the Evil Ninja Tea Cat selected one of John's arrangements and removed nearly all its petals.

After Nikko apologized to John (in her own fashion, of course), Annie and Kristen coached Pia while she made usucha. John was shokyaku and the rest of us played musical guests while taking turns making tea (except me!).

Doldrums

Originally published
Wednesday June 7, 2006

dol·drums
Pronunciation: 'dOl-dr&mz, 'däl-, 'dol-
Function: noun plural
Etymology: probably akin to Old English "dol" foolish
1 : a spell of listlessness or despondency
2 often capitalized : a part of the ocean near the equator abounding in calms, squalls, and light shifting winds
3 : a state or period of inactivity, stagnation, or slump

=^..^=

I'd like to blame this period of apparent inactivity on the weather: It's been rather warm, muggy and overcast, making me inclined to take nap (and I'm not much of a nap-taker). There are other reasons for my inactivity, which I'll deftly avoid addressing, and go on to talk about last night's tea practice.

A full complement of students appeared at the house last night, after several weeks of Kristen having company, or Annie or me having work issues, or John and Pia housesitting. I was even done with work early enough to be home in time to enjoy tea with them. Harvey, on the other hand, was having a bad day with back pain and could not sit with us in the chashitsu. We practiced basic folds for fukusa, and then had usucha.

Nikko -- the tea cat -- was particularly well-behaved and didn't eat the flowers in the tokonoma (last night's chabana was white Dicentra/bleeding hearts/Dutchman's breeches). She did sit in the tokonoma for a spell, and I commented to teshu, "Those are lovely flowers in the tokonoma. What are they?" To which Kristen replied, "They are called 'Nikko-breeches.'"