Gongfu Tea Ceremony - Origin

Origin

Attention to tea making quality has been a classic Chinese tradition. All teas, loose tea, coarse tea, and powdered tea have long coexisted with the "imperially appointed compressed form". By the end of the 14th century, the more naturalistic "loose leaf" form had become a popular household product and by the Ming era, loose tea was put to imperial use. In Japan, tea production began in the 12th century following Chinese models, and eventually evolved into the Japanese tea ceremony, meant to be exclusive to political and military elites. The related teaware that is the tea pot and later the gaiwan were evolved. It is believed that the gongfu tea preparation approach began only in around the 18th century. Some scholars think that it began in Wuyi in Fujian, where the production of oolong tea for export began, others believe that it was the people in Chaozhou in the Chaoshan area in Guangdong started this particular part of the tea culture.

Oral history from the 1940s still referred to Gongfu Cha as "Chaoshan Gongfu Cha". It is likely that regardless of the earliest incidence of the approach, the place that first successfully integrated it into daily life was Chaoshan area. Chaozhou is recognized by some as the "Capital" of gongfu tea. The way of tea making is evident in all corners of the city. However, the situation was a little different between the 1950s to the 1970s — throughout the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution social unrests in Mainland China, the practice of preparing tea carefully for enjoyment was virtually a crime. On the other hand, it continued to develop in Chinese societies outside of China, most notably Taiwan. That is why today there are two slightly different streams of the gongfu tea approach: the more pragmatic, less equipment one used by tea hobbyists and the tea trade in the Mainland and Hong Kong, and the more elaborate one used in Taiwan. The latter stream has also become a blue print for the so-called "gongfu tea ceremony" performance/show, although now various other elements, such as costumes and water pouring tricks are integrated in it for added show values.