"Fen Cha," Tea Art

"Fen Cha" is also known as the "theater of tea." It is a game that began among the people of the northern Song Dynasty. In this, one has to first grind the tea into powder, then pour it into the tea cup. Next, add water, whisk and form an image on the surface of the liquid. This is known as “water calligraphy." It is said that a master tea artist, a monk named Fuquan, could whisk four cups of tea at the same time and produce tea with images of poetry, landscape paintings, floral and animal paintings. Sadly, this art has long since been lost.
The culture of drinking tea began in the Tang Dynasty and gained popularity in the Song Dynasty. This reflects the prosperity of that era. Tea is not merely an important item of life. The emperors" love for tea resulted in the inclusion of tea in court. The scholars’ love of tea resulted in a legacy of many tea poems, tea paintings and tea books. Teahouses filled the streets, providing entertainment venues for the people. Many tea-related customs were created as well.
Steamed Oolong loose leaf tea was sold in the market, and became an alternative simpler way of brewing tea. Tea disks were replaced by loose leaf tea.

Zhao Ji And Da Guan Theories Of Tea

All the emperors of the Song Dynasty were tea lovers. They frequently held tea gatherings in the palace. Emperor Huizong, Zhao Ji was the author of the book, Da Guan Theories of Tea.
He was the first emperor in history to write a book on tea. Huizong was a master in the art of tea making and tea, and frequently personally brewed tencha for his officials. Da Guan Theories of Tea has 20 chapters. It records in detail the production place, the environment, the climate, the time and method of harvest, the process of steaming and producing tea, the methods of distinguishing the quality of tea disks, the various equipment and water used in tencha. It also records the color, fragrance and taste of various tea leaves, the baking and storing of tea leaves, the names of tea leaves, etc.

Tencha Technique

Tencha brewing was very common in the Song Dynasty. The popular brewing method was usually tencha. The Japanese monks who came to China to study during the Song Dynasty took back to Japan the tencha brewing method, still in use today. The Japanese art of matcha was born from the Song Dynasty's tencha. Tencha is directly brewed in heated water and not simmered or cooked over charcoal fire. One method is to whisk directly in the tea cup. The other method is to whisk the tea in the tea bowl before ladling the tea into the individual cups.
When brewing tencha, one must first bake the tea disk. If the disc has been produced in the current year, grind immediately after baking. If it is an aged tea disc, first soak in boiling water. Scrape off one or two layers of the oil on the surface before picking it with tea tongs and baking it over a low fire to remove the aged scent. Wrap in paper and beat it before grinding it into powder form. Then pass through a sieve to ensure that the tea is as fine as possible.
Next, boil water. The water must be light, clear, sweet and from a running source. Before brewing tencha, listen for the first boil, the second boil and the third boil... The water temperature after the third boil is most suitable because it is the temperature where the tea is most soluble. Warm the tea cup before adding the tea. Add the sieved tea powder, and add a small amount of water. Make a paste before adding heated water. Whisk the mixture repeatedly until froth appears. The tea liquid should be pure white.
Another method is whisking the tea in a tea bowl. When whisking, use a light the hand to whisk strongly. In the first round of water, add only a small amount. Swirl the water into the cup and do not pour directly.
Make a paste. In the second round, directly pour the water.
In the third round, pour the water while whisking, so that it froths at the surface. In the fourth round, add a little water.
In the fifth round, the amount of water depends on the amount of froth, in the sixth round, add the water while slowly stirring the tea with the whisk. In the seventh round, the tencha is completed. Distribute the tea into the tea cups evenly so that each cup has a balanced amount of froth. Do not add salt as the tea should maintain its original flavor.

Song And Yuan Dynasties Tea Customs

During the Song Dynasty, the production scale expanded greatly. The technique of tea production became even more refined. The famous Dragon and Phoenix tea disk was produced at that time. It was also known as Piancha During production, the mold used to make the tea disk was engraved with a dragon and phoenix design. The court specially sent officials to monitor the process of tribute tea production. Dragon and Phoenix tea was originally 500g per 8 disks. Later, it became 500g per 20 disks.

10 Virtues Of Tea Drinking

To dispel depression, to dispel sleepiness, to increase vitality, to dispel illnesses, to encourage compassion, to show respect, to taste flavors by Asian tea sets, to improve health, tea can touch the heart, tea can uphold morals - Tang. Liu Zhenliang.
Toward the end of the Tang Dynasty and early Song Dynasty, the technique of tea production improved. The way of drinking tea turned from roasting to whisking, also known as tencha.