Ep. 10 | Yixing Teaware and the Gongfu Tea Ceremony

More Ming Dynasty tea history this time. Further innovations from China's tea artisans further improves the taste and experience of tea. The famous "zisha" clay teapots and teaware from Yixing are introduced as well as their role in the Gongfu Tea Ceremony. As the second half of the Ming Dynasty starts to wind down, the Europeans will soon be knocking on China's door. They too will discover the goodness and greatness of tea with historic consequences.

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Terms in Episode

Pinyin/Term	Chinese	English/Meaning
Jǐngdézhēn	景德鎮	City in Jiangxi where the most famous porcelain in China is made
Lake Póyáng	鄱陽湖	Largest feshwater lake in China located in northern Jiangxi
Jiāngxī	江西	Interior province just west of Fujian
Míng	明朝	The Ming Dynasty 1368-1644
Táng	唐朝	The Tang Dynasty 618-907
Sòng	宋朝	The Song Dynasty 960-1279
Zhǔchá	煮茶	To boil tea leaves to prepare tea
Mǒchá	抹茶	Ground powdered tea. called matcha in Japanese
Pàochá	泡茶	To steep tea leaves in a teapot
Yǒnglè	永乐帝	Ming Emperor who reigned 1403-1424
Shānxi	山西	Northern province east of Shaanxi
Shǎnxi	陕西	Northern province west of Shanxi
Jīn	斤	a "Chinese Pound", also called a "catty", 1.1 pounds
Sòng Tàizǔ	宋太祖	Temple name of Zhao Kuangyin, founder of the Song Dynasty
Xǐ chá	洗茶	To "wash" the tea
Yíxìng	宜兴	City in Jiangsu province famous for their clay tea pots. Formerly known as Yangxian
Mount Gùzhǔ	顾渚山	Located near Changxing in Zhejiang Province, it was the site of both Jinsha Spring and the famous tribute tea Purple Bamboo.
Zǐsǔn Chá	紫笋茶	Purple Bamboo Tea
Lù Yǔ	陆羽	The Tea Saint, and author of the Classic of Tea. He lived 733-804
Chá Jīng	茶经	The Tea Classic, Lu Yu's most famous work
Yángxiàn	阳羡	Former name of the city of Yíxìng, located in Jiangsu Province
Yángxiàn tea	阳羡茶	Yangxian Purple Bamboo Tea, one of the earliest true Tribute Teas of China
Lú Tóng	卢仝	790-835, perhaps the most famous "Tea Person" in Tang Dynasty China, other than the Tea Saint himself
Déhuá	德华	in central Fujian west of Quánzhōu developed quite a porcelain legacy
Zǐshā	紫砂	Purple clay used in the manufacture of clay teapots
Pǔ-ěrh	普洱	A variety of fermented tea that comes from Yunnan province in China
Tiěguānyīn	铁观音	Iron Buddha or Goddess of Mercy tea, a kind of Oolong tea from Anxi, Fujian
Yǎng hú	养壶	to "raise" or season a teapot
Gōngfu tea	功夫茶	A careful deliberate way to prepare tea to obtain the maximum enjoyment from the beverage
Cha no Yu	茶の湯	Another name for the Japanese Tea Ceremony
pǐnmíngbēi	品茗杯	A "tea sipping cup" that is part of the gongfu tea preparation
Pǐn	品	To sip (among other definitions)
Míng	茗	Another character for tea
bēi	杯	A cup
Cháhé	茶荷	A tea scoop used to retrieve the tea leaves from your jar or container
Chápán	茶盘	A Tea Tray used to carry out a gongfu tea ceremony
Gàiwǎn	盖碗	A lidded tea bowl used for preparing and drinking tea
Gài	盖	A lid or cover
Wǎn	碗	A bowl
Fújiàn	福建	Coastal province in southern China
Zhū Yuánzhāng	朱元璋	Founder of the Ming Dynasty. He lived from 1328-1398
Wànlì Emperor	万历帝	1573 to 1620
Shén Nóng	神农	The Divine Farmer, an ancient mythological figure of Chinese pre-history, credited with (among many other things) the discovery of tea
Suí	隋朝	The Sui Dynasty 581-618
Princess Wénchéng	文成公主	Princess Wénchéng, niece of Tang Emperor Taizong. Chinese tradition says she brought tea and Buddhism to the Tibetan people following her marriage to their great king Songtsen Gampo

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