Visiting the Worthy Tea Promotion Center
“Tea drinking is a way of life.”
(This entry is written by the pianist Xiaoyu Xie. He's a Chengdu homeboy who now performs and teaches in western Massachusetts. He's an avid NPR listener who has graciously volunteered to show us around his hometown while we are here.)
Working with specialty teas in Chengdu.
Photos by Art Silverman, NPR
Tea is one of the world's oldest and most-consumed beverage. It's still preferred by most Chinese in spite of the growing popularity of Lattes and Frappuccinos.
As life in modern day China gets more hectic, the ancient art of tea drinking is a way to slow things down.
The other day I stopped into the Worthy Tea Promotion Center near downtown Chengdu. The owner is Song Yu.
He showed me Gong-Fu-Cha. In English that's Kong Fu Tea. It means literally 'tea brewed with great skill'.
He tells me "This is a part of our cultural heritage. Gong Fu Cha brings together mind, body, and nature. Not to mention that tea is the healthiest beverage in the world."
Owner Song Yu shows how to serve tea properly.
Photos by Art Silverman, NPR"Gong Fu Cha" is NOT a type of tea, but rather a way of brewing tea.
As soon as Mr. Song pours hot water into the cup, the tea leaves dance wildly and fill the air with the sweet scent of jasmine.
Mr. Song hands me my tea. It's now a soft amber color.
"You should drink this in three sips,"
"First sip is to sample the aroma, the second for the flavor, and the third marries the previous two."
"Tea drinking is a way of life," says Mr. Song.
"Stop and smell the roses," so goes the saying, but may be here in Chengdu, China, it should be "stop and enjoy a cup tea!"
- - Xiaoyu Xie
3:15 AM ET | 05- 8-2008 | permalink
