At the tea-tasting bench
A sample passes through three places: the lidded cup where it steeps, the white bowl where the liquor is assessed, and the tray where the wet leaves can be opened out. Follow the sample to see why each vessel has a different shape.
On this page
Weigh the sample and mark the time#
The 1995 Chinese tea-science dictionary shows a small balance. The tea sample goes in the pan at one end; a 3 g or 5 g weight goes in the other. An adjacent entry illustrates a five-minute sandglass used to time an infusion. These are examples of the equipment described in that edition. For a particular assessment, check the method for the tea being tested. 273 (PDF 327)
Drain the cup into the bowl#
Find the handle of the brewing cup, then look across to the opposite rim. A small crescent-shaped or serrated cutout lets the liquor drain when the cup is tilted. The fitted lid keeps the bulk of the leaves inside, and the liquor collects in a separate white bowl. The pouring edge is part of the cup wall. 272 (PDF 326)
Compare like bowls#
The dictionary specifies matching size, thickness, height and colour among bowls of the same specification. Place the bowls together to compare the colour of the infusions, then use a white porcelain spoon to take liquor for tasting. The book pairs bowls with its 150 mL and 200 mL brewing cups and separately describes a smaller covered vessel for oolong assessment. Identify the equipment before comparing capacities. 272–273 (PDF 326–327)
Open out the infused leaves#
After draining, spread the leaves on the leaf-inspection tray (叶底盘). The dictionary records black wooden trays in square and oblong forms. It also describes a different way of looking at leaves: place them in a white enamel box and add water so they spread out. At this point the object of comparison is the wet leaf itself. The bowl still holds the infusion from that same sample. 273 (PDF 327)
Sources
- 《中国茶学辞典》编纂委员会，《中国茶学辞典》