Introduction to Practical Tea Art (PTA)

The purpose of this article is to establish the distinctive status of Practical Tea Art,  the new form of art that serves both aesthetic and material purposes.

Art, by definition, is a diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory or performing artifacts – artworks, expressing the author's imaginative or technical skill, intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power. Art comes in many formats, whereas we cannot exhaust without defining it, such as visual art, performing art, literature art, culinary art, etc.   Hence, we introduce this concept into tea practice, giving it a unique subcategory-Practical Tea Art for three reasons:

1, it is a format of practical art that serves material purposes;

2, it is appreciated for its beauty and emotional power;

3, it is the only format of art that physically engages all known human senses.  

Traditionally, aesthetics is pertaining to the beauty value, as opposed to the useful, scientific, or emotional values. An aesthetic response is primarily the appreciation of such beautiful traits. It is commonly recognized that basic functions of art:

•   to adorn,

•   to beautify,

•   to express,

•   to illustrate,

•   to mediate,

•   to persuade,

•   to empower,

•   to record,

•   to redefine reality,

•   and to redefine art.

With this regard, tea art perfectly falls in the category of art. In addition to the aesthetic pleasure, tea art serves material purpose, hence entitle a sub-category for its own- Practical Art. Within this category, we can list a few more, such as wood-working, cake-decoration, Wagashi (a Japanese dessert), and so forth.

In practicing Tea Art, all human senses are engaged.

Taking a basic procedure as an example, I will explain the detailed steps and how to engage human senses following the order of sight, smell, touch, hearing, and taste in each operation. A standard practice begins with sight and ends with taste, but the pleasure and satisfaction go beyond all senses, benefiting tea practitioners physically, mentally, and psychologically.

We can’t emphasize enough that when practicing tea, keep your body, mind, and heart aligned, focus on the “moment” ( here and now) in terms of spatial and temporal awareness.

Tea table or tea station is where we set up the teaware, utensils, and tea accessories. Each item is carefully arranged so that they are not only visually pleasing, but also facilitating a smooth operation. In tea table setting, eastern and western styles are vastly different. Generally, eastern style is simple, essential,  low key,  neutral colors, tranquil, cool tone, few items, while western tea table settings  are  with richer colors, many coordinating items, lovely, vibrant, bright tones, sophisticated. Both styles are beautiful and functional, whichever to choose is determined by TPO ( Tea/Time, Purpose/Place, Occasion) factors, whereas all please our sights. The decorations, the shape, color, and material of the teaware and the reflection of lights on the teaware are all appreciated using our sights.

Also, don’t forget about the tea.  Appreciating the dry tea already engages sight, smell, hearing, and touch, despite that we don’t recommend touching dry teas with bare hands  concerning the fragrance on our hands may interfere with the aroma of tea. However, the crispy sound of quality dry tea can be heard when you are adding tea leaves to glass or GaiWan. And sight is constantly engaged in every step of tea practice even when the teas are in steeping. Watching the beautiful tea leaves unfolding, moving up and down, slowly sinking to the bottom just like watching tealeaves’ dancing in front of our eyes.  Attentive to details and focusing on the present moment improve mindful alertness, subsequently enhance our mental health.

In order to engage hearing, other formats of practical art mainly use analogical descriptions and imaginary associations such as  wagashi masters suggesting “wind gently whistling through bamboo forest” when you enjoy the delicacy or “leaves falling on water” if it’s seasonally themed. However, hearing is frequently engaged and pleased during tea practicing: the bubbling sound of boiling water, the satisfying sound of pouring water into glass, the clinking sound of porcelain cups, together with the soft background music, creating a relaxing atmosphere that keeps the bustling world out. In the meanwhile, practicing tea art improves mental alertness, reduce stress and anxiety, also boost self-esteem.

Aroma and tastes are the most important factors in tea appreciation and enjoyment. Hundreds of flavanols give teas a vast array of aromas and flavors which can’t be named thoroughly. Some commonly used descriptions are floral scent, such as orchid, osmanthus, peony; fruity, woody, nutty, honey, smoky, malty, one can associate his/her own olfactory and taste senses. As a matter of fact, the application and practice of using fragrance to improve health is so popular that it has it’s own name: “aromatherapy”, regardless of the evidence, pleasant scents undoubtedly boost positive mood and reduce stress.

The taste and after-taste made millions of people all over the world crazy for this magic beverage. Many studies have established the convincing benefits of habitual tea drinking. After all, we need to stay hydrated. Incorporating tea into our lifestyle not only replenishes the fluid, but also benefits us in every aspect. Practicing tea art with consciously engaged senses benefit tea practitioners physically, mentally, and psychologically at present and in the long run.  

Taking all the formats of art into consideration, including fine arts and applied arts, Practical Tea Art is so far the only format which engages all five human senses. Incorporating the practices  into our lifestyle benefits our life in every aspect.

The essentials of Practical Tea Art:          

•       Tea(茶)

•        Water(水)

•        Utensils(器)

•        Human(人)

•        Ambience (境)

•        Skill (技)

In promoting Practical Tea Art and tea culture, we always emphasize that “Personal Preference Prevail” since each of we human beings have our individual sensing system. However, we provide the following  basic steps for modernized and simplified operations to get you started easily and adopt PTA into your lifestyle therefore benefit from practicing it promptly.  

Step 1   Setting up

Set up tea table according to tea type and teaware, as well as time and occasions TPO (Tea, Time, Purpose, Place, Occasion);

Step 2   Boiling the water

Boil water to rolling boil then let it sit till desired water temperature;

Step 3   Preparing the dry tea

Take out dry tea from tea canister, place on tea leaves holder or directly into brewing vessel;

Step 4   Warming the teaware

Pour hot water to tea wares in order to warm up and rinse teaware;

Step 5   Adding tea leaves

Add dry tea into brewing vessel;

Step 6   Moisturizing/Rinsing tea leaves

Varies depending on the tea types. When steeping Cyan teas or black teas, discard the first steep;

Step 7   Steeping the tea

Pour in hot water and wait for certain time, then decant the tea liquor into a fairness cup;

Step 8   Distributing the tea

Distribute the tea equally into individual tea cups;

Step 9   Offering the tea

Offer the tea to the guests with two hands to show respect;

Step 10   Appreciating the tea

First observe the tea liquor color, then smell the aroma, finally taste the flavor of tea;

Step 11 The second steep

Pour in hot water for the second steep, wait 10 to 15 seconds longer than the first steep, then repeat step 8 to 10;

Step 12   Cleaning up

When done with all steeps, thank the guests for their participating, then gather all the tea utensils for cleaning and storing. This step can be done behind the scene.

These are  the basic yet complex steps of  practicing tea art for general reference. Please refer to each tea type and utensils of choice to start practicing.

As Elbert Hubbard said: “Art is not a thing, it is a way.”  The path to enlightenment through the everyday gestures of preparing and serving tea in mindful awareness of the present moment, which is the only moment that we can actually control. We effortlessly educate about Practical Tea Art in the hope to enhance your quality of life through a balanced, healthy, and sustainable lifestyle,  to promote harmonious relationships for the community, and to improve the compatibility between human and nature, as in our Mission Statement.

“Ars longa, vita brevis”,  the Latin translation of an aphorism originally from Greek, means “ Art is long, life is short”.

Making tea, is a way to connect life. The life of tea leaf ended at the time it was plucked from the tree, but the human wisdom and labor give tea new life.  

Practicing tea, associating the art of tea with the Taoist’s value of living life in the present moment and the Confucian’s emphasis on the harmony of ritual, gives us an opportunity to stay away from everyday stress, and to create beauty and peace, the essence of life.

We endeavor to bring the concepts and innovations together into the highest expressions of spiritual and aesthetic sophistication, turn the way of tea into a form of  practical art,  create and bring the tea of simplicity and sincerity, make practicing tea the true enjoyment of all five senses.

We believe, Teagather, we can live a healthier and happier life, build a better and stronger society for everyone to enjoy, and create a brighter future. 

With many life principles and philosophies reflected or embodied in practicing tea, such as freedom, equality, fairness, balance, respect, and so forth, we look forward to starting our tea journey with you to explore the beautiful world of Chinese Teas and the profound tea culture!