Chinese Culture - Tea Art

Centered on Chinese tea culture, the Tea Art course serves as a vital carrier for demonstrating the aesthetic of Eastern daily life and humanistic spirit. Its content mainly consists of three modules:

1. Tea Culture Knowledge

This module systematically explains the development history of Chinese tea culture and the core characteristics of the six major tea categories (green tea, black tea, oolong tea, white tea, yellow tea, dark tea). It covers the origin, production process, appearance features and flavor characteristics of each tea type. For example, it provides a detailed analysis of the quality traits of West Lake Longjing (a famous green tea) – "green in color, rich in aroma, sweet in taste, and elegant in shape" – as well as the unique "rock rhyme" (a mellow, mineral-like flavor exclusive to teas grown in rocky areas) of Wuyi Rock Tea (a renowned oolong tea).

2. Practical Tea Art Skills

Participants will be guided to learn how to use traditional tea sets (such as covered bowls, purple clay teapots, and fair cups), and master the standard brewing procedures for different teas. Examples include the "high pouring and low serving" technique for green tea, and the "Guan Gong Patrolling the City" and "Han Xin Dispatching Troops" methods (traditional ways of evenly distributing tea soup to guests) for oolong tea. Additionally, they will understand the key impacts of water temperature, tea dosage, and brewing time on the taste of tea soup.

3. Interpretation of Cultural Connotations

This part deeply explores the in-depth connections between tea culture and traditional Chinese culture, including Confucianism’s concept of "harmony", Taoism’s idea of "following nature", and Zen Buddhism’s philosophy of "tea and Zen as one". It enables participants to intuitively experience the unique charm of traditional culture through tea art practice.

1. Knowledge Objectives

• Understand the historical evolution of Chinese tea culture.
• Master the core characteristics of the six major tea categories.
• Be able to accurately distinguish the appearance, aroma and taste of different teas.
• Clarify the functions and usage principles of traditional tea sets.

2. Skill Objectives

• Proficiency in the standard brewing procedures of at least two tea categories (e.g., green tea and oolong tea).
• Accurately control water temperature, tea dosage and brewing time.
• Achieve standardized movements and elegant techniques.

3. Literacy Objectives

• Comprehend the cultural connotations behind tea art.
• Cultivate a patient and focused attitude towards things.
• Be able to convey traditional Chinese etiquette through tea art demonstrations, such as mastering standard tea-serving etiquette for guests and understanding the basic process of tea ceremonies.