The earliest tea brewing methods in China are recorded in the ancient text "Guang Ya" (广雅). According to this text:
“To brew tea for drinking, first roast the tea leaves until they turn red, grind them into powder, place the powder in a porcelain vessel, pour hot water over it, then add green onions, ginger, and orange peel as flavoring.”
This description highlights that even in ancient times, people experimented with tea brewing methods. The practice of brewing tea with boiling water and enhancing the flavor with condiments like onions, ginger, and orange peel was already widespread. This early approach laid the foundation for the diverse tea brewing methods that we see today.
📜 Brewing Techniques from "The Classic of Tea" (茶经)
The most influential guide to tea preparation is "The Classic of Tea" (茶经), written by the tea master Lu Yu (陆羽). Lu Yu emphasized the art of boiling tea and introduced a methodical process for ensuring the best taste and aroma.
One of his key insights was the concept of "Mo Bo" (沫饽) — the delicate frothy layer that forms on the surface of the tea during boiling. Lu Yu stressed that this froth was the “essence of the tea soup”, and ensuring its even distribution in each bowl was crucial. If the froth was unevenly divided among the cups, the flavor of each cup would differ, which was seen as a mistake in tea preparation.
Lu Yu placed great importance on both the fragrance (香) and taste (味) of tea. He argued that tea appreciation required more than just visual inspection of dry leaves. Instead, the true quality of tea could only be assessed through a sensory experience involving tasting the tea soup and smelling its aroma. As Lu Yu famously stated:
"You cannot judge tea quality by sight alone; you must taste it and smell its fragrance."
This philosophy still guides modern tea appreciation and evaluation techniques.