In the quiet hours of morning, when the world still holds its breath, there is no practice more grounding than gongfu cha. This ancient Chinese brewing method, whose name translates to "making tea with skill," is far more than a technique for extracting flavor from leaves.
The Philosophy of Gongfu
Unlike Western brewing methods that prioritize convenience, gongfu embraces intentionality. Each step—warming the vessel, measuring the leaves, timing the infusion—becomes an act of meditation. The practitioner learns to be fully present, attentive to the subtle changes in aroma, color, and taste that each successive steep reveals.
"Tea is the art of attention. It asks nothing of us but our presence."
The vessels themselves are objects of beauty: small clay teapots, often no larger than a fist, and cups that hold mere sips. This miniature scale is intentional. It forces us to slow down, to savor, to repeat the ritual multiple times before we are sated.
The Essential Equipment
A traditional gongfu setup includes a yixing clay teapot or a porcelain gaiwan, a sharing pitcher, small tasting cups, and a tea tray to catch the water that flows freely during the process. The clay of a yixing pot is unglazed and porous, absorbing the oils of the tea over years of use, developing what connoisseurs call "seasoning."
The Practice
Begin by heating your water. Different teas require different temperatures—green teas prefer cooler water around 175°F, while oolongs and pu-erhs welcome a full boil. Warm your vessels by pouring hot water over and through them. This is not merely practical; it is ritualistic, a way of preparing the stage for what is to come.
Use more leaf than you might expect—typically 5 to 8 grams for a small pot. The first infusion is brief, sometimes only seconds, and serves to "awaken" the leaves. Pour this rinse away, then begin the true brewing. Each successive steep can be slightly longer, and a quality tea may yield ten, fifteen, even twenty infusions.
Finding Your Rhythm
There is no single correct way to practice gongfu. The parameters—water temperature, leaf-to-water ratio, steeping time—are guidelines, not commandments. Over time, you will develop an intuitive sense of how a particular tea wants to be brewed. This is the "gongfu" of gongfu cha: the skill that comes only from attentive practice.
In our rushing world, gongfu offers a rare gift: permission to do one thing slowly, beautifully, completely. It asks us to set aside our devices, our distractions, our endless to-do lists, and simply be present with a cup of tea.