A wide shot of the setting in a Chinese tea ceremony.
Boiling hot water is poured into a cup of tea leaves amid the sound of the tea being served. Small sips of tea are taken as the conversation fills up the room, along with the music from the strings of the guqin, gently playing in the background.
After the two snow storms that hit the city last week, people came together for a Chinese tea ceremony on Feb. 17 in Scarborough.
The event was organized by Siruplum, an institute created for serving as a cultural retreat in Toronto, at the Chinese Cultural Centre at 5183 Sheppard Avenue East.
Sabrina Chen, tea master of the ceremony, says tea ceremonies in China are an ingrained part of people’s lives.
“For the Chinese tea ceremony, the focus is on the tea, on how to make the best cup of tea,” she said. “What temperature, what size of cups, and your tactic, so you don’t look in a rush and do it gracefully.”
Pamphlets explaining the ceremony, the different types of tea, along with their history and brewing methods, were given to attendees. (Heli Bhavsar/Toronto Observer)Herbal tea leaves are spread on the table for the attendees to view them and take in their fragrance. According to the pamphlet, Chinese tea ceremonies encourage people to experience tea with all their senses, to remain grounded, and to experience calmness. (Heli Bhavsar/Toronto Observer)Sabrina Chen, tea master of the ceremony, brews tea by adding hot water to the leaves. In Chinese tea ceremonies, small factors like the temperature of water and the container in which the tea is brewed, all contribute to the ultimate taste of the tea, Chen said. (Heli Bhavsar/Toronto Observer)The board where the tea is brewed is meant to hold water to make the process of making the tea, and cleaning up after, simple. The tea ware used for brewing are a part of the Chinese heritage while also being practical for their usage. There are different tools to brew the tea in (transparent glass cup on the far left) and for serving it (transparent glass cup to the left of the wooden cup) as well, to make distribution of the taste even throughout the brew. (Heli Bhavsar/Toronto Observer)Several rounds of the four kinds of tea were served to attendees, while they took tea breaks and engaged in friendly banter. (Heli Bhavsar/Toronto Observer)Depending on the different types of tea, it can be re-steeped several times, diluting the strong taste but getting the most of the flavor and nutrients. (Heli Bhavsar/Toronto Observer) Before taking a sip of the freshly brewed tea, it is suggested to take a sniff, and register the fragrance. According to the pamphlet, smell changes for some tea leaves, when brewed. (Heli Bhavsar/Toronto Observer)“Even the sound of water played by two different artists will sound different, because everybody listens and interprets things differently. Over time, people might also adopt another artist’s version and add their own touches to it. There are no strict rules here.” Chumeng Zhao has been playing the Guqin intensively for the past two years. She finds the personalization that is allowed while playing the instrument, freeing and interesting. (Heli Bhavsar/Toronto Observer)The steeped leaves of Hong Yun Da Hong Pao or Oolong tea, and the brewed liquor, shown side by side. The sweet floral smell of the leaves clash with the woodsy or rocky mineral taste in the tea followed by a rush of sweetness shortly after. According to Chen, the Oolong tea can be re-steeped more than five times to get its full worth. (Heli Bhavsar/Toronto Observer)According to the pamphlet and Chen, Chin Tea or Pu’ er ripe tea, comes packaged in a cake to increase its storage life of 10-20 years. The leaves ferment in the package, so the taste of the tea changes depending on how long it has been stored. The tea takes longer to brew and has a sweet and tangy medicinal smell, with a strong woody flavor. (Heli Bhavsar/Toronto Observer)
