The "Kai Pian" (開片) of "Imitated Ru Ceramics" (仿汝窯)

Last month on our Facebook page, we mentioned and shared a news about a real imperial "Ru" ceramics of Song dynasty should fetch more than $10 million (a news of Yahoo!). For many of people like us, we also can use the Ru ceramics to brew tea in our daily life and these tea wears are not so expensive and very useful. 


The tea wear set in the photo is for personal use now. The set was purchased in September 2010 and the artist is a Taiwanese and live in Taiwan now. This tea set is not the "imperial" Ru ceramics, but it was truly modeled on the way of making Ru ceramics in the ancient time, we call it "Imitated Ru Ceramics" (仿汝窯).


In the photo, there is one cup is never used since be purchased. It should be easy to tell from the photo. And the rest, they are almost used everyday. Then, we can see the differences from them: the natural pattern in the cup and pot were caused by tea. Actually, we have never left the tea leaves in the cups and pot for overnights, which means we clean them right after finishing brewing tea. This kind of natural pattern we call it "Kai Pian" (開片).

We can see the natural pattern not only in the cup but on the cover!

This kind of natural pattern (Kai Pian) won't be easy to see on the porcelains. That is because the materials and the methods of making tea wears are different. It does not mean the cups or pots with "Kai Pian" will be better or prettier. However, it brings fun while we are brewing and enjoying tea!

Sun-bathing your tea

In Taipei, it finally turns sunny today. Here we would like to suggest if you have some late-fermented tea like Pu-erh, without vacuum-packed, it will be good to have them some sun-bathed. The sunshine is mild and a little breeze, it's very nice for doing SPA for tea.

Well, this Bai-Mu-Dan has a "Sun Block Cover". But we are sure that it will be glad to have a little SPA with other teas together. Ha!

Salted olives v.s. Li Shan (High Mountain) Oolong Tea

Many of tea lovers are interested in finding out what dessert to match well with tea. Since long time, in China, where produces hundreds of tea has a slang and mentions about this issue. It said that the sweets match green tea, the sour ones match black tea and the salted dessert match Oolong tea.

The slang possibly could come from the old time when people didn't have so many choices for their tea time. Nowadays, people seem not following this "rule" and still make the tea time perfectly.

We have some great seasonal olives from the forest in Nantou, Taiwan. They were made with a very simple and natural way. By this good chance, we would like to taste it by following the old slang -- salted olives v.s. Li Shan (High Mountain) Oolong Tea.

The Li Shan Oolong Tea came from the altitude 2,200 to 2,500 meters in Taiwan. The quality of this tea was premium. It had a refreshing fragrance and tasted so smooth in the mouth. The salted olives also brought a light fragrance and there was no conflict between olives and tea -- they matched well. It seemed that the slang made sense.

However, for us, we still prefer having tea and dessert separately, instead of having dessert in between. Which means, to have the dessert after finishing tea. To concentrate on each brewing tea is important so that we can find out and taste the differences in tea.

Frozen Tea -- A good choice in summer time

[Sorry for the typo error "Forzen", we have corrected to be "Frozen Tea". Thanks for the notice from our fan on Facebook. ]

For many of professional tea lovers, "Frozen Tea" is not a new thing.

We have been through the heat waves lately and it seems that drinking iced tea won't be a good idea for our budies by the medical reports. "Frozen Tea" is actually a good choice. This tea keeps the fresh fragrance as it used to be withered indoor. Amazing!

"Frozen Tea" is produced in a normal way of making tea, but without "compressing/shaping" and "roasting". Which means, it waives the last 2 steps when making Oolong tea. The tea maker will have to store the tea in the freezer and keeps the tea leaves under -15℃. Normally the water-content in the dried tea should be kept under 5% that is an important part for making tea. Otherwise, the tea liquid gets turbid as long as the water-content in the dried tea is more than 5%.

Therefore, that is why "Frozen Tea" can not be widely expanded. To keep the tea leaves under -15℃ all the time is not possible to be done perfectly for delivery. So that we can not easily find this tea than usual or at other places except in tea factories. So, please do taste it whenever you have chance in Taiwan.

Where did our High Mountain Tea come from

We will not only select the products but its "hometown" (tea plantation) and "owner" (tea farmer) and we will keep doing this on all of our products and make sure what we offer will be the good quality for always!

T-Shopping here!

How to brew a nice cup of Camellia Tea

Camellia Tea was made of the fresh and dried Camellia without tea leaves inside, it can be treated like herbal tea but more precious than normal herbal tea.

Here is a simple example to share with you how to brew a nice cup of Camellia Tea without bitter and keeping the Camellia beautifully after several brews.

1. to choose an apprepriate teaware for Camellia Tea is an important step, we suggest you to choose the glass pot or cup, even the mug will be better than Zhisha Pot (gongfucha).

2. here we are having the example by a glass pot/cup.

3. the temperature of hot water should be lower than 100 C. degrees, such as 90 C. degrees will be fine.

4. to warm up the pot and cup is also important before brewing tea, you can clear the left smell from the previous tea by the chance as well.

5. here we don't suggest you to cover the glass pot/cup so that you can keep the Camellia in a good condition in the hot water and the better following brews, or just cover it as a short time as possible.

6. separate the Camellia and tea liquid after 2 minutes; the tea liquid will be bitter if brewing Camellia and putting it in the hot water for a longer time.

7. by following the steps above, the brewing can be repeated for 3-4 times at least.

8. to serve the tea liquid in the glass cup, mug or porcelain.

9. ↑  after brewing 3 times without covering the pot/cup, the Camellia still looked fabulous.

The tea map of Taiwan

Taiwan has the special cultivation environment. Tea plantations can be found from north to south on the whole island. The growing areas of Taiwanese tea are situated along the Central Mountain Ridges and its branches, where the drop of vertical distribution from sea level is significant, with ample sun exposure and the Black Tide ocean on the east.


With an island climate, which is cold and wet in the winter and hot and rainy in the summer, coupled with the acidic to mild acidic soil with a 4 to 6.4 Ph value, those make Taiwan to be an ideal area for the cultivation of tea trees. So that there are numerous tea farms in Taiwan which have won for themselves a lasting fame as a renowned quality tea production region in the world.


(Reference of article: "Tea Research and Extension Station in Taiwan")

The performances of Cha Xi in Taiwan

"Cha Xi" is also an art in tea culture. The host/hostess expresses himself/herself by different Cha Xi. Cha Xi can be displayed and changed due to different seasons, teas and venues etc.. The host/hostess makes the tea for the guests.


There were several Cha Xi performances held by The Chinese Art Of Tea Craft Union in Taiwan, the photos were taken before the ceremonies of Cha Xi performances.

The relationships between Tea Art, Dao, Custom of Tea and Tea Culture

For most of us, drinking tea is very normal in our daily life.


If that is just what we know about tea as one kind of "liquid", maybe we have never paid enough attention on it.



Here is a simple picture "Formosa T-house" would like to share with you -- a little start before we get into the world of tea.