How to Find & Brew the Perfect Pot of Tea
& The History of the Tea Pot

1. All tea comes from one tea plant, “Camellia Sinensis.” The plant dates back to the Tertiary Period, preceding the ice age. The plant was able to survive because the Yunan and Guizhou plateaus were not affected by the glaciations.

2. Tea as we know was discovered by the Chinese. What about the tea pot?

3. It was believed the early Chinese brewed their tea directly in tea cups and not tea pots called, “Zhan” made from ceramic. It can be dated back to 2000 BC the Chinese had invented glazed pottery but not necessarily invented the tea pot during this time. These pots were discovered in the Yangshoa village in Northwestern China.

A. This means the Chinese were developing glazed pottery before man began to write.

B. Remember tea was consumed as a powder. The change from powder to tea leaves created the necessity of a tea pot.

4. Although Chinese ceramic pieces had handles since very early times, handless bowls continued to be in favor for drinking tea.

5. The saucer was invented around 674 AD as a woman who regularly made tea for her father found it difficult to hand him the hot bowl, so she had a craftsman make her a small plate with a circular ridge in the center to hold up the cup.

6. The first glazed tea pots date back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD). These pots were used originally for wine and water and then copied for tea. The first such tea pots were in fact called, “Medicine Pots.” These pots had a filter and were used to brew their Chinese herbs.

7. The first real tea pot made was recorded in 1368 during the Ming Dynasty. This tea pot was made in Yixing from stoneware.

8. As more and more tea was being brewed it came to be found out that stoneware kept it warmer than did porcelain and the pots from Yixing
became popular.

Tea Pot Periods

1. 1573 - 1619: Tea pots were made from clay with wrinkle texture in the shape of a pumpkin. Famous tea pots from this time were made by 4 families in Yixing. The hands of the tea pot, very important, were called 3 Big. This referred to the 3 artists who made the handles. Shih Tar Been, Lee Chun in, and Hsu Yeu Chun.

2. 1621- 1796: The characteristics of the tea pots are during this period of time is the word nature. The tea pots had the shape of items in nature, plants and animals. Bamboo shapes were the most popular of the time. During this time the Chinese were discovering and incorporating the outdoors in all of their art, so too was this brought to the art of the tea pot.

A. Interesting note, the Europeans did not take their artwork outdoors, “Plein Aire,” until the mid 19th century. The importing of tea during this time from China and Japan with scenes of the outdoors may have assisted this movement known as the School of Barbizon in France.

3. 1622 - 1875: The characteristics of these tea pots are the “geometric shape” of the tea pots. The most famous of these works came from Cheng Hom Shou.

A. Interesting note how the Europeans started to use the geometric shapes in their artwork, Picasso in the 20th Century.

9. 1875 - 1940: Antique imitation (turning the clocks back) was the style of the day. These were copies of the first three periods. The pottery business in Yixing now became commercialized.

10. Japan: Early Japanese used rice bowls to drink their tea, which then became known as the tea bowl. In the late 15th century the Japanese used the Chinese pottery, but when demand could not meet the supply Japan began to produce their own stoneware pottery. The Seto box was a copy of the Chinese box imports, and of course the present day tea caddie was copied from China.

11. Europe: The Europeans did not invent their own tea pots. Instead, they were originally introduced to Europe by China and Japan.

A. Tea prompted a new industry in Europe; the making of porcelain. Europe (The Dutch, Delft) broke the Chinese secret in 1703 and the first red porcelain was produced, followed in 1710 by white porcelain. The secret spread to France and then England by 1760.

B. Bone China came about as the English added bone ashes to the original porcelain, and so Wedgwood was born.

C. Marco Polo gave Europe the first description of porcelain as described in his “Travels” published in 1477. The term porcelain also came from Marco Polo who had seen the cowrie shells used as money in China. He noticed the money, or shells resembled porceletta or piglets, and as the shell was likened to the ceramic he termed “porcelain.”

D. Chinese porcelain was being exported by China in the early 1700’s at a very high rate. For every 100 tons of tea the ships were also sending 10 tons of porcelain.

E. Silver tea service was originally discussed by Lu Yu. He probably brewed his tea in silver, as silver is suited to the heat and the acidic quality of the tea. The first silver tea set is described in 1678.

F. Tea was so expensive that tea caddies or sets soon became tea chests to which only the head of the house had a key. These sets normally had two caddies, one for green and one for black tea. The caddie set also included a dish in which tea could be blended or sugar stored. Also of note: The cost of sugar was also very expensive.

12. Middle East: Introduced to coffee in 11th century and then brought coffee to Europe. Tea was introduced to the Middle East in 850 A.D. from the Turks.

13. United States: Followed the course of Europe but had no porcelain factories, so all U.S. tea accessories came from exports. In 1784, the first ship from China came to the USA and George Washington purchased 302 pieces of porcelain tea and dinner ware.

Review of the Tea and the Tea Vessel

Dynasty	Kind of Tea	Shape	Color
Tang	Boiled as medicine	Wide bowl “Zhan”	Celadon, White
Song	Powdered Green	Deep wide bowl	Black
Yuan	Continue of the Song		Start blue and white
Ming	Loose leaf infused	Tea pot, no handle cup	Yizxing, blue white
Qing	Loose leaf infused	Covered Cup "Zhan"	Multicolor

Brewing the Perfect Pot of Tea

The perfect pot of tea is personal to the drinker. Always remember you have the finest nose and palate and the way you brew your pot of tea is the best for you. Below, Dr. Tea will give you some historic rules for preparing a perfect pot of tea.

1. Use Fresh Cold Water. Do not use hot water to begin the boiling process as this will impede the taste of the water. Wu Yu, the water expert, always said spring water was best, followed by river water and then well water. As we live in a different world today, sadly, try to find the best bottled spring water or filtered tap water.

2. Never use boiling water as it is too hot and will reduce the taste of the tea. Some people believe the use of rolling boiling water adds to the saturation of the leaves. Decide on your own.

3. Always pre-heat your preparation vessel by placing some hot water into the pot and then discarding the water.

4. The rule of thumb is to add one teaspoon of tea for each cup of water. Dr. Tea believes in coating the bottom of your preparation vessel with a thin line of tea and adding one additional dash of tea.

5. Tea Balls or Infusers: Most tea experts, and Dr. Tea, frown on the use of balls or infusers because the metal does not allow the water to fully saturate the tea leaves. This is the same criticism tea bags receive. If you have to use the ball or infuser, please to only fill it half way to allow for complete saturation and expansion of the tea leaves.

6. To rinse or not to rinse? You already know Dr. Tea does not rinse at the Tea Garden as we believe in presenting the tea as it is meant to be presented, then allowing our clients decide to rinse or not to rinse. If you do choose to rinse, add a small amount of the hot water to cover the tea and drain immediately. This is a good way of reducing the amount of caffeine in your tea.

7. Pour your hot water over the tea and cover. Now if you are using a high grade of tea, like we serve at the TG, then leave your lid off so as not to create a stewing of your tea leaves in the water.

A. Fine tea needs a short steep time 2-3 minutes.
B. Curled leaves need a longer steep time closer to 5 minutes
C. Tannins come out early in the steep.
D. Scientists are now stating longer steep times are necessary for the medicinal benefits of tea to take effect.
E. YOU must decide for yourself!

8. Caffeine rule: About three-fourths of the caffeine comes out at five minutes of steeping.

9. If you want strong tea, do not steep longer, instead add more tea.

10. Rinse cups with hot water

11. Milk? If you add milk now is the time to add the milk, before the liquid tea, as the British say it provides a flavor unique to the milk tea combination. Never use cream as tea will cause the cream to curdle. Milk is said never to be used with green tea, and sometimes with oolong.

12. Before pouring the tea, shake the tea pot a little and then let the tea leaves settle again.

13. Pouring the tea: Sweetener: it is here any sweetener is added and then lemon.

14. Any liquid tea left in the vessel should be strained out of the pot and kept to the side. This will allow the leaves to dry awaiting the subsequent steeps. If you cannot steep again, then sadly throw away the leaves and do not leave them overnight as harmful bacteria will grow onto the leaves causing stomach issues and even the possibility of cancer causing cells.

15. If you have the time to make the additional steeps, but not drink the tea, place them into a pitcher and then enjoy your tea for one additional day if left out or up to three days if left in the fridge.

by Dr. Tea (tm), Tea Expert