Tea Technique: The Books
About the Site
teatechnique.org is the online publication of "An Introduction to the Art & Science of Chinese Tea Ceremony", a multi-part web-book series by Jason M. Cohen.
My interest in tea began in 2008 while attempting to study political science in Kunming, China. Though my political studies were less than successful for various reasons, tea was an equally intriguing topic: I began learning to taste and identify pu'er tea in the Kunming tea market with the guidance of master tea makers. Broadening my horizons, I lived on Makaibari tea plantation (Darjeeling, India) for the 2009 Spring-harvest season and learned to process tea in both modern and traditional methods. Always a touch obsessive, I then founded an interdisciplinary tea research institute, The Tea Institute at Penn State, which I ran from 2009 to 2016.
The idea for this book arose from my experience teaching students at the Institute – since tea reached the western world, there has been a lack of accurate textural knowledge about the plant, it's processing, and resulting beverage, in addition to the traditional wares used to prepare tea, and the codified theory of its preparation. While the idea for this book was first mentioned on my personal blog in 2012, I didn’t start writing until COVID-19 caused lockdowns and quarantine restrictions around the world; that winter, I went from traveling to food, beverage, and flavor development sites around the world (for my former job as CEO of Analytical Flavor Systems), to spending quite a bit of time in my personal tea room. The first book was written and published entirely during the pandemic; the second book is currently undergoing editing with chapters published (approximately) bi-weekly.
This website hosts the most up-to-date canonical version of each book in the series. The first book On Theory, Meta Theory, and Culture was finished on December 16, 2021; the second book in the series, Yixing Teapots - Knowledge, Connoisseurship, and Technique, began publication on June 2, 2022 and is expected to complete in late-2024.
Tradition and Lineage
Tea Technique and the series, An Introduction to the Art & Science of Chinese Tea Ceremony, are written in the literati gentlemen-scholar tradition. The viewpoint of all chapters strives for rational interpretation, historical accuracy, and contemporary application.
While I have the upmost respect for the spiritual path of tea and have extensively practiced various forms of Buddhism, and while some chapters discuss the religious history of Neo-Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism in China, the spiritual path is not my path.
The goal of my particular tradition of Chinese Tea Ceremony is to brew good tea. The contents of Tea Technique covers the techniques of brewing, in depth discussions on the wares used to brew tea, the identification and understanding of specific teas, and analysis on the contemporary cultural anthropology and sociology of upper level GongFu tea practice.
Why Members-Only?
Membership confers access to to the books and discussion of each chapter below. Further benefits are detailed here: Why Subscribe?.
Why Subscribe Now?
While the first book is fully published and the second book has chapters published bi-weekly, the discussions, debates, and updates continue; practitioners will learn and contribute more by engaging with the author, contributors, and other subscribers.
BOOK 0 - An Introduction to the Art & Science of Chinese Tea Ceremony: Author's Foreword
Overview
My mea culpa and a required definition in defense of the word "ceremony".
Table of Contents
- Dear Reader - [open access]
- Ceremony: A Working Definition - [open access]
BOOK 1 - An Introduction to the Art & Science of Chinese Tea Ceremony: On Theory, Meta Theory, and Culture
Overview
The first book in the series analyzes the historical antecedents of our contemporary praxis and the challenges practitioners face in progressing the future of Chinese Tea Ceremony.
Table of Contents
- Levels of Practice
- The Primacy of Perception in the Propagation of Praxes
- Aesthetic Experience and Aesthetic Context
- The Future of Chinese Tea Ceremony
- A Bourdieu’dian Analysis for the Construction of an Education in Tea - [no content]
- Wealth and Knowledge in contemporary Chinese Tea Ceremony - [no content]
- Historical Scholastic Disinterest
- Why is Phenomenism important?
- Simulacrum and the Road to Hell - [no content]
- Immanentize the Eschaton
- The Future of Tea Ceremony Redux
BOOK 2 - An Introduction to the Art & Science of Chinese Tea Ceremony: Yixing Teapots - Knowledge, Connoisseurship, and Technique
Overview
This book, the second in the series, places Yixing teapots into a historical, cultural, and functional framework of knowledge focusing on connoisseurship and applied technique for Chinese Tea.
Table of Contents
- Preface - What I Know - [Open Access]
- Introduction to Yixing Teapots - [Open Access]
- Myths and Complications
- An Abbreviated History of Yixing Teapots - [No Content]
- The Origin of Yixing Ceramics - [Open Access]
- The Origin of Teapots
- Ming Dynasty Yixing History
- Qing Dynasty Yixing History
- Republic of China Yixing History
- Communist to Contemporary Era Yixing History - [Open Access]
- Introduction to the Communist Era
- The Free Period (1956 - 1965)
- The Cultural Revolution Period (1966 - 1976)
- The Late F1 Period (1976 - mid-1980s)
- End of F1 intro the Contemporary Era
- An Introduction to the Production of Clay Ceramics - [Open Access]
- Ore
- Processed Clay
- Glaze
- Firing (Sintering and Vitrification)
- Properties of Ceramics
- Plasticity
- Particle Shape and Particle Size Distribution
- Porosity
- Shrinkage
- Yixing Zisha Ore
- The Geology and Lithology of Yixing
- Mineralogical Components and Properties of Zisha Ore
- Feldspar
- Mica
- Quartz
- Kaolinite
- Iron Oxides (Fe2O3 and Fe3O4)
- Additional Mineral Transformations from Firing
- Undesirable Additives Used in Zisha Clay
- The Mines of Yixing
- The Three Strata of Yixing Ore
- Developmental History of Yixing Mining
- Specific Yixing Zisha Mines by Region
- Huang Long Shan (黄龙山, “Yellow Dragon Mountain”) Mines
- Qing Long Shan (青龙山, Blue Dragon Mountain)
- Hong Wei Village (红卫村) Mines
- Zhao Zhuang Village (赵庄) Mines
- Other Yixing Mines
- From Yixing Ore to Zisha Clay
- Specific Yixing Ore and Zisha Clay
- The Skill and Practice of Blending Zisha Ore
- Zisha Blending Materials
- Shihuang (石黄) and Shihong (石红) Blending Ore
- Wu Ni (乌泥) Blending Ore
- Not-Zisha Blending Material
- Jiani (甲泥, “first clay”)
- Nenni (嫩泥, “Tender Clay”)
- Baini (白泥, “White Clay”)
- Qingni (青泥)
- Hei Dun Tou (黑墩头, “Black Chunks”)
- Tu Gu (土骨, “Earth Bones”)
- Artificial Blending Materials
- Zini (紫泥) Ore and Clay
- Tian Qing Ni (天青泥)
- Di Cao Qing (底槽清)
- Qing Shui Ni (清水泥) and Common Zini
- F1 Classification
- Zini Ores by Mining Areas
- Hong Ni (红泥) Ore and Clay
- Xiaohongni (小红泥) Ore and Clay
- Zhuni (朱泥) Ore and Clay
- Luni (绿泥) Ore and Clay
- Duanni (段泥) Ore and Clay
- Other Zisha Clay Formulation Techniques
- Tiaosha (调砂), Pusha (铺砂), and Chousha (抽砂)
- Tiaosha (调砂) Overview
- Ben Se Tiaosha (本色调砂)
- Yi Se Tiaosha (异色调砂)
- Pusha (铺砂)
- Chousha (抽砂)
- Tiaosha (调砂), Pusha (铺砂), and Chousha (抽砂)
- Construction of Yixing Teapots
- Historical and Physical Realities
- The Tools of Yixing Zisha Construction
- Molds, Guides, and Hands
- Parts of a Yixing Teapot
- Making a Yixing Teapot
- Preparing zisha clay glue
- Pounding the clay
- Constructing the body
- Constructing a "fully handmade" teapot body
- Constructing a "half handmade" teapot body
- Constructing a geometric teapot body
- Smoothing the surface
- Building the lid and lid knob
- Building the spout
- Building the handle
- Building the Filter
- Attaching the spout and handle
- Application of chops and inscriptions
- Pre-fire drying
- Application of Surface Decorations
- Historical Experiments in Yixing Construction
- Slip Casting Yixing Teapots
- History of Slip Casting in Yixing
- The Slurry Mold
- Limitations of the Methodology
- Legacy of Slip Casting
- Slip Casting Yixing Teapots
- Firing of Yixing Teapots - [No Content]
- An Overview of Yixing Kilns - [Open Access]
- Mature Firing of Zisha Clay
- Dragon Kilns (龙窯)
- Introduction
- Design and Construction
- Fuel
- Kiln Atmosphere
- Kiln Control
- Modern Decline and Post-Modern Preservation
- Downdraft Kilns (倒焰窑)
- Tunnel Kilns (隧道窑)
- History
- Firing Process and Kiln Control
- Saggars
- Double and Repeat Firing (复烧)
- Kiln Atmosphere Revisited
- Zheng Kou (整口) and Surface Fixing
- Shuttle Kilns (梭式窑)
- Electric Kilns (电窑)
- Reduction Firing - Wu Hui "black" Yixing (焐灰)
- Properties of Fired Zisha Material
- Material Science of Ceramics
- Effects of Multiple Firing on Zisha Clay
- Characterization of Zisha Clay Interaction and Effect on Tea
- Comparison of Antique versus Contemporary Zisha Clay Material
- Grain Size of Zisha Clay and Resulting Characteristics
- Flaws in Zisha Clay
- Black Vomiting (吐黑)
- Magnetism and Black Coring (黑骨)
- Burried Zisha (土沁)
- Yao Bian (窑变)
- Over-fired (Vitrified) Zisha Clay
- Standard Historical Designs of Yixing Teapots
- Real Teapot, Fake Teapot: Real Replicas and Fake Forgeries
- Ming Dynasty Yixing Teapot Designs
- Qing Dynasty Yixing Teapot Designs
- Republic of China Yixing Teapot Designs
- Yixing Factory #1 (F1) Teapot Designs
- [in editing]
- [in editing]
- Unique Historical Designs of Yixing Teapots
- [In Editing]
- [In Editing]
- Contemporary Designs of Yixing Teapots
- Yixing Ceramic Artist Certifications
- Reflexive Stagnation
- Unique Contemporary Experimentation in Yixing
- [In Editing]
- Chops of Yixing
- Identification & Verification of Yixing Teapots
- Verification as a Process
- Identifying Attributes and Attribute Identification
- Communicability of Identification as a form of Verification
- Collector Myths and Merchant "Verification"
- Chops and Verification
- Size and Shape
- The Masters Hand
- Anonymous Craftsmen and Identification
- Conclusions of Verification
- Brewing Theory
- Utilitarian Prerequisites for Yixing Teapots in Chinese Tea Ceremony
- Laminar Flow
- The Teapot Effect
- Structural-Functionalist Prerequisites for Yixing Teapots in Chinese Tea Ceremony
- Pairing Yixing and Tea
- The Phenomenology of Pairing
- Utilitarian Prerequisites for Yixing Teapots in Chinese Tea Ceremony
- Afterword