Understanding Gong Fu Cha: An Introduction to the Practice of Sharing Tea

What is Tea? And where does it come from?

In China, tea began as one of the herbs of traditional Chinese medicine and is mentioned as such in the Huang Di Nei Jing (The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine). It was differentiated from the rest of the Chinese pharmacopeia as the focal point of social and ritual pastime by a figure in Chinese history named Lu Yu. Since the time of Lu Yu, tea appreciation has blossomed into a rich and varied cultural element throughout the world. This culture in China is at least as nuanced as wine culture presents in the West and has continued to grow in popularity in the United States since being re-introduced by West Coast tea merchants in the late 20th century.

In this workshop, Montsho Thoth of the tea education and sourcing arm of West China Tea will serve a flight of farm-direct, artisan Chinese teas in the Gong Fu Cha style and explore such topics as tea culture, the “types” of tea, Chinese medicine, teahouse energetics, and the concept of Qi, which unites them.