Gong Fu Style Steeping

You may be asking yourselves, what is Gong Fu? You have heard so much about preparing tea using the Gong Fu style of steeping tea.

Everything I’ve learned about high quality Gong Fu Cha and the information below, I have learned from an expert, Zehua Shang.

Gong Fu Cha, literally translated “highly skilled tea”, is a very traditional Chinese style of steeping tea. This technique requires a small teapot, most often a Gaiwan (guy wan) or Yixing (ee shing). Gaiwan literally means “lidded cup” or “lidded bowl”. A Yixing teapot is intended to absorb flavor over time, so each Yixing vessel is usually dedicated to only one type of tea.

By steeping your tea using the Gong Fu Cha method, you get to taste each individual layer of the tea, each of which will have a different, unique flavor profile. When you steep your tea using other methods, the different layers are combined into one flavor profile since you are steeping the tea for a much longer time. The Gong Fu Cha technique provides some very unique tasting experiences in comparison to standard tea brewing methods.

There is also something fun, relaxing, and simplistic about brewing tea using this method. It allows you to use all of your senses to fully enjoy the aroma of the tea, observe the tea leaves as they steep, carefully attend to the brewing process, appreciate the different flavor profiles from the tea, and feel how your body responds to the properties of the tea.

Tea and “Gong Fu Cha” can be a great facilitator of communication. This method of brewing is great to use when you have friends or family visiting because it encourages interaction, dialogue, and the building of community.

Steps in preparing tea Gong Fu Style:

Rinse your steeping tools, including your Gaiwan, pitcher, strainer and any cups for your guests, with hot water

Add your tea leaves to your Gaiwan, at least one-third full

Fill your Gaiwan with hot water

After 5-10 seconds pour your tea through the strainer into your pitcher

With each additional steeping add an additional 5-10 seconds in your steeping time

Continue additional steepings until your tea no longer has any flavor

Relax and enjoy cup each cup