Table of contentsIntroductionPreparing the teapot and teacupPreparing teaThe importance of waterIntroductionThe art of drinking and serving tea Tea plays a very vital cultural role in China. Many artists are inspired by the fact that the Chinese tea ceremony, as it is called, was written down in song and poetry. The ritual of preparing and serving tea even holds a special place in the hearts and minds of the Chinese aristocracy, court officials, intellectuals, poets and even the common people. At its core, the Chinese tea ceremony emphasizes the tea itself rather than the ceremony. It focuses on the taste and smell of tea and how a tea tastes compared to previous tea, or during inclusive drinking cycles. This does not mean that every server will perform the ritual the same way and it has nothing to do with religion. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Each step taken during the ceremony is meant to be a sensory exploration and appreciation. How to have a Chinese tea ceremony is so simple. However, it is important to note that the steps to ensure the best taste of tea are very demanding. As is often said, if done correctly you can extract the finest flavor a tea has to offer. Preparing the teapot and teacup The Chinese tea ceremony uses small cups to match small unglazed clay teapots. Each cup is just large enough to hold about two small sips of tea. These small cups are particularly popular in Chiujao and Fujian, while in Shanghai and Beijing large cups are used. Hardening the teapot and cups is an essential step in the Chinese tea ceremony. When you receive your teapot and cups, they should be dried. The teapot used is usually made from red clay, and to seal the inside of a teapot and cups, you must first place loose tea in the teapot and fill it with boiling water. Let it sit for three hours to a day. Some tea masters advise doing this a week before the teapot, cups and pouring pitcher harden. This technique would seal the inside of the teapot. Additionally, the oils from the tea leaves fill all the small pours in the new clapper teapot. During a Chinese tea ceremony, washing bowls are also necessary. You need to pour the hot tea that has been brewing for 5 minutes and fill the wash bowl with hot tea. Also let the teacups sit in the tea. This is also done to seal the teacups with the resins from the tea. And, once the teapot, teacups and pitcher are served, the next step is to prepare for the ceremony. Preparing tea To prepare tea, simply prepare the water to boil and carefully place the tea into the teapot until it is about a third full. Also make sure the teapot and cups are now on the tea wash tray. Then pour hot water into the teapot until it overflows. Place the lid on and continue pouring hot water over the teapot. This is done to allow the entire teapot to be hot. After that, pour the second brewed tea into the tea cups and pitcher. This allows the flavor of the tea to penetrate the teacups and pouring pitcher. Then pour boiling water into the teapot a third time and cover. Place the tea strainer over the pouring pitcher. Wait until the tea is..