Perspective

This afternoon, the sun was so bright after a week of clouds. It felt like spring again.

So, I made a break from roasted Oolongs to drink my Spring 2009 Shan Lin Shi High Mountain Oolong. My Cha Xi reflects this mood with the 2 plants and fresh cut flowers in a vase. I choose bright colors for the tea quilt and the waste water bowl. For light and fresh rolled Oolong, my modern zhuni Xishi teapot is a good fit: the leaves unfurl well in the round shape, while the hard, dense clay preserves the high notes of the fragrances.

The qingbai singing cups are also chosen for their light green theme that brings a zest of additional color to my light mountain Oolong infusion.

Spring before my eyes, in my cup and now in my mouth!

It's an uplifting experience!!

To choose not only an excellent tea, but one that fits my mood.

To choose not only good accessories, but those that will improve this tea in particular and look good together.

To learn so much about gongfu cha, and then to practice it simply with my senses and heart.

I've enjoyed every drop, every vibration of this tea.

I drink a lot of tea every day, especially now in this cooler season. And despite the extra time it takes to set up my Cha Xi, I find that I'm always repaid with so much more joy and pleasure than I had before. Of course, the attention itself helps to improve the brewing and then the tea. But committing serious time also means that I expect more from each session. So, I tend to choose my best teas for such moments. It's also a way to honor their quality, all the hard work by the farmer and the miracle of nature.

At the end, the beauty of the tea and the beauty of the Cha Xi go hand in hand.

Focus on both.