Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Advent Day 16, golden straw


The theme for this 16th Advent Chaxi is baby Jesus' baby bed, a manger filled with straw. That's why I replaced my usual Chabu with a simple sushi mat made from thin bamboo. It's similar to straws and it's also an object whose function has been altered.

The tea boat and the teapot have a matching yellow color, my Jianshui (waste water container) is made of gold looking copper and my chatuo are also made of copper!
After yesterday's Oriental Beauty, I switch to my spring 2013 Concubine Oolong, stored in my antique porcelain qinghua jar. The smell coming from that jar is beyond tea. It's divine!
After preheating the teapot and the cups, I delicately take the leaves in my hand. They start to warm up at the contact of my warm skin. Then, I don't toss the leaves in the teapot, but let them slide slowly by aiming for the middle of the teapot. The goal is to achieve a harmonious arrangement of the leaves inside the teapot.
The brewing fun continues as I use this special early Republic of China Yixing duanni teapot with a handle above the pot. It's a special pleasure to use a teapot that reveals the character of the tea we brew!
This tea has a ripe passion fruit scent now. Simply delicious.
Even the snow flake decoration of my tree are made of straw!

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