(Warming the cups for Chaozhou Gongfucha)
Tee unterrichten ist eigentlich wie Musik unterrichten. Es geht darum, Freude an Schönheit zu vermitteln, Suche zu ermutigen, Handwerkliches zu klären. Hierzu bedarf es einerseits größtmöglicher Klarheit im Kopf, andererseits aber vor allem menschlicher Konzentration. Am Ende ist Tee wie Musik ein menschliches Problem: Tee ist wie Musik nur relevant, wenn er sich in echtem Interesse am Gegenüber erfüllt - gleich ob das Gegenüber ein Schüler, ein Gast oder die ganze Welt ist.
(Sorting the leaves on folded paper for Gongfucha)
Interestingly enough, teaching tea is extremely similar to teaching music. It is about encouraging curiosity, search for beauty and the mastery of technicalities. This requires clarity of the mind, but also has a human dimension: At the end tea (like music) is a 'human problem' and will only reach its full potential if nourished by a genuine interest for the other person (be it a student or a guest... or the whole world)
(Pouring into the three cups)
Photos taken by Filip Rychetsky on the occasion of a seminar on Chaozhou Gongfucha in Meetea Studio in Prague. Thank you for allowing me to use them.
It was very interesting for me to learn chaozhou gongfucha ceremony. The technique itself connected together with Tao context made me more sense than just simply learning steps mechanically.
I think it always help to know history, traditions etc. For example I tried play blues on my guitar. If you don't know how blues came up and why people wrote a played blues song, it is just a rhythm and melody. If you know it, it is a story you are playing.