What is Gongfu Tea?

When students learning Chinese travel to Fujian or Guangdong, they may be invited by friends to drink “Gongfu Tea.” So what exactly is it?

Here, “Gongfu” refers to “time” and “patience.” Gongfu tea is a way of making and drinking tea that requires slow, careful preparation and slow enjoyment.

The process is roughly as follows:

1. Boil water, warm the teapot, and rinse the tea set

2. Put tea leaves into a small teapot

3. Pour in hot water and discard the first brew (to wash the tea)

4. Start drinking from the second brew, pouring only a small amount each time

5. One teapot can be brewed 6–7 times, with each infusion producing a different taste

The whole process is extremely slow. People who drink Gongfu tea are never in a hurry; they enjoy conversation while preparing and pouring the tea.

Common scenarios:

• When friends visit, the host says, “Let’s make Gongfu tea” — meaning let’s sit down and talk slowly

• In business meetings or when receiving respected guests, Gongfu tea is prepared first. It is not just for quenching thirst, but for creating a comfortable atmosphere

Fun facts:

“Guan Gong patrols the city walls” and “Han Xin counts the soldiers” sound like historical lessons, but they are actually tea-pouring techniques. “Guan Gong patrols the city walls” refers to evenly pouring tea into cups in sequence, while “Han Xin counts the soldiers” refers to evenly distributing the last drops.

Language learners do not need to memorize these terms, but simply knowing about Gongfu tea can already give you a new topic in conversations with Chinese people. Next time someone says, “Let’s go have tea,” try asking, “Is it Gongfu tea?” They will likely feel that you truly understand Chinese culture.