Boiling tea around a stove has become a hot trend on the Internet. Did ancient Chinese also boil tea around a stove?

Have you ever watched water boil? As the temperature rises, bubbles like fish eyes appear in the water, making a slight sound. Then, bubbles emerge along the edge of the container. After a while, the water boils completely, and it looks like waves.

Such meticulous observations came from an ancient man, Lu Yu , who was later revered as the Saint of Tea. In Lu Yu's view, from growing tea, making tea to drinking tea, certain rules and regulations need to be followed in order to taste the true taste of tea. Just boiling water requires careful observation of the steps of boiling water, and operation while observing, and adding tea and other materials at the appropriate time. Today, Chinese people generally drink tea by brewing, and this elegance of the ancients is rare. However, a new way of drinking tea has become popular recently, and ordinary people can also experience the fun of boiling tea. This is the " boiling tea around the stove " that we often hear recently.

The store will prepare a stove and put a heat-resistant teapot on it to make tea. Tea drinkers can not only drink tea, but also enjoy snacks. Bananas, red dates, dried fruits and other foods will be placed on the stove, and even a few sweet potatoes will not be out of place. Friends sit around the stove, warming themselves by the fire, chatting, drinking tea and eating snacks, and they are so happy. This report mentioned that making tea around the stove is popular among young people. Not only have many teahouses launched this new service, but the search volume has also increased significantly. So, is this way of making tea the same as the way ancient people made tea?

01

How did the ancients drink tea?

If we look back at the historical research related to tea culture, we will find that it is quite different. The earliest tea brewing by the Tang people not only boiled tea leaves, but also added spices and even onions and ginger. By the time of Lu Yu, this method was gradually eliminated. The method of brewing tea described by Lu Yu was to bake, crush, and sieve the tea cakes prepared in advance, and then put them into boiling water with salt and stir . The Tang Dynasty tea sets unearthed in Famen Temple in Shaanxi Province are suitable for this method.

In the late Tang and Song dynasties, the method of making tea was developed. It was necessary to add water to tea powder to make tea paste, then add water and stir, and make bubble-like "tea flowers" on the surface of the tea soup . The people of the Song Dynasty developed a skill called tea separation . By adjusting the method of water injection and stirring, different patterns can be formed on the tea soup , which is unpredictable. It sounds a bit like coffee latte art, but this pattern cannot be preserved for a long time. Instead, it is fleeting, adding a sense of mystery and artistry to the tea separation technique. Lu You's poem "The short paper is slanted and casually written, and the clear window is fine milk and tea is played." and Yang Wanli's poem "The two meet in the rabbit cup, strange and wonderful, true and good, and illusory. It is like splitting cotton wool in space, and the shadow falls on the cold river and can change." They are all talking about the tea separation technique. At that time, people had an entertaining attitude towards drinking tea. Not only did they drink tea, but they also had tea fighting competitions . Unfortunately, many of the skills of the time have been lost. Whether it is brewing tea or dividing tea, tea powder made by special tea making methods is required. This tea powder is close to today's matcha. Brewing tea around the stove usually uses commonly brewed tea leaves, which is different from the way of drinking tea in the Tang and Song dynasties .

However, it is probably not right to say that brewing tea is a popular drink or a new thing. For example, in Mongolia, Xinjiang, Tibet and other regions of my country, it is popular to brew compressed tea or brick tea, which is specially made for brewing tea. Moreover, the hobby of drinking tea is not exclusive to the Chinese. From Central Asia to Eastern Europe, it is popular to use teapots to brew tea. The big teapot has long become an important part of Russian and Turkish culture.

It can be seen that various ways of brewing tea have existed since ancient times and are still popular today. Some people may think that the new way of brewing tea around the stove is not the most respected way of brewing tea by the ancients. However, just like the tea-fighting competitions of the Song Dynasty, drinking tea is not just about drinking the tea soup in your mouth, the formal sense of drinking tea is also part of the tea experience . The focus of brewing tea around the stove is not only on brewing tea, but also on sitting around the stove and experiencing the comfort of gathering and chatting with friends. Compared with the complicated tea art of the ancients, brewing tea around the stove is a simple and easy way to drink tea. In time, who can say that it will not develop into a new way of drinking tea? At that time, brewing tea around the stove may not only be summarized as an Internet celebrity drink.

02

Brewing tea around the fire

Also pay attention to safety

Finally, I still want to remind everyone. According to the Beijing News, many people are addicted to brewing tea around the stove and have purchased a full set of tea sets to try at home, which brings a health risk. Some tea sets require charcoal fire. In winter, in order to keep warm, people generally close the doors and windows. In addition, when there are many people around the stove, it is easy to cause insufficient oxygen in the room, and the charcoal fire burns to form carbon monoxide. At this time, there is a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

According to data released by the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, there are more than 300 carbon monoxide poisoning incidents in Shanghai alone every year, some of which are caused by charcoal hot pot or barbecue at home. The principle of brewing tea around a stove is similar, and the same danger may occur. The Shanghai Municipal Health Commission recommends: " Try to avoid using charcoal fire for hot pot and other cooking operations in a small space. If you use it, remember to open the doors and windows for ventilation. " If you have symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting, you should ventilate immediately and evacuate the scene. If you are rescuing other poisoned people, you must take the poisoned person to a place with fresh air, ensure his breathing is unobstructed, and rush to the doctor while ensuring your own safety .

In winter, a warm fire, tea, and snacks can be a great way to spend a wonderful afternoon with friends. It would be even better if you pay attention to the health risks.

References:

[1] The Classic of Tea by Lu Yu

[2] “‘Brewing tea around the stove’ becomes the hottest trend this winter, with online stores selling 10,000 sets of tea-brewing sets per month”

[3] The Underground Palace of the Famen Temple Pagoda: A Record of China’s Major Archaeological Excavations, by Han Jinke, Sanlian Bookstore

[4] “Hotpot and barbecue are fun, but you must be careful about poisoning” Shanghai Municipal Health Commission official website

Author: Chen Chao, Master of State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University

Reviewer: Ruan Guangfeng, Director of Science and Technology Department, Kexin Food and Nutrition Information Exchange Center