By drinking tea in the gong fu cha tradition, you will come to appreciate your tea even more.  Be prepared to set aside at least an hour (more likely more) to sit and experience your tea.  Many people find meditation an excellent way to enhance their overall tea experience.  Remember that gong fu cha is an artform.  Changes in water temperature are necessary depending on the tea you are drinking, the temperature and humidity of the air and the altitude at which you are drinking your tea.  Many tea masters find they can best judge the 'right temperature' for their water by the size of the bubbles as the water simmers on its heat source.  The number of your guests and the size of your teapot as well as the duration of your tea experience can be adjusted by the amount of tea leaves you place in your teapot.  With all this in mind, don't be discouraged: according to cha dao, one of the most wonderful things to remember about tea is that the simple act of pouring hot water over tea leaves is in and of itself, an act of divinity.  So whether you drink your tea in the gong fu cha tradition, the Japanese or Korean tea ceremonies or simply in a british teapot and cup, you have found 'the way' most suited to you.  It is a culture to be embraced and enjoyed.

For this methodology you will need to maintain your water at a constant temperature (a general rule is the darker the tea, the hotter the water), a tea sink (preferably bamboo), a small teapot for your tea leaves (preferably from Yixing), a tea strainer, and a tea pitcher.  A smelling cup (yang bei, shiang bei or tall cup) and drinking cup (yin bei, cha bei or short squat cup) is also needed for you and each of your guests.

In order to prepare the "almost" perfect cup of tea, see the instructions that follow:

1. Heat your water to boiling and reduce to the desired temperature (this is an artform of its own).

2. Place your pitcher, strainer, teapot and cups all on the tea sink and pour hot water over all to warm them.  Then empty the water from each.

3. Distribute a yang bei and a yin bei to each of your guests. Place them on a tea coaster if you have them as this can get a bit messy.

4. Fill your teapot with enough tea leaves for yourself and your guests. Remember, tea leaves expand a great deal when wet. If your teapot is too small for the number of guests you have, you can steep more than once!

5. Fill your teapot with water and let steep for no more than 20 seconds.  Pour this tea out into the tea sink. This will get rid of any impurities in the leaves as well as most of the caffeine.

6. Pour the tea from the teapot through the strainer and into the pitcher.  Notice the colour of the tea, for your next steeping adjust the length of time you steep.

7. Remove the strainer from the pitcher and pour tea into the yang bei of each guest.  

8. Demonstrate to each guest how to place the yin bei upside down over the yang bei (it looks kind of like a mushroom).  Then, with one hand, make a 'V' with your fingers and place them upside down around the yang cup with your thumb covering the bottom of the yin cup and flip the two cups together so that the yang cup is now sitting upside down in the yin cup.  If you understand this complicated explanation and have successfully completed the flip without spilling, bravo!

9. Slowly remove the yang bei and the tea will "glug" out into the yin bei.  The "glugging" helps to aerate the tea and release some of the flavours.  Place the now empty yang bei, open end up, below your nose and inhale the sweet aromas of the tea. The Taiwanese believe your sense of smell and taste are so closely connected that this step is very important!

10. Once you've inhaled your fill, raise the yin bei to your lips and slurp the tea a little bit.  Slurping is ok as it helps to aerate the tea and release more of the flavours.

11. Et voila! You have successfully poured a gong fu cha cup of tea.  Now repeat this process from step 5 to 10 and repeat until your tea is no longer as aromatic or flavourful as it started out.

12. When cleaning your teaware, pour hot water over everything and dry with a lint-free cloth.  This will maintain the cleanliness of your teaware.  Do not use soap or other cleaning agents when cleaning your teaware as this will leave soap residue and thus a soap (or other chemical) flavour the next time you make tea.