tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275066792011-12-02T16:41:33.688-08:00tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.comBlogger2401100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-39552827118500170152011-09-23T09:11:00.000-07:002011-09-23T09:59:55.069-07:00

After months of preparation, respecting the chaos, and the courage to allow what is to be... We finally came to a realization that when we force actions, you only struggle against ourselves and limit the scale of what can be accomplished. The time has come. Tea leads us to Friendship, Friendship enlightens oneself. PURE IS THE RESULT. It is my great honor to introduce a great photographer and

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-13930416337277479602011-04-19T10:30:00.000-07:002011-04-19T10:30:23.005-07:00

"All desires end in disillusion, all possessions are a disappointment, all pleasures are a mixed blessing. Love implies a partner (onanism is not love), alcohol leads to a hangover, war to death, gambling to ruin, greediness to obesity. There are no exceptions. In order to go sailing you need a boat; to hunt, a gun - or a horse and hounds. The pleasures of collecting are the most frustrating of

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-41593536853865812492011-03-18T08:51:00.000-07:002011-03-20T15:47:54.022-07:00

The World we living in has changed. The rotation has shifted, but the center is always true to our heart. Compassion is the source, not politicians nor corporate greed.Be Strong and fill with hopes my dear friends from Japan. A limitless energy and supports from us to all being is just a heartbeat away. http://kizuna311.com/

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-60790899468520326402011-03-14T14:46:00.000-07:002011-03-14T14:47:07.846-07:00

Profound and Good... we always want more, more than what we all need. Nature answers all our needs, and keeps giving... unconditionally. How easy is to give back? We can at least start to share, with others in need. That is a very good start to give back. A Korean whom in tuned with nature made a clay plate hundreds of years ago, understanding the spirit of the earth. A broken tea leaf lay bare

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-47750657804089685762011-03-04T14:39:00.000-08:002011-03-04T15:27:05.640-08:00

We fall in love with things we might not understand. Someone once asked what my favorite wine was. "The one I like..." I replied, "and the one I don't know I like yet." True love takes time. Knowing I like something and explaining it in detail need more time. It's very easy to ask children what they like to eat. "Chocolate Ice Cream!" and why?.... "Cos' its good". Often, good is not enough and

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-76905452408608541552011-02-20T21:20:00.000-08:002011-02-20T21:35:36.298-08:00

Two amazing days of Hard Work but Fruitful Harvest.My heartfelt thank you to all the Mandarin's TeamMates and Tea patrons. Photography courtesy of Wrong Fu Cha

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-63716379647835988662011-02-17T14:28:00.000-08:002011-02-17T15:35:13.812-08:00

Happy New Year of the Rabbit! The golden year of the Toki (Korean for bunny) is off to a busy start for the tearoom. Just to kick start the new year, we sponsored a Virtual Yoga and Meditation conference the past week, hosted by Yogahub. This amazing virtual gathering, hosted more than 75 teachers worldwide and have over 2000 participants internationally. Close friend and teacher, Neal

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-87025144721799886112010-12-30T19:33:00.000-08:002010-12-30T19:35:57.647-08:00

Some of my highlights of this year. Connecting with a new, old friend and fulfilling a dream tearoom....

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-23667713366628497692010-12-02T14:23:00.000-08:002010-12-02T14:24:16.273-08:00

As tea lovers who follow this blog would know... to be chosen for the Mandarin's Tea Selection, a tea must go through a long, intense and very discriminating process. Only by learning and understanding the foundation (tree, place, process, storage and history), and the character changes of a tea, I can teach more people about how to brew, what to look for, and how to appreciate the unique

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-55667264935009484822010-11-23T15:19:00.000-08:002010-11-23T15:19:50.501-08:00

I can not be happier. Thank you all for your kind supports, and hope to see you in our new tea sanctuary.

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-43044425825492053462010-10-22T15:13:00.000-07:002010-10-22T15:18:41.465-07:00

Kick starting our new tea room with a tasting of a competition winning Wenshan Baozhong 2010.A generous gift from a dear Taiwanese artist/professor. All I can say is... Artists get the best tea!It tasted like a combination of a Wudong Dancong, Anxi TGY, a rush of a high mountain Taiwanese, with subtile profile and powerful qi. Michael, Winnie, Dae was delighted to finally share our combined

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-46031965456126238232010-10-19T10:57:00.000-07:002010-10-19T10:58:09.665-07:00

Clay, Celadon and Stone.Tea, Water and Friendship. All falls into place naturally.If Art is to inform and delight, then Tea is to enlighten and unify. A long journey of friendship has finally fallen in to place. As Fall has harmonized both of our passions. I welcome The Tea Gallery with open arms and heart to be part of my life. This adventure so long overdue, my friends.... let this union be a

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-60277725731750231482010-09-13T20:56:00.000-07:002010-09-13T21:28:06.161-07:00

The first day I had the experience of being tea drunk was 7 years ago. I was on a leisurely afternoon walk through an old Hong Kong street. It was a sunny day in fall and there was a light, clean breeze traveling through the cobblestone alleys. Temples and colonial brownstones were interwoven with mulberry trees. A tea shop on a Qing dynasty stone street caught my eye. It was a very ordinary

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-55886168370807668042010-09-01T12:43:00.000-07:002010-09-01T12:43:30.196-07:00

Have a moment for yourself, brew a cup of tea, and read and re-read this quote for 10 times. It will only take 30 mins: "Ego is able to convert everything to its own use, even spirituality. For example, if you have learned of a particularly beneficial meditation technique of spiritual practice, then ego's attitude is first to regard it as an object of fascination, and, second to examine it.

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-53332621255446085282010-08-31T15:17:00.000-07:002011-01-01T09:01:27.705-08:00

Tea is my calling--or is it my fate to follow the leaf? I have been a book designer for over 15 years now. In the very beginning, novels and big book titles were my most coveted projects. Throughout my career, I've designed for every kind of book a designer could hope for. Spiritual titles were merely part of my workload until recently, when my calling began to reveal itself and the path that I

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-10671080552614969342010-07-21T18:52:00.000-07:002010-07-21T19:35:29.808-07:00

Unlike expresso with chocolate, tea and cocoa are not a common paring... or should it be?Over the last weekend, I have had the pleasure to meet with a wonderful author who celebrates healthy and finer things in life.Bringing up tea as my natural subject of choose, she rewarded me with a private commissioned chocolate bar made with 70% cocoa."I have travelled all over the world to find the best

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-535331917728286722010-07-06T21:09:00.001-07:002010-07-07T07:07:33.998-07:00

It is all about ratio, the volume of tea to water, the size of the vessel, and how long the brew is. Many people choose to brew tea the easy way, the safe way, and foolproof way....To me, using less tea leaves and longer steep is like brewing tea bags, you can not go wrong, just lesser steepings and muted taste. Perhaps 30% of the tea true flavor?The whole idea of Kung-Fu tea brewing is to

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-11673579943508075202010-06-15T18:22:00.000-07:002010-06-15T18:42:28.273-07:00

Started reading the first Chapter of Lu Yu's thoughts on Chinese tea:"Every Tea hour must become a masterpiece to serve as a distillation of all tea hours, as if were the first and with no other to follow..." —Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD.)A moment translated a thousand years later. A uniquely Mandarin's attitude.

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-30356564252979730452010-05-25T13:45:00.000-07:002010-06-11T18:44:51.648-07:00

This post took me 3 weeks to compose, just because of the continuing tasting and researching of this year's Longjing from Xi Hu.Lion's Peak or Shi-Feng is where the original 18 Longjing bushes tributed to Qing Emperor Qianlong are from. Lion's Peak is situated next to West-lake (Xi Hu), Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. The Mandarin's way to enjoy a true cup of Shi-Feng Longjing is to use the Dreaming

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-38022919563568927802010-05-15T22:06:00.001-07:002010-05-15T22:10:16.243-07:00

The very basic to say the least.

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-54887508597885270072010-04-25T10:51:00.000-07:002010-04-30T08:26:55.902-07:00

Spring is here, or is it? The lilac trees in our garden are blossoming purple and white, and the scent of purple lilac is so intoxicating that it covers the night air into morning light. I never bother to find out the true bouquet of the white varietal because its purple cousin was always dominant until a couple of days ago.... Clean, balancing and alluring, the white has casted an unexplainable

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-44591854274315863132010-04-10T22:54:00.000-07:002010-04-11T09:48:04.610-07:00

http://vimeo.com/10836902Thank you Brandon for putting together such a wonderful and beautiful tea gathering.Photo Courtesy of Brandon and Jeremy

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-62949778700254198102010-04-04T16:35:00.000-07:002010-04-08T20:48:21.885-07:00

Many teas come through the tea room every season, many of them only last for one session, and some are revisited over a period of days, months or even years. This harsh discrimating tasting process let only the choicest to be selected and pampered. A final Paring test will then conducted for concluding the result. Most of these early candidates are found from my trips to the farmers or teamasters

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-14774822078621367132010-04-03T12:42:00.001-07:002010-04-03T19:37:45.716-07:00

A Visual How-Tos:1. Bring water to a boil until steady streams of large bubbles (Rope of Pearls). Pour water into the Tasting Cup.2. Once water is fill to the top, pour water into the tasting bowl (Spoon is optional).3. Now all units have been pre-heated. Place 5g of tea leaves into the heated cup (Yixing Red Tea was used). Smell and take notes on the heated leaves.4. For the rinse; use fish-eye

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-32632652498316604382010-04-02T08:57:00.000-07:002010-04-03T16:31:44.962-07:00

Gaiwan brewing for Pre-Ming Longjing Green Tea.

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-12006339689203593772010-04-01T07:24:00.000-07:002010-04-01T13:32:24.949-07:00

Pure Premium Artisanal Teas. The Mandarin's Tea.The Mandarin's Tea Room is officially open for business. Come and experience its time honored rituals and passion for the superiorly crafted tea.

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-85307663803304476812010-03-23T13:06:00.000-07:002010-04-02T08:56:13.708-07:00

Thanks to the great team at The New York Asia Society, Michael, Yoshie and Fran, my deep bow to you. The Tea Event at the New York Asia Society was a huge success, with over 260 guests attended. After the screening of Tea and the World: The Meaning of Tea by Scott Chamberlin Hoyt. There was a book signing for Mr. Hoyt's tea book and a tea tasting reception. We celebrated the soft launch for The

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-15116423197267666072010-03-22T12:42:00.000-07:002010-03-25T11:15:45.397-07:00

5g of a 50 years old, aged Yancha. The tea master who roasted it 50 years ago brewed it up using a gaiwan, just to show me the tea foundation. But I prefer using a yixing to further enjoy the rich yet subtle moment. Preheating the teapot with heated water in this brewing method is very important. All vessels should be cleaned and preheated. Here is the Step-by-Step how-tos:1. Fill the yixing pot

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-67265617909606259792010-03-22T10:52:00.000-07:002010-04-02T09:01:47.563-07:00

7g of top grade Anxi Xiping TikwanYin harvested in OCT 2009. How do tea masters brew it in Xiping? They mostly use a Gaiwan. Here is the step-by-step how-tos:1. Use a Standard (3 oz) / 4 serving Gaiwan set. Bring water to a boil until the bubbles are no larger then fish-eyes. 2. Fill the gaiwan with the heated water.3. Pour the water from the gaiwan into the drinking cups. Once the cups have been

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-6311329289951002442010-03-18T08:24:00.000-07:002010-03-22T14:51:39.333-07:00

To me, tea is the fabric of Culture and Traditions. It's woven with different times, places and minds together as a whole, through a tiny cup. Although it was a disposable plastic cup, Indeed it was a very good cup that we shared. Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Pratt, it was such a pleasure for me.

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-43131370463351514152010-03-10T13:13:00.000-08:002010-03-10T14:01:45.788-08:00

Drawing wisdom from a recent tequila tasting in Mexico.... I am surprised how difficult for us to unlearn or undo our own experience in taste and senses. Expectation is one of the darkest enemy, and raw perception could end a good tasting session prematurely. The fact that most people are unable to understand new information, without the inherent bias of previous experience, a sort of

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-78776427305599081392010-03-04T10:09:00.000-08:002010-03-04T10:31:45.982-08:00

Please come and join us for a Tea Tasting Reception on the 17th of March. I will be sharing and brewing a couple of my favorite selections. Hope to see you there. www.asiasociety.org

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-31462232338693450832010-02-16T08:34:00.000-08:002010-02-16T08:36:57.593-08:00

虎年行大運，身體健康，龍精虎猛，財源廣進!

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-9906814544756230092010-01-26T18:34:00.001-08:002010-02-16T17:44:08.721-08:00

I remember a third generation tea farmer from Nantou once taught me what to look for in High Mountain oolong."Anything lower than 700M is not considered as High Mountain," He begins. "The harsher and more extreme the growing environment, the tastier the tea is..... and it's all about the sheen, the oil on the surfaces of each pallets." He concluded.All good quality tea should have shine and

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-77827714064387148172010-01-18T08:45:00.000-08:002010-01-19T08:07:45.278-08:00

It was a great holiday season for me. Wonderful Family time, food, gifts, tea gatherings and great company filled up the festive month. Chinese New Year is around the corner, so before that, I wish to taste most of the newly collected. Over this weekend, I got to taste an amazing brandy, some good aged smoke and a special tea from Michael Wong. Vendor:The Tea Gallery. NYCOrigin:Er Mei Mountain

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-21965135731430520782010-01-14T17:00:00.001-08:002010-01-15T13:50:59.679-08:00

Being a Yixing enthusiast for over 15 years now, I still remember the moment that the spell was casted.The display shelves were full of yixings, big and small. Back in those days when Jiang Rong and Gu Jing Zhou's pots were still available for a price not as hefty as today. I am not a big fan of 'Flower pot' style, but once in a while those refined details on such a piece do captivate my

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-10102322463489674982010-01-05T12:42:00.000-08:002010-01-12T14:22:51.703-08:00

Tea gathering, to me, is for sharing of mind and sincerity. Learning from each other is the most fulfilling moment.Very different than traditional tea fights, the tea presented is merely a fresh air to feed the mind. It's become a talking point to allure out ones humble and unpretentious self. I had the greatest pleasure over the last year to have tea with 4 admiring mandarins in the red room. My

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-999055696502629512009-12-31T10:52:00.000-08:002009-12-31T15:38:37.135-08:00

Before the year ends, I wish to do a brief tea tasting. People who follow the Mandarin's blog know that tea review from vendors are rare, except a couple of trusted ones. So, why a change? Perhaps it's to encourage more younger people to learn and understand this life changing experience. A generous sample for holidays from Carnie and Sina from Red Circle Tea, two young tea enthusiasts who

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-5475586144837351442009-12-20T16:59:00.001-08:002009-12-20T17:06:39.010-08:00

Photographing using snow light or in rainy daylight is always a blessing. The unusual natural lighting always create such romance and mystery to the shot. I am enjoying the first white out before christmas with my Wuyi Oolong tea setting. Wishing you all a warm, cosy Christmas. T

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-80350620645258762492009-12-17T10:16:00.000-08:002009-12-17T10:25:05.281-08:00

My deepest Salute to Mr. MarshalN.! A set of Antique Japanese pewter cup saucers for the Holidays. One of the few items missing for my tea room. Now, it is completed and I am content. Thank you again for your kindness and generosity. Happy Holidays!

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-2815859354466890012009-12-16T15:40:00.000-08:002009-12-16T19:17:13.706-08:00

After 2 weeks of resting from jet lag, most of my tea and myself are almost recovered from bottle shock. The best way to cure the distress was to drink, drink and drink more. Safe to say, we went through almost 2 pounds of fine tea within this couple of weeks.The choicest so far are aged Shui Xian, and a late 80's 8582. Also got some samples of a fine grade Yixing Kung-Fu Red. I've found 5 kinds

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-56380476900792533512009-12-14T14:44:00.000-08:002009-12-14T18:45:02.977-08:00

My Second design for Mr. Parker arrived at the studio today. Since then, I've sent 2 packages of choicest tea select for a cuppa invitation to Mr. Parker. Patience will be awarded somedays, hopefully a tea session with my wine idol....

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-19370111798589227492009-12-11T14:57:00.001-08:002009-12-12T05:03:31.091-08:00

A thought on Burning incense: "....The fungus and decomposition process continue to generate a very rich and dark resin to form within its heartwood. This is the preferred resin used in making fine Japanese incense. The resin created as an immune response makes the most sacred oil on the planet . As you can see the wood is extremely rare and often very difficult to obtain, as well as being quite

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-74766729926345405062009-12-10T10:06:00.000-08:002009-12-10T13:48:52.282-08:00

Finding a decent traditional high fired oolong is hard these days. Looking for a properly aged Wuyi Shui Xian is harder, so stumbling over a 50 years + high fired aged Wuyi is by fate not by quest. It took me a life long dedication on a single tea shop to finally convince the owner whose tea I am worthy of. Not just any tea, but his own self roasted Main Cliff Shui Xian made more than 50 years

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-43783855620665174592009-12-09T13:28:00.000-08:002009-12-14T15:39:51.498-08:00

We started with 2 new puerh cakes from Yi Dao. A High Mountain Wild Tree, and a High Mountain Before Ming. We had 3 rounds on each one and that was it... this factory is still at a very young stage searching for it's identity. We wasted no time and cleansed our palate with a late 80's 8582. A Hong Kong storage cake, but good enough to bring us back on the train.Brian Kirbis needs no introduction

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-9584128574182273262009-12-06T13:40:00.000-08:002010-03-28T13:34:01.943-07:00

The Reunion is sweet, and the longing is finally over.... After 3 years of her disappearance, Juliet returned with beauty and grace. A Shakespearian drama with a happy ending.Companying her voyage are an army of 70s-80s yixings, ranging from 40ml to 180ml. All cleaned up and documented here in this post. I hope all yixing fans could learn one or two things from my previous post Flagstaff Yixing

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-83636842976343573562009-12-03T09:28:00.000-08:002009-12-03T09:32:06.951-08:00

My Kind of Candy Store. Which one can you guess is around $10k, or which one is $500k?

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-39637008153131272482009-11-28T03:50:00.000-08:002009-11-28T18:11:10.004-08:00

The original 1915 Cheng's globular shape from the Flagstuff House museum of Tea Ware, Hong Kong.What amazes me is the size of this beauty... it can hold at least 600 ml of water. The glow is quite something.

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-18724477790747135252009-11-04T12:40:00.000-08:002009-11-04T17:32:04.986-08:00

This little treasure has been hiding in my baby onggi jar since this April. Finally, the right moment came and I shared it with my friend Michael Turek and Italo. With 2 other teas: 80's cooked tuocha, and a 1600+ yrs Chairman Mao.My friends were new to tea tasting, and they both thought the DD is a bit on the mellow and quite side. Nice clear brew, aged character stimuated both sides of my

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-35059476746158048002009-10-28T20:30:00.000-07:002009-10-29T12:59:26.867-07:00

Over the years, I have been documenting on some brewing methods for Oolong tea. Looking back and comparing the progress is one of the most self educational & learning experiences. From the very beginning, I only concentrated on the surface and 'packaging': eg. looks, brewing steps, aroma, feeling of front of mouth and the first couple of minutes of 'expectations'. All these do not excite me any

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-37934111569061631302009-10-10T09:16:00.001-07:002009-10-10T10:44:31.279-07:00

My mom wrote to me this morning: "Kyoto is one of my favourite cities in the world, there stood the only traditional Tang Dynasty architecture left in the world, and yet ours, in China, were all destroyed. sad.sad sad.....!! One wonders, sometimes, if Kyoto does resembles what our own city once looked like back in Tang Dynasty?? A great era... ruled by Empress Wu......a city filled with artists,

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-25297520652966937372009-09-11T13:39:00.000-07:002009-09-13T06:31:35.133-07:00

One of the lost puerh tucked away inside a tin box. No big fan of Dayi, almost like drinking a Mondavi's house Merlot, meanwhile you know they also make Opus. But sometimes I just want to enjoy something simple or less poetic, when deadlines and challenging design solutions start to pile up.Perhaps the reason I picked this up was the blooms covering the brick. As you can see, it also blossomed on

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-54939312148858667742009-09-03T10:41:00.000-07:002009-09-03T18:42:40.127-07:00

At this point, hope you are enjoying or at least learning something new from these posts about the similarity of aging tea and cigar. I do want to point out that all of these experiences are very much personal, and there is no right or wrong in doing what you think is good... just the result and consequence of anyone's choice. For me, I prefer to take the action of practicing them, rather than

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-70050074469215821972009-09-02T07:37:00.000-07:002009-09-02T17:45:35.285-07:00

If one of the World's most respected cigar collectors wrote about the link between aging Habanos and Puerh, there are much wisdom to learn from....First, on the previous post where the author mentioned in interesting note (blue):Do cigars need to breath while aging? Applying the same idea to aging puerh, I found those in which I open storage with good ventilation for the new - 2 yrs old bings.

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-89307756790849703122009-09-01T11:03:00.000-07:002009-09-01T11:46:34.277-07:00

Just finished a Monte 2 from 2002. An the mysterious 'Granny face powder' showed herself in the third stage.... the same character of a Nannuo. As Salsero pointed out on teachat regarding the same encounter: "...Bill had a very strong impression from his childhood of the aroma of Granny Face Powder which he remembers as a flour-like Coty powder that could fill a room it was so light. For a while

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-40475531561205473522009-08-28T13:53:00.001-07:002009-08-28T18:39:57.171-07:00

Last Group for the tea utensils posts is these tea scoops.(Clockwise from Top)1. Early Rep. Zitan wood scoop with jade inlay 5-7g2. Silver spoon 1890s 2-4g3. Cow horn scoop 8-12g4. Bamboo scoop 6-8 g5. Modern Rosewood scoop 6-9 gVery simple but useful tools these are, I realized there is such a history behind them besides going further to Chinese, Japanese or Western tea culture. These Chinese

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-66142889011534304082009-08-14T23:13:00.000-07:002009-08-24T07:45:54.246-07:00

How many is too many? Organizing and rotating tea utensils is often a headache for me... not because I am trying to show them off, but the fact that only 10% of the utensils are being used. Some even get used only once or twice. So what are these? Here, I am trying to put a glossary together for the record:Group A: Yixing brushes.1. Boar bristle brush for polishing larger yixing.2. Hay brush for

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-10237512474059037662009-08-04T08:36:00.001-07:002009-08-04T09:50:31.633-07:00

After drinking 2 days straight on the 90s Tibetan puerh, I think it was pretty exhausted.... will I just discard it? Why not try something the Tibetan will do - Boiling it. Only without adding yak butter and salt.Boiling puerh is a traditional way of drinking tea in the mountain of XiShuangBanna. Village Elders usually drink the boil soup after a day of work, companying a nice green tobacco.The

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-80466155229133084992009-08-01T16:41:00.000-07:002009-08-01T18:12:19.916-07:00

Is there a season for drinking aged cooked puerh? Most of my experiences with shu aged (7-15yrs) during dead-winter season, is flat and boring.... really nothing to write home about. Organizing some cigar boxes in the storage (which I use for aging shu puerh), I bumped into a lost mushroom. I did a post back in 2008 Feb., this puerh did not impress nor inspire at that time. But when I opened it

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-56931432207678479192009-07-29T10:11:00.000-07:002009-07-29T19:30:18.068-07:00

Looking back to my tasting notes, I found that I have more than 4 different styles developed over the years (my first style). I don't know which one I prefer or my audiences prefer, perhaps it depends on the tea? The latest style was "borrow" after the modern bible of puerh tea by Mr. Tang. I like the to-the-point and in-short information format, listing all the most important elements during a

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-22473845556158648402009-07-28T14:29:00.001-07:002009-07-28T22:46:52.832-07:00

Went to Coney Island with my wife for some hot dogs, a sudden urge coming from the blues. Perhaps the murky sky and tropical humidity play a role on my impulse? The first thing that captured by my iphone was the rapid changes of the sky. (later on, it was reported tornados touchdown in Brooklyn and 5 people were struck by lighting). A photographic moment I like to remember, as inspired by my

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-37899043592571471242009-07-27T14:29:00.000-07:002009-07-27T20:07:12.296-07:00

I have been aging this Yiwu open air style for 7 years in the storage/basement. Plied some out in a rainy Summer afternoon to taste. I was hoping to be rewarded, just by looking at the "fevered" color of the bing. The brew color was considered dark for a raw 2001, but the taste was far more mellow than the other (refined storage) bings. Seems like the aroma and dry floral of a yiwu had escaped

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-83500025621559885272009-07-21T09:35:00.001-07:002009-07-22T08:54:02.463-07:00

Doing a tasting for Teachat A private commissioned in 2006 pure Nannuo Mt. old tea tree.

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-11745447501900735342009-07-15T10:20:00.001-07:002009-07-15T11:49:28.680-07:00

A "Five Style" Yixing sets for oolong. #1 has not been use, and #4-5 are the most popular. Can you tell the shine/patina different?Companying the images, my second tea cast. Please enjoy my 2009 Anxi Xiping TGY.Anxi Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea from TIMOTHY HSU on Vimeo.

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-74697084692178824172009-07-13T09:37:00.000-07:002009-07-14T13:45:26.953-07:00

A double brewing method for a delicate tea. My First Non-Edit Teacast: Ladies and Gents, please be gentle. Any Comment will be greatly appreciated. Continue....

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-34686934535397920192009-07-02T06:57:00.001-07:002009-07-02T08:21:19.858-07:00

I've been testing a new tea pot for a couple of months now. Paring tea to tea pot is nothing more than a personal preference, a very subjective view indeed. Sometimes you like the up front notes of floral and high tones in a light Oolong, but sometimes you prefer the long lasting soft lingering aftertaste. Using a different yixing can bring out either the first or latter result.It really depends

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-78287940936321429172009-05-11T14:44:00.001-07:002009-05-12T09:57:04.360-07:00

It's was quite a busy weekend, my brother-in-law's wedding and Mother's day on Sunday. Since my in-laws are Korean, the wedding was conducted in Korean and 97% of the guests were Korean. So what can I learn from a Korean wedding? Of course, the nature subjects of my choice were korean art, pottery and tea. A close friend of my wife is moving back to Seoul by the end of June, whose husband's

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-26789944805488044912009-05-05T09:17:00.000-07:002009-05-05T09:30:10.766-07:00

Leaves:1. From which vendor, farmer, source: Teamaster2. Date of Harvest: 19803. Elevation: High. Guessing 1200-1500+4. Soil based: Soil/Rock5. Which area: Dong Ding6. Varietal. Hung Shui7. Fired level: Traditional8. Bush age: young9. Grade: 1st10. breathing tea before brewing: 3 daysBrewing vessel, water:1. Water source: Poland Spring2. Aged or fresh: 5 days3. How you boil your water: Charcoal4.

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-45672006384638612082009-05-01T08:15:00.000-07:002009-05-05T08:58:16.520-07:00

Leaves:1. From which vendor, farmer, source: Teamaster2. Date of Harvest: Spring 19903. Elevation: Low 300-500m4. Soil based: Rocky5. Which area: San Hsia6. Varietal. Luanze7. Fired level: Medium/light8. Bush age: young9. Grade: 1st10. breathing tea before brewing: 7 daysBrewing vessel, water:1. Water source: Poland Spring2. Aged or fresh: -3. How you boil your water: Electric Water Boiler4. Temp

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-24340220031979513092009-04-30T10:35:00.001-07:002009-04-30T10:38:22.548-07:00

2008 Late Winter Shan Lin Shi luanze OolongLeaves:1. From which vendor, farmer, source: Teamaster2. Date of Harvest: Winter 20083. Elevation: 1650m4. Soil based: Soil5. Which area: Shan Li Shi6. Varietal. qingxin7. Fired level: Light8. Bush age: young9. Grade: -10. breathing tea before brewing: 7 daysBrewing vessel, water:1. Water source: Poland Spring2. Aged or fresh: -3. How you boil your water

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-292303887636763242009-04-28T11:58:00.000-07:002009-04-30T09:15:42.485-07:00

Recently I received a package from Taiwan. A tea aficionado I meet over the internet and eventually become tea friend.He was so kind to sent me 5 rare tea samples which included:- 2008 Late Winter Shan Lin Shi luanze Oolong- 2008 Late Winter Hung Shui Oolong from Dong Ding- 1990 Spring Hung Shui Oolong from San Hsia-1980 Hung Shui Oolong from Dong Ding.I will be writing some feed backs in the

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-70648858122912638372009-04-25T15:36:00.001-07:002009-04-26T09:26:39.316-07:00

Many Years of working as an Art Director, I tend to learn what is acceptable and what is not in artistic value... It's a matter of class and taste. How do you achieve the artistic value? I guess a quick answer is to work with more talented artists and understand and accept their individuality and visions. Through working with Martha Stewart Living 10 years ago, I have acquired a tremendous amount

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-15768329150835128262009-04-24T18:33:00.001-07:002009-04-24T18:36:51.976-07:00

A New Season of tender leaves. A New Chapters to clear and nurturing the mind.

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-9521368172777923522009-04-21T10:06:00.000-07:002009-04-21T12:11:45.850-07:00

In the Flagstaff House museum, Hong Kong, Dr. K.S. Lo's collection of these 3 Mings to Qings dynasty pots (above) are bench marks of what Zisha should be.When Yixing collector addresses Yixing teapot, the first name is usually Zisha. So what is Zisha? I am not going to have a lengthy explanation or zillion of online links to this scientific and Yixing "experts" opinion. However, I am just going

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-72982792513750992972009-04-20T10:12:00.000-07:002009-04-20T13:56:47.683-07:00

Why went through burning charcoal to boil water for a pot of tea? Or in this case, green tea. Tetsubin has been a necessity for centuries in tea drinkers' spaces. Most of the higher quality Tetsubin could not be used on a stove top, but are recommended only with charcoal fire. This is something I am still puzzled about... perhaps any one could tell me the scientific reason?What I found as

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-50295743666815180382009-04-17T08:28:00.001-07:002009-04-17T14:34:13.516-07:00

Back in the days, cups with floral pattern inside were used for tea. Wine cups are mostly pain or with abstract patterns.So these silver lotus cups are for the enjoyment of tea as Scott and Trent pointed out, the silver quality adds brightness to the steeps. It's interesting to know, back in Tang (618-907) Dynasty or even earlier, tea connoisseurs already studied the changes of vessels’ materials

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-55119468150945028722009-04-08T07:07:00.000-07:002009-04-10T10:51:27.302-07:00

Here are the movie clips from Red Cliff which inspired me for this series:And the real relics from the Han dynasty:A Set of 4 lacquer ears cups, which the foundation could be silk or cloth. Even over nearly 2000 years old. The black lacquer color and it's cup shape still holds the form, which is quite amazing.Oval ear-shaped cups had been a class drinking vessel before the Han dynasty (25–220 A.D

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-11865224521187278082009-04-03T07:49:00.000-07:002009-04-06T10:13:54.892-07:00

I was watching the new movie Red Cliff directed by John Woo the other night. Besides the great Actors and Actresses, big battle scenes, love, hate and world domination.... The Tea Porn was hardcore! Could not stop thinking about it. Since I am obsessed with Han style tea, and it's great that this movie really goes into the vessel details on how people drink tea 2000+ yrs ago.Recently, there are

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-13663038048459603982009-03-26T07:47:00.000-07:002009-03-26T08:10:25.965-07:00

Living a tea life don't just make me more calm and patient to others, it also affects my works and art directions. If I am not into Tea or Qingbai Ware from the Sung/Yuan periods, Chinese calligraphy nor Japanese precious stones inlay lacquer box... perhaps I will never been inspired enough to do these design. A Chu Kuang-Hsi or Oshikochi No Mitsun's poems will likely be interpret by ones mind

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-43890291720213574462009-03-25T09:18:00.000-07:002009-03-25T09:38:46.191-07:00

What are the odds of finding two teapots from the same studio? And what are the chance to have them reunion from thousands of miles away, and years apart? Faith plays a funning role in my tea life, it will only be more exciting from this point on.A big brother? Or a little brother I'd found yesterday at the Tea Gallery. The same style, made and fired level pot.... could it even be the same artist

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-77292091351504425152009-03-22T18:18:00.000-07:002009-03-22T18:20:42.627-07:00

Over the past 2 weeks, I finally had some time to fix up my tea table leakage. I bought 2 burlwood root tables almost 12 years ago. One functions nicely in the studio, but the other one leaks at the drainage area. After many previous attempts including drilling and filling, nothing really worked and I finally decided to seal the whole thing with 5 layers of Polyurethane. To celebrate the soft

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-78701759595689128982009-03-16T11:33:00.000-07:002009-03-16T18:31:39.317-07:00

I remember holding a white tea cup and seeing the dried dark reddish tea stain at the bottom of it. It was syrupy and sweet floral, sticky to the touch with some crumbled tea leaves sprinkled around. I still can remember the smell of the tea room, strong truffle's sweetness with tobacco and leather, it was wonderful and comforting. I was around 6, and the small white tea cup didn't seem so tiny

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-85219454421253891322009-02-27T12:33:00.000-08:002009-02-27T12:37:25.038-08:00

My alluring tactics using this blog had paid off.... After the first success of inviting MarshalN to the mandarin's tea room, I am honored to have Michael and Winnie from the tea gallery to pay a visit. What a lovely President day's tea gathering. Michael's family and financial consultant Jay joining my family to have an early dinner/tea/cigar evening.What's on the menu? 80's wild loose pu to

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-72014691173995498172009-02-09T08:10:00.001-08:002009-02-09T15:12:42.573-08:00

Master Sheng Yen who we did the "Footprint in the Snow" book design for, passed away on the 3rd at 78.He wrote a poem before he passed:"Busy with nothing, growing old.Within emptiness, weeping, laughing.Intrinsically, there is no “I.”Life and death, thus cast aside."Art courtesy of Ros & David Cuthbert / http://www.yellowfox.org.uk/index.html

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-9824549406253270122009-02-02T09:30:00.000-08:002009-02-02T10:20:31.442-08:00

Haven't really written any tasting note the past year, so I decided to keep a small pocket journal starting this OX year. Did wrote tasting more often when I started this blog in the beginning, but somehow, got tired of it.... Why, perhaps when I started drinking tea in a tasting/evaluation model, it can go knuckle-head really fast. In other words, boring and uninspiring.... All I wanted is what

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-67804667287485734472009-01-26T07:30:00.000-08:002009-01-27T10:04:32.435-08:00

Happy New Year of a Bullish Market to Everyone! Fat Choy, Fat Choy!

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-71225139589195793322009-01-20T07:42:00.000-08:002009-01-20T07:45:58.426-08:00

"You can always count on Americans to do the right thing - after they've tried everything else." - Sir Winston Churchill

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-9774478817394035922009-01-19T11:20:00.000-08:002009-01-19T11:49:23.252-08:00

Too often, the tea room is also my only smoking heaven... due to the marriage certificate which I signed: "I agreed to confine my smoking habits inside our home to a small area...." This passed weekend, during my one-and-a-half relaxing moment, my smoke once again enlightened me about tea drinking.Cigar, like Raw puerh should be aged. This has been a fact outside the US. because of the US.

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-73368570186534710192009-01-09T08:38:00.000-08:002009-01-09T19:23:13.274-08:00

Picked up a new hobby at the Tea Gallery the other day. Michael has been pairing yixings with different teas to find a match before clients purchase them. This is an idea which has been around from the beginning of this culture. If my memory serves me right, the first time I heard of it was around 1996. An old pot master retiring in Hong Kong had planted this seed in my head, while we shared a

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-18707921157871059192009-01-05T08:23:00.000-08:002009-03-28T05:37:21.343-07:00

Having a tearoom at home is like having a painting studio for artists. A space to be inspired and a place to practice. This blog started only because of this red room. It is too often that the little space was not used to its fullest or even neglected. Paging through old Qing's painting, scholar, hermits and mandarins was usually illustrated into the composition, so why so empty here? As a new

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-4393952349081926592008-12-12T10:04:00.000-08:002008-12-12T10:22:14.366-08:00

Use it in the Winter time and do not pre-heat the pot. Pour hot water in and MONEY!Down the drain! Never use a zhuni pot in a cold environment! It will be worst then our economy : PEven Michael at the tea gallery learn it the hard way.... Click! Holly!! and all our hearts broken.You MUST warm up the pot slowly no matter what.So I started painting a tea pot and smoke away, hoping the smoke will

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-19050306854272035302008-12-08T10:51:00.000-08:002008-12-08T11:19:51.927-08:00

The Sum of a short trip to Singapore.But nothing compare to a breakfast with my folks on a local roadside eatery. Bak Kut Teh! "Meat, Bone, tea". The best part was making Traditional Kung Fu tea on the spot! Free water with live charcoal stove at your leisure. Heaven!

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-8748415568757479002008-11-21T08:30:00.001-08:002008-11-21T12:51:32.935-08:00

In a not-so-ancient time (Ming - Qing Dynasty), when mandarins gathered for tea, the focus was most often not on the tea itself but on the free association of minds. Delicate and graceful moments in time and space were created over pots of tea—vast enough to glimpse the past, present, and future, and perhaps also affect and alter one's reflection of oneself.I spent three days in San Francisco

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-44043876491755384762008-11-02T13:45:00.000-08:002008-11-04T07:09:44.385-08:00

An interesting article From Segye Korean Newspaper. Regarding modern Korean tea, roughly translated for your viewing pleasure:Hong So Sul, master of Korean green tea, has been spending more than 49 years to make good tea in Korea. He devoted himself at Hwagae market and Hadong where most of Korean green tea is cultivated. When he first started tea cultivation in 1960, there were many tea farms in

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-34311342910971939532008-10-09T10:02:00.001-07:002010-06-13T19:47:38.738-07:00

flux, but it is as truthful as I can feel....A Joseon (1392 - 1910) Lee Dynasty edo style? tea bowl.Enjoy a moment of birth and rebirth from this vessel.peace.

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-83689496680473269272008-10-06T13:35:00.000-07:002008-10-06T14:03:03.594-07:00

Besides tea, wine is a good part of my life also. Having the greatest honor to design Parker's latest edition is a dream come true! I've been a humble follower of Mr. Parker's for over a decade now.... Hope one day we will have a moment to appreciate fine tea together. (Dream on)This Gigantic 7th edition Hardcover and Paperback were in my mail today. What an Amazing Surprise! Thanks Jackie ; )

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-35138580377405170552008-10-02T07:30:00.000-07:002008-10-02T11:37:42.615-07:00

Lao Ni means Old Clay, or clay that had been aged before going into the kiln. I've learned from old yixing masters and most of them have recipe clay passed on by their masters and to their students, some have been aged more than a Century. Gu Jing Zhou once said before his master passed away, they together made some pots using the master Lao Ni. The result are Masterpieces, with the finest recipe

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-23380193074057116752008-10-01T09:51:00.000-07:002009-04-26T09:09:56.608-07:00

These Qing's Dynasty (1644-1911) Yixing came in pairs. Lovers or perhaps partners for over a Century. Some have been repaired, and some will remain wabi. These are all made by the same factory: Mansheng, of course not the real person Mansheng himself. Just imitation of the master's shape. I encountered a real ManSheng pot in Hong Kong Flagstaff museum once, and was a learning experience.This one

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-17604823861775485102008-09-22T07:21:00.000-07:002008-09-22T07:27:07.035-07:00

The Qing Brick finally ended one month after.... Still, the tea water from the steep tasted like a Edith Piaf's song.http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/nyregion/21tea.html?_r=1&oref=sloginCourtesy of the New York Times Sunday Metro sec.

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27506679.post-44149751735398470822008-09-14T09:55:00.000-07:002008-09-14T10:12:12.109-07:00

Inspired by Yumcha's Gaiwan post: Remnants of a past I decided to document some of my inventory, collected over a period of short tea time. I hope this could serve as a visual history for my future reference. Never know when will be the next victim of my floor....I have recently stop collecting random Gaiwans, but my interests in collecting Korean pottery have grown... specially the edo style

tokihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17022633186053977362noreply@blogger.com12