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A reader wrote to me, and I have her permission to quote the letter to share with everyone:_____________________Dear Mister Leo Kwan,With a lot of interest I have reading teaguardian.com. I am living in Holland and I will be in Hong Kong for Holiday. End of March till beginning April. I am looking for a teamaster to teach me the secrets of making Chinese tea gongfucha style. I have followed a tea course in Holland learn it from a Dutch guy. Would be nice to learn it properly from a Chinese teamaster. Are you available for a day or do you know a teamaster to teach me?I was born in HK but lived for many years Im Holland. I can speak a bit Cantonees and Mandarin. I am planning to give teaworkshop in Holland.Thank you in advance for your help.______________________It’s really encouraging to see another person so dedicated in the pursue of tea knowledge.Less than a decade ago, in the matter of tea, I was still conducting certification examinations for my tea students from Japan, training staff for myself and for my clients, and teaching classes designed much as a course of study at college level.I think I can do that again, but perhaps with some changes. I have been, afterall, growing in the matter of tea.However, to teach a person about a style of infusion in a day is not in agreement with what my understanding of tea is.A style can be demonstrated in a short video. To understand the materials and concept behind it, at least at foundation level, requires a short course. I have not set up Tea Guardian to make a quick buck. Neither am I here to project the false impression that the real idea of gongfu tea preparation, or rather tea preparation in general, can be learned in a day. I don’t need to labour so much with all the photos and text otherwise.On the other hand, most tea salesperson in China received no training or education about tea, and they are putting up a show every time a customer sits down at the infusion table.That is to say, if you only want to sell or pour tea like those in China, you don’t need to learn from me. You just practice and you can do the job as good as those tea ladies in China. If you want to learn from me, it is the things behind all the ‘styles’ that I’d be able to give you. And it won’t be one day. All my own staff were trained for two weeks, full time.I think the best way to learn tea, however, is not from me or on the job. It is to travel deep and wide in tea countries. If that means China to you, it is to travel to all tea regions, observe the way how tea is consumed in different places. Talk to people. Compare your notes and against international standards. And against modern and ancient texts. Find the common grounds. Find the differences. See tea in the context of everything else. Then you are the only limitation to the body of tea knowledge.
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I agree tea style cannot be learn in one day. Course in Holland took me 12 whole days spread in 1 year. I want reall professional advice ottherwise I went to a teahouse and learn it from tea girls. Due to circumstances I am not be able to travel to China. Since I am in HK I need to start somewhere. You make your point next time I will plan a trip to a teagarden.
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@ Lai-Kwan, I want to say again that I am happy that there is someone like you who are so dedicated.@ happyman, I think I will do tea classes again, some for hobbyists and some for the seriously engaged, but that’s after I am done with the few projects I have in hand. Will let everyone know about when in this forum.Again, I want to say learning from tea girls in China is NOT a way to learn tea NOR gongfu style. Most don’t really know what they are doing or selling. Gongfu style is unlike Japanese tea ceremony, which is a ritual with certain pattern. It is a way to interprete a tea. It changes with the choice of tea. Therefore, to know gongfu style is to know Tea.
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