How Do You Drink Tea?

Discovering the Ritual, Beauty & Craft Behind Tea

When I was younger, I honestly thought brewing tea was something old people did. I never paid much attention to teaware either. A teapot was simply a teapot where I find it something functional, rather than something I would notice for its shape, texture, or craftsmanship.

It wasn’t until I had lived and travelled overseas in different countries for several years that I began to see tea differently.

I discovered that the tea community had become much younger and more diverse than I remembered. Then, through discovering different teawares during travelling, I began to see how many possibilities there were in something as simple as a teapot or tea cup.

That was when my own tea journey really began.

Today, I find that drinking tea is not simply about what is inside the cup. It is also about the vessel, the gesture, the atmosphere, and the time we create around it.

Two Traditions, Two Ways of Experiencing Tea

Tea culture has developed in many different forms across Asia. Two traditions that offer particularly beautiful approaches are the Japanese tea ceremony and Chinese Gongfu tea.

They may look very different, but both share an appreciation for slowing down and giving attention to the present moment.

Japanese Tea Ceremony — The Art of Presence

The Japanese tea ceremony, or Chanoyu, is centred around the preparation and serving of matcha.

The process is deliberate. From cleansing the utensils to whisking the tea and presenting the bowl, each movement has meaning.

The ceremony is deeply connected to ideas of harmony, respect, purity, and tranquillity. Even the surroundings and the changing seasons become part of the experience.

The main tools include the chawan, a tea bowl; the chasen, a bamboo whisk; and the chashaku, a bamboo scoop for measuring matcha.

What I find especially beautiful about Japanese tea culture is the relationship between the tea and the object holding it. A handmade chawan may have an irregular shape, a quiet glaze, or small imperfections that make it unique. The bowl is not merely a container. It becomes part of the ritual.

Chinese Gongfu Tea — The Art of Savouring

Chinese Gongfu Cha offers a more intimate and exploratory approach. Rather than making one large pot of tea, a small amount of loose-leaf tea is brewed repeatedly using a gaiwan or small teapot.

The tools can include a gaiwan, tea scoop, strainer, gongdao bei or fairness pitcher, and small tasting cups. With each infusion, the tea changes. The aroma opens. The flavour becomes deeper or sweeter. The leaves slowly unfurl.

There is something almost meditative about watching this transformation happen in front of you.

Unlike a formal ceremony, Gongfu brewing can also be wonderfully casual. It can happen around a table with friends, during a conversation, or quietly by yourself.

Japanese Tea & Chinese Tea: What’s Different?

Of course, these are broad distinctions. Both cultures have many different tea traditions, and neither can be reduced to a single way of brewing.

But comparing them helps me realise and appreciate something important: There are many ways to slow down with tea.

And Then There Was the Teaware

For me, my tea journey began with matcha.

I was first drawn to its quiet ritual: the bowl, the bamboo whisk, the process of whisking the tea by hand. But somewhere along the way, my curiosity led me deeper into Chinese tea brewing. As I explored different teas and ways of brewing them, I found myself becoming increasingly fascinated by the teaware itself. There was something about the beauty of a small Chinese teapot, the shape of a gaiwan, or the texture of a handmade cup that made the ritual feel even more special.

I began to realise that teaware doesn’t have to be purely functional. A teapot can have character and a cup can change the feeling of a tea. Even the simple act of choosing which vessel to use can become part of the ritual. The more I discovered, the more I started noticing the details eg. the glaze, the texture, the weight in my hands, the way a particular vessel pours. And perhaps this is what makes tea culture so fascinating to me.

It isn’t only about preserving an old tradition. It is also about discovering your own relationship with tea: the process of finding the teas, objects, and rituals that make you want to slow down and enjoy the moment.

That curiosity eventually became part of the reason I wanted to share beautiful teawares with others. Because sometimes, you don’t fall in love with a teapot because you need one. You simply see it, and you want to make tea in it.

So, How Do You Drink Tea?

You don’t need a formal tea room.

You don’t need to know every rule.

You can begin with your favourite tea, a small teapot, a gaiwan, or simply a cup that makes you happy.

Warm your vessel.

Pour the water.

Watch the leaves open.

Notice the fragrance.

Take a sip.

Notice the taste.

Give yourself a moment before the next one.

For me, discovering tea was also discovering a new appreciation for objects, handmade ceramics, thoughtful design, and the small rituals that make everyday life feel a little more beautiful.

Perhaps the best way to drink tea is simply to find your own way of making time for it. Because I feel that ultimately, tea is not just about the drink. It is about the moment we create around it.