The only ritual is no ritual. Too many sounds of the audience giving a
standing ovation with only one hand clapping. I like the British
approach more socialization less ceremony. They do have a problem with
the time of day and the munchies. I survived a week in the South with
only teabags. Somehow my traveling tea set got left behind. I forgot
iced tea is offered sweetened or unsweetened. I couldn't even find
bubble tea at the truck stops. The Clinton library has a magnificent
Samovar from Yeltsin. Some interesting posts while I was absent.
Maybe I should go visit more often. I have a parcel from China Post.
Wonder what that could be.

Jim

Alex Chaihorsky wrote:
Thanks, Danny -
I guess we will see in the future if this will fly... I am cautious....
Every time I see ceremonialism "invented" I keep my radars tuned...

Sasha.

"icetea" wrote in message
ups.com...
alex you talked about "gong fu", from ming dynasty and still done
today, this means to make good tea, leaf tea brewed, not to boil or
cook the tea but to infuse.
here is 2 links. http://www.farleaves.com/gongfu/gongfu01.html
http://chineseteas101.com/kungfu_1.htm

here are some more pics from my folder.
http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sherdwen/my_photos
icetea


I do not understand what are you referring to. Where did I say "boil" or
"cook"?

Sasha.

opps...
i know the way i said it, that it sounded like you were saying boiled
or cooked. i just meant that gong-fu was a precise way of making tea
usually with small clay pots, and by controlling the time of infusion
and temperature of water. also at that time period and after "ming
dynasty", the way of making tea was to brew/infuse and then separate
the tea leaves this was a big improvement on control of taste, and
control of bitterness. tang/song dynasty still didnt separate the
leaves so the taste was not as "adjustable".