Often when others brew Tea, they first scald the pot with hot water before adding the tea. There's a term for this action called “warming the cup.” Scalding tea utensils with boiling water serves practical purposes beyond mere hygiene. Warming cups and scalding pots is a habitual action most people take before brewing tea – even after cleaning the utensils, they are rinsed once more with boiling water.

Many believe that this ceremonial gesture disinfects the tea utensils, making them more hygienic for drinking, and it also increases the temperature of the utensils, improving the taste of the brewed tea. However, few delve deeper into the reasons behind it. What other profound effects does warming cups and scalding pots have?

Demonstrating cleanliness and etiquette

If the purpose of warming cups and scalding pots is to clean the tea utensils, it doesn't hold up to scrutiny. The nature of tea demands cleanliness in both the environment and the utensils used for tasting; therefore, the utensils should be cleaned beforehand, making an additional cleaning unnecessary.

The act of warming cups and scalding pots is mainly out of etiquette. Re-cleaning the utensils with boiling water in front of guests ensures they drink with greater comfort and confidence, demonstrating attentiveness and consideration.

Eliminating odors and avoiding water flavor

Cleaning tea utensils with cold water removes surface dust and stains, but the odors need to be dispersed by the heat of boiling water. Especially for porous clay and purple clay utensils, which have lower density and higher porosity compared to porcelain, they can easily absorb odors. If unused for some time and improperly stored, they may acquire impurities that simple cold water washing cannot remove.

Before brewing, open the lid of the pot and rinse it with boiling water, then pour out the water and let it sit for a moment, allowing any odors to dissipate with the steam. Additionally, utensils washed with tap water often retain water marks that can impart a tap-water taste. Sensitive tea enthusiasts might notice that if there are water marks on the teapot or teacup, it affects the taste during consumption.

Thus, rinsing the utensils with boiling water not only cleanses and eliminates odors but also evaporates the water marks, keeping the utensils dry and ensuring a purer tea flavor.

Increasing and maintaining temperature

Brewing tea directly in a cold pot will quickly cool the water, failing to reach the desired brewing temperature and resulting in subpar tea flavor. Drinking from a cold cup similarly fails to showcase the optimal aroma. Warming cups and scalding pots primarily aims to increase the temperature of the utensils.

Especially in cold winter months, the difference between scalding and not scalding the pot is more noticeable. Warming cups and scalding pots is particularly crucial when brewing Oolong Tea. A warmed pot, filled with Oolong tea, covered, gently shaken, and then opened slightly reveals a rich floral and fruity fragrance. Brewing with boiling water immediately releases a high, fragrant aroma.

In addition to warming the pot before brewing to increase its temperature, boiling water is often added to the pot during the brewing process to maintain the internal temperature. It's evident that temperature, as one of the three essential factors in brewing tea, is crucial. In addition to water temperature, the temperature of the utensils also impacts the tea.

Every action taken during tea brewing has its rationale. For instance, in traditional Chaozhou Gongfu tea, actions like scraping foam, rinsing the lid, the Three Nods of Phoenix, Guan Yu's Tour of the City, and Han Xin's Counting Soldiers are not merely for show but have deep meanings.

Therefore, to enjoy a good cup of tea, the step of warming cups and scalding pots beforehand is indispensable.