The National Day holiday has just passed, and temperatures have plummeted in many northern areas, prompting people to add extra layers for warmth. In the crisp autumn, there's nothing better than gathering with a few close friends at home or finding a peaceful spot to boil a pot of hot tea, chat, and warm up.

There are typically two methods of enjoying tea: Steeping and boiling. The method of steeping tea became popular during the Ming dynasty and continues to this day. During the peak of tea culture in the Tang and Song Dynasties, boiling was the more mainstream method. So, what are the differences between these two methods, and how should we choose which one to use?

Differences Between Steeping and Boiling Tea

The advantage of steeping tea is its convenience and simplicity; it can be done with a regular teacup or basic tea set, without any particular restrictions on location, making it suitable for most tea enthusiasts. Fresh tea's aroma is easily perceived, making the experience direct. However, not all types of tea are suitable for steeping, such as aged teas and coarser teas that contain stems.

The advantage of boiling tea is that the contents of the tea leaves can fully infuse into the tea broth, resulting in a richer and fuller flavor.

Teas Suitable for Boiling

Teas that do not withstand ten rounds of steeping, regardless of their heat tolerance, are generally unsuitable for boiling, such as green teas and yellow teas. Boiling extracts the flavors more thoroughly, with one boil equivalent to extracting three to five times the content of a single steeping. For teas like green tea, yellow tea, and delicate black teas that don't hold up well to multiple steeps, one boil will exhaust both flavor and nutrients. Conversely, white teas, dark teas, Pu'er teas, and oolong teas are more suitable for boiling, but the decision should be made based on the quality of the tea leaves and the tea-to-water ratio.

Combining Ingredients While Boiling Tea

In ancient times, tea was considered a “cure-all,” and today it can be boiled together with ingredients that are also edible and medicinal, enhancing its Health benefits. Depending on the season and individual constitution, various healthful ingredients or flowers and fruits can be added. Examples include dates, goji berries, ginseng, stonecrop, cordyceps, Honeysuckle, chrysanthemum, and Rose petals. When combining ingredients, it's important to ensure they are suitable for consumption and to avoid any potential allergies, avoiding excessive supplementation without consideration.

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