Tea drinking is a long-standing tradition in our country, and from ancient times to the present day, many literati and refined individuals have enjoyed expressing their feelings or savoring life through Tea tasting.

When indulging in tea tasting, to blend one's spirit, energy, and mind with tea, Zen, and intent, it's not just about following certain tea customs and etiquette; tea utensils are also important tools for enhancing elegance and setting the mood.

The “Six Gentlemen of Tea” are essential tea utensils for many tea enthusiasts when brewing tea. However, many tea lovers aren't clear on how to use these six gentlemen correctly. Now, let's delve into these six gentlemen together.

The Six Gentlemen of Tea originally referred to six individuals, mentioned in Su Dongpo's poem “Sending Zhou Chaoyi to Guard Hanzhou,” where it says, “Tea is the disease of the southwest, recorded in the folklore as Li Qi and Li Ji. Who subdued their power? The upright Six Gentlemen.”

In the poem, “Li Qi and Li Ji” refer to two high-ranking officials. At that time, these two monopolized the sale of tea, prohibiting tea merchants and ordinary people from selling tea, causing widespread resentment among tea merchants and suffering among tea farmers.

Six officials—Shidao, Zhengru, Zhang Yonghui, Wu Chunwen, Lü Yuanjun, and Song Wenfu—stood up and advised the court to open up the circulation of tea, but they were demoted and exiled. Although they were exiled, this incident had a significant impact, and soon after, the court allowed tea commerce. After learning about this, Su Shi wrote a poem praising them as the Six Gentlemen.

Later, tea enthusiasts began referring to the six essential tea utensils used at the tea table as the Six Gentlemen of Tea. They include the tea cylinder, tea funnel, tea needle, tea tongs, tea measure, and tea spoon.

Tea Cylinder

Many people think that the “tea cylinder” is used for storing tea, but that's not the case. The tea cylinder, also known as the tea utensil cylinder, is used to hold the other five gentlemen. It is generally cylindrical in shape, and the body is often engraved with patterns, making it both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Tea Funnel

The tea funnel is a tool for guiding tea into the Teapot. Its top opening is large while the bottom is small, similar to an empty funnel.

When adding dry tea, if the teapot has a relatively small mouth, the tea might spill outside the pot during pouring. In such cases, place the tea funnel over the pot's mouth to prevent the tea from scattering outside.

Some may confuse the tea funnel with a tea strainer, but they serve different purposes. A tea strainer is used to filter out tea residue and has a thin mesh layer, usually placed over the fair cup to make the tea clearer.

Tea Needle

When pouring tea, some leaves can block the spout. This is when you need a tea needle to clear the spout. Additionally, when adding tea, you can use the tea needle to adjust the layers of dry tea, placing whole tea on top and broken tea at the bottom.

Can this tea needle be used to pry apart Compressed tea? No, a metal tea needle is typically used for prying apart compressed tea cakes, whereas the tea needle of the Six Gentlemen is mostly made of wood or bamboo. If used to pry apart compressed tea, it might break.

Tea Tongs

Tea tongs are primarily used to grip cups. When cleaning tea cups and utensils, using tea tongs not only prevents scalding your hands but also keeps the utensils cleaner and more hygienic. Moreover, tea tongs can be used to remove tea residue from the teapot.

Tea Measure

The primary function of the tea measure is to scoop tea from the tea canister and then pour it into the teapot. Using the tea measure to take tea is very convenient, avoiding the need to grab tea by hand, which could cause it to become damp and deteriorate. Additionally, when assessing tea, to facilitate observing the infused leaves, the tea measure can be used to transfer the brewed tea from the tasting cup onto the leaf plate.

Tea Spoon

The tea spoon resembles a soup spoon. One main purpose of the tea spoon is to remove tea residue from the teapot. Another use is as a tool to divide tea, transferring tea from the tea measure to the teapot, avoiding direct contact with the hand and keeping the tea clean.

After using the “Six Gentlemen of Tea,” be sure to wipe them clean to avoid affecting their subsequent use. Dry them before putting them back into the tea cylinder to prolong their lifespan.

The “Six Gentlemen of Tea” have now been introduced. Have you learned how to use them? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section~

Note: Images and text sourced from TeaJoy World, written by Pian. Information is shared for educational purposes. If there are any copyright issues, please contact us for removal.