When brewing oolong tea in a teapot, it is customary to discard the first infusion, calling it "tea rinsing." Some tea enthusiasts explain that this is done to wash away impurities in the tea leaves, such as tea dust or dirt. They consider those who do not "rinse the tea" as "unhygienic" or "lacking knowledge of tea art." But has it ever been considered that such "rinsing" inadvertently washes away the essence of the tea?

In fact, according to scholarly research, the term "tea rinsing" originated in the Northern Song Dynasty. It was originally a term used in the tea production process and later extended to the brewing process. Fresh leaves, after being picked from tea trees, undergo initial and refined processing, including multiple steps such as fermentation, pan-firing, rolling, baking, and sorting. These steps not only determine the grade of the tea but also ensure hygiene standards. Occasional impurities like tea dust or dirt are quickly removed when boiling water is poured and immediately discarded. The operation of the first infusion is mainly for soaking, which helps the tea leaves unfurl and the tea liquor to extract, allowing the drinker to quickly appreciate the tea's aroma, rather than simply washing away unhygienic substances.

The first infusion contains many beneficial components, such as tea polyphenols, amino acids, and ether extracts, which are not only beneficial to human health but also fully showcase the tea's deliciousness. According to relevant experiments, the aroma and beneficial components of tea begin to infuse within three seconds after the first brew. If the tea is discarded after more than three seconds, a significant amount of these effective components will be lost. From a market economy perspective, to expand the sales of Chinese oolong tea and achieve leapfrog sustainable development, it would be more accurate and scientific to revise the term "tea rinsing" to "tea soaking" or "tea warming."