Chapter II · The Implements: Practice today — The chan cloth, also called yi, is made of oiled…
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The passage
“The chan cloth, also called yi, is made of oiled silk or worn rainwear. It is laid on the cheng base, and the gui mold set upon it to form the tea; when a cake is done, it is lifted and replaced.”
Practice today
Bring “The chan cloth, also called yi, is made of oiled…” to a modern table through one concrete session: choose water, heat it, warm the vessel, measure leaf, pour, and notice.
You do not need Tang-style pressed tea or expensive utensils. Start with clean water, a sensible temperature, and a clean finish.
The point of reading is not nostalgia. It is a better question at the tea table.
Reading note
Read the passage once for the image, once for the judgment, and once for the practice it implies.
Practice
- Name one thing the passage asks you to notice.
- Compare it with a tea you know.
- Keep the question open.