A Tea Set on Tortilla Box 創意: 玉米薄餅盒上的茶道

Yes, a Mexican tortilla box is perfect to serve a Chinese traditional tea ceremony - can you believe that?!
如果沒有這張照片, 你可能不會想到一個墨西哥玉米薄餅盒可以很好地服務於中國功夫茶!

The tortilla box (tortilla warmer) comes from market like this. It costs for less than $6.00.
這就是一個剛買來的墨西哥玉米薄餅盒, 價格不到6美元.


It has only two parts: a lid and the body.
它只有兩部分: 盒蓋與盒身.


Turn the lid upside down, it serves perfectly as a tea tray!
把盒蓋翻過來, 就成了一個完美的茶盤.


Fold a maki-sushi bamboo mat into 1/3 and place it it over the case to make a "tea boat" (or "tea-sea"). Land your teapot on it and you're all set for making the tea.
盒身用來作茶船(或稱"茶海"), 將一塊捲壽司用的竹簾疊成三折架在其上, 上面放上茶壺 -- 可以開始做茶了.


When finished, the tortilla box makes a cozy home to rest your teawares.
使用後, 洗淨的茶具在盒中安歇.


► The tortilla box is made of a dense and heat-resistant plastic. It's in an earth-brown color, with a tender feeling on touch. These features make it ideal for supporting clay or ceramic teawares.
► 這種玉米薄餅盒是用密質抗熱塑料作成, 泥紅色, 手感細軟, 用來承托紫砂或瓷制茶具十分理想.

If you have handy tools, you can even drill holes on the lid so to make the entire box a real "tea-boat" like this:
如果你手邊有工具的話, 你還可以在蓋子上鑽一些孔, 這樣整個盒子就成了一個真正的"茶船":

簡易靜坐法 A Simple Sitting Meditation: The Basic

靜坐是一種非常有效的調節身心的方法. 每日只需五至十分鍾, 如能堅持, 就能對身心有很大益處. 這裡提倡一種簡單的修習方法.

我們的靜坐法是從一些深奧的佛教修習法門中簡化而來, 但它對任何修習者都有益, 不論他是否有無任何信仰.

【可行性】

1. 環境 -- 初習的時候應當選擇一個安靜的地方. 有基礎之後, 任何環境中都可以. 注意保持空氣清新流通.

2. 時間 -- 隨個人的生活習惯, 可選擇早晨, 也可以是晚間, 或者工作學習之間. 其實任何有五至十分鍾自由支配的時間中都可以. 初修的時候以早晨為佳, 因為這是一天的開始, 如果能提前十幾分鍾起床, 略修靜坐, 則能使一天的生活都有意義. 晚上睡前也是很好的機會, 因為一天的事到此都要結束, 靜坐一下能舒緩一日的煩忙. 工作學習之間靜坐片刻, 能調整身心, 緩解壓力, 也是很好的休息方式. 但如果比較勞累時則容易打瞌睡, 此時便不如不做, 以免形成一靜坐就昏沈的壞習慣. 注意: 靜坐的最大敵人並非環境的嘈雜, 而是發生昏沈.

3. 人數 -- 一人自修或多人共修均可.

【修習步驟】

1. 設座 -- 雖然說有個安靜的地方就可以, 但既然是一種修習, 就應當營造一種正式的感覺, 給自己乃至其他人一個提示. 簡單地說就是鋪設一個座位或選擇一塊地點, 對自己說: 我現在要開始在此修習靜坐.

2. 定時 -- 決定本次修習的時間. 如果時間寬裕, 靜坐得宜時, 可略延長時間. 但初習時不可過長. 如果時間比較緊, 也要留出一二分鐘, 作為從靜坐結束到進行其他事宜之間的過度. 初習時要培養修習的興趣, 因此最好的量度就是結束時有下次還想修的感覺.

3. 坐姿 -- 以盤腿打坐的方式為最好, 但如果不能或不便做到, 則可以坐在椅子, 沙發, 或床沿等上. 為什麼要採取坐姿呢? 因為行走或站立時體能銷耗較大, 不易放鬆; 而躺臥則過於放鬆. 因此權衡行、立、坐、臥, 以坐姿為最佳. 但有了基礎之後, 其實行走、站立、躺臥時也都是可以修習的.

坐姿的關鍵是身體要正直, 如果是坐在椅子或沙發上, 則一定不能靠在椅背上. 椅子或沙發要盡量選擇平正的. 如果前高後低, 就必須墊高後部, 務使身體保持正直, 不前傾不後仰, 不左右歪斜. 如果是盤腿打坐, 應該在臀後部略墊高, 用座墊或折疊的毛巾都可以. 總之要使上身能不緊張, 自然無需倚靠地保持正直為準則. 這是非常關鍵的. 兩手最好相疊, 掌心向上, 右在左上, 二大指相觸, 置於兩股上, 正當臍下位置. 或者也可以雙手掌心向下平放於兩膝之上.

4. 呼吸 -- 自然呼吸. 我們能活到現在, 呼吸應該是沒有問題的. 一般來說你絕不會呼吸"錯"了! 所以大可不必過分強調呼吸方法. 我們的問題是, 在日常生活中我們很少會關注呼吸. 忘記了呼吸乃是生命的根本. 因此我們靜坐法中很重要的一部分就是關注呼吸. 這是一個關注呼吸的問題, 而不是怎樣呼吸的問題.

在安靜的環境中, 當你的心靜下來的時候, 你就能聽到自己的呼吸聲. 開始時比較粗. 你能聽到氣息出入的聲音. 漸漸地, 你會聽不到呼吸的聲音但能感到呼吸, 比如說吸氣的時候鼻孔感到寒, 呼氣的時候鼻孔感到暖. 繼續感受呼吸. 這時你的呼吸就會變得微細但深長. 在一開始的時候可以深吸一口氣, 然後緩緩地全部呼出, 盡力吐淨. 在中間如果覺得要昏沈時, 也可再次深吸一口氣, 緩緩呼淨.

5. 意念 -- 這樣關注了一段自己的呼吸之後, 可能會有一些念頭出現. 無非或人或事. 當意識到念頭出現時, 應既不追逐也不強止. 只需認知, 想: 嗯, 我剛才思維此人此事. 然後放開, 不再多想, 回到呼吸上. 也可能會聽到外界的聲音, 如鳥鳴, 人語, 腳步之聲, 車輛駛過之聲, 乃至風雨雷電等等, 都應既不追逐也不驚動, 只需認知, 想: 這是鳥鳴, 這是人語等等. 然後放開, 回到關注呼吸之上.

當身與心都調柔之後, 即可進一步作更有意義的思維觀察, 但這些則屬進階修習. 達到一份無昏沈的身心適悅, 就是簡易靜坐法的成功.

6. 結束 -- 在即定時間完成時, 可略做幾次深呼吸, 伸展按摩肢體等, 然後緩緩起座.

簡易靜坐法: 調身 A Simple Meditation: Physical Integration

靜坐法的三根本即調身、調息、調心. 這三根本既是方法也是目的. 凡靜坐必依此三法次第而修, 而最終目的則在於身心合一. 調的意思包括調整、調柔、調伏. 身法重調整, 息法重調柔, 心法重調伏.

下面具體介紹一些調身的方法. 分為舒展肢體、鬆活關節、穩固坐勢三部分.

【舒展肢體】

[準備]
穿寬鬆的衣服. 準備一塊長條形薄墊(可以是練瑜伽用墊, 或三折的薄毛毯). 赤足(為防止打滑).

第一勢. 站立, 兩足自然分開略小於肩寬. 呼吸自然. 將兩臂徐徐從身體兩側舉起, 兩臂伸直, 兩手心相向, 在頭頂正上方兩手心相合(可利用二拇指交叉合住兩掌), 盡力向上伸, 兩臂伸直, 直致兩上臂內側貼住兩耳. 與此同時, 兩足根提起, 保持平衡約十秒鐘. 此時要點為身體盡量上伸, 體會身體充分伸展的緊張感. 然後緩緩放鬆, 雙手保持合掌姿勢慢慢降至心間, 同時雙足根落地. 此時周身放鬆. 片刻後, 徐徐蹲下, 兩手分開同肩寬, 放在兩足尖外前方, 以五指撐地, 同時將右腿向身體後方盡力伸出, 左腿屈, 以雙臂支撐的力量使上身向上伸展, 雙目盡力向上方看視. 呼吸自然. 然後放鬆, 慢慢將右腿收回, 恢復蹲勢, 徐徐起立. 然後重複上述步驟, 下伏時換左腿後伸. 重複三次.

第二勢. 仰臥, 屈左腿, 將左足置於右膝蓋上, 右手握住左膝左邊, 左臂向身體左方伸出, 平置地面上, 手心向上. 然後, 右手微用力, 將左膝向右方壓下, 使下半身向右扭轉, 同時上半身盡力保持不動, 左肩不可離開地面, 頭轉向左側, 目看左手, 自然呼吸, 保持數秒鐘. 這時體會腰與脊椎扭伸的感覺. 有時會聽到脊椎筋骨間發出微細脆響, 這是筋骨鬆開的表現. 然後左右交換, 即屈右腿, 置右足與左膝蓋上等等. 重複二至三次.

第三勢. 雙膝跪坐, 兩膝略分開, 兩手向後支撐於兩足上或足後方, 身體緩慢向後仰直至肩及頭部觸地. 體會膝、大腿及上身完全伸展的緊張感. 自然呼吸.

第四勢. 從前勢後仰狀態, 兩手配合用力, 將上身慢慢撐起恢復跪坐狀. 深呼吸數次. 身體慢慢向前傾, 同時將兩臂盡力前伸, 額頭觸地、胸腹緊貼於大腿上, 放鬆片刻.

[特別練習: 倒立]

接前勢, 上身抬起, 兩手相疊, 手心向內, 兩前臂在地面上圍成三角形, 將額頭放置於兩手內緣地面上, 兩手掌自然拢住頭頂, 使額頭與兩肘處在正三角形的三點之上. 這時膝蓋離地, 用腿的力量將身體後部支起, 抬高臀部, 兩腳慢慢向前移動, 將全身重量移向額頭及兩前臂, 直到重心落於額頭及兩肘形成的三角形中點為止, 緩緩將兩足舉離地面, 慢慢伸直, 完成倒立姿勢. 自然呼吸, 保持平衡, 二至三分鐘為宜. ***此為最省力的倒立法, 但難點在於掌握平衡. 初學者可在靠近牆壁處, 兩手位置距牆約一足遠, 按照上述方法倒立, 將雙足靠在牆上, 比較安全容易.

【鬆活關節】

這一段的主要目的是鬆活胯與膝關節, 以利於盤腿跏趺. 因此如果不是要修習跏趺打坐, 而是採取坐在椅子上的方式則可省略這一部分.

第一勢. 雙足散盤, 先以左足跟抵會陰處, 以左手握右足心, 右手握右膝蓋, 以右胯為支點, 兩手輔助右膝畫圈. 這時右胯好像是一個圓錐體的頂點, 右膝所畫的圓圈正好是圓錐體的底面, 而右大腿的路徑正好是圓錐體的側面. 體會胯關節的轉動和放鬆. 然後左右相換. 充分放鬆兩胯關節.

第二勢. 以右前臂及肘部支撐右膝窩, 以左手握右足踝, 以右膝為支點, 用右足畫圈, 原理同上. 左右交換, 充分放鬆膝關節.

第三勢. 將兩足心向對, 以兩手握住兩足尖, 將兩足盡力向會陰處靠攏, 保持足心相貼, 同時上身挺直, 雙手拢住兩足, 用大腿外側肌肉的力量將兩膝壓向地面, 如果能使兩膝觸地最好. 但初習時很難作到, 只需能體會到胯關節及雙腿內側筋腱的拉伸感即可.

【穩固坐勢】

以上已充分伸展鬆活肢體關節, 下面即將開始靜坐. 雙腿跏趺坐於座墊上, 或雙腿下垂坐於椅子等上. 如果是跏趺坐應用小墊子或折疊的毛巾將後股墊高約二至三寸. 這時將兩臂伸直貼近兩胯外側, 以兩手中指、食指和大指用力, 將上身撐起. 設想身體懸掛在由兩臂和肩膀形成的架子上, 完全放鬆, 頭頂上似乎有線繩向上牽引. 然後緩緩屈臂, 將身體輕輕放到坐墊上, 設想每一塊脊椎骨如同棋子逐一落置, 使上身全無緊張用力地安住在座上, 不偏不倚, 自然正直, 並且非常穩固. 這就達到了靜坐身法的要求, 可以開始休習靜坐.

***跏趺坐的優勢***

雖然說比較容易的坐在椅子等上的方式也能達到簡易靜坐法的目的, 但比較而言, 跏趺坐有更大優勢. 因為跏趺坐姿是一切坐姿中最穩固的以及最自然的形式. 它還與進一步修習氣脈和禪定等有很大關係. 即使從健身角度而言, 跏趺坐也是非常好的鍛鍊方式. 因此初習者應當循序漸進, 以能作到跏趺坐為目的.

Steeping Green Tea in a Glass Coffee Press 巧用玻璃咖啡壓壺沏綠茶

Green tea is gaining popularity nowadays as a healthy beverage. How to make a cup of good green tea? How to make green tea properly so that we can fully enjoy its healthy ingredients, and at the same time having fun with it? For some high quality loose-leaf green teas, such as Dragon Well or 龍井 (Longjing), there are much more fun than only the taste of the tea. For example, have you ever watched tea leaves dancing?

To make this happen, we need a teaware that is transparent, and it must have enough space to allow the leaves to dance. An earthware or ceramic tea pot is not approperiate here, because it doesn't allow us to see what's going on inside of it. In China people like to use a tall and plain glass to steep loose leaf green tea, and we can see it makes sense for this purpose. In the West it is sometimes not easy to find such glassware that is also heat resistant. Indeed, people in the west drink more cold beverages than hot ones. Fortunately there's one thing that is both readily available and ideal for making green tea -- A Glass French Coffee Press! -- Of course, a glass tea pot can do as well, but my experience tells me that this kind of tea pots are usually expensive and function not as good either.

A glass coffee press is transparent, tall, and heat resistant. And it has a mouth that makes it easy to distribute the liquid. You can easily get a regular coffess press from the market. For the purpose of making green tea, however, we should NOT use the plunger, because if we press everything down to the button, we can't see the dancing of tea leaves which is part of the enjoyment of making green tea! So we take off the plunger and leave it aside. Then, you probably need a pitcher and a regular filter. Now I'm ready to make a good cup of green tea with this new tool!

Bring the water to a boil. Take off a proper amount of tea leaves -- the amount depends on your own taste, and put it into the coffee press glass. Remember, never pour boiling water directly onto green tea leaves -- it will damage the taste of the tea, and the tea will become bitter. The ideal temperatrue for green tea is about 80 to 90 F. You can use your own experience or a thermometer for cooking purpose to measure the water temperature. The easiest way is to first pour boiling water into the pitcher, and then transfer it into the glass.

When pouring the water, you should try to direct it towards the wall of the glass, so that the water flows in a motion that can bring the tea leaves up and down in a circle. Now, it's the time to watch the tea leaves dancing. They will descend to the button and then floating up to the cerface. Some will repeat this motion for three times! There are special names to describe the tea leaves in this fashion. The tip of sprout is called "spear" 槍 and the second and third leaves are called "banners" 旗. You see spears and banners ecountering in motion, just as they are in a battle field -- but in a peaceful manner!

When most of the tea leaves settle down in the glass. It is also about the time the tea is ready. Pour the tea on the filter resting on the pitcher. And then distribute tea from the pitcher into individual tea cups -- now you and your guest can enjoy the tea.

Classification of Tea 茶的分類

Classification of Chinese tea -- Famous Chinese teas -- English tea & Chinese tea known by an English name -- Types of tea by distribution before consuming -- Japanese tea -- African Red Tea

Classification of Chinese Tea 中國茶葉的分類

CHINESE	ENGLISH	PROCESS	EXAMPLES
綠茶	Green Tea	No fermentation	龍井、碧螺春
紅茶	Black Tea	Fully fermented	祁門紅茶
烏龍茶(青茶)	Oolong Tea	Half fermented	武夷巖茶、鐵觀音
白茶	White Tea	Slightly fermented	白牡丹、銀針白毫
黃茶	Yellow Tea	Unfermented	君山銀針
黑茶	≈ Compressed Tea	Long term fermented	普洱磚茶
花茶	Flower/scented Tea	Green tea scented	茉莉花茶

From the chart above, we can see that even though the the 7 well-known teas are named after "colors" (with the exception of the last one), they are actually defined or differentiated by the processing of the tea leaves. This naming system can sometimes be quite confusing. Teas such as Qi Men or Keemun (祁門) are called Black Tea in English, even though people in the West know that its infusion color is red. In this case, the Chinese name, Hong Cha 紅茶 (literally, "red tea"), is more straight forward. But the Chinese name Hei Cha 黑茶 (literally "black tea") refers to the color of tea leaves, and is used for teas that are made of old leaves and went through a long term fermentation. In Chinese, Hei Cha usually calls up those compressed teas sold to minorities of border regions.

In the following chart, I try to compare the meaning of the colors named for teas in the two different language contexts.

綠茶	color of infusion & leaves	Green Tea	color of infusion & leaves
紅茶	color of infusion	Black Tea	color of leaves
烏龍茶	shape of leaves	Oolong Tea	transliteration of Chinese name
白茶	color of infusion & hairs on leaves	White Tea	color of infusion & hair leaves
黃茶	color of infusion & maybe also leaves	Yellow Tea	color of infusion & maybe also leaves
黑茶	color of leaves	-	-

At least one author, Lam Kam Chuen, however, in his book titled The Way of Tea: The Sublime Art of Oriental Tea Drinking (in English) presents a different naming system. In his book, he gives classification names of "Light Green Teas" and "Red Teas" with Oolong and Qi Men or Keemun as examples respectively. He also used differently the name of Black Tea, by which he refers to some ball-shaped or twisted leaves, such as the Ku Ding or Ku Ting 苦丁茶, teas that taste bitter in the first infusion and become bittersweet in later cups.

(To be continued... 未完待續)

關於覺香山居 About Mt. Awakening Aroma

虛擬世界有城名「沽構」, 有持數珠、折扇、水壺者雲遊至此. 一日煮茗茶時所發香氣忽化一山曰「覺香」. 築室其中, 室以山名, 因自號「覺香山人」. 但食人間煙火, 且讀古今圖書, 旁觀東西世事, 皆不過生死中求茍安而已.

夫酒令人醉, 茶令人醒; 酒令人沉, 茶令人輕. 覺香者, 茗茶之香氣也. 世間何者較此更益? 故神農偶得而倡飲, 達摩割睑而生樹, 乃至陸羽離寺而著茶經, 供春別師而制砂壺, 皆彰顯此道也.

懸壺濟世者醫也, 麈尾清談者名士也. 余俲此二類皆不及. 唯聽得趙州禪師一句「吃茶去」若有所悟, 遂提壺腕珠, 收心猿跨意馬而來. 或自獨啜, 則明月清風, 扇爐火正旺; 或以會友, 則春茗雲箏, 起雅興方濃.

-- 凡入此山者, 即為有緣, 山人在此有禮了.

In a virtual universe there is a city called El Goog. The one holding a crystal rosary, a folding fan and a water pot once visits here. He likes the place and makes tea while abiding there. The fragrant steam of tea manifests a mountain called Awakening Aroma. He then builds a house in it which is named after the mountain. And since then he calls himself "Master of Mt. Awakening Aroma."

-- Tea picks you up but won't intoxicate you, or makes you too much addicted to it. With a rich cultural background and dietetic benefit, it can also be a lifelong hobby with lots of fun to discover. --

If you run into here by chance, you are most welcomed to join the Master of Mt. Awakening Aroma with a cup of tea, the most beneficial beverage in the world.