Wenxianbei?

Wenxianbei is a small cylindrical "tall" or "smelling" cup. The Imperial Court won't serve them unless you ask. They are not difficult to use but you have to see it once or twice. Do you live in SF?

Alex.

Don't feel bad Melinda, I too had to ask what he was referring too. I have never heard this particular variation of the term before, and never used one myself (I will soon though). I have however seen the term expressed as "Wen xiang bei" or fragrance listening cup.

Look at

I am getting used to seeing multiple variations of the same terms, between Mandarin and Cantonese, Simplified and Traditional, and the various translations it is however confusing at times.

Oh, I see...yeah I have seen those taller cups in the tea tasting sets. I didn't remember that was their name. No, I don't live in SF...I'd love to be within driving distance of ITC just to experience it though. I do use gong fu for oolongs though and there's no other experience like it. It's amazing how the fragrance of the tea leaves when they're in the hot teapot (before the first steeping and/or rinse) is so amazing...nothing else like it. 'scuse me whilst I wax rhapsodic....

Melinda

Mike, Melinda -

Same way as Gongfu has two ways to be written (I elaborated on it today somewhere below), Wenxhia(n,ng)bei can also be written in couple of ways. I am sure that only one is "right", and also I am pretty sure that the last "bei" is the same as in "chabei" - which is a cup. It is actually right to write the combination of characters that mean one word as one word (without spaces) in pinyin. Melinda - I very much reccommend you to use wenxianbei - you will be blown away, trust me. Do it this way (I already described that somewhere, but just for the lovely lady :)

When you pour - pour into wenxianbei (if you do not have it - use some kind of narrow wine glass or something. After that (you do not have to wait - pour the tea from WXB into chabej (small cup). Without waiting put your nose almost all the way into WXB and smell, many times inhaling and EXHALING into WXB. Do not do it in front of children - in some states this may be considered lewd behaviour :)

I also think that you may miss another "near sexual" experience, smell the tea after "sicha". Sicha is washing tea. This pre-first steep - just covering tea with hot water and immediately pouring water out (throwaway). Now, cover the teapot (chahu) with a lid and give it about a minute for the leaves to start open up and cool a bit down. Now open the lid and ... you guessed it - no kids :) It is absolutely important that all participants EXHALE into the teapot, when the smell it, not only inhale. Same way when you smell the dry tea in chahe (the cup for dry tea before you put it into the teapot. And one must EXHALE first, then inhale. The difference is so dramatic, peopel alwats freak out when doing it or the first time.

Sasha.