The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.20

The Choice of Water & the Degree of

Boiling-The Method of Making Tea

「In the fifth chapter Luwuh describes the method of making tea. He eliminates all ingredients except salt. He dwells also on the much-discussed question of the choice of water and the degree of boiling it. According to him, the mountain spring is the best, the river water and the spring water come next in the order of excellence. There are three stages of boiling : the first boil is when the little bubbles like the eye of fishes swim on the surface; the second boil is when the bubbles are like crystal beads rolling in a fountain; the third boil is when the billows surge wildly in the kettle. The Cake-tea is roasted before the fire until it becomes soft like a baby's arm and is shredded into powder between pieces of fine paper. Salt is put in the first boil, the tea in the second.
At the third boil, a dipperful of cold water is poured into the kettle to settle the tea and revive the "youth of the water". Then the beverage was poured into cups and drunk.」（From The Book of Tea-The School of Tea,pp.25-2 Book of Tea-The School of Tea,pp.25-26, Charles E. Tuttle Co.,Rutland, Vermont-Tokyo,Japan)
It is so surprising Luwuh was carefull to the choice of water and the degree of boiling for the drinking Tea at his generation.
At the present situations, there are various kinds of tea and each teas has own characteristics. The facts mean much more minds must be paid to the choice of water and the degree of boiling.

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