Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony
Open Heart Energy offers Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremonies (Gongfu Chá) in the tradition of the Ming Dynasty style. Gongfu Chá which literally means "making tea with high skill.”
What is a Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony?
Handpicked, rare whole leaf teas of an exquisite quality are served in the Gongfu method with Yixing teaware. These teas, brought from China and Taiwan, are not to be confused with black tea, as in typical store bought tea bags or teas served at a Chinese restaurant (low quality tea,) nor with herbal teas. The cost of the teas can be very high, some reaching hundreds and even thousands of dollars per pound. Though containing no hallucinatory agents, many participants report a sense of euphoria during and after the ceremony. This is the result of excellent tea served properly.
The ceremony can be structured in two different ways.
Art and Culture: The Tea Concierge (aka Tea Master) serves the tea with discussion of the cultural significance of Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony and participants who wish to are welcome to share their art.
10 Bulls of Zen: The ceremony is combined with the telling of the 10 Bulls of Zen story, presented by the Tea Concierge, Ronen Divon.
A Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony is unlike a Japanese or Korean Tea Ceremony. The former having a looser structure with friends getting together for a cultured afternoon of drinking tea and enjoying each other’s company.
It is a two hour event with approximately ten rounds of three different teas being served.
We hold a group ceremony every few months. Location may vary. Please check our events page for the next scheduled event. If none are listed at this time, please contact us to be notified of the next event.
We also offer private ceremonies. If you wish to host a ceremony at your location, please contact us to schedule. Pricing varies depending on the number of participants and the location.
This is an unforgettable experience where guests will be transported into the world of the ancient Chinese Literati-Scholars.
Ronen Divon had been training with Tea Master Sifu Ken Lo for over a decade. Sifu Ken Lo Xing Gui, Wu Mei Pai Grandmaster, is the 7th generation head of the Wu Mei Pai Martial Arts lineage. He has been studying calligraphy, painting, and Tea Arts under Grandmaster Luo Chien Wu since 1985.
Ronen Divon with his teacher, Master Ken Lo
Sifu Ken Lo with his teacher Grandmaster Luo Chien Wu