Anxi Tea Making Methods 安溪泡法

1．特色：
1. Characteristics:
安溪式泡法，重香，重甘，重纯，茶汤九泡为限，每三泡为一阶段。第一阶段闻其香气是否高，第二阶段尝其滋味是否醇，第三阶段看其颜色是不有变化。所以有口诀曰：
Fragrance, sweetness and purity are important in Anxi tea making method. The tea drink can only be made nine times and each three times is a single phase. The purpose of the first phase is that of smelling whether the fragrance of tea is intense. The purpose of the second phase is that of tasting to see whether the tea water is mellow. The third phase is to check whether the color of tea water changes. Therefore, there is a pithy saying for this formula:
一二三香气高。
The first, second and third phases for intense fragrance.
四五六甘渐增。
The fourth, fifth and sixth phases for increasing sweetness.
七八九品茶纯。
The seventh, eighth and ninth phases for the pure taste.
2．冲泡步骤：
2. Procedures for making tea:
备具：茶壶的要求与潮州式泡法相同，安溪式泡法以烘茶为先，另外准备闻香杯。
Prepare the tea set: the requirement in teapots is the same as that of the Chaozhou tea making method. In Anxi tea making methods the baking of the tea is first, followed by the preparation of the fragrance smelling cups
温壶、温杯：温壶时与潮州无异，置茶仍以手抓，唯温杯时里外皆烫。
Warm the teapot and the tea cups: the method of warming teapot is the same as that of Chaozhou tea making method, i.e. put the tea leaves into the teapot by hand. However, both the inside and outside of the cups should be warmed.
烘茶：与潮州式相比，时间较短，因高级茶一般保存都较好。
Bake the tea: the tea baking procedure is shorter in comparison with that of Chaozhou tea since high-class tea is always well preserved.
置茶：置茶量依茶性而定。
Add the tea: the quantity of tea that should be added depends on the tea’s qualities.
冲水：冲水后大约十五秒中即倒茶。（利用这时间将温杯水倒回池中）。
Water filling: pour the tea water about 15 seconds after the water is added. (during this period of time, pour the water for warming cups in the cistern).
倒茶：不用公道杯，直接倒入闻香杯中，第一泡倒三分之一，第二泡依旧，第三泡倒满。
Pour water: do not use the fair cup, directly pour the tea water into fragrance smelling cups. One third of the first batch of tea water should be poured, likewise with the second batch. Fill the cup with the third batch of tea water.
闻香：将品茗杯及闻香杯一齐放置在客人面前。（品茗杯在右，闻香杯在右）
Smell the fragrance: tea tasting cups and fragrance smelling cups shall be put in front of the guests together (with the tea tasting cups on the right and the fragrance smelling cups on the left).
抖壶：每泡之间，以布包壶，用力摇三次。（抖壶是使内外温度，开水冲入后不摇是为使其浸出物增多。这与潮州式在摇壶意义恰恰相反，因为所用的茶品质不同。）
Shake the teapot: in the intervals between making tea, cover the teapot with cloth and shake it at full tilt three times. (Shaking the teapot balances the temperature inside and outside of the teapot. One shall not shake the teapot after it is filled with boiled water in order to increase the tea extract. Shaking of the teapot as performed in the Chaozhou tea making method is detrimental to the tea making because the tea being used has different qualities.