1. The Six Major Types of Tea | 六大茶类

• Green Tea (Unoxidized): Fresh, grassy, and rich in antioxidants. Best brewed at lower temperatures (70-80°C).
  • 绿茶（不发酵）： 清新、有草本香，富含抗氧化剂。最好用较低温度（70-80°C）冲泡。
  • Examples: Longjing (Dragon Well), Biluochun.
  • 例子： 龙井、碧螺春。
• White Tea (Lightly Oxidized): Delicate, sweet, and minimally processed. Often made from young buds.
  • 白茶（微发酵）： 细腻、甘甜，加工极少。通常由嫩芽制成。
  • Examples: White Peony, Silver Needle.
  • 例子： 白牡丹、白毫银针。
• Yellow Tea (Rare): Similar to green tea but with an extra "sealing yellow" step, giving it a smoother taste.
  • 黄茶（稀有）： 类似绿茶，但多了一道“闷黄”工序，口感更醇厚。
  • Examples: Junshan Yinzhen.
  • 例子： 君山银针。
• Oolong Tea (Partially Oxidized): Complex flavors ranging from floral to fruity or roasted. Great for multiple infusions.
  • 乌龙茶（半发酵）： 风味复杂，从花香到果香或焙火香。非常适合多次冲泡。
  • Examples: Tieguanyin, Da Hong Pao, Dong Ding.
  • 例子： 铁观音、大红袍、冻顶乌龙。
• Black Tea (Fully Oxidized): Bold, malty, and robust. Known as "Red Tea" in China. Goes well with milk or sugar.
  • 红茶（全发酵）： 浓郁、有麦芽香、口感强劲。在中国称为“红茶”。适合加奶或糖。
  • Examples: Keemun, Dianhong (Yunnan Gold).
  • 例子： 祁门红茶、滇红。
• Dark Tea / Pu'er (Post-Fermented): Aged over time, developing earthy, deep flavors. Can be stored for decades.
  • 黑茶/普洱（后发酵）： 随时间陈化，发展出泥土香和深邃口感。可储存数十年。
  • Examples: Raw Pu'er (Sheng), Ripe Pu'er (Shou).
  • 例子： 生普、熟普。

2. Essential Brewing Tools | 必备冲泡工具

• Teapot: A Yixing teapot for Oolong/Pu'er, or a glass/ceramic pot for Green/White tea.
  • 茶壶： 乌龙/普洱用紫砂壶，绿茶/白茶用玻璃或瓷壶。
• Gaiwan: A traditional lidded bowl used for tasting and smelling the aroma.
  • 盖碗： 传统的带盖碗，用于品鉴和闻香。
• Fairness Cup (Gong Dao Bei): Ensures every cup of tea has the same strength by mixing the brew before serving.
  • 公道杯： 在分茶前混合茶汤，确保每杯茶的浓度一致。
• Tea Tray (Cha Pan): Catches excess water and keeps your table clean.
  • 茶盘： 接住多余的水，保持桌面整洁。
• Scale & Timer: For precision brewing (optional but recommended for beginners).
  • 秤与计时器： 用于精准冲泡（可选，但推荐新手使用）。

3. Basic Brewing Steps | 基础冲泡步骤

1. Warm Up: Pour hot water into your teapot and cups, then discard it.
   • 温具： 将热水倒入茶壶和茶杯中，然后倒掉。
2. Measure: Add 3-5 grams of tea leaves (adjust to taste).
   • 投茶： 加入 3-5 克茶叶（根据口味调整）。
3. Rinse (Optional): Quickly rinse the leaves with hot water and pour out immediately (especially for Pu'er/Oolong).
   • 洗茶（可选）： 用热水快速冲洗茶叶并立即倒出（特别是普洱/乌龙）。
4. Steep: Pour hot water over the leaves. Steep for 10-30 seconds for the first brew.
   • 冲泡： 将热水倒在茶叶上。第一泡浸泡 10-30 秒。
5. Serve: Pour into the fairness cup, then distribute into small tasting cups.
   • 分茶： 倒入公道杯，然后分入小品茗杯。
6. Repeat: Increase steeping time slightly for each subsequent brew. Good tea can be steeped 5-10 times!
   • 复泡： 每泡适当延长浸泡时间。好茶可以冲泡 5-10 次！