tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88723651207886766732024-03-13T02:31:45.461+00:00Kung-Fu ChaTea & Wing ChunProinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-78114656570679548462012-01-08T23:35:00.003+00:002012-01-08T23:58:36.240+00:00Hosen SenchaIt's been a while, thought I should post something.Hosen Sencha is that something.It's from Ippodo and as far as I can tell it's a lightly steamed green tea, I can't see a classification on the site but it appears to be asamushi. I enjoyed the first few sessions but that is to be expected with almost any good quality sencha after a prolonged diet of pu'er. About a week in and things become Proinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-82555170947870713662008-08-21T08:48:00.002+01:002008-08-21T11:31:19.942+01:00Georgian Old GentlemanThis black tea was grown in Georgia, sold in the UK, sent over to the USA where it was put in a sample tin before being sent back to me in the UK. This is a well traveled tea. Perhaps we should send a cake of sheng around the world leaving it out to air for a few week in each location to ensure the most well rounded pu-erh yet seen.Anyway.On hearing I had some Georgian tea on the way I realised IProinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-85754845486683858652008-06-19T13:12:00.000+01:002008-06-20T23:54:23.168+01:00Shincha & ShavingI've not gotten around to buying any of this years shincha harvest and so was delighted to receive a sample of o-cha shincha from a fellow tea enthusiast, who really knows his Japanese greens.My Japanese green tea drinking is a rather sporadic affair, months of very little punctuated by a few weeks of intense consumption of the freshest stuff know to man.This particular Shincha is Fukamushi Proinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-4727677317727973732008-02-25T18:24:00.004+00:002008-05-06T23:30:55.974+01:00The 4th FormOver the past few months the forth empty hand form of Wing Chun has began to filter down from Yip Ching to us on the fringes of the Wing Chun world.I was a little suspicious when I first heard of the emergence of this form as I suspected it may be more for generating interest and/or money more than for the art, on reflection I suppose interest and money could be seen as a great benefit to the Proinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-661409049263709682008-02-25T00:27:00.000+00:002008-02-25T00:27:44.780+00:00TChing's Margaret’s Hope Muscatel, Lochan's Muscatel Delight & TemiThese are Indian black teas I'm not overly familiar with. The Margret's Hope Muscatel was obtained from TChing as part of the most recent online tasting session. The other teas are both samples I procured from Lochan Tea. Both of the Muscatel teas are from Darjeeling and the Temi is from Sikkim, to the north of Darjeeling, but I'm sufficiently ignorant of Indian blacks to pop them into the same Proinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-18058785041518043232008-02-21T13:14:00.001+00:002008-02-21T20:17:02.582+00:001990 raw Fang Zhuan1990 raw Fang Zhuan (square brick) from the Menghai regionFrom TeamastersFeaturing : A nice new teapot!This is the first big chunk of aged pu I have yet owned - I think I'm allowed to say 1990 is aged without being shouted down too much.This is what Stéphane has to say about it:"1990 raw Fang Zhuan (square brick) from the Menghai region (not the factory). This brick contains leaves of all grades.Proinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-3464059273768096712007-11-29T02:27:00.000+00:002007-11-29T03:20:08.698+00:00Siu Nim Tao VariationsThe most familiar version of siu nim tao to myself, and I presume to most students, is the Yip Man version.It is said that Yip Man often spent around an hour completing the first section. I should really take more time over this.Next up we have Gu Lao Wing Chun. This clip is not of siu nim tao as Gu Lao does not utilize the traditional Wing Chun forms. Instead it makes use of 40 techniques, or Proinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-6081856293130612092007-11-26T23:13:00.000+00:002008-02-21T20:17:02.585+00:00Yunnan Pu Er Cha Zhuan 2000 CNNPThis 2000 cooked brick was a sample sneaked into my last order from Stéphane at Teamasters. It was a good sized sample, the pic below shows the chunk minus my first attack.First of all I'd like to copy and paste from Teamasters, hoping that Stéphane will not mind too much, as I'd like to keep this blog as a repository of information and not just a reminder of my brain farts:"This Yunnan Pu Er ChaProinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-72115997733531891682007-10-25T15:10:00.000+01:002008-02-21T20:16:15.975+00:00Castelton Snow BudWhite Tea - 2nd Flush 2007, DarjeelingThis was part of a sample pack from Lochan Tea Limited. I was first enchanted by their teas when participating in a TChing tasting event which included a Meghma Nepalese Oolong. As I realised I couldn't eek out the tasting sample for much longer I went in search of Lochan Tea with little idea what to order, as my knowledge of Indian tea is sparse to say the Proinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-31219097909449684902007-09-25T01:36:00.000+01:002007-10-24T01:47:20.709+01:00Sil Lim Tao Part 2The second section of Sil Lim Tao is in set in stark contrast to the first section.It feels far more animated, is great fun and adds far more scope for attack or defense - attack/defense may be more accurate as I try to force myself away from consciously blocking or attacking . This section is aware of low/high/side/back gates, dealing with kicks/knees to the body and opens up a treasure chest ofProinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-35225208042130113522007-09-24T01:54:00.000+01:002007-09-25T01:45:51.571+01:00Sil Lim Tao Part 1Sil Lim TaoOr the first form of Wing Chun Kung-FuSil Lim Tao is the bedrock of the Wing Chun system.Sil Lim Tao begins by teaching the correct stance & posture for the practice of Wing Chun. The adductor stance is achieved by standing with the legs together, bending the knees slightly, then putting out the toes as far as possible followed by the heels. The back should be straight, breathing Proinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-44563537137666978852007-09-21T15:55:00.000+01:002008-02-21T20:17:02.586+00:00Song Zhong Dan Cong2007 Song Zhong Dan Cong from Teaspring.Description from Teaspring:'Song Zhong Dan Cong are harvested from old tea trees descended from the Song Dynasty specimen. These trees grow in the high mountains of Feng Huang Shan, about 1,000 metres above sea level, where the soil, sun light, clean air and water provide an ideal environment for it to grow. Song Zhong is the best of Dan Cong variety and isProinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-53459010945454952822007-09-11T00:09:00.000+01:002007-09-12T00:48:27.960+01:00Breathing & TensionBreathing has been something which I have greatly overlooked when practicing out with the forms.When observing ones breathing during training there seems to be a direct correlation between the breathing moving up from the dan tien towards the chest, usually due to loss of composure, and tension vastly increasing in the shoulders. Seems obvious when written down that loss of composure or inset of Proinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-71339522950111728932007-09-10T02:04:00.000+01:002007-09-11T00:09:13.809+01:00Chi Gerk & Stance workPerforming the chi gerk, sticky legs, drill has thrown up some glaring errors in my most basic of requirements - my stance.The drill itself my not be essential learning for the practitioner although I don't believe it can do much harm. I have spent time and effort trying to correct my stance for the past few months and was under the impression that I had a reasonably steady base, albeit one that Proinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-33549484946464719672007-08-27T01:43:00.000+01:002008-02-21T20:17:02.587+00:00Xue YaThis white tea was bought from Sencha, a Tea Lounge I stumbled across in Newcastle.From the pack:Xue Ya "first flush" Special White TeaA very special white tea, high in antioxidants, unforgettably fragrant. The first pickings from the Sheng Li tea fields.I understand this tea is from northern Fujian province and is grown at high altitudes.The leaves are long and twisted. Many are coated in a Proinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-41809110707844886242007-08-26T23:27:00.000+01:002007-09-10T01:11:25.500+01:00Chi SauDue to a rather fortunate set of circumstances I am now in the position of being able to train several times a week, one on one, with my instructor. This training has mainly been in the form of chi sau or sticking hands.My notes on the practice of chi sau will be taking a sort of 'this week I have been mainly trying...' until I come up with something better.So.This week I have been mainly Proinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-2301409653428312592007-08-18T16:04:00.000+01:002008-02-21T20:17:02.589+00:00Anxi Winter Huang Jin GuiAnxi Winter Huang Jin Gui Blurb from Seb & Jing: Origin : Anxi County, Fu Jian Province Season : Spring 2006 Weight : 100 grams (3.53 ounces) Huang Jin Gui is known as golden osmanthus in English and it is well recognized with its typical high osmanthus touch fragrance. This Huang Jin Gui is made using leaves from the Proinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-79914953503331596242007-08-18T14:05:00.000+01:002007-09-11T20:15:36.357+01:00Wing Chun Kung FuI have been studying this art, on and off, for around ten years. For ten years I have been getting around to writing down what I'm learning, today I've taken a miniature plunge into that area by typing this intro.I have a good idea of how to organise my tea notes but I feel the Wing Chun notes may be more of a sprawling mess. My decision to keep them on this blog is more to keep myself clear. I Proinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-31456850255736750172007-08-14T02:47:00.000+01:002008-02-21T20:16:15.975+00:00Meghma Nepalese OolongAnother impressive tasting sample from the good folks at T Ching.What they have to say about it:"This is a very unique, fresh 2007 spring flush oolong from Nepal. It is a semi-fermented tea, producing a pale liquor with a deliciously refreshing honey flavor. It is cultivated in the highlands of the Himalayas at an elevation above 7000 ft, in a pristine natural environment free from roads, Proinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-8851649581116822892007-08-14T01:25:00.001+01:002008-02-21T20:16:15.976+00:00Kashanganj Snow BudTasting sample from the good folks at T Ching.What they have to say about it:"This is a special edition white tea grown in Kashanganj, India. The tea is comprised of individual, hand picked buds that have the appearance of silver needles. The dried buds are visually attractive and the liquor is delicate and sweet. Most people in the U.S. haven't even heard of White tea. Those who have, know it asProinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-77561937037880253722007-08-12T18:07:00.001+01:002008-02-21T20:17:02.590+00:00Pre Ming Zhe Jiang Mao JianPre Ming Zhe Jiang Mao JianEveryday teaSpring 2006 HarvestDate - 1st May '07Source – JingteashopCost - $3.99/100gAmount used – lots maybe 8gMethod – Cooled boiled water in glass jug, brita maxtra filtered tap waterDry leaf – drab dark green, small twisted leaf.Aroma in glass – sweet, thick, not too fresh, very pleasantNo rinse1st infusion – short as possibleWet leaf smells seaweedy/ seaside Proinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872365120788676673.post-61975254636259278992007-08-12T03:50:00.000+01:002008-02-21T20:17:41.042+00:00Tenbu SenchaTenbu SenchaSource – 6g sample from TChingWater – Brita Max filtered tap waterTemp – boiled then left to cool until lower than normal for green , +/- gyokoro tempVessel – 7oz gaiwan – filter – faircupDry leaf – mix of normal sized sencha leaves and some very small particles, could spell trouble for the filter. Colour is mix of classic sencha green with some leaves looking darker and more akin to Proinsiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02865662381204889917noreply@blogger.com0