My father's rare tea ceremony "toy" set

(Entry to the contest "Impressions of Vietnamese coffee and tea" under the program "Honoring Vietnamese coffee and tea" for the 2nd time, 2024 organized by Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper).

Dad has a rare set of tea ceremony "toys": a small stove; a kettle with a spout and handle; a set of 4 enamel cups and a special authentic Chinese antique earthenware teapot.

My father's tea ceremony tools are over 70 years old, but the stove alone is rotten.

During the economic downturn of the 1980s, antique dealers kept asking for 5 taels of 24k gold to buy the teapot. Luckily, my father didn't sell it so today I have a precious keepsake!

My father told me that in 1955, during a trip to Phnom Penh (Cambodia), he bought a teapot from a Chinese man who was having financial difficulties and had to sell his family heirloom.

Every time we drink tea, the first thing we do is to examine and enjoy the teapot, especially the lines of text that prove its origin and value.

The elders themselves add oil, boil water, make tea, wash teapots, cups... all very neatly and skillfully but also very elaborate.

After boiling the teapot twice, put the tea in. The amount of tea put in must be full, plus the boiling water added, steep for 5 minutes, pour out exactly 4 cups of tea! After 2 more boiling water additions, you must replace the tea.

Despite their old age and slowness, the "products" they make are extremely impressive. The strong aroma spreads throughout the room. Seeing them holding a cup of hot tea in their hands and bringing it to their mouths looks very skillful, with satisfied and contented expressions on their faces and eyes.

Suddenly I felt happy, happy with the elders. Perhaps the elegant pleasure of tea ceremony is the joy of old age, friendship; it is the leisurely enjoyment of the taste of life that perhaps every child should create for their parents with a heart as... elegant as tea ceremony!

Graphics: CHI PHAN

Source: https://nld.com.vn/bo-do-choi-tra-dao-hiem-co-cua-ba-toi-196240313205356278.htm