Neither the Chinese, nor natives of Japan, ever use Tea before it has been kept at least a year; because when fresh it is said to prove narcotic, and to disorder the senses[51]. The former pour hot water on the Tea, and draw off the infusion in the same manner as is now practised in Europe; but they drink it simply without the addition of sugar or milk[52]. The Japanese reduce the Tea into a fine powder, by grinding the leaves in a hand-mill; they then mix them with hot water into a thin pulp, in which form it is sipped[53], particularly by the nobility and rich people. It is made and served up to company in the following manner: the Tea-table furniture, with the powdered Tea inclosed in a box, are set before the company, and the cups are then filled with hot water, and as much of the powder as might lie on the point of a moderate-sized knife is taken out of the box, put into each cup, and then stirred and mixed together with a curious denticulated instrumenttill the liquor foams, in which state it is presented to the company, and sipped while warm[54]. From what Du Halde relates, this method is not peculiar to the Japanese, but is also used in some provinces of China[55].
The common people, who have a coarser Tea (Sect. VI. III.) boil it for some time in water, and make use of the liquor for common drink. Early in the morning the kettle, filled with water, is regularly hung over the fire for this purpose, and the Tea is either put into the kettle inclosed in a bag, or, by means of a basket of a proper size, pressed to the bottom of the vessel, that there may not be any hindrance in drawing off the water. The Bantsjaa Tea (Sect. VI. III.) only is used in this manner, whose virtues, being more fixed, would not be so fully extracted by infusion.
And indeed Tea is the common beverage of all the labouring people in China: one scarcely ever sees them represented at work of any kind, but the Tea pot and Tea cup appear as their accompaniments. Reapers, threshers, and all who work out of doors, as well as within, have these attendants[56].
To make Tea, and to serve it in a genteel and graceful manner, is an accomplishment, in which people of both sexes in Japan are instructed by masters, in the same manner as Europeans are in dancing, and other branches of polite education.