頭tóu道dào水shuǐ,，二èr道dào茶chá,，三sān道dào四sì道dào是shì精jīnghuá華

What does 頭道水，二道茶，三道四道是精華 (tóu dào shuǐ, èr dào chá, sān dào sì dào shì jīnghuá) mean?

頭道水，二道茶，三道四道是精華 (tóu dào shuǐ, èr dào chá, sān dào sì dào shì jīnghuá) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "The first infusion is water, the second is tea, the third and fourth are the essence." In use it means: In gongfu tea brewing, the first steep rinses the leaves and is discarded. The true flavor emerges on the second pour and reaches its peak by the third and fourth infusions. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rabbit.

Literally: "The first infusion is water, the second is tea, the third and fourth are the essence.."

The reading

Not everything reveals itself on first encounter. The leaves need time to open, and the water needs patience to coax out what is hidden inside them. Rushing to judge the first impression means missing the richest layers entirely. What is worth knowing almost always requires a second and third attempt. The best version of anything tends to arrive after the obvious one has passed.

What kind of proverb it is

• Typeyànyǔ 諺語
• FocusPresent-minded
• Element水 Water
• Zodiac tie兔 Year of the Rabbit

Source Gongfu tea ceremony oral tradition, Fujian and Guangdong tea masters

Sits beside

Keep reading

Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Perseverance & the Long Road, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.