泡茶分数的评定 Evaluation and Scoring of Tea Brewing
泡茶分数的评定包括泡茶的动作、服仪、以及泡茶之后所得出的茶汤，这其中最重要的是最后的茶汤，如果茶汤不及格，其他的项目再好也是不及格，茶汤泡好了，其他的项目表现得好，可以加上几分，茶汤泡好了，其他的项目表现不好，可以扣几分。若是将泡茶总分数分成动作、茶具、服仪、茶汤等区块，然后分别给分，很可能动作、茶具、服仪好，分别给了高分，结果既使茶汤泡坏了，也还是名列前茅，这很容易造成大家对「茶道内涵」的误判，以为茶汤不是茶道最重要的项目。如果评审委员就动作、茶具、服仪、茶汤分别给分，即使每项在总分上的占比不一样，造成的分数仍然可能偏离「茶道以茶汤为最终目标」的概念。因为动作、茶具、服仪的分数占比虽然不高，但评委给了特别高的成绩，茶汤的分数占比虽然高，但评委给了比较保守的分数，结果茶汤还是敌不过动作、茶具、服仪的分数，尤其是它们加总以后的成绩。所以我们是主张先打个总分，这个总分是以茶汤为主的判断，先决定这样的茶汤是否视为「泡茶成绩」的及格，然后再依动作、茶具、服仪等的表现给予加分或减分，若茶汤分数就在及格边缘，其他项目再需扣分，不及格也就注定了；如果茶汤明显的不及格，其他项目的加分也只能让不及格的成绩不至于太离谱。
茶汤的分数包括：泡出「茶叶商品品质」的能力及泡出「每道茶叶最高品质」的能力。应试的茶叶都有它客观存在的品质状况，如特级茶、高级茶、中级茶，泡茶的人要把它应有的品质特性表现出来，而且是以它所在级别的最佳状况为标准，茶样是中级茶，就要把它中级茶的最佳状况泡出来，茶样是特级茶，就要把它特级茶的最佳状况泡出来，否则茶叶要抱怨：你泡的茶汤又不是我所拥有的品质状况！果是如此，评委就不能给高分，茶汤只表现了该茶最高品质的80%，就只能给80分，茶汤只表现了最高品质的70%，就只能给70分，评委必须在打分数之前以各种方法弄清楚该茶的客观品质状况。我们有这样的经验，原以为该茶的品质有所缺失，后来经过多次水温、用量、浸泡时间、冲泡器材质等的调整，发现该茶的品质等级可以再提高二个档次。
茶汤分数还经常分成第一道、第二道、第三道等的评定，每一道茶汤的分数都是以「该道茶汤」表现的「该道茶叶」最高品质状况之百分之几为标准，达到了该道茶叶最高品质的90%就给90分，达到了该道茶叶最高品质的70%，就给70分。我们将该批茶叶与每道茶叶拿来以各种不同的「环境条件」（如水温、茶量、浸泡时间、冲泡器材质）与技术条件（即泡茶者「看茶」、「泡茶」的能力）冲泡，应该可以得出它的最高品质状况。这时第二道茶汤的最高品质状况一定不如第一道茶汤的最高品质状况，第三道最高品质状况一定不如第二道茶汤的最高品质状况。但是每一道的茶汤分数是以「该道茶汤」达成「该道茶叶」最高品质标准的百分之几来定夺的。每一道茶叶的最高品质状况会受前面冲泡所得的「茶汤品质」之影响，如前一道泡得太浓了，这一道的最高品质状况一定会比应有的降低，如前一道所用的水温偏低，得出的茶汤稠度也不足，那这一道的最高品质状况可以比应有的提高。
茶汤分数受到这一批茶叶的「客观存在品质」与每一道茶叶「品质现况」的牵制。茶叶的品质要以该批茶叶的最高品质状况为标准，每一道茶叶的品质状况要以每一道可能泡出的最佳品质茶汤为标准，能泡出这两项最高标准的百分比就是所能获得的分数总合。
回顾
- 泡茶的分数要以茶汤的分数为主导
- 如何避免动作、茶具、服仪的总分数左右了茶汤的及格与否
- 茶汤的分数包括「茶叶品质」与「每道茶汤品质」
- 泡出茶叶所在等级的品质百分比，是为茶叶品质的分数
- 泡出每道茶汤最高品质的百分比，是为每道茶汤的分数
- 每批茶叶、每道茶叶以不同的环境条件与技术条件冲泡，得出最高品质状况的茶汤
- 每道茶叶的最高品质状况，受前面诸道茶汤品质的影响
Evaluation and Scoring of Tea Brewing
The score awarded to tea brewing is based on a few criteria, including a person’s movement, attire and grooming, and the resulting tea infusion. Among these, tea infusion is clearly the most important consideration. If the infusion falls short of expectation, it fails regardless of how well the person performed in the other areas. With a tea well made, other well-executed items may help gain a few marks; while poorly-executed items may cost a few. In this regard, an overall score calculated by simply adding up the itemised marks defeats the intended purpose. For example, if the tea is poorly made, but the movement, tea ware and attire score high, the overall score may still secure a top spot, creating an impression that the Way of Tea is not predominantly about the tea infusion. In the event that judges evaluate a person’s movement, tea ware, attire, and tea infusion separately (and each item has its own weight/percentage), the overall score awarded may deviate from the core concept of tea infusion being the ultimate goal of the Way of Tea. The fact is, while these items (aside from tea infusion) individually contribute to a lower percentage, they may make a big difference when the marks add up, if the judges give very high marks for each but comparatively lower marks for the tea infusion (which has a higher percentage). As such, we strongly recommend giving an overall score first based largely on the tea infusion, which helps assess one’s skill in tea brewing. This decides if the tea has met with expectation and secured a pass. After this, points can be added or deducted based on the person’s movement, tea ware, attire, etc. If the mark of the infusion is a borderline case and points are further deducted based on the performance of the other items, the person is destined to fail. If the mark of the infusion falls way below the pass mark, then marks gained from the other items will only help narrow the gap but never get him close enough to reach the pass mark.
The score of a tea infusion is decided by the ability to bring out the commercial quality of the tea and the ability to achieve the highest quality of each brew of the tea. The tea leaves come in different grades (such as grade 1, grade 2 or grade 3) according to their inherent quality and conditions. The person brewing needs to brew the best possible infusion that showcases a tea’s particular quality and conditions, whichever grade the tea is. It won’t do justice to the tea if the infusion doesn’t reflect its best possible conditions! The judges will mark according to the percentage the infusion has achieved against the best possible quality – for example, 80 marks is awarded to tea that brings out 80% of the best possible quality; and 70 marks for the infusion good understanding of a tea’s inherent quality and conditions before giving marks. Here is a case in point. We had an experience whereby a tea initially thought to be substandard eventually went up two grades after a few rounds of adjustment to the water temperature, amount of tea leaves, steeping time, and tea brewing utensils made of different materials.
Marks are typically given for the first, second and third brew, or more. Tea infusion is evaluated according to the percentage of which it has brought out the best possible quality of the tea leaves during that particular round of brewing – 90 marks is awarded to tea infusion bringing out 90% of the best possible quality for that round; and 70 marks for the infusion achieving 70% of the best possible quality for that round, and so on. To find out the best possible quality of a batch of tea leaves and each round of brewing, brew under different physical/environmental conditions (such as using different water temperature, amount of tea leaves, steeping time and tea ware made of different materials) and technical conditions (such as the ability of the tea brewing person in assessing and brewing the tea). Understandably, the best possible quality of the second brew will be lower than that of the first brew. By the same token, the best possible quality of the third brew will not be on par with that of the second brew. Tea infusion of each brew is evaluated according to the percentage of which it brings out the best possible quality of the tea leaves during that particular round of brewing. Having said that, the best possible quality of each brew is affected by the infusion from the previous brew – if the previous brew is very strong, the best possible quality of the subsequent brew will definitely be lower than it should be. Meanwhile, if the water temperature of the previous brew is relatively low and the infusion not as strong, the best possible quality of the subsequent brew may be higher than it should be.
Tea infusion is subject to the inherent quality and conditions of a batch of tea leaves, and the condition of tea leaves during a particular round of brewing. The quality of tea leaves should be based on the highest quality and condition of a particular batch, and the quality of tea leaves for each brew should be based on the best possible infusion they yield for each round of brewing. The overall score for tea brewing is the sum of the highest possible percentage achieved for these two criteria.
Key Takeaways:
- The scoring of tea brewing is largely determined by that of the tea infusion.
- How to avoid the marks given to a person’s movement, tea ware, attire and grooming, etc. affecting the passing or failing of a tea infusion.
- The score of a tea infusion covers that of the quality of the tea leaves and of each brew.
- The percentage of the best possible quality of a particular grade of tea leaves reflected by the tea infusion decides the score for the quality of the tea leaves.
- The percentage of the best possible quality of a particular round of brewing reflected by the tea infusion decides the score for each brew.
- The best possible tea infusion of each batch of tea leaves and during each round of brewing can be found out by brewing under different physical/environmental conditions and technical conditions.
- The best possible quality of each brew is affected by the quality of the preceding brews.
Tsai Rong-Tsang 2023.06.10
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