The "pinming bei" (tasting cup) and "wenxiang bei" (aroma cup) are two types of cups often discussed together when introducing Taiwanese tea ceremonies. This does not mean that both are strictly required for all Chinese tea. Here, we will look at how these two cups are distinguished and examine one example of the sequence in which they are used.
The pinming bei for drinking, the wenxiang bei for savoring aroma
In the tea utensil introduction at the Taichung City Seaport Art Center, the pinming bei is described as a small cup for drinking tea, while the wenxiang bei is introduced as a vessel used in combination with the pinming bei. The New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum describes tea cups as vessels for drinking tea, and the wenxiang bei as a vessel for capturing the tea's aroma. One common method involves pouring the tea infusion into the wenxiang bei first, transferring it to the pinming bei, and then checking the fragrance remaining in the empty cup.
The museum's commentary notes that the wenxiang bei is not an essential utensil in traditional Gongfu tea, but rather a feature seen in contemporary Taiwanese tea culture. Because the set of tools varies depending on the region, the style of the tea ceremony, and the tea being used, there is no need to consider the absence of these two cups as a deficiency.
An example of using both cups
In demonstrations of Taiwanese tea, a common sequence is to pour the brewed tea into the wenxiang bei first, then transfer it to the pinming bei. After the tea has been transferred, one traces the aroma remaining in the empty wenxiang bei before tasting the tea in the pinming bei.
This is simply one perspective on enjoying tea; it is not a rigid procedure that dictates speed, how to hold the cups, temperature, or the intensity of the aroma. If the shape or size of the cups you have differs, do not feel compelled to replicate these specific movements; instead, ensure that you can handle each vessel steadily.
Distinguishing the role of the tea pitcher (chahai)
The terms wenxiang bei and pinming bei are used to identify the roles of the cups. If you would like to learn about the vessel used to hold brewed tea before it is divided into cups, please see our guide to the chahai and gongdaobei. By considering the names and functions of these vessels individually, you can avoid treating different tea ceremony tools as if they were the same.
A perspective for starting with two cups
The pinming bei is for drinking, while the wenxiang bei is for focusing on the aroma. Understanding this distinction makes it easier to appreciate why both cups appear in Taiwanese tea ceremonies. Whether or not you use them is something you can decide based on the vessels you have at hand and the tea experience you wish to enjoy that day.
