A moment of serendipity turned into a flourishing career, hobby, and lifeblood.  

This was what long spout teapot gave 42-year old Zeng Xiaolong when he accidentally stumbled upon the art over 20 years ago. He was waiting tables then in Chengdu city and barely making ends meet, until he came across a "tea master for hire" advertisement.  

Zeng hasn't looked back. "After crossing paths with long spout teapot, I realized I was on the right track. I started to like it more and more." 

And today, Zeng attributes all that he is and has in life to this art. 

"It has enabled me to support myself and my family, such that I can buy a house here in Chengdu and can send my daughter to school," he told CGTN.  

"I get a sense of comfort from the crowd's applause when I'm on stage performing. And as you can see, after all these years, I have not put on weight," he added cheekily, noting that practicing Kung Fu Tea is a good form of exercise.  

Zeng, who claims he, along with his team, created the "fancy varied style" of twirling the long spout teapot to serve tea, spoke with a tinge of remorse. "Today, you can no longer find a teahouse in Chengdu that uses long spouts just to blend and serve tea."

This is because performances on stage and at hotpot restaurants have taken over the folk custom. 

"You see, after one learns this art, his or her salary becomes higher, so ordinary teahouses cannot afford them." 

"I think long spout teapot has deviated from its essence, and it's not a good thing. And I feel I have a responsibility in this... because I have been on TV a lot (promoting it), so it feels like I've skewed the concept of a long spout teapot." 

Zeng said long spout teapots originated from the mountainous province of Sichuan. They were used only to serve tea in narrow and cramped teahouses.  

The other kind of tea art, which is the original Kung Fu Tea, according to Zeng, is one where one sits quietly and pours tea – it requires strength, time, and patience. 

"Now that's from Guangdong, Fujian, and Taiwan," Zeng said, "but long spout teapot is originally from Sichuan."  

"And it's an intangible cultural heritage alongside Sichuanese cuisine, liquor and opera. So I want to return long spout teapot to the teahouse – where it belongs." 

Zeng plans to build a teahouse in the near future, where every cup of tea is served using a long spout teapot. "I also plan to incorporate folk customs in an old Chengdu teahouse, such as lotus ponds, and where waiters throw towels at you for you to wipe your face as you step foot inside."  

Market demand and supply

Zeng, who has now founded a company, Longmen Tea Art, said most of his 300-strong student force chose to learn this art to make more money.

"They see it as a way to change their own destiny," he said, adding that this allows them an opportunity to be on stage and on TV, too.

Zeng added that most of his students are able to find a job easily, noting that the market for long spout teapot performers is at its peak now.

"But in the next five years, I foresee the supply of performers exceeding demand. So we hope to find a breakthrough. This is why going abroad to train students is key."

Zeng Xiaolong and his students bled and were scalded when they started out. But he said he wouldn't have it any other way. 

He asserts that Kung Fu Tea is more than just aesthetics – defending the art from critics who question its use for simply pouring a good cup of tea.  

"I have spent five years in Macao performing pouring tea and can justify the basis of this art. You see, the boiling water temperature drops from 100 degrees to 80 degrees as it goes through the long spout, such that it's of optimum heat when it reaches your cup," he said. 

"The strong impact of the pour also allows the tea leaves to churn better, thereby releasing the taste of the tea quickly. So you don't actually have to wait to drink your tea, you can sip it immediately." 

Zeng's ultimate goal, though, is to continue cultivating apprentices – and he hopes that one day, they will surpass his own skills.