The method of Dian Cha (whisked tea) first emerged in the late Tang and Five Dynasties period and became widely popular during the Song and Yuan dynasties. The act of pouring boiling water from a ewer into a tea bowl is called dian, and the technique directly affects the color and form of the tea liquor. The practice of assessing tea quality and whisking skill using the Dian Cha method is known as dou cha (tea competition), while the art of whisking pictorial patterns such as flowers, birds or landscapes onto the tea surface is called cha bai xi (water painting). The fusion of skill and artistry in tea culture is a vivid expression of the Song people's aesthetic of daily life.