A properly seasoned carbon steel wok is the single most important tool in Chinese cooking. Seasoning creates a polymerised oil layer (patina) that is naturally non-stick, conducts heat evenly, and contributes flavour. A new wok must be seasoned before first use. A well-used wok develops a black patina over months and years that no factory coating can replicate. This patina is why a grandmother's wok produces better stir-fries than a new one — it's not nostalgia, it's polymer chemistry.
New wok preparation: scrub factory coating with steel wool and hot soapy water. Dry completely over high heat. Apply thin layer of high-smoke-point oil (peanut, grapeseed) with paper towel. Heat until oil begins to smoke, wipe off excess, repeat 3-5 times. The wok should darken progressively. Between uses: rinse with hot water and a bamboo brush only — no soap. Dry immediately over flame to prevent rust. Rub with a thin film of oil before storing. The patina builds with use — every time you cook with oil over high heat, you add to it.
The patina test: water should bead and roll off a well-seasoned wok. Food should release easily without sticking. If food sticks, the wok needs more seasoning — cook a batch of fatty scallions or chives on high heat to restore it. If the patina is damaged (rust spots, acid damage), strip it back with steel wool and re-season from scratch. A 14-inch round-bottom carbon steel wok with a long handle is the correct tool — flat-bottom only if you have an electric stove. The wok ring should sit narrow-end up to bring the wok closer to the flame.
Using soap regularly — it strips the seasoning. Not drying over flame after washing — rust develops in hours. Cooking acidic foods (tomato, vinegar) in a newly seasoned wok — acid strips the young patina. Using metal scouring pads on a seasoned surface. Storing without a light oil coating. Cooking on low heat only — high heat use builds the seasoning. Buying non-stick or stainless steel woks — neither can achieve wok hei.