Chinese tea by Shanxi Huaxia Jindao Trading Co., LTDWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Tea drinking has a long, rich history in China. The practice has evolved from medicinal consumption to food and drink. The Chinese have developed a distinctive tea culture with several ethnic and regional customs, aesthetic preferences, and moral values. Chinese tea culture has also exerted a profound influence on the development of tea cultures in countries worldwide.
Chinese tea ceremony by Shanxi Huaxia Jindao Trading Co., LTDWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Tea etiquette
Chinese tea culture has a long history, with distinct etiquette standards that are still followed today. These guidelines can be divided into three categories of tea etiquette: temple tea etiquette (primarily adopted in Buddhist and Taoist temples), ancient imperial court tea etiquette, and folk tea etiquette. Chinese tea culture of the Tang and Song dynasties has long influenced Japan and South Korea, and contributed to Japan’s sencha and matcha tea cultures.
Tea and social interaction by Shanxi Huaxia Jindao Trading Co., LTDWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Tea has always been a common and vital medium for various social occasions, whether for welcoming visitors, celebrating weddings, or honoring teachers and friends.
Salutation-changing tea
Salutation-changing tea is a crucial aspect of traditional Chinese weddings. The bride and groom serve tea to each other’s parents to show respect while changing their salutations to father and mother. This practice symbolizes their sense of belonging to their new families.
Disciple initiation tea
Disciple initiation tea is an essential ritual in Chinese traditional culture to become a master’s disciple. The disciple will offer the master a cup of tea, accompanied by a letter of request. The master responds by using a ruler to tap the disciple’s head, shoulder, and body to illustrate his expectations and demands on the disciple.
Tea leaves by Shanxi Huaxia Jindao Trading Co., LTDWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Tea is more than just a medium of ritual on some occasions in China. It is a common way of socializing when welcoming visitors or exchanging gifts. A Chinese proverb states that “courtesy demands reciprocity.” Tea is always a good gift choice if you are uncertain about another person’s preferences.
Tea set by Shanxi Huaxia Jindao Trading Co., LTDWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Tea customs
China has a rich, diverse tea culture characterized by distinct customs and practices that differ across regions, seasons, and ethnic groups. For example, some tea customs that have been recognized as Chinese intangible cultural heritages include the apo cha (grandma’s tea) in Qingpu, Shanghai; the lei cha (ground tea) in regions of Hunan, Jiangxi; and Fujian, and the gongfu cha (tea ceremony) in the Chaoshan area.
In many places, yuanbao tea (olive tea) is served to visiting guests during the Spring Festival. Ethnic minorities in China also have unique tea-drinking practices, such as Tibetan butter tea, Bai three-course tea, Mongolian milk tea, and more.
Pleasant mind and contentment by Shanxi Huaxia Jindao Trading Co., LTDWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Tea culture
For thousands of years, tea has inspired a great variety of literary and artistic works throughout China. These works include poems, couplets, essays, paintings, calligraphy, operas, and books about tea. They are not only valuable artworks and historical resources for studying tea culture, but also an integral component of Chinese tea culture.
Tea set and environment by Shanxi Huaxia Jindao Trading Co., LTDWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Tea art
A tea art performance can be a great start if you plan to explore traditional Chinese tea culture.
To become a tea artist, you must pass a national professional exam to obtain a certificate, which may indicate different levels of competence. A tea artist understands how to select the best water, appropriate water temperature and volume, and the correct utensils depending on the grade of tea leaves.
Beautiful tea set by Shanxi Huaxia Jindao Trading Co., LTDWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Next, the tea artist will brew tea as a performance, select accompanying snacks, and present fascinating information about tea culture, such as well-known teas and springs, and tea drinking and storage methods. The tea artist can also make your tea time more fun by choosing or preparing the right music, clothes, flowers, incense, etc.
Due to the abundance of tea types, contemporary tea art requires distinctive brewing techniques based on the characteristics of different tea types.
Brewing techniques
There are distinctive skills for brewing green, black, oolong, dark, yellow, and white teas. The most iconic teas showcasing these skills include Longjing tea, Qimen gongfu tea, Wuyi rock tea, Yunnan pu’er tea, and Mogan huangya tea.
Tea soup by Shanxi Huaxia Jindao Trading Co., LTDWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Experiencing Chinese tea culture: Tea ceremony
The tea ceremony is the spiritual center of Chinese tea culture, while tea art is its outward manifestation. The tea ceremony never focuses on the tea itself but on the people who drink it. People should have good cultural taste and aesthetic wisdom to value tea, and drinking tea can enhance their spiritual lives.
Dark-red enameled pottery teapot by Shanxi Huaxia Jindao Trading Co., LTDWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
People have many different ways of understanding the tea ceremony based on their feelings, experiences, and practices. For example, Zhang Daqian, a famous modern Chinese painter, brewed and enjoyed green tea in a purple clay pot, a brown clay tray, and a green tea bowl.
Using these three hues, he created Tea Drinking in Spring in 1945, reproducing the ancient ritual of sipping tea and an aura of peace, quietness, clearness, and stillness associated with the tea ceremony.
Mountain spring water by 山西华夏晋道商贸有限公司World Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
The tea ceremony has also inspired musicians in their compositions. He Luting composed a beautiful piano piece called The Cowherd’s Flute. His upbringing was shaped by early experiences of tea harvesting and shared moments of listening to flower-drum opera. This inspired him to compose music that vividly depicted the pastoral image of a young shepherd singing atop a cow’s back beneath the setting sun against the backdrop of lush hills and sparkling waters in South China.
Today, no matter how times change, Chinese tea culture still carries on the tradition that reflects the wisdom and philosophy of ancient times. People from various backgrounds, regions, and cultures have their own ways of enjoying tea. However, they also have some shared values and principles that will be passed down.
Tea environment by Shanxi Huaxia Jindao Trading Co., LTDWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Quietness:
To enjoy a cup of tea, you need two things: a peaceful place and a calm mind. The Chinese tea ceremony teaches us how to find inner peace and create harmony in our surroundings through tea. It helps us attain a state of the unity of heaven and humanity.
Tasting tea by Shanxi Huaxia Jindao Trading Co., LTDWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Relaxation:
Tea is a way of life in China, appealing to refined and popular tastes. People can appreciate it in everyday life. Whether in a cozy, quiet teahouse or a hectic, loud office, no matter who you are or where you come from, you can find spiritual joy in drinking tea.
Seasons and Solar TermsWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Respect:
Tea symbolizes harmony and peace in human relationships and with nature.
The beauty of tea by Shanxi Huaxia Jindao Trading Co., LTDWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Beauty:
Tea is a sensory delight that invites you to savor the moment: the aroma of brewed tea, the grace of the tea sets, the beauty surrounding tea art, and the tranquility of the environment. You will find endless pleasure during the tea ceremony.
Harmonious with nature by Shanxi Huaxia Jindao Trading Co., LTDWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Harmony:
Chinese tea culture focuses on harmony, which promotes equilibrium among people, between people and nature, and within people’s bodies, minds, and souls.
A cup of tea by 山西华夏晋道商贸有限公司World Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
A cup of tea encompasses an entire world of memories and mirrors a five-thousand-year legacy of Chinese history and culture. One small tea leaf encapsulates nature’s essence, reflecting humanity’s timeless pursuit of happiness, harmony, and unity.
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