Tea Customs Hall China boasts of a vast territory, a long history and various ethnic minorities. Traditions and customs about tea of every historical period and every region are part of Chinese culture. The Tea Culture came into being at pace with the development of economy and culture of all these nationalities, and has great impact on them in many an aspect. Studied on their continuum and variability, sociality and locality, diversified tea customs show the acceptance, understanding and rendition of tea culture, to different degrees, of all nationalities in China. The Tea Culture, as one spiritual wealth and cultural heritage of China, mirrors close relationship between Chinese people and tea. Congou: 
Also called Kongfu Tea, which prevails in local Guangdong, Fujian, Taiwan, etc. An ancient record in The Diary of Chaozhou Area Folkways reads, “the way that congou is prepared was originally from The Encyclopedia of Tea by Lu Yu in the Tang dynasty.” By exquisite tea sets, unique making and elaborate formalities, people drink tea as a spice to daily life and the first courtesy of social activities. To make tea, water from springs and wells is recommendable. As for such half-fermented and dried teas as Wolong and Iron Kwan-yin, the pot and cups should be scalded at first, and then the pot is stuffed with 7/10 tea, with procedures of high scald, low sprinkling, shaving foams, pouring over the lid, cup and canister. Baked Tea: 
A popular tea among ethnic minorities in Yunnan, like Dai, Hani, Lahu, Blang, Jino, Wa, etc. Put some Sun-dried tea in a crock, which is then rolled and baked in the fire, until it smells burnt fragrant. Pour boiled water into a copper pot of baked tea, mulling for some time. Baked tea is rich in juice, bright in color, and the flavor is something between sweetness and bitterness. It is widely used by ethnic minorities in Southwest China to entertain guests Buttered Tea: 
Called “Kyamir” in Tibetan, it is popular in Tibetan areas (e.g. Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan) as a traditional daily beverage of Tibetans. First, cook a tea brick into deep-red juice and then pour it into a buttered-tea barrel. Add some butter and salt into it and mix them by a “Kyaluo” (a wooden blender in the barrel). This is one of the main everyday foods of Tibetans, and is also an indispensable beverage to receive guests. There are formalities of drinking the buttered tea, e.g. the host will usually add tea while drinking; never finish drinking in one sup; if the guest doesn’t want any more than another half cup, he may empty the cup at one gulp after the host adds tea and before leaving. These are typical Tibetan customs and traditions.
Sichuan Tea House:
Sichuan Tea House represents Chinese tea customs and tea-house culture. There were tea houses and tea booths as early as in the Tang dynasty in Sichuan. A typical Sichuan tea house is usually composed of copper teapots, tin cup supports, porcelain covered bowls, Bowl-shaped Compressed tea or Jasmine Tea, and especially tea masters. As the saying goes, “Sunny days are not so many as tea houses in Sichuan,” it is not merely a place for people to relax, rest and chat, but also a place, in old times, for problem discussing and solving, and disputes clearing up. Political and social functions of Sichuan tea -houses outweigh their other respects.
Anhui Tea Firm: 
Tea Halls in South China
Halls in South China are very unique in China’s residential culture.
Halls are the main common rooms in residential buildings, and tea is the absolutely necessary beverage for hospitality in case of catering guests. Halls were called guesting halls or tea halls because in old times halls were the places for dropping off sedan chair, for affording tea, for receiving guests and for sending-off.
All through the ages, Chinese thinks much of kin, emphasizes the idea of clans, advocates hobnobbing with relatives, and takes four-generation or five-generation living together as the indication for continuous felicity, so halls were also the rooms for new-year’s oblation and big ceremonies of wedding or funeral which have close relations with tea. For the families residing in the same area for the reason of clan relations, halls were also the sites for discussing and handling affairs while drinking tea.
A popular tea among ethnic minorities in Yunnan, like Dai, Hani, Lahu, Blang, Jino, Wa, etc. Put some Sun-dried tea in a crock, which is then rolled and baked in the fire, until it smells burnt fragrant. Pour boiled water into a copper pot of baked tea, mulling for some time. Baked tea is rich in juice, bright in color, and the flavor is something between sweetness and bitterness. It is widely used by ethnic minorities in Southwest China to entertain guests Buttered Tea:
Called “Kyamir” in Tibetan, it is popular in Tibetan areas (e.g. Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan) as a traditional daily beverage of Tibetans. First, cook a tea brick into deep-red juice and then pour it into a buttered-tea barrel. Add some butter and salt into it and mix them by a “Kyaluo” (a wooden blender in the barrel). This is one of the main everyday foods of Tibetans, and is also an indispensable beverage to receive guests. There are formalities of drinking the buttered tea, e.g. the host will usually add tea while drinking; never finish drinking in one sup; if the guest doesn’t want any more than another half cup, he may empty the cup at one gulp after the host adds tea and before leaving. These are typical Tibetan customs and traditions.
Sichuan Tea House:
Sichuan Tea House represents Chinese tea customs and tea-house culture. There were tea houses and tea booths as early as in the Tang dynasty in Sichuan. A typical Sichuan tea house is usually composed of copper teapots, tin cup supports, porcelain covered bowls, Bowl-shaped Compressed tea or Jasmine Tea, and especially tea masters. As the saying goes, “Sunny days are not so many as tea houses in Sichuan,” it is not merely a place for people to relax, rest and chat, but also a place, in old times, for problem discussing and solving, and disputes clearing up. Political and social functions of Sichuan tea -houses outweigh their other respects.
Anhui Tea Firm:
Tea Halls in South China
Halls in South China are very unique in China’s residential culture.
Halls are the main common rooms in residential buildings, and tea is the absolutely necessary beverage for hospitality in case of catering guests. Halls were called guesting halls or tea halls because in old times halls were the places for dropping off sedan chair, for affording tea, for receiving guests and for sending-off.
All through the ages, Chinese thinks much of kin, emphasizes the idea of clans, advocates hobnobbing with relatives, and takes four-generation or five-generation living together as the indication for continuous felicity, so halls were also the rooms for new-year’s oblation and big ceremonies of wedding or funeral which have close relations with tea. For the families residing in the same area for the reason of clan relations, halls were also the sites for discussing and handling affairs while drinking tea.
A popular tea among ethnic minorities in Yunnan, like Dai, Hani, Lahu, Blang, Jino, Wa, etc. Put some Sun-dried tea in a crock, which is then rolled and baked in the fire, until it smells burnt fragrant. Pour boiled water into a copper pot of baked tea, mulling for some time. Baked tea is rich in juice, bright in color, and the flavor is something between sweetness and bitterness. It is widely used by ethnic minorities in Southwest China to entertain guests Buttered Tea:
Called “Kyamir” in Tibetan, it is popular in Tibetan areas (e.g. Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan) as a traditional daily beverage of Tibetans. First, cook a tea brick into deep-red juice and then pour it into a buttered-tea barrel. Add some butter and salt into it and mix them by a “Kyaluo” (a wooden blender in the barrel). This is one of the main everyday foods of Tibetans, and is also an indispensable beverage to receive guests. There are formalities of drinking the buttered tea, e.g. the host will usually add tea while drinking; never finish drinking in one sup; if the guest doesn’t want any more than another half cup, he may empty the cup at one gulp after the host adds tea and before leaving. These are typical Tibetan customs and traditions.
Sichuan Tea House:
Sichuan Tea House represents Chinese tea customs and tea-house culture. There were tea houses and tea booths as early as in the Tang dynasty in Sichuan. A typical Sichuan tea house is usually composed of copper teapots, tin cup supports, porcelain covered bowls, Bowl-shaped Compressed tea or Jasmine Tea, and especially tea masters. As the saying goes, “Sunny days are not so many as tea houses in Sichuan,” it is not merely a place for people to relax, rest and chat, but also a place, in old times, for problem discussing and solving, and disputes clearing up. Political and social functions of Sichuan tea -houses outweigh their other respects.
Anhui Tea Firm:
Tea Halls in South China
Halls in South China are very unique in China’s residential culture.
Halls are the main common rooms in residential buildings, and tea is the absolutely necessary beverage for hospitality in case of catering guests. Halls were called guesting halls or tea halls because in old times halls were the places for dropping off sedan chair, for affording tea, for receiving guests and for sending-off.
All through the ages, Chinese thinks much of kin, emphasizes the idea of clans, advocates hobnobbing with relatives, and takes four-generation or five-generation living together as the indication for continuous felicity, so halls were also the rooms for new-year’s oblation and big ceremonies of wedding or funeral which have close relations with tea. For the families residing in the same area for the reason of clan relations, halls were also the sites for discussing and handling affairs while drinking tea.
A popular tea among ethnic minorities in Yunnan, like Dai, Hani, Lahu, Blang, Jino, Wa, etc. Put some Sun-dried tea in a crock, which is then rolled and baked in the fire, until it smells burnt fragrant. Pour boiled water into a copper pot of baked tea, mulling for some time. Baked tea is rich in juice, bright in color, and the flavor is something between sweetness and bitterness. It is widely used by ethnic minorities in Southwest China to entertain guests Buttered Tea:
Called “Kyamir” in Tibetan, it is popular in Tibetan areas (e.g. Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan) as a traditional daily beverage of Tibetans. First, cook a tea brick into deep-red juice and then pour it into a buttered-tea barrel. Add some butter and salt into it and mix them by a “Kyaluo” (a wooden blender in the barrel). This is one of the main everyday foods of Tibetans, and is also an indispensable beverage to receive guests. There are formalities of drinking the buttered tea, e.g. the host will usually add tea while drinking; never finish drinking in one sup; if the guest doesn’t want any more than another half cup, he may empty the cup at one gulp after the host adds tea and before leaving. These are typical Tibetan customs and traditions.
Sichuan Tea House:
Sichuan Tea House represents Chinese tea customs and tea-house culture. There were tea houses and tea booths as early as in the Tang dynasty in Sichuan. A typical Sichuan tea house is usually composed of copper teapots, tin cup supports, porcelain covered bowls, Bowl-shaped Compressed tea or Jasmine Tea, and especially tea masters. As the saying goes, “Sunny days are not so many as tea houses in Sichuan,” it is not merely a place for people to relax, rest and chat, but also a place, in old times, for problem discussing and solving, and disputes clearing up. Political and social functions of Sichuan tea -houses outweigh their other respects.
Anhui Tea Firm:
Tea Halls in South China
Halls in South China are very unique in China’s residential culture.
Halls are the main common rooms in residential buildings, and tea is the absolutely necessary beverage for hospitality in case of catering guests. Halls were called guesting halls or tea halls because in old times halls were the places for dropping off sedan chair, for affording tea, for receiving guests and for sending-off.
All through the ages, Chinese thinks much of kin, emphasizes the idea of clans, advocates hobnobbing with relatives, and takes four-generation or five-generation living together as the indication for continuous felicity, so halls were also the rooms for new-year’s oblation and big ceremonies of wedding or funeral which have close relations with tea. For the families residing in the same area for the reason of clan relations, halls were also the sites for discussing and handling affairs while drinking tea. |
