Tea people, tea words, tea heart, tea as vast as the sea, deep and wide. Together, we delve into the extensive and profound tea culture. Tea leaves are products of labor, a beverage. Tea culture uses tea as a medium to disseminate various cultures, representing an organic integration of tea and culture, reflecting the material and spiritual civilization of a certain period. Throughout the long history of humanity, the development of tea culture varies in different parts of the world. In the 21st century, where the custom of drinking tea is increasingly popular, tea culture has experienced unprecedented development and progress. However, each country has its unique way of drinking tea, each with its own charm.
1. The Integration of Chinese and Western Tea Cultures
In the UK, tea is regarded as a beverage for beauty and health, fostering the fashionable customs of drinking morning and afternoon tea, and is referred to as the ‘liquid of health, drink of the soul.’ In France, tea is considered the ‘gentlest, most romantic, and most poetic drink.’ Koreans see tea culture as the root of their national culture, celebrating National Tea Day on May 24th each year. In Japan, tea is not only seen as the ‘medicine for all diseases’ but also, through the long-term practice of tea drinking, has transcended the realm of daily material needs and developed into an elegant cultural art – the tea ceremony.
Tea, as one of the world’s three major healthy beverages, has left its mark across the globe. The tea-drinking customs and cultures in different regions each have their unique and splendid characteristics. Different tea customs reflect the different values, cultural orientations, and national identities of various ethnicities, regions, and countries. Below are some representative countries and regions to appreciate how the same green leaf is endowed with different meanings. First Stop: The United States The US, known as the kingdom of coffee, has about half of its population drinking tea, which is quite surprising. In the American market, there are hundreds of types of Chinese oolong and green teas, mostly canned iced teas. This highlights the American approach to tea drinking, which values efficiency and convenience, unwilling to waste time and effort on brewing tea and disposing of tea leaves. They also seem unwilling to have any tea leaves in their cups. They prefer instant tea and enjoy a cold iced tea in the summer, which feels refreshing and pleasant. In the US, tea consumption ranks second, only behind coffee. Unlike the Chinese, most Americans prefer iced tea over hot tea. They usually add ice cubes to iced tea or chill it in the refrigerator beforehand, which gives a refreshing aroma and a cool, refreshing taste, making one feel refreshed and invigorated. Regrettably, due to the emphasis on drinking and cooling, the taste, warmth, and leisure associated with Chinese tea brewing are largely absent, and the ambiance of tea drinking is significantly reduced. Second Stop: The United Kingdom Tea is a widely loved beverage in the UK, with 80% of Britons drinking tea daily, and tea consumption accounts for about half of the total consumption of various beverages. The UK does not produce tea, yet its per capita tea consumption is the highest in the world, making its tea import volume consistently the highest globally. Tea drinking in the UK began in the mid-17th century, in 1662, when Portuguese Princess Catherine married King Charles II of England, bringing the tea-drinking fashion to the royal court. Princess Catherine, who considered tea a health drink, was known as the ‘Queen of Tea’ for her love and reverence of tea. Thanks to her advocacy and promotion, the custom of drinking tea became popular in the court, and then spread to the nobility, wealthy families, and eventually to the common people.The British have a fondness for black tea, particularly admiring the strong and mellow milk tea and lemon tea. This has led to the emergence of Western-style tea maids, tea seats, tea parties, and tea-drinking balls. Currently, most British tea drinking occurs between 10 am and 5 pm. If guests arrive, it is usually only within this time frame that tea is served as a courtesy. They place special emphasis on afternoon tea, which originated in the mid-18th century.
The British value breakfast, de-emphasize lunch, and only have dinner after 8 pm. The long gap between the two meals can lead to feelings of fatigue and hunger. To address this, Duchess Anna of Bedford, the wife of the Duke of Bedford, invited guests to drink tea and have snacks around 5 pm to refresh and satiate hunger, a practice that was well-received. Over time, afternoon tea gradually became a custom that has continued to this day. Nowadays, afternoon tea is served in British dining and entertainment venues. On British trains, tea baskets are also prepared, containing tea, bread, biscuits, brown sugar, milk, and lemon, for passengers to enjoy afternoon tea. Afternoon tea is essentially a simplified tea meal, usually only providing a cup of tea and a plate of pastries, with richer offerings only when entertaining distinguished guests. Third Stop: France France, located in Western Europe and bordering the Atlantic Ocean to the west, immediately recognized the importance of tea as a beverage after it was introduced to Europe. Through promotion and practice, it sparked the French people’s longing and pursuit of ‘lovely Chinese tea,’ gradually spreading from the royal court and the leisure class to the general public, becoming an indispensable part of daily life and social interaction. Nowadays, the French prefer to drink black tea, green tea, scented tea, and tuo cha. When drinking black tea, they are accustomed to brewing or boiling methods similar to British tea-drinking customs. Typically, a small amount of black tea or a tea bag is placed in a cup, poured with boiling water, and then sweetened with sugar or milk and sugar; in some places, fresh eggs are mixed into the tea, followed by sweetened consumption; there is also a trend of drinking bottled tea with lemon or orange juice; some even mix gin or whiskey into the tea to create a refreshing cocktail. When drinking green tea, the French demand high-quality green tea. The method of drinking green tea is similar to that in West Africa, generally adding sugar cubes and fresh mint leaves to the tea to create a sweet and fragrant cool drink. Scented tea is mainly supplied in Chinese restaurants in France and among Chinese expatriates in France. The way of drinking scented tea is the same as that of people in Northern China, accustomed to brewing with a teapot and boiling water, usually without additives, advocating for pure drinking. The French, who love tea and fragrance, have also developed a strong interest in scented tea.In recent years, especially among some young French people, there has been a renewed interest in scented black tea with floral, fruity and leafy aromas, which has become a fashion.
Tuocha tea is mainly produced in southwest China. Due to its special pharmacological functions, it is also highly favored by some health-conscious people in France, especially middle-aged and elderly French consumers. The annual import volume from China reaches 2,000 tons. There are types such as bagged Tuocha tea and mountain Tuocha tea. Fourth stop: Pakistan Pakistan was originally part of British India. Therefore, tea-drinking in Pakistan has a British touch. Most people are accustomed to drinking black tea, and what they generally prefer is milk tea. Generally, they drink tea once after breakfast, lunch and dinner, and some even drink it up to five times. Most people adopt the samovar brewing method. That is, first boil the water in the kettle, then put in the black tea and cook for 3 – 5 minutes. Then, strain the tea leaves with a filter, pour the tea soup into a teacup, add milk and sugar, and mix well before drinking. In addition, there are a few people who replace milk with lemon slices, which is also called lemon black tea. Among the herders in the northwestern highlands of Pakistan and near the Afghan border, some also love to drink green tea. When drinking green tea, they often add white sugar and a few cardamom seeds to enhance the cooling taste. When entertaining guests, most Pakistanis are accustomed to using milk tea, accompanied by snacks such as sandwich cookies and cakes, which has a flavor similar to the “one pot of tea and two dim sum” of morning tea in Guangzhou, China. Fifth stop: Russia Drinking tea is an integral part of Russian life. Russians like to drink tea. But like all meat-eating ethnic groups, they prefer black tea, mainly black tea dust. As early as the second half of the 19th century, Russia was the largest buyer of Chinese tea. At that time, 75% of China’s tea exports were sold to Tsarist Russia. In the China Town community in the center of Moscow, there is a Chinese tea house with elaborate carvings and paintings from the 19th century, which testifies to the prosperity of the tea trade between the two sides at that time. For the sake of drinking tea, every Russian family has a special samovar. In the past, samovars were made of copper, a bit like the northeast hot pot in the welfare store of Taiwan Power Company. In the middle is a barrel for charcoal and smoking, and at the bottom is a pot for boiling water. The only difference is that the Russian samovar has a faucet. After the water boils, the water is released from the small faucet to make tea. This kind of old-fashioned samovar can only be seen in the Moscow flea market. The modern “samovar” combines tradition and modernity. Its appearance is painted with a strong flavor of the Slavic nation. It is heated by electricity instead of charcoal, with a smaller volume, and boiling water with electricity will not cause a smoky mess. Mainly because the number of people in Russian families has decreased now. With fewer family members, there is no need for a large-capacity samovar. After making tea, Russians will cover the teapot with a cover shaped like various hens or Russian grandmas, and then pour the tea into the teacup after it is brewed.In Russia, the brewed tea is particularly strong. So they first pour half a cup of strong tea, then add hot water, and two cubes of sugar and lemon slices. Since the tea-drinking procedure of Russians is very complicated, they are quite particular about tea. Not only do they need tea cups, but also tea saucers. Even when drinking tea from a glass, they will place the glass in a metal holder. Russians not only drink tea after meals, but also in their daily lives. When drinking tea, they pair it with jam, chocolate, cookies and cakes, which has a unique flavor compared with Taiwanese tea snacks.
Sixth stop: Iran The Iranians have made tea a constant beautiful scenery in their lives. There are numerous tea houses, big and small, all over the country, which is dazzling. Over time, a rich tea culture infiltrated with national culture has taken shape. Many Iranians drink fifteen or sixteen cups of tea a day. They can’t do without tea every day, and the number of times they drink tea every day is also astonishing. Fifteen or sixteen cups a day is the minimum. The reason is that Iran prohibits alcohol, and drinking tea instead of alcohol can refresh the mind, keep fit, awaken the stomach, clear the intestines, etc. For most Iranians, a tea house is a place to make friends over tea and a good place to do business. Almost every tea house rents out hookahs. While puffing on the hookah tube with a gurgling sound, deals are made unconsciously. There is a mulberry tea house in Tabriz, a major city in northern Iran. It is an open-air tea house with a unique flavor, located under rows of mulberry trees. There is a strange rule there: men and women must sit separately. The Iranians have a very peculiar way of drinking tea – the amber-colored tea is served in small and delicate glass cups. When drinking tea, the sugar cubes are not put into the tea and stirred, but directly put into the mouth, and then they sip the tea. Iranian sugar appears in irregular crystals, thin slices, shiny yellow. When bitten gently, there will be several ‘cracking’ sounds and the sugar slices will break apart. Then they slowly sip the tea into their mouths, allowing it to gradually neutralize the sweetness in the mouth, creating wave after wave of fascinating ripples on the taste buds. Some sugar slices are also inlaid with lemon peel. When bitten, the mouth is full of saliva. At this time, quickly pour the slightly astringent tea into the mouth and stir it slightly with the tip of the tongue. The extremely mellow taste is enough to make all the hair stand up straight with a ‘bang’. Of course, in generally simpler tea houses, these thin sugar crystals are not provided, and only ordinary square white sugar is supplied. The common practice of Iranians is to pick up the sugar cube with the thumb and index finger, dip it in the tea, put it into the mouth, and when it is about to melt but not yet melted on the tongue, they sip the tea into the mouth to neutralize the sugar. Seventh stop: South Korea South Korea has a national history of more than 5,000 years. There has been a tea culture since the Neolithic Age, which has become a part of South Korean traditional culture.The fundamental spirit of Korean tea ceremony ‘harmony, respect, frugality, beauty’ reflects kindness, courtesy, simplicity, integrity, and sincerity. The Adult Tea Ceremony is one of the significant events on Korean Tea Day. Korea has long been known as the ‘land of etiquette,’ where rituals are highly valued in all aspects of family and social life.
The Adult Tea Ceremony educates young men and women who have just turned 20 about traditional culture and etiquette through tea rituals. The procedure includes the master of ceremonies and the announcer entering together, the president offering candles, the vice president offering flowers, the crowners (adults) entering and paying respects to their parents and guests, the master of ceremonies giving a speech for adulthood, the tea offering ceremony, the adults clasping their hands to respond, and bowing to their parents again with parents returning the courtesy. There are 13 crowners, including 8 women and 5 men. The Goryeo Five Elements Tea Ceremony is grand in scale, showcasing the tea offering ceremony to the deified Shennong, the ancient Chinese tribal leader known as the Tea Saint. Lu Yu, from the Tang Dynasty, authored ‘The Classic of Tea’ and was called the Tea Saint and Tea God. Korea honors Shennong as the Tea Saint, who, according to legend, encountered seventy-two poisons and was cured by tea. Shennong is considered the pioneer in discovering and utilizing tea. The Goryeo Five Elements Tea is a tea offering ceremony created in Korea to commemorate Shennong and is a merit ritual in Goryeo tea ceremonies, reflecting Goryeo tea laws, cosmic principles, and the philosophy of the five elements. It is a tea ceremony that recreates the tea culture of the Goryeo era, filled with poetic charm and national characteristics. Station Eight: Japan The Japanese are known for their ‘tea ceremony,’ and many households with a keen interest in tea have a tea room. The host greets guests at the entrance of the tea room, kneeling at the door, allowing guests to enter one by one. As guests pass the entrance, they wash their hands beside the door and then remove their shoes before entering. The host enters last, bowing to the guests. When the host begins to brew tea, guests exit to the garden or gravel path to allow the host to prepare tea utensils, brew, and steep tea freely and at ease. Once the tea is prepared, guests are invited back into the tea room to start drinking tea together. After finishing the tea, the host kneels at the door to bid farewell and wish guests well. Station Nine: Germany Germans also enjoy tea, but their methods and habits differ significantly from those in China. German ‘flower tea’ is made with various petals and dried fruits like apples and hawthorn, without a single true tea leaf. German flower tea is consumed with sugar to avoid a bitter taste. Germans place tea leaves on a fine metal sieve and continuously pour boiling water over them, discarding the leaves afterward. Some find the tea flavor very light, only to learn later that this is due to the unique German ‘brewing’ habit.Final Destination: Argentina Whether strolling on the streets, sitting in parks or offices, at soccer matches, or during travels by plane, train, and bus, one can see Argentinians enjoying mate tea from their teapots with great relish. Mate tea is a type of evergreen shrub leaf native to South America, processed in a manner similar to Chinese tea. Northeastern Argentina’s humid climate, ample sunlight, and mineral-rich red soil are ideal for the growth of this plant. In recent years, Argentina’s mate tea production has rapidly developed, with an annual output of over 400,000 tons, ranking first in the world and earning the title of the ‘Kingdom of Mate Tea’. The national average annual consumption is about 7 kilograms per capita, with 30% used for export and foreign exchange. Every November, the second week is Argentina’s National Mate Tea Festival. During the festival, one can see many well-dressed young men and women in the capital’s streets distributing small boxes of mate tea to pedestrians. In the main producing areas like Misiones province, high-spirited gaucho parades and ‘Mate Tea Queen’ competitions take place, where the elected ‘Queen’ enjoys free tours to the capital and major coastal cities, along with numerous valuable gifts. In Argentina, the type of teapot used to entertain guests is considered more important than the act of drinking mate tea itself, akin to Westerners’ emphasis on tableware. Common teapots used by ordinary people are mostly made from hollowed bamboo tubes or gourds, with little decoration. High-end teapots, however, are works of art, exquisitely crafted, featuring metal embossing, hardwood carving, gourd edging, leather wrapping, and ox horn grinding, with shapes that are bizarre and valued for their uniqueness. The outer walls of these teapots are engraved with various patterns such as horse heads, parrots, landscapes, flowers and birds, and angels, some seen as blessings for ‘good fortune’, while others symbolize ‘nostalgia’ or ‘friendship’. High-end teapots displayed in stores are also adorned with various colored gems that emit a rainbow of colors under light. Foreign tourists visiting Argentina often purchase a mate teapot as a souvenir to remember their trip. Tea Cultures Across Asia Tea is one of the world’s three major beverages, and many tea-drinking countries have intricate connections with tea culture. Global cultural exchanges have spread tea culture worldwide, integrating with the lifestyles, local customs, and religious consciousness of various nations, presenting a diverse array of tea-drinking customs among the world’s ethnic groups. (1) Japanese Tea Ceremony The close cultural ties between China and Japan date back to before the Sui and Tang dynasties, and with the spread of Chinese Buddhist culture, tea culture was also introduced to Japan.
Drinking tea soon became a fashion in Japan. Modern Japanese tea ceremony is generally held in a small, elegant and unique tea room. In the middle of the tea room, there is a pottery charcoal (wind) stove for boiling water and a tea kettle (kama). In front of the stove, there are various tea-making and tea-tasting utensils for the tea ceremony. The rules of the Japanese tea ceremony are quite elaborate. When friends arrive, the hosts at the door. After the guests are seated, the host first serves snacks for the guests to taste. Then, the water is boiled on the charcoal stove, and the tea is put into a celadon bowl. After the water boils, the host makes tea according to the regulations and hands it to the guests in turn for tasting. When tasting tea, one should inhale and make a squeaking sound to show appreciation for the host’s tea. After drinking up the tea soup, one can wipe the tea bowl dry with the thumb and clean paper, carefully appreciate the tea utensils, and praise “good tea” while looking to show respect. At the end of the ceremony, the guests bow and say goodbye, and the host kneels beside the door to see them off. The whole process is filled with the spirit of “respect, harmony, purity and tranquility”. Tea Culture in Other Asian Countries Countries in Southeast Asia such as Malaysia and Singapore are deeply influenced by Han culture and are used to brewing and drinking oolong tea, Pu-erh tea and scented tea. South Korea, influenced by both Chinese and Japanese cultures, has the custom of “tea ceremony”. Hong Kong and Macao regions follow the tea-drinking customs of Fujian and Guangdong, mainly drinking Pu-erh tea, narcissus tea and scented tea. Thailand and Myanmar are similar to Yunnan region. They are used to eating “pickled tea”. Raw tea is pickled into sour products. When eating, salt, ginger, peanuts, etc. are added and chewed dry as a side dish. Countries in South Asia such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka drink sweet black tea or sweet black milk tea. India ranks first in the world in terms of total tea consumption and likes strong-flavored black tea with sugar. Pakistan generally brews and mixes tea, milk and sugar in the ratio of 1:4:3 and also likes strong-flavored black tea. The Turks in West Asia, whether adults or children, like black tea. There are tea houses everywhere in cities and villages, making it convenient to drink tea when going out. People in Iran and Iraq cannot do without strong-flavored black tea for every meal. It is brewed with boiling water, and then sugar, milk or lemon is added to the tea soup for drinking together. The “Book of Tea” written by Lu Yu in the Tang Dynasty is the world’s first book on tea. Chinese tea culture has a significant impact on the world. Making friends through tea is one of the most extensive social functions of tea culture. In today’s market economy, the competition is fierce, and the survival of the fittest prevails. People talk about interests and efficiency. However, human relationships are relatively cold and tend to be. Through drinking tea or experiencing tea art in teahouses and tea art houses, friends can get together, exchange information, communicate feelings, enhance understanding and strengthen friendship. When friends gather in an old-style teahouse, they can talk and laugh freely, recall life and enjoy the joy of life again. In ancient times, there was a saying that “serving tea instead of wine when guests come on a cold night”. Replacing wine with tea reflects traditional virtues and meets the requirements of the regulations advocated by the central government to practice thrift and stop extravagance and waste.
Educating people through tea is a new social function that has emerged in the new era of tea culture. China, the birthplace of tea and its original producing country, has exported countless amounts of tea.
The Netherlands is the earliest country in Europe to drink tea. After discovering Chinese tea, they were amazed by its effects, considering it as a ‘divine grass’ and a ‘medicine for all diseases’. They regard tea as the most precious drink and the best item to offer to the king. Over one hundred countries and regions around the world have residents who enjoy tea tasting. In some places, tea tasting is promoted as an artistic enjoyment.
