Tea is not just a drink but also a culture and an art of life. In China, the tea culture has a long history, which contains rich etiquettes and rules. It’s okay to drink tea casually, but in some occasions, attention should be paid. If you don’t understand the etiquette of the tea table, it’s easy to make a fool of yourself and be impolite. Before drinking tea, learn these etiquettes so as not to lose your poise when drinking tea. Today, let’s learn the etiquette of tea culture together to make the process of tasting tea more elegant and noble.
1. Preparing Tea Out of respect for guests, as the host, one generally doesn’t directly choose a type of tea to brew. Instead, one should first ask the guests what kind of tea they like and what their taste preferences are, and then recommend similar teas. Before brewing, one should also introduce the name and characteristics of the tea so that the guests have a basic understanding of the tea they are about to drink. 2. Taking Tea When taking tea, pay attention not to directly grab the tea leaves with your hands, as it gives an unhygienic impression. Use a tea spoon to take the tea or directly shake it into the teapot. 3. Cleaning Tea Sets Although we usually clean the tea sets after drinking tea, out of respect, we will scald the cups with boiling water again. This is not only cleaner and more hygienic but also can remove the strange smell attached to the cups. At the same time, this is also the process of warming the cups, which can make the tea soup perform better and provide a better tasting experience for the guests. 4. Brewing Tea When brewing tea, pay attention to the placement of the kettle. Never point the spout of the kettle at the guests, as this means driving the guests away and is very impolite. Moreover, the steam ejected when boiling can easily hurt people if the spout is pointed at the guests. 5. Order of Pouring Tea Generally, we hold the fair cup with our right hand. So when the mouth of the fair cup for distributing the tea soup to the guests is in the opposite direction of the pouring direction, we should pour the tea clockwise from left to right. If you are used to holding the pot with your left hand, you can pour counterclockwise. 6. Distributing Tea Soup The tea should not be too full. When distributing the tea soup, it should be poured evenly, and never fill the cup to the brim. There is a saying that “a full cup of tea is disrespectful to the guests”, and it also implies driving the guests away. As the saying goes, “Seven parts tea, three parts affection”. It is best to pour the tea to about seven-tenths full. If it is too full, it is inconvenient for the guests to hold the cup and they may get burned. So pour it to seven-tenths full, which implies “three parts affection in distributing tea”. After distributing the tea soup to the guests, the host can finish the remaining tea soup. 7. Handing the Teacup After distributing the cups, when handing the teacup to the guests, pay attention to the position of holding the cup. Don’t touch the rim of the cup with your hands, as it is unhygienic. Hold the bottom of the cup with one hand and support the cup body with the other hand, or use a tray. 8. Refilling Tea During the process of drinking tea, we should pour tea and refill the water for the guests frequently. Don’t let the tea soup in the guests’ cups run out. The meaning of this practice is: “The tea is endless. Drink slowly.”Slow narration. “If you find the tea flavor weak, it is necessary to change the tea promptly. During tea drinking, refill the cup in time, usually after a guest has taken a few sips, you should proactively refill the tea, never leaving the guest’s cup empty. Also, when refilling tea, always prioritize your guests before yourself.
9. Tea Knocking Etiquette
Tea Knocking Etiquette, also known as Knocking Hand Etiquette, is a traditional tea table courtesy mainly used to express gratitude and respect. The specific gestures are as follows: For juniors to seniors, clench the fist with all five fingers, palm facing down, and tap the table simultaneously with all five fingers, equivalent to a full prostration, usually three taps are sufficient. Among peers, tap the table with the index and middle fingers together, equivalent to a salute with both hands clasped, three taps signify respect. For seniors to juniors, tap the table with the index or middle finger once, equivalent to a nod of the head. If you particularly appreciate a junior, you can tap three times to indicate so.
10. Tea and Snack Pairing
Appropriate tea snacks can enhance the tea tasting experience, but pay attention to the pairing with the tea leaves.
These are the basic etiquettes of tea culture. It is hoped that every tea lover can understand and practice these etiquettes when tasting tea, making the process more elegant and comfortable.
