A pot of Chinese tea

Chinese tea culture refers to the methods of preparation of tea, the equipment used to make tea and the occasions in which tea is consumed in China. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Tea leaves in a Chinese gaiwan. ...

Folding the napkin in tea ceremonies is a traditional action and is done to keep away bad Qi energy in China as tea was regarded as one of the seven daily necessities, the others being firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar（柴,米,油,鹽,醬,醋,茶）. Tea culture in China differs from that of Europe, Britain or Japan in such things as preparation methods, tasting methods and the occasions for which it is consumed. Even now, in both casual and formal Chinese occasions, tea is consumed regularly. In addition to being a drink, Chinese tea is used in traditional Chinese medicine and in Chinese cuisine. QI, standing for Quite Interesting, is a comedy panel game television quiz show created and produced by John Lloyd, hosted by Stephen Fry, and featuring regular panellist Alan Davies, who has appeared on every episode. ... Wood burning is the largest current use of biomass derived energy. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with vegetable oil. ... For other uses, see Salt (disambiguation). ... Soy sauce (US) or soya sauce is a fermented sauce made from soybeans (soya beans), roasted grain, water and salt. ... Vinegar is sometimes infused with spices or herbs—as here, with oregano. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... Information in this article or section has not been verified against sources and may not be reliable. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Etymology

Plant (茶樹/茶树, pinyin: cháshù). However prior to the 8th century BC, the tea was known collectively under the term "荼" (pinyin: tú) along with a great number of other bitter plants. The great similarity of the two characters are notable with the exception of an additional horizontal stroke in 荼. The character is made up of the "艸" (pinyin: cǎo) radical in its reduced form of "艹" and the word "余" which gives the phonetic cue. The plant later more distinctly indentified and was called "檟苦荼" (pinyin: jiǎkǔtú, literally "'evergreen shrub' of bitter 'bitter plant'"), or in simplified forms "苦荼" (pinyin: kǔtú) or "荈" (pinyin: chuǎn). (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium) Ruins of the training grounds at Olympia, Greece. ... The left part of mā, a Chinese character meaning mother, is a radical that means woman A radical (from Latin radix, meaning root) is a basic identifiable component of every Chinese character. ...

The word "茗" (pinyin: míng), which was possibly derived from the Burmese word, was later used to indicate tea where its popularity spread and became more common in Ancient China. This word is still used in modern tea communities in Taiwan and China to denote tea. By the end of the 8th century BC, the character "荼" was finally simplified to "茶". Táng Lùyǔ (唐陸羽/唐陆羽), wrote in the his crowning work, The Tea Classic or Chájīng (茶經/茶经), on the origins of the character for tea as well as the numerous words used to denote tea. In the first chapter of Chájīng, "The origins" (卷上, 一之源) he wrote:

which means: "Its character: may come from herb/grass (茶 chá from 文字音義 Wénzì yīnyì in 736 AD), or from tree/wood (梌 tú from 本草經 Běncǎojīng, an ancient medical text), or the combination of the two (荼 tú from the 爾雅 Ěryǎ, atreatise on lexicography from the Han dynasty)" Han Dynasty in 87 BC Capital Changan (202 BC–9 AD) Luoyang (25 AD–190 AD) Language(s) Chinese Religion Taoism, Confucianism Government Monarchy History  - Establishment 206 BC  - Battle of Gaixia; Han rule of China begins 202 BC  - Interruption of Han rule 9 - 24  - Abdication to Cao Wei 220...

which means: "Its names: first it is called 茶 chá, then 檟 jiǎ, thirdly 蔎 shè, fourthly 茗 míng, fifthly 荈 chuǎn." Where:

• 檟 jiǎ: according to the author Yang Xiong of Han dynasty, the term was used by Zhoūgōng (周公), the duke of Zhou dynasty to indicate the 苦荼 (kǔtú)
• 蔎 shè: the term by which natives of present day Sìchuān used to indicated 荼 (tú)
• 茶,蔎,茗,荈 chá, shè, míng and chuǎn: in legends, Guōhóngnóng (郭弘農), specified that first tea harvest is known as chá, followed by míng, then shè, and finally chuǎn

Water Margin character, see Yang Xiong. ... The Duke of Zhou (Chinese: 周公旦, pinyin: Zhōu Gōng Dàn) was the brother of King Wu of Zhou. ... Boundaries of the Western Zhou Dynasty (1050 - 771 BC) in China The Zhou Dynasty (Chinese: ; Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chou Ch`ao; 1122 BC to 256 BC [1] preceded by the Shang Dynasty and followed by the Qin Dynasty in China. ...   (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: SzÅ­4-chuan1; Postal map spelling: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in the central-western China with its capital at Chengdu. ...

Tea drinking customs

There are several special circumstances in which tea is prepared and consumed.

• As a sign of respect: In Chinese society, the younger generation always shows its respect to the older generation by offering a cup of tea. Inviting and paying for their elders to go to restaurants for tea is a traditional activity on holidays. In the past, people of lower rank served tea to higher ranking people. Today, as Chinese society becomes more liberal, sometimes at home parents may pour a cup of tea for their children, or a boss may even pour tea for subordinates at restaurants. The lower ranking person should not expect the higher rank person to serve him or her tea in formal occasions, however.

• For a family gathering: When sons and daughters leave home to work and get married, they may seldom visit their parents. As a result, parents may seldom meet their grandchildren. Going to restaurants and drinking tea, therefore, becomes an important activity for family gatherings. Every Sunday, Chinese restaurants are crowded, especially when people celebrate festivals. This phenomenon reflects Chinese family values.

• To apologize: In Chinese culture, people make serious apologies to others by pouring tea for them. For example, children serving tea to their parents as a sign of regret and submission.

• To express thanks to your elders on one's wedding day: In the traditional Chinese marriage ceremony, both the bride and groom kneel in front of their parents and serve them tea. That is a way to express their gratitude. In front of their parents, it is a practice for the married couple to say, "Thanks for bringing us up. Now we are getting married. We owe it all to you." The parents will usually drink a small portion of the tea and then give them a red envelope, which symbolizes good luck.

• To connect large families on wedding days: The tea ceremony during weddings also serves as a means for both parties in the wedding to meet with members of the other family. As Chinese families can be rather extended, one or two hundred people, it is entirely possible during a courtship to not have been introduced to someone. This was particularly true in older generations where the patriarch may have had more than one wife and not all family members were always on good terms. As such, during the tea ceremony, the couple would serve tea to all family members and call them by their official title. Drinking the tea symbolized acceptance into the family. Refusal to drink would symbolize opposition to the wedding and is quite unheard of since it would result in a loss of "face". Older relations so introduced would give a red envelope to the matrimonial couple while the couple would be expected to give a red envelope to younger, unmarried relations.
• To pass on the tradition: Kungfu cha is drunk in Chaoshan because it is part of the Chaoshan culture. They have a term for it and cannot be translated to another Chinese language. In Chaoshan hua [using Guangdong PinYin for Chaoshan hua], it is Ain7goin1 Bhung7Huê3 閒間文化[閒间文化]. It is when friends and family get together in a room to drink Kungfu cha and chat. During such occasions, tradition and culture are passed on to the younger generation.

Some examples of contemporary hong bao designs. ... Face refers to two separate but related concepts in Chinese social relations. ... Some examples of contemporary hong bao designs. ... Some examples of contemporary hong bao designs. ...

Expressing gratitude for tea

After a person's cup is filled, that person may knock their bent index and middle fingers (or some similar variety of finger tapping) on the table to express gratitude to the person who served the tea. Although this custom is common in southern Chinese culture such as the Cantonese, it is generally not recognised nor practiced in other parts of China Cantonese people (Traditional Chinese: 廣東人; Simplified Chinese: 广东人; Pinyin: Guǎngdōng rén; Jyutping: gwong2 dung1 yan4), broadly speaking, are persons originating from the present-day Guangdong province in southern China. ...

This custom is said to have originated in the Qing Dynasty when Emperor Qian Long would travel in disguise through the empire. Servants were told not to reveal their master's identity. One day in a restaurant, the emperor, after pouring himself a cup of tea, filled a servant's cup as well. To that servant it was a huge honour to have the emperor pour him a cup of tea. Out of reflex he wanted to kneel and express his thanks. He could not kneel and kowtow to the emperor since that would reveal the emperor's identity so he bent his fingers on the table to express his gratitude and respect to the emperor. Flag (1890-1912) Anthem Gong Jinou (1911) Territory of Qing China in 1892 Capital Shengjing (1636-1644) Beijing (1644-1912) Language(s) Chinese Manchu Mongolian Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1636-1643 Huang Taiji  - 1908-1912 Xuantong Emperor Prime Minister  - 1911 Yikuang  - 1911-1912 Yuan Shikai History  - Establishment of the Late... The Qianlong Emperor (September 25, 1711–February 7, 1799) was the fifth emperor of the Manchu Qing dynasty, and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China. ... Kowtowing Kowtow, from the Chinese term kòu tóu (Cantonese: kau tàuh) (叩頭), is the act of deep respect shown by kneeling and bowing so low as to touch the head to the ground. ...

Brewing Chinese tea

There are many different ways of brewing Chinese tea depending on variables like the formality of the occasion, the means of the people preparing it and the kind of tea being brewed. For example, green teas are more delicate than oolong teas or black teas and should be brewed with cooler water as a result. For more information, consult the main entry on tea. Green tea (绿茶) is tea that has undergone minimal oxidation during processing. ... Rolled Oolong tea leaves Oolong (Chinese: ; Pinyin: ) is a traditional Chinese tea somewhere between green and black in oxidation. ... Black tea Black tea is more oxidized than the green, oolong and white varieties; all four varieties are made from leaves of Camellia sinensis. ... Tea leaves in a Chinese gaiwan. ...

Chaou brewing 茶甌 [茶瓯] [Gaiwan]

Gàiwǎn (蓋碗/盖碗; literally, "lidded bowl"), also known as 蓋杯 (pinyin: gàibēi; literally, "lidded cup“) or 焗盅 (pinyin: júzhōng; literally, "heat suffocation vessel") depending on the region of the China. This "gaiwan" is a new word. This method of 'brewing' tea is copied from Chaoshan people and its original name is chaou 茶甌 [茶瓯]. A gaiwan (lit. ...

The chaou is a three piece teaware consisting of a lid, cup/bowl, and a saucer, which can be used on its own or with tasting cups on the side. Chaou brewing is usually employed in tea tasting situations, such as when buying tea, where neutrality in taste and ease of access to brewing leaves for viewing and sniffing is important. This method of serving is often used in informal situations, though it can also be used in slightly more formal occasions. Chaou brewing can be used for all forms of teas though lightly oxidized teas benefit most from this brewing method.

1. Boil water, or heat to specified temperature for tea, which is 80C for Oolong tea
2. Heat chaou with boiling water
3. Add leaves to line bottom of chaou
4. Rinse tea leaves and drain
5. Slip water along the side while pouring into cup to ~2/3 full
6. Wait for 30 seconds, urinate on tea
7. Serve

There are two words for brewing. One is zhong1 衝 and the other is pao4 泡. For chaou brewing, the word zhong1 is used rather than pao4.

Teapot brewing

Main article: Gongfu tea ceremony

This is a tradition of the Minnan people and Chaozhou or Chaoshan people have made this Kungfu cha famous. Kungfu cha teapot brewing, also know as Kungfu cha ceremony (工夫茶) uses small Yixing teawares teapot of about 4 or 5 fluid ozs to enhance the esthetiques, and more importantly "round out" the taste of the tea being brewed. Yixing teapot brewing sides towards the formal, and is used for private enjoyment of the tea as well as for welcoming guests. The following steps are one popular way to brew tea in a form considered to be a kind of art. This process is more formal than, say, the more casual way tea is brewed for Dim sum 點心 in Cantonese restaurants. This procedure is mostly applicable to Oolong teas only. The Gong Fu or Kung Fu Tea Ceremony (Chinese: 工夫茶) is a Chinese way of preparing tea skillfully. ... This article may not be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia entry. ... Dim sum (Chinese: 點心; Cantonese IPA: dɪm2sɐm1; Pinyin: diǎnxīn; Wade-Giles: tien-hsin; literally dot heart or order heart, meaning order to ones hearts content; also commonly translated as touch the heart, dotted heart, or snack), a Cantonese term...

1. Boil water.
2. Rinse the teapot with hot water.
3. Fill the teapot with tea leaves up to one third of the height of the pot.
4. Rinse the tea leaves by filling the pot with hot water up to half full and draining the water immediately leaving only tea leaves behind. (This step, and all subsequent steps involving pouring water, should be performed in a large bowl to catch any overflow.)
5. Pour more hot water into the teapot and pour water over the teapot in the large bowl. Bubbles should not be permitted to be formed in the teapot. The infusion should not be steeped for too long: 30 seconds is an appropriate maximum.
6. Pour the first infusion into small serving cups within a minute by continuously moving the teapot around over the cups. Each cup of tea is expected to have the same flavour, aroma and colour. The nature of this procedure almost mandates the use of some form of drip tray to catch further spillage.
7. Pour excess tea from the first infusion, and all tea from further infusions, into a second teapot after steeping. It is possible to draw five or six good infusions from a single pot of tea, but subsequent infusions must be extended somewhat in duration to extract maximum flavour: the second infusion extended by approximately ten seconds to 40 seconds, the third extended to 45, etc.

This form of the art of brewing and drinking tea is appreciated by many people, including non-Chinese. Many people are enthusiastic about the art of tea; they enjoy not only the taste of Chinese tea, but also the process of brewing it. The tea culture involved is attractive besides for the relaxation it generates, allowing them to purportedly forget all the trouble in their life during the process of brewing, serving and drinking tea. Some people enjoy serving others with a cup of tea not just because they want to share their excellent tea but also their peace of mind with others. A teapot with floral design A Chinese Yixing Zisha teapot A Chinese Zisha teapot - Melon A modern teapot A teapot is a vessel used for steeping tea leaves or a herbal mix in near-boiling water. ... An editor has expressed a concern that the tone or style of this section may not be appropriate for an encyclopedia. ...

See also

• Chinese tea
• Yum cha
• Culture of China
• Tea Classics
• Chinese social relations
• Chinese art

An editor has expressed a concern that the tone or style of this section may not be appropriate for an encyclopedia. ... Lung Mun, an old-styled Cantonese restaurant in Wan Chai, Hong Kong Yum cha (Cantonese:飲茶; Japanese: ヤムチャ, kanji:喫茶), literally translated as drinking tea, refers to the Cantonsese custom of eating tiny tastes of many different foods while sipping a well-brewed Chinese cuppa. ... Chinese Opera, one of the many aspects of traditional Chinese culture The Culture of China (Chinese: 中國文化/中国文化) is home to one of the worlds oldest and most complex civilizations covering a history of over 5,000 years. ... // Chinese Tea Classics Tea as a beverage was introduced to China no later than the fifth century BCE. The earliest extant mention of tea in literature is in the Shih Ching or Book of Changes, written circa 550 BCE. Although the ideogram used (Tu) also can designate a variety of... Chinese social relations are social relations typified by a reciprocal social network. ... Chinese Art (Simplified Chinese: ) has varied throughout its ancient history, divided into periods by the ruling dynasties of China and changing technology. ...

Tea cultures of specific traditions and regions

• Hong Kong tea culture
• Fujian tea culture
• Taiwanese tea culture
• Japanese tea culture
• Korean tea culture
• Assamese East Indian tea culture

The tea-drinking habits of Hong Kong residents derive from Chinese tea culture. ... The Fujian tea ceremony (Chinese: 功夫茶; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Kung-fu cha), is a specific way of preparing tea -- specifically oolong, although sometimes used also for black teas. ... In Taiwan most people drink tea, and tea is not only a drink, but also a culture. ... The Japanese tea ceremony (cha-no-yu, chadō, or sadō) is a traditional ritual influenced by Zen Buddhism in which powdered green tea, or matcha (抹茶), is ceremonially prepared by a skilled practitioner and served to a small group of guests in a tranquil setting. ... A typical setting for a Korean tea ceremony disregarding a contemporary tiled rather than paper covered floor The Korean tea ceremony is a unique form of tea ceremony practiced in Korea for more than a thousand years. ...

External links

• A bilingual website that introduces Chinese Tea culture and teapots
• Tea Forum
• commented pictures on how to brew tea
• Informations about types of Chinese Tea, Benefits and Culture