What is the feature of the Chinese tea ceremony？

3 min read

As for the tea ceremony，different areas may have different ways to display their unique ceremony.Unlike the Japanese tea ceremony，the Chinese tea ceremony emphasizes the tea rather than the ceremony.During a Chinese tea ceremony，participants are most concerned with the tea taste and smell，as well as the difference between different tea.

The tea ceremony doesn’t mean that each server will perform the ritual in the same way，nor is there a relationship to religion.This style of tea-drinking uses sma11 cups to match the small，unglazed clay teapots；each cup is just large enough to hold about two small servings of tea.

The teas used in tea ceremonies are particularly refined.The server passes the dry and unbroken tealeaves around for everyone to see and smell.Then he displays a tiny teapot made from zisha clay.After heating water to boiling，the teapot is first rinsed with hot boiled water.The server uses pointed chopsticks to put the tea into the teapot and pours hot boiled water into it.The server rinses the tealeaves by filling the pot half full with hot boiled water and draining the water out immediately，leaving only the soaked tea leaves.

The server then fills the pot to the top with more hot boiled water.As he does this，he holds the pot over a large bowl，allowing the bubble water to run into thebow1.The first infusion should be steeped for only 30 seconds before he pours the tea into the tiny cups.Instead of pouring one cup at a time，the server moves the teapot around in a continual motion over the cups so they are all filled.

As the server empties the pot，he passes out the tiny cups，telling drinkers to sme11 the tea first.When they drink the tea，the tea tastes much different than it smel1s.It has a bitter，green-twig taste，very satisfying.

The server refills the teapot with hot water.He refills the cups as the drinke hands back them for the next round.Each pot of tea serves three to four rounds and up to five or six，depending on the tea and the server with the goal that each round tastes the same as the first.

Are there many teahouses in Chengdu？

There is a saying，”China has the best teahouses in the world，and Chengdu has the best teahouses in China.”When you are in Chengdu，you will see teahouses everywhere，sprawling over the sidewalks，in back-alleys and in the suburbs.They offer hot boiled water and tea snacks，and provide a comfortable setting with bambo armchairs，low tables and sooty kettles.Some teahouses present performances，or local operas.Jasmine tea is especially popular but people who go to the teahouses are not really thirsty.They usually go there just to sip tea and chat.Elderly persons may pass their whole day there，playing games or cards.

Recently some changes have taken place in downtown Chengdu teahouses.There have sprung a sort of pub-type teahouses with a pleasant interior decor.These are usually busy in the afternoon and evening，and mainly cater to young people，who come to chat or talk business.However，traditional family-type teahouses are still popular in the suburbs.On weekends，friends and families from all the walks of life go to teahouses in the beautiful countryside where they enjoy drinking tea，chatting，playing cards or dozing off in their armchairs.Many pleasant weekends can be spent here over a bottomless cup of flower tea at a low cost.