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Traditions and customs of Chinese tea drinking. Chinese tea traditions

In the life of the Chinese, tea has a special meaning, and tea drinking is a ceremony in which a certain sequence in the brewing of tea is observed. The main goal of the tea ceremony is to more fully reveal the aroma and taste of the drink. An indispensable condition for the ceremony is a calm state of mind. A special atmosphere of the ceremony is created by ornate tea utensils, small exquisite dishes, calm quiet music. Most Chinese people prefer to drink tea at any time of the year: both in cold and hot weather. This drink perfectly quenches thirst, strengthens the immune system.

Chinese tea culture means the methods of making tea, dishes and appliances used in this; and events that serve as an occasion for tea drinking.

The value of tea in Chinese culture

In China, tea refers to the "seven things you need every day": rice, salt, oil, vinegar, soy sauce and firewood. The Chinese tea culture has some differences from Japanese, European and British reasons for drinking tea, methods of preparation, and drinking. It is customary in China to drink tea both in everyday situations and during rituals and official events. Tea is not just a drink, it occupies an important place in chinese cuisine, in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Buddhism.

The traditions of growing and drinking tea, indicated as "Chinese", would more correctly be called "the tea culture of the Central Plains of China." In addition, there are many original tea traditions of Southwest China, the routine of which is widespread in the provinces of Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan. These areas, where tea was grown for a long time, in modern times have been much less influenced from the outside, therefore they have retained many old tea traditions that have long been forgotten in the regions of Central China.

The tea culture of Tibet is also immensely original. Many believe that it developed during the Tang Dynasty in the mid-700s. In Tibet, it is customary to use oil and milk tea, which is completely uncharacteristic for the rest of China.

In the southern regions of China, there is yamcha("Tea drinking") is a kind of tea culture. In Macau, Guangdong, Hong Kong, it is customary to drink tea in the morning before the start of the working day. At the same time, the drink is drunk with a bite with various snacks - dim sum.

In ancient times, the inhabitants of South China retired for tea in tea houses. Lively dim sum restaurants are popular now. The "yamcha" ritual is especially carefully observed by pensioners. Tea drinking is often preceded by taijiquan(Chinese fist waving) is a kind of wushu.

The traditions of Hong Kong tea drinking are characterized by some conventions. If a visitor wants to give a sign to the waiter that the teapot has finished its infusion, then it is necessary to remove its lid and put it on a tablecloth next to the teapot.

Tea drinking customs

Tea is a traditional drink in China, consumed every day. However, among the younger generation of Chinese, there has been a decrease in interest in tea drinking and a fascination with Western sugary carbonated drinks. Some Chinese scientists regard this as an alarming symptom.

Nowadays, family tea is becoming a tribute to tradition and an opportunity to commemorate family unity on the occasion of any celebration. For this it is accepted green tea brew in big teapot(earthenware, porcelain, clay) for the whole family, after which they are poured into bowls or cups, from which they drink.

The Chinese distinguish several types of special circumstances in order to prepare and drink tea together.

"Sign of respect". Offering a cup of tea is the custom in Chinese society to show respect to elders. And one of the traditional pastime on weekends in China is inviting older relatives to a restaurant for a cup of tea, paying for a tea party. In the past, this drink was always served by people who occupied the lowest level in the social hierarchy. In connection with the liberalization of society in modern China there are times when parents offer tea to children, and even the boss pours tea to subordinates. But at an official event, never a more senior member will present tea to a subordinate.

"Apology". In Chinese culture, there is a custom to pour tea to a person who is asked for forgiveness or to whom they apologize. This is a sign of sincere remorse and humility.

"Family meeting". Having left for distant lands to study or work, having got their own families, children visit their parents less often; grandparents rarely meet with grandchildren. Therefore, joint tea drinking in restaurants is considered to be a particularly significant part of family meetings. On Sundays, Chinese tea houses are full of visitors, especially in holidays... This once again confirms the importance of family values ​​in the PRC.

"Expressing gratitude to elders on the wedding day." The bride and groom in a traditional Chinese wedding ceremony should kneel in front of their parents and present them with tea as a sign of respect. At the same time, the newlyweds say: “Thank you for raising us. We are eternally indebted to you! " Parents drink tea, then the newlyweds are presented with a red envelope as a symbol of good luck.

“Bringing together a big family on the wedding day”. The wedding tea ceremony is also a way of meeting the families of the bride and groom. Since Chinese families are often numerous, it happens that not all family members get to know each other at a wedding. This happened in ancient times if the father of the family had several wives, and, as a rule, the relationship between individual family members was strained. During the wedding tea ceremony, it was customary for the newlyweds to offer tea to each member of the family, while calling his name and official title. Sharing tea served as a symbol of the admission of new members to the family. To refuse tea meant “to lose face”, that is, to oppose marriage. After the older relatives were introduced at the ceremony, they presented the newlyweds with red envelopes, and the newlyweds gave the red envelopes to the young unmarried family members.

"Keeping Tradition". There is a tradition in Chaoshan culture to gather in the tea room with relatives and friends for the Gongfu Cha ceremony. Throughout the ceremony, the older participants share with the younger about the rituals and rules, passing on ancient traditions to them.

Thanks for the tea(Koutou with your fingers)

A guest who has been poured tea to demonstrate their gratitude can knock three times on the table, bending the index and middle fingers at the phalanges. This custom is called " koutou fingers»And is widespread in South China (Hong Kong, Guangdong, Macau); in the rest of the country, these habits are usually not followed.

This tradition is said to have originated during the Qing Dynasty. Emperor Qianlong traveled incognito in the Celestial Empire, he really wanted to know what the people think about the government. One day the emperor sat down at the inn with two people drinking tea and started a conversation with them. It immediately became clear to the men that it was not an ordinary resident who was talking to them. They wanted to kneel in front of him, but realized that if everyone knew that this was the emperor, they could be executed. Young people talked with the emperor as with an equal, and such a ruler was considered majestic and untouchable.

Having finished their tea, the men got up and one of them made a gesture with his fingers: he put his index and middle one on the edge of the table, then repeated the same gesture, but with bent fingers. The ruler did not understand the gestures and asked for an explanation. To which the young man replied: “We know - before us is Your Majesty. We are now being executed for talking to you. But I really want to express to you from us, from all the people, our deepest gratitude. These gestures mean that your people bow before you! " After these words, the men left. The emperor was very surprised and happy with what the people think. Since then, it has been customary to show respect for a person for drinking tea with a similar gesture.

How tea is brewed in China

There are many different ways brew tea, depending on the pretext and circumstances of tea drinking, the type of tea brewed, the prosperity of the participants. So, green tea is softer than black tea or oolong tea, and not very hot water is used for brewing.

In a chaou cup (gaiwan) any tea is brewed, but this method is best applicable for low-fermented species.

Gaiwan is the current name of the vessel; it literally translates as "a bowl with a lid", or in another way it is called gai bei - "a cup with a lid", or tszyu zhong - "a vessel for locking the heat." The method was borrowed from the Chaoshan people, who called this vessel "chaou".

Chow is a set that includes a cup, lid, saucer. It is used on its own as well as in combination with teacups. If it is necessary to try tea, they use chaou brewing. Here it is important to feel the neutral taste of the tea, see the brewing tea leaves and smell them. This method of brewing is used for everyday tea drinking, although it is allowed to be used in certain formal situations.

The most popular method is teapot infusion... In this case, tea is brewed in a large (so that there is enough volume for all those gathered) a teapot made of porcelain, clay or faience. The peculiarity of the Chinese teapot is that the tea leaves are poured into a small, perforated glass-strainer inserted into the inside, made of the same material as the teapot.

When brewing, the strainer is filled in half - two-thirds with dry tea, that is, it acts as a brewing dispenser. Hot water is poured into the kettle through a strainer glass, "rinsing" the tea leaves. When the kettle is full and the tea leaves are soaked, you can additionally squeeze it a little with a spoon for a richer extraction. There is an opinion that tea is better washed in a strainer and more fully releases the substances it contains. Top-grade green teas and oolongs can be brewed several times. The water temperature and infusion time depend on the types of tea.

Gongfu Cha tea ceremony it owes its popularity to the traditions of the peoples of Chaozhou or Chaoshan and Minnan. This method uses a small teapot with a capacity of about 150 ml, made of Yixing clay (tzisha). The teapot serves not only as a decoration for the ceremony, but also contributes to "rounding" the taste of the tea. The brewing method in the Yixing teapot is used both for individual tea drinking and for treating guests.

The brewing method used only for oolong is considered an art in China. The water is heated to about 95 degrees. In order not to spoil water and tea, it must not be boiled. Warm up the dishes; for this, water is poured into a kettle and cups. It is imperative to get acquainted with tea: consider and breathe a tea leaf. The amount of infusion is poured into the kettle in accordance with its volume. Then you need to "drain the tea", that is, remove the tea dust. Water is poured into the kettle from a great height, and immediately poured out: the first brew is not drunk. The newly poured water is infused depending on the type of tea. Good oolong teas are brewed five to seven to ten times. During the ceremony, the soul and body should be calm, as this is a very responsible event. For such a tea party, it is advisable to have a teapot made of Yixing clay, a set of tea tools, a tea board, chahai, chahe, a couple of tea, a kettle on live fire for water.

National Tea Museum

In the spring of 1991 in the city of Hangzhou (Zhejiang province) - in the tea capital of China, opened China National Tea Museum, revealing various aspects of Chinese tea culture. The museum expositions, located on 3.7 hectares, are surrounded by tea plantations on all sides. The museum provides an opportunity not only to look at teapots, cups and other accessories of tea ceremonies two thousand years ago, but also to take part in a tea ceremony.

Nowadays, more than 500 thousand tons of tea are consumed in China every year. Tea culture has become a precious asset of the Chinese nation both on the material and spiritual levels.

"Drinking tea aids digestion, especially" if you sip tea in the company of beautiful maidens, sitting in a gazebo near a pond with water lilies or by a lacquered bridge. "

Luk Yu, Master of the Tang Dynasty Tea Ceremony

Most tea lovers can only dream of such luck, but if the tea is good, they are ready to make allowances for the circumstances.

Chinese tea ceremony

Over the millennia, China has developed many methods of making tea for different purposes.

This is how not only tea drinking for every day appeared, but also exquisite ways for exceptional cases - "Gong fu cha" .

On Chinese this tea action sounds "gong-fu cha", and gong-fu means "the highest skill" or "the highest art", and cha, respectively, "tea."

It turns out that gong fu cha is the highest mastery of tea drinking.

During gong fu cha, you will have the opportunity to enjoy all four "virtues" of tea: leaf shape, infusion color, aroma and taste.

The symbolic meaning of the "gong fu cha" ritual is expressed in turning the cups and tasting the energies of Yin and Yang.

Gong fu cha requires a special atmosphere and special attitude.

The personality of the host of the ceremony is of great importance for the correct flow of the entire tea party.

Surprisingly, his role is both invisible and defining at the same time, since the presenter feels the state created by the tea and reacts to any changes in the mood of the ceremony participants.

In order for the interaction with tea to be fuller and more intense, special utensils are used in teahouses.

Tea cups, teapot and cha-hai are placed on a special tea table. Tea is poured into a teapot and poured with boiling water. The first pouring is used to wash away the tea dust from the tea leaves and give a boost to the development of the tea.

The second and subsequent portions are poured into the teapot (as the tea is drunk), and the infusion is poured into the cha-hai. From this vessel, tea is poured into tall cups, which are immediately covered with wide cups. This construction is turned over and passed on to the tea-drinking participants.

Raising a tall cup, they bring it to the nose and breathe slowly through it, enjoying the aroma and adjusting their channels of perception. Then they drink tea, observing their feelings.


Tea is a traditional drink in China and is consumed daily. Everyday tea drinking in China is a family affair.

Tea (usually green) is brewed in a large teapot (porcelain, earthenware or earthenware) for the whole family at once, poured into cups or bowls, from which it is drunk.

In addition, the Chinese note several kinds of special circumstances for making and drinking tea together.

Special circumstances of Chinese tea drinking

  • "Sign of respect"... In Chinese society, it is customary to show respect to elders by offering a cup of tea. Taking older relatives to a restaurant for a cup of tea and paying for them is one of the traditional Chinese weekend activities. In the past, tea was always served by people at a lower level of the social hierarchy. In today's China, due to the liberalization of society, it happens that parents serve tea to their children, and even a boss can pour tea to subordinates. However, at formal events, you should not expect a more senior member to serve you tea.
  • "Family meeting"... Having found families or left to work in a distant land, children rarely visit their parents; grandfathers and grandmothers rarely see their grandchildren. Therefore, joint tea drinking in restaurants is an important part of family meetings. Chinese restaurants are full of visitors on Sundays, especially on public holidays. This confirms the importance of family values ​​in China.
  • "Apology"... In Chinese culture, it is customary, when asking for forgiveness, to pour tea to the person to whom you are apologizing. This is a sign of sincere repentance and humility.
  • "Expressing gratitude to elders on the wedding day"... In a traditional Chinese wedding ceremony, the bride and groom serve tea to their parents as a sign of respect, kneeling in front of them. The newlyweds say to their parents: “Thank you for raising us. We are eternally indebted to you! " Parents drink tea and present the newlyweds with a red envelope symbolizing good luck.
  • “Bringing together a big family on the wedding day”. The wedding tea ceremony also serves as a way to meet the families of the bride and groom. Since Chinese families are often very large, it may happen that not all of the participants will be able to get to know each other at a wedding. In particular, this could have happened in ancient times, when the father of the family could have several wives, and the relationship between some family members was strained. Therefore, during the wedding tea ceremony, the newlyweds served tea to each family member, calling him by name and official title. Tea drinking together symbolized the admission of new members to the family. To give up tea meant to resist marriage and "lose face." Senior relatives, being introduced at the ceremony, passed red envelopes to the newlyweds; the newlyweds, in turn, gave red envelopes to young unmarried family members.
  • "Maintaining tradition"... In the Chaoshan tradition, it is customary to gather with friends and relatives in the tea room for the Gongfu Cha ceremony. During the ceremony, the older participants tell the younger about the customs, passing on an ancient tradition to them.

Once in a tavern, the emperor sat down with two men who were drinking tea, and started a conversation.

The men immediately realized that they were not an ordinary inhabitant, and they wanted to fall on their knees in front of him, but they perfectly understood that if everyone knew that the emperor was in front of them, then they would face the death penalty, since the emperor was considered majestic and untouchable, and those people they talked to him as an equal.

After drinking tea, the young people got up and one of them made two gestures with his fingers - first he put his index and middle fingers together on the edge of the table, then the same gesture with bent fingers.

The emperor did not understand and asked to explain what it meant.

The young man replied: “ We know that Your Majesty is before us, and now they will kill us for talking to you, but I really want to express our gratitude to you from us and from all the people. These two gestures mean that your people are presenting themselves before you and bowing down».

And the men left. The emperor was surprised and at the same time glad that his people thought so of him. Since then, such a gesture has shown respect for the person at the tea party.


In the homeland of tea, in China, this drink is considered a cult drink. For many millennia, the people of the Celestial Empire collected and then processed the leaves growing on the tea tree.

In addition, a whole system of knowledge was gradually emerging. Among them was the holding of the Chinese tea ceremony. Moreover, both emperors and ordinary peasants drank this drink.

Discoverer of tea

This invigorating and invigorating drink is very popular in China. Its discovery is attributed to Shen-Nun, the mythical emperor who ruled the country around 2700 BC. NS. Legends say that this lord of the Celestial Empire is the father of Chinese medicine and a divine tiller. Throughout their life they have tried different kinds plants and studied them beneficial features, which he taught the people. According to legend, Shen Nun had a serpentine body, had a human face located on a bull's head, a tiger's nose, and his belly was made of transparent jade.

History of the discovery of tea

About the appearance of this cult drink among the people of the Celestial Empire, there are two legends at once. According to the first of them, Emperor Shen Nong chewed the fragrant, but bitter-tasting leaves that flew from a bush growing not far from him. He did this in search of a cure, having tried another plant and poisoned himself with it. The leaves, which he used to relieve his condition, made him vigorous and energized. And later this remedy was permanent with the emperor. He carried leaves with him tea tree and chewed them after trying new, unknown herbs for him.

There is also a second version of the legend. He tells us how the leaves of a tea tree were blown into a kettle in which water was boiling. Shen Nong noticed that she gradually acquired a golden color. The emperor tasted the resulting fragrant and delicious drink and felt after that cheerfulness.

Opening tea with Bodhiharma

There is another legend. She tells us that tea was first discovered by the monk Bodhiharma. He decided to hold incessant prayers to the Buddha. However, after four years of meditation, the monk still fell asleep. Waking up in anger at having broken his vow, Bodhiharma cut off his eyelids and threw them on the ground. Two tea trees have grown in this place.

The emergence of traditions

During the reign of the Han dynasty from 221 to 206 BC. NS. the Chinese actively studied the properties of tea. At the same time, they more and more expanded their knowledge in the field of growing this plant and processing raw materials. Further, in the era of the Three Kingdoms (221-277), an amazing tonic drink began to replace wine at feasts. At the same time, the history of the emergence of the Chinese tea ceremony begins.

In 618-907, during the Tang era, this plant was revered as food and medicine. And only later, the leaves of the tea tree began to be harvested only for the preparation of a drink. Moreover, they treated it as a wonderful and amazing tool that nourishes life.

Development of traditions

"Family rallying"

During the wedding, the tea ceremony promotes the acquaintance of the families of the newlyweds.

"Transfer of experience and wisdom"

Often, young people and the elderly are involved in the tea ceremonies of the Celestial Empire. Such a ceremony allows us to spread and preserve traditions, as well as to pass on to the young generation that life experience that constitutes the cultural heritage of a great country.

Gong Fu Cha(Chinese. Kung Fu Cha, Gong Fu Tea, Gong Fu Ch, the art of tea drinking) - the process of making Chinese tea. The name of the Chinese tea ceremony Gong Fu Cha comes from the words tea (Chinese cha) and Kung Fu (Chinese Kung Fu) - oriental martial arts. Kung Fu in Chinese has many meanings: hard work, diligence, skill level, therefore a real Chinese tea ceremony includes all of the above skills and abilities.

Gong Fu Cha tea art began to develop in the golden age of tea during the Song dynasty (960-1279) and later, with the development of tea culture, spread to many areas of China, especially in the provinces of Fujian, Guangdong and the island of Taiwan. The secret of Gong Fu Cha consists of many components: a tea master and his guests, a pleasant calm atmosphere, correctly selected tea utensils, utensils, chabani, good water and, of course, tea. The skill of making tea also depends on its quantity, water temperature and brewing time.


The traditional Gong Fu Cha tea ceremony is a way of expressing relationships between people. Respect, knowledge, diligence, hard work, feelings flow from one tea party participant (host, tea master) to another (guest). In preparing tea, the host shows care, respect, thereby subjugating his ego, the guest, in turn, learns to accept kindness, goodness and express gratitude and appreciation.

What type of tea is suitable for Gong Fu Cha brewing?

Gong Fu Cha is traditionally used for brewing oolong tea (Tie Guan Yin, Alishan, Dong Ding, Da Hong Pao, Feng Huang Dan Cong, Zhenseng Oolong, etc.)

Tea ware for Gong Fu Cha
  • 1. Teapots made from Yixing clay (Chin. Cha Hu) are best suited for brewing oolongs. Ceramic Yixing teapots retain the warmth of hot water for a long time, which is necessary for brewing oolong tea and contribute to the full disclosure of the aroma of twisted tea leaves. Gaiwan can also be used to brew oolong tea.
  • 2. Wen Xiang Bei and Ping Ming Bei tea couples. From the tall cup of Weng Xiang Bei, the aroma of tea is inhaled, the low cup of Ping Ming Bei is intended for drinking tea. The Cha Tou stand brings couples together.
  • 3. Cha Hae is a bowl for acquaintance with tea.
  • 4. Cha Hai (sea of ​​tea) or Gundaobey (cup of justice) for pouring tea from a teapot. Chahai is necessary for even distribution of the strength of the infusion.


  • 5. Cha Lu - a strainer for straining infusion from small tea leaves.
  • 6. Chachi (tea pond) or Chachuan (tea boat) is a vessel for feeding a teapot with hot water.
  • 7. Cha Ju tea tools. The use of tools determines the skill of a true tea master. Cha Ju consists of a Chachi tea scoop, a Chazan spout needle, Jiazi tongs, and a Chaxianlu funnel used to pour tea into the teapot.
  • 8. Yang Hu Bi - tea brush
  • 9. Tea table, tea tray (Kit. Chaban) necessary for the convenience in the arrangement of dishes, utensils, as well as draining water and tea leftovers.
  • 10. Thermos with hot water.
How to brew oolong tea in Gong Fu Cha tea ceremony

Preparation
Before starting the tea party, it is necessary to prepare all the above-mentioned dishes and tea, boil water and drain into a pre-heated thermos. Oolong brewing temperature is 95 ° С. The volume of a teapot or gaiwan should correspond to the number of participants in the tea party. Pour boiling water into a tea bowl and leave for 1-2 minutes to warm up.

Brewing (Chinese gao chong di zhen)
After showing the tea leaves to the guests, the tea is poured into a teapot made of Yixing clay, covered with a lid and shaken slightly. The tea master can open the teapot and invite guests to smell the slightly damp leaves. At the next stage, the tea is poured with boiling water to the top and closed again with a lid. Water can drain into the Cha Chi vessel (Chachuan), or into the chabani tray. The first brew is not drunk and serves as a brew for tea. Due to this, the strongly curled oolong tea leaves are washed away from small impurities and slightly swell. Hot water from the bowls it is drained into the kettle for additional heating. After spilling, the tea is immediately brewed again. The second brew lasts about 20-50 seconds and depends on the type and quality of the oolong. The aroma of the tea can tell us about the processing processes and the age. This information helps the tea master understand how to brew oolong tea. Brewing skill takes patience and dedication. A tea master's training in China can take several years.


The brewed infusion is poured into a tall Weng Xiang Bei bowl and covered with a small Ping Ming Bei bowl. Then, with one hand, both bowls are turned over and placed on the Cha Tou stand. The aroma of tea is inhaled from the cup of Wen Xiang Bei, and only then is it sipped from the cup of Ping Ming Bei in small sips. Good quality tea should leave a deep enveloping aftertaste in the mouth (Ch. Lau Mei).


The tea master reopens the teapot and gives guests the opportunity to smell the scent of the opened tea leaves. Traditionally, guests are invited to sniff the teapot lid, as the piercing scent of oolong inside the teapot leaves its delicate sweetish scent on the lid. The quality of the tea is tested by a similar action. The brewing process is repeated, only the infusion time increases. The second and third brews reveal the taste of oolong tea the most. The tea is brewed until the complete disappearance of the aroma, taste and color of the infusion. Chinese oolong tea, depending on the variety, can be brewed 3 to 8 times. At the end of the ceremony, the tea leaves are removed from the teapot and shown to the guests. Tea participants can see the size of the opened leaves, appreciate their aroma, thereby paying tribute to the tea and the tea master. After the end of the tea drinking, all tea utensils are thoroughly washed and dried on the chabani.