China has various tea drinking customs and traditions which are of certain regions and few are common across the entire country. Selling tea was listed as one of the 72 occupations and in the past there were a few shops which sold nothing else except tea. The Chinese drank tea in a number of ways. In ancient times many people suckled their tea. This involved taking a spoon of tea and noisily sucking it. This method allowed them to fully appreciate the taste, although today few people drink their tea in this manner as it is said to be very rude. Now days people sip their tea in a delicate manner so that they ca enjoy their tea to the fullest. Some people drink the tea and then eat the leaves which remain at the bottom of the cup. There are a few people who have their tea in big gulps to quench their thirst.

People drink tea to refresh themselves and it can become an important social event, providing endless opportunities to gossip, discuss business and perform certain rituals. Tea is served to all the guest who come home. Very important guest are served a very special kind of tea or rather you can say the best quality tea.

In big cities, such as Canton, drinking tea with dim sum had replaced breakfast and was a time for people to socialize and talk business. In China the word for restaurant literary refers to a tea building.. the custom of having tea with snacks has stopped.

In the village there was a custom of presenting tea leaves which slowly spread in the cities. If a young man wanted to court a young woman he would send her a gift of tea leaves through the matchmaker. The family would then make the tea and have a conversation with the matchmaker. If the family drank the tea then it was a sign that the proposal was accepted, if the tea was left untouched then it was a sign that the proposal was rejected. The matchmaker would visit their house twice or thrice but if the tea remained untouched then the boy’s people would understand the family’s decision. As time went by matchmakers not only took tea with them but also took gifts such as wine, livestock, clothes, cakes and biscuits, tea snacks and even at times jewelry.

Different types of tea has different rituals. For example, when a man and woman get married they share a cup of strong tea which symbolizes that their love for each other will remain strong. To represent their wish for many children and happiness they put lotus nut and a red dried date in the tea. People also ask for forgiveness of an elder when they offer a cup of tea. The person who has made the mistake kneels down and offers a cup of tea to the elder. If the elder accepts the tea it is a sign of apology being forgiven. If the tea is not accepted that means the younger one is not forgiven.

On New Year’s Day the younger generation now offer tea to their elders with a dry red date. This represents prosperity and harmony to for the elder. In the South of China this is called red date tea, while in the north it is called Yuan Pao, or Nugget Tea.

During the Chinese Revolution if different groups want to meet in public, they used their tea sets as a sign of communication as to show which group they belonged to.

Today, most Chinese households throughout the world have a small shrine or alter. Everyday the family places gifts on the shrine such as tea, fruit and incense in honour of their ancestors or the Gods and Spirits.

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