Chinese people love Tea and often gather with friends over a cup, but there is Etiquette to brewing tea. Small mistakes in the process can potentially ruin others' favorable impressions of you.

So when brewing tea as a beginner, be sure to pay attention to these tea ceremony etiquettes!

1. Appearance and Attire

When brewing tea, women should tie their hair up to avoid it falling into the tea, and opt for light makeup rather than heavy. It's also best not to wear too much jewelry on your hands, as this can affect the aesthetics of brewing tea. Clothing should complement the atmosphere of the tea gathering or the tea set, simple and elegant is enough.

2. Posture While Brewing

Sit on one-third of the stool while brewing tea, keep your body upright and back straight, maintaining this posture throughout the process. Avoid leaning to one side when pouring water or handling the Teapot. Relax your muscles during the brewing process, don't be too stiff from nervousness. When both your mind and body are relaxed, your movements will appear graceful and seamless.

3. Cleaning the Tea Utensils

Before brewing tea, clean the utensils. Even if they have been washed previously, rinse them again in front of guests. Use a tea tong to lift the cups and clean them with boiling water without touching them with your hands.

4. Appreciating and Smelling the Tea

After cleaning the utensils, pour the dry tea into a tea tray, hold it with both hands, and pass it to the guests so they can admire its appearance and aroma. In tea art performances, there is usually a step for smelling the tea, where the cup is elegantly handed to the guests with both hands for them to smell.

5. Brewing and Pouring Tea

There are many small details to pay attention to when brewing tea, such as ensuring the spout of the teapot, the spout of the fair cup, and the spout of the water kettle do not face the guests; they should generally be placed horizontally. Your movements should be gentle, avoiding loud clashing sounds. When pouring tea, wipe the fair cup with a tea towel first before serving it to guests. Pour about seven-tenths full, and serve the eldest guest first.

6. Serving and Refilling Tea

Serving tea has its own etiquette beyond simply presenting it with both hands. The height and distance of the presentation should be neither too high nor too low, too far nor too close. Hold the tea steadily when offering it, ensuring the guest can take it comfortably. If the guest's cup is empty, refill it promptly unless they indicate they do not want more.

7. Tasting the Tea Yourself

Brewing tea isn't just for the guests; the brewer should also taste each infusion. If the tea is too light or too strong, adjust the brewing time accordingly to achieve the best quality.

8. Changing the Tea Leaves

When the tea has become very light and flavorless, it's time to change the leaves. Not doing so might give the impression that you're signaling the guests to leave. Unless you genuinely need to end the session and the guests haven't picked up on the hint, changing the leaves is essential.

Tea enthusiasts, after all that, have you remembered these tea brewing etiquettes? If so, avoid making those small errors next time you Brew tea!