Chinese people have a long history of drinking tea in tea houses, and the term "Four Major Tea Hubs" refers to cities where tea house culture is most prevalent. If we were to identify the cities in China with the most abundant tea house cultures today, they would be Hangzhou in the east, Chengdu in the west, Chaozhou-Shantou in the south, and Beijing in the north. Major brands like Taiji Tea Ceremony, Lao She Tea House, Sentosa, and Wufu Tea Art Hall all originate from these cities with an extremely strong "tea atmosphere".
The tea in Hangzhou is about refined culture. "The elegant landscape of lakes and hills provides discerning eyes, while conversations over tea and vines resonate with a meditative heart." The Qingteng Tea House by West Lake has become a representative of Hangzhou's thousands of tea houses. Its architectural style, designed by the China Academy of Art, features wooden circle chairs, red satin cushions, and long spider plants cascading down. The most stunning aspect is the abundance of wood carvings, all from Dongyang, renowned as the "best under heaven," taking "quaint charm" to the extreme. Sitting by the West Lake, having a tea master dressed in a grey-blue robe from "Taiji Tea Ceremony" brew a pot of tea, with the calls from Hefang Street echoing the rise and fall of the waiter's long-spouted pot – in this scene, one is intoxicated by the atmosphere even before the tea.
The tea in Chengdu is about平民 culture. Chengdu people's dedication to enjoying life surpasses even that of Yangzhou people. When Chengdu people drink tea, it's truly a "龙门阵 (lively discussion), big bowl of tea" – they don't fuss over the quality of the tea or the environment. Under the shade of a large tree or a simple awning, they set up tables and stools casually and start drinking tea, pursuing the state of life beyond the tea itself. Only the technique of pouring tea with a long-spouted pot is highly varied, with many schools like "Emei" and "Qingcheng," and it's always difficult to determine which is superior.
The tea in Chaozhou-Shantou is about the culture of the tea ceremony. Chaozhou "Gongfu Tea" is famous at home and abroad. Gongfu Tea is very particular about the selection of tea, the skill of brewing, and the tea sets. Water is drawn from mountain springs, olive pits are used as charcoal, and the water boiled with a small fan is sweet, mellow, and pure in taste. Tea leaves like Oolong and Tieguanyin are considered superior. The tea set is a collection of exquisite handicrafts: a tea boat, a "Mengchen Pot," and three small, delicate cups as thin as paper and sounding like a chime, accompanied by a tea caddy and a water jar. Hence, the Chaozhou people have the saying "three for tea, four for wine." As for the "routine" of pouring tea, it is even more fastidious, summarized elegantly as: "Pour high, strain low; rinse the lid, skim the foam; Guan Gong tours the city; Han Xin points the soldiers." The tea brewed this way has an amber color and a rich, lasting fragrance.
The tea in Beijing is about a culture of nobility. At the foot of the imperial city, everything carries an air of grandeur, with a sense of wealth embedded within. The tea soup brewed for over a decade at the Lao She Tea House appears more majestic and luxurious compared to tea houses in other provinces. Strings of big red lanterns hang, drums and gongs resound from the stage, Peking opera finishes and crosstalk takes over – it's all very direct. When drinking tea here, the waitstaff are eager to educate; they recount tea culture in great detail: drinking green tea requires a glass cup, drinking scented tea requires a lidded bowl, drinking Tieguanyin requires a Gongfu tea set – there's no room for ambiguity. As tea drinkers, one gladly listens to these fascinating explanations. Drinking tea allows one to taste the cultures of different places; a single cup of tea in hand brews the local folk customs and practices.
According to statistics from relevant departments, there are currently over 125,000 tea houses nationwide, employing more than 2.5 million people, already becoming a vital force in China's leisure and cultural industry. The tea house industry has made positive contributions to the economic development and the enrichment of spiritual and cultural life across various regions.
Article Source: Tea Soso Tea Net
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