Tea Drops Bus Station

Tea Knowledge: 4 Side Effects of Drinking Black Tea

Wed, 13 May 2026 10:30:01 +0800

Everyone knows that drinking black tea has many benefits and advantages. But do you know what the side effects of drinking black tea are? If you want to know, come in and learn about the side effects of black tea.

Side Effects of Black Tea

1. Strong black tea dilutes gastric juices, preventing normal digestion

A person normally secretes 1.5-2.5 liters of gastric juice per day. This gastric juice can properly digest the food consumed daily. When large amounts of strong black tea are consumed, it dilutes the gastric juice, lowering its concentration and preventing normal digestion of food, leading to symptoms such as indigestion, bloating, and abdominal pain. In some cases, it may even cause duodenal ulcers.

2. Black tea hinders the absorption of iron

Tea contains tannic acid. Black tea contains about 5%, while green tea contains about 10%. When large amounts of strong tea are consumed, the combination of tannic acid and iron becomes more active, hindering and affecting the absorption of iron, leading to iron deficiency anemia.

3. Drinking strong black tea can easily cause constipation

The tannic acid in black tea can not only combine with iron but also combine with protein in food to form a lumpy, indigestible tannic acid protein, causing constipation. For elderly people who already suffer from constipation, this can worsen the condition.

4. Strong black tea can cause increased blood pressure and heart failure

The caffeine in strong black tea can accelerate the heartbeat, thereby increasing blood pressure. At the same time, large amounts of strong tea entering the blood vessels can increase the burden on the heart, causing symptoms such as chest tightness and palpitations, and worsening the degree of heart failure.

Although black tea has many benefits and effects, it also has its side effects. Friends who enjoy drinking black tea should pay attention to this.

Dark Tea Is Very Beneficial to Human Health

Wed, 13 May 2026 09:30:01 +0800

1. Dietary Supplement

Dark tea is rich in nutritional components, mainly vitamins and minerals, as well as protein, amino acids, and sugars. For residents of northwestern China, whose diet consists mainly of beef, mutton, and cheese and lacks vegetables and fruits, long-term consumption of Hunan dark tea is an important source of essential minerals and vitamins, earning it the reputation of "the tea of life."

2. Aids Digestion, Reduces Grease, Soothes the Stomach

The caffeine, vitamins, amino acids, and phospholipids in dark tea help with digestion and regulate fat metabolism. The stimulating effect of caffeine increases gastric juice secretion, thereby improving appetite and aiding digestion. Japanese scholars have scientifically proven that dark tea has strong effects in reducing grease and aiding digestion, which is why meat-eating populations particularly favor this tea.

The diet of ethnic minorities in northwestern China consists of beef, mutton, and cheese, hence the saying, "Better to go three days without food than one day without tea." This is closely related to tea's ability to "remove grease" and "counteract meat and fish."

Additionally, dark tea improves the intestinal microbial environment and has a soothing effect on the stomach. In Chinese folk medicine, aged dark tea has been used to treat abdominal bloating, dysentery, and indigestion.

3. Lowers Fat, Aids Weight Loss, Softens Blood Vessels, Prevents Cardiovascular Disease

High blood lipid levels cause lipids to deposit on blood vessel walls, leading to atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Dark tea effectively degrades fat, resists blood clotting, promotes fibrinolysis, and significantly inhibits platelet aggregation. It also relaxes blood vessel walls and increases effective vascular diameter, thereby inhibiting the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the aorta and coronary arteries. This helps lower blood pressure, soften blood vessels, and prevent cardiovascular diseases. Dark tea is rich in tea polysaccharides, which help lower blood lipids and reduce peroxide activity in the blood.

Epidemiological surveys in key dark tea-consuming regions such as Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Qinghai show that long-term consumption of dark tea has a positive regulatory effect on blood lipids, blood sugar, blood pressure, and vascular hardening, and also helps control body weight and shape.

4. Antioxidant, Anti-aging, Longevity

According to the free radical theory of aging, under normal physiological conditions, free radicals in the human body are continuously produced and cleared, maintaining a balance. Dark tea is rich in antioxidants such as catechins, tea pigments, flavonoids, vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene. It also contains large amounts of antioxidant trace elements such as zinc, manganese, copper (components of SOD), and selenium (components of GSHPX). The catechins, theaflavins, theanine, and tea polysaccharides in dark tea, especially the abundant complex flavonoids, have free radical-scavenging functions, thus providing antioxidant and anti-aging effects.

5. Anti-cancer, Anti-mutation

Cancer is one of the diseases with the highest mortality rate in the world today.

Since the late 1970s, scientists worldwide have discovered that tea or tea extracts inhibit the occurrence of various cancers. Hunan Agricultural University used high-throughput screening technology, a cutting-edge drug screening method, to study dark tea using the tumor cell model SGC7901, proving that dark tea significantly inhibits tumor cells.

6. Lowers Blood Pressure

Tea has long been reported to lower blood pressure. Recently, Japanese researchers reported that the unique amino acid theanine in tea activates dopaminergic neurons, inhibiting blood pressure elevation. Additionally, caffeine and catechins in tea relax blood vessel walls and increase effective vascular diameter, lowering blood pressure through vasodilation. Chinese researcher Lou Fuqing and others found that tea pigments have significant anticoagulant, fibrinolytic, and anti-platelet adhesion and aggregation effects, inhibit the proliferation of arterial smooth muscle cells, significantly reduce triglycerides and low-density lipoproteins in the serum of hyperlipidemic animals, and increase high-density lipoproteins. Tea pigments also significantly inhibit ACE enzyme activity, producing a blood pressure-lowering effect.

7. Improves Glucose Metabolism, Lowers Blood Sugar, Prevents Diabetes

The tea polysaccharide complex in dark tea is the main component for lowering blood sugar. Tea polysaccharide complex, commonly referred to as tea polysaccharides, is a mixture of complex and variable composition. Tests on tea polysaccharide content in several types of tea show that dark tea has the highest content, and its component activity is stronger than other teas. This is because, in fermented tea, the action of glycosidases, proteases, and hydrolases forms shorter sugar and peptide chains. Short peptide chains are more easily absorbed and have stronger biological activity. This may be one reason why fermented tea, especially dark tea, is more effective in lowering blood sugar than other teas.

8. Antibacterial, Anti-inflammatory

The main components of dark tea liquor are theaflavins and thearubigins. Studies show that theaflavins are not only effective free radical scavengers and antioxidants but also have significant antibacterial effects against Clostridium botulinum, Enterobacter, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, and Bacillus cereus. In addition, theaflavins inhibit the invasion of influenza virus and the infection of rotavirus and enterovirus to some extent.

9. Diuretic, Detoxifying, Reduces Harm from Tobacco and Alcohol

The diuretic effect of caffeine in dark tea is achieved by promoting the filtration of water in the kidneys into urine. At the same time, caffeine's stimulating effect on the bladder aids diuresis and helps sober up, relieving alcohol poisoning. Moreover, the tea polyphenols in dark tea can precipitate nicotine from tobacco and excrete it through urine. They also scavenge free radicals in smoke, reducing its toxic effects on the body. For heavy metal toxins, tea polyphenols have a strong adsorption effect, so drinking more tea can also alleviate the toxic effects of heavy metals.

The Secret of Tea in Preventing Gastric Cancer

Wed, 13 May 2026 08:30:01 +0800

Drinking tea can have anti-cancer and anti-tumor effects. Many people have heard about it, but most know only the surface without understanding the reasons. With the development of science, by the early 19th century, the components of tea were gradually clarified. Through modern scientific separation and identification, tea contains over 450 organic chemical components and more than 40 inorganic mineral elements.

Tea contains organic chemical components and inorganic mineral elements, among which there are many nutritional and medicinal components.

The main organic chemical components include: tea polyphenols, plant alkaloids, proteins, amino acids, vitamins, pectin, organic acids, lipopolysaccharides, sugars, enzymes, pigments, etc. The main inorganic mineral elements include: potassium, calcium, magnesium, cobalt, iron, manganese, aluminum, sodium, zinc, copper, nitrogen, phosphorus, fluorine, iodine, selenium, etc.

Green tea is the best for preventing gastric cancer, followed by black tea.

Tea has the following effects in preventing gastric cancer:

(1) Tea can directly kill tumor cells

Certain components in tea, especially the combined effects of caffeine, flavonoids, and tea polyphenols in green tea, have anti-cancer properties.

(2) Enhances immune function and nutrition

Tea contains many essential nutrients, such as protein, amino acids, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins A, C, E, K, and trace elements like selenium and zinc. These not only supplement nutritional deficiencies but also improve the body's immunity.

(3) Helps eliminate harmful substances

Since ancient times, tea has been recorded to have certain effects, which have now been scientifically confirmed. Certain components in tea can detoxify, inactivate, and promote the excretion of toxic substances.

(4) Inhibits the synthesis of carcinogenic nitrosamines, especially when drinking green tea after meals.

(5) Counteracts the harm of alcohol and tobacco

Drinking tea can promote the excretion of alcohol through urine, inhibiting the carcinogenic effects of alcohol. The caffeine in tea also counteracts the harmful effects of smoke.

(6) Tea contains an aromatic oil

It can stimulate gastric juice secretion, remove accumulated dirt in the stomach, and reduce the occurrence of gastric cancer.

Why Do We Drink Tea?

Wed, 13 May 2026 07:30:01 +0800

Tea is actually nothing more than a processed product of leaves. Why do we drink it? Or rather, why do we enjoy drinking it? Generally speaking, there may be several reasons or purposes:

First: Treating tea as a kind of medicine, drinking it in hopes of achieving some beneficial effect on the body, such as improving eyesight, losing weight, diuresis, lowering blood pressure, reducing fat, etc. Tea does have some pharmacological effects, which people recognized in ancient times, as described in the famous Compendium of Materia Medica. However, the "medicinal effects" of common teas are relatively weak, and achieving therapeutic effects is very slow, requiring long-term persistence. If you are already ill, using tea to treat the illness often fails to produce practical results. Therefore, from a pharmacological perspective, it might be more appropriate to define it as a health function. In contrast, teas blended with traditional Chinese herbs are much more effective, as they are specifically formulated for targeted purposes. The quotation marks around "tea" are used here because many of these products are not actually tea but are consumed in a similar way. Nevertheless, such herbal preparations are still widely accepted as "tea" by the public.

Second: Due to long-term habits in daily life, drinking tea becomes an addiction; it may even become a daily necessity, indispensable for a day or even for every meal, much like salt in our diet. A typical example is the people in Mongolia and Tibet regions of China, whose diet is mainly meat-based and lacks vegetables. Tea has become an essential part of their daily life, requiring large quantities to "counteract" the accumulation of fat from high meat consumption and to supplement vitamins.

Third: Drinking tea becomes a natural or social habit, serving as a general beverage. Sometimes it is similar to smoking—you can do without it, but having some tea is also fine; some people do not drink tea themselves but keep tea leaves at home for entertaining guests. "Let's have tea together" itself is a very good invitation.

Fourth: Treating tea as a precious and noble beverage, drinking it is a spiritual enjoyment, an act with aesthetic and artistic qualities, or a method of self-cultivation. For example, the Japanese tea ceremony. Physiological and spiritual effects are inherently unified. At this stage, drinking tea perfectly merges its physiological and spiritual functions. Lu Yu's The Classic of Tea roughly embodies such a realm.

Drinking Tea Can Reduce the Harm of Haze to the Human Body

Wed, 13 May 2026 06:30:01 +0800

At present, the harm of haze to human health has attracted widespread social attention. How to reduce this harm has become a hot topic. Haze mainly causes great damage to the human lungs, throat and eyes. You can drink more tea that clears heat, moistens the throat, and improves eyesight to resist the adverse effects of haze.

Drinking tea can prevent three types of chronic diseases: cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Drinking tea can effectively resist the damage of haze to the human body. Because sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and inhalable particles are the main components of haze, and drinking tea can improve the body's antioxidant capacity.

From this perspective, drinking tea can reduce the harm of haze to the human body.

The Method of Pouring Water Also Matters?

Wed, 13 May 2026 05:30:01 +0800

When brewing tea, the method of pouring water is a significant soft factor affecting tea quality, and it is the only step that requires full manual control during the brewing process, including the speed of pouring, the intensity of the water flow, the path of the water line, its height, and thickness. Here, we focus on the skill of water line path.

Spiral Pour

This water line allows the edge parts of the lid bowl and the tea leaves on the surface to come into direct contact with the poured water, increasing the fusion of tea and water at the first moment of pouring.

This pouring method is suitable for black tea, green tea, and white tea. It is also appropriate for later stages of brewing when the flavor has become weaker and the tea essence needs to be extracted more quickly.

Circle Pour

Circle pour, as the name suggests, means the water line rotates a full circle along the lid or cup rim, and when withdrawing the water, it returns to the starting point. When pouring, attention should be paid to adjusting the rotation speed according to the pouring speed: if the water stream is thin, rotate slowly; if thick, rotate quickly.

This water line allows the edge parts of the tea to come into contact with water first, while the central part of the surface mainly contacts the water only after the water level rises, resulting in lower fusion of tea and water at the first moment of pouring.

This pouring method is suitable for green teas with relatively high tenderness.

Single-Point Pour

This refers to pouring water at a fixed point. In this method, only one side of the tea comes into contact with the water, resulting in poor fusion at the beginning of pouring. A quick note: if the pouring point is on the edge of the lid bowl, the fusion is better compared to pouring between the bowl and the tea leaves.

This pouring method is suitable for teas that need to be poured out quickly, or for broken tea leaves.

Center-Point Pour

The center-point pour is a rather extreme method, usually paired with a thin water stream and slow, prolonged pouring. In this way, only a small central part of the tea leaves directly contacts the water stream, while the rest dissolves at an extremely slow pace, minimizing the fusion of tea and water at the first moment and creating the most distinct layering in the tea soup. For many teas with fermentation characteristics, this can result in overly concentrated flavor and separation from the tea soup.

This pouring method is suitable for teas with relatively high aroma.

Ten Benefits of Drinking Black Tea for Women in Winter

Wed, 13 May 2026 04:30:01 +0800

There are ten major benefits for women drinking black tea in winter:

1. Strengthens bones. Black tea is mild in nature and rich in flavor. Drinking it in winter helps women maintain strong bones.

2. Boosts energy and relieves fatigue. Black tea is sweet and warm in nature, rich in protein. It nourishes the body, promotes yang energy, warms the abdomen, and reduces fatigue.

3. Prevents flu. Regularly rinsing the mouth with black tea or drinking it directly can help prevent influenza.

4. Enriches blood. Black tea is rich in trace element potassium, about 70% of which dissolves in the tea infusion. It is very suitable for women who need blood nourishment in winter.

5. Supplements calcium. To address women's susceptibility to calcium loss, drinking black tea enhances heart blood circulation, reduces calcium consumption in the body, and lowers the risk of osteoporosis.

6. Provides flavonoids. Studies show that tea contains abundant flavonoids, which are essential for women's bodies and act as antioxidants.

7. Supplies vitamins. Black tea contains various water-soluble vitamins that meet women's nutritional needs.

8. Prevents cancer and diseases. Drinking more black tea can help avoid stroke, heart disease, myocardial infarction, and skin diseases. It also has cancer-preventive effects.

9. Aids appetite and digestion. Black tea is warm in nature, helps dispel cold, and promotes phlegm elimination, digestion, and appetite. This allows women to consume more energy in winter.

10. Antioxidant effect. Black tea also has antioxidant properties, lowers blood lipids, softens arteries, kills bacteria, reduces inflammation, and strengthens capillaries. It helps women reduce viral infections in winter.

Ten Tea Type Personalities, Come and Find Yourself!

Wed, 13 May 2026 03:30:01 +0800

Tieguanyin Type Personality: Explorer

People with this type of personality are honest and direct, saying what they think and being frank without regard for consequences. They have a strong thirst for knowledge, are diligent and eager to learn, love reading, and excessively pursue information. They are idealists, willing to defend their highest values with loyalty, goal-oriented, and quick to react, without too much deliberation or evaluation. Although they often find it difficult to identify their ultimate goal, once they do, they give it their all.

Raw Pu'er Type Personality: Independent

Very independent and capable, strong-willed, objective and calm toward others' difficulties, without trying to impose their own will. Adhering to the excellent and tolerant principle of "Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself," they are deeply loved by people. They have a quiet sense of certainty, neither defensive nor outgoing. Although passive, they are not weak, maintaining personal space while being self-sufficient.

Ripe Pu'er Type Personality: Inclusive

People with this tea type personality tend to go to extremes, either becoming extreme pessimists, doubting everything when pessimistic, easily discouraged and depressed by external difficulties, and finding logical excuses for their negative views. Or they become extreme optimists, ignoring everything in the world, not caring about anything, as if they have entered heaven, immersed in daydreams, appearing indifferent to the present.

White Tea Type Personality: Healing

They have a cheerful nature and a sense of humor, infecting others with their vibrant energy, creating a good atmosphere, harmonizing with others, excelling at organizing gatherings, liking to take care of others, and having many hobbies. They seem born to enjoy all kinds of pleasures in life, avoiding and ignoring its dullness. In fact, they use laughter to hide their inner feelings and cannot sit quietly alone, instinctively diverting their attention outward.

Yellow Tea Type Personality: Molding

Versatile and agile-minded. Their inner flexibility allows them to see both sides of things. Sometimes they appear naive, seeing only what they want to see, loving utopia, easily attracted to metaphysical philosophies, lacking comprehensive experience of real life, unable to accept or even perceive the hardships, vulgarity, and cruelty of the real world, living in a fairy-tale world of infinite possibilities.

Green Tea Type Personality: Creative

They are cheerful people with bright smiles and sparkling eyes. High-speed metabolism makes them impatient and restless—they do things fast, talk fast, move fast, and the only thing that doesn't come fast is falling asleep. Calming them down is a bit difficult. Their busy lifestyle keeps them on edge and unable to relax. They cannot forgive those who do things slower than themselves, and if things don't progress as quickly as expected, they become extremely impatient.

High Mountain Black Tea Type Personality: Sensitive

They are extremely sensitive to everything in life, so sensitive that they become anxious, easily startled, scared by loud noises, bright lights, uncomfortable weather, and conflicts between people. They fear losing their job, flying, and heights. They are like the Lin Daiyu of life, using their sensitivity to force those around them to accommodate them, often making others feel that their behavior is unbelievable and even theatrical.

Plain Black Tea Type Personality: Nurturing

They are warm and包容, willing to help others, with a strong sense of family, caring for family and friends, often putting their own needs last. They prefer to rely on others, are warm and nurturing, enjoy comfortable and familiar environments, and feel good as long as others feel good. They are excellent listeners and companions, able to listen to your complaints endlessly and genuinely wanting to feel what you feel.

Jasmine Tea Type Personality: Confident

Typical idealists, sunny and confident, enthusiastic, seeing the best in everyone. Eager to share their ideas and knowledge with others, trying to move people with passionate speeches. Their attractive appearance makes them glamorous diplomats, both charming and interesting, yet lacking some common sense. They dream of getting rich overnight, cannot take the realities of life seriously, and are very self-indulgent.

Which Weight Loss Tea Is Good? The Five Most Effective Weight Loss Teas

Wed, 13 May 2026 02:30:01 +0800

Tea contains a large amount of dietary fiber, which cannot be digested and stays in the stomach for a long time, creating a feeling of fullness. More importantly, it can burn fat, and the key to this effect is vitamin B1. The vitamin B1 rich in tea is a necessary substance that fully burns fat and converts it into heat energy.

1. Black Tea:

It can inhibit the accumulation of abdominal fat. When it comes to obesity, people immediately think of belly fat, and Black Tea has an obvious effect on inhibiting the increase of abdominal fat. Black tea is fermented by Aspergillus niger, as the name suggests, it is black in color. During the fermentation process, a component called punor is produced, which plays a role in preventing fat accumulation. To use black tea for weight loss, it is best to drink freshly brewed strong tea. In addition, you should drink 1.5 liters a day, one cup before and after meals, and persist for a long time.

2. Gymnema Tea:

Effectively inhibits sugar absorption. Gymnema is also known as "sugar killer." After chewing its leaves, eating sugar will not give a sweet taste in the mouth, so the intake is naturally greatly reduced, and the absorption of sugar and carbohydrates is reduced, thus the amount converted into fat is relatively reduced. Gymnema tea is not only effective in preventing and improving obesity but also has an auxiliary therapeutic effect on diabetes.

3. Lotus Leaf Tea:

A secret ancient weight loss remedy. A drink made from the flowers, leaves, and fruits of the lotus can not only refresh the mind and improve complexion but also help with weight loss. Fully utilizing Lotus Leaf Tea for weight loss requires some tips.

First, it must be strong tea; the second brew is not as effective.

Second, drink it 6 times a day. For those with constipation, you can drink 4 packs a day, divided into 4 times, to promote smooth bowel movements, which is more beneficial for weight loss.

Third, it is best to drink it on an empty stomach.

The benefit of lotus leaf tea is that there is no need to diet. After drinking lotus leaf tea for a period of time, your preference for food will naturally change, and you will no longer like greasy food.

4. Oolong Tea:

It can burn body fat. Oolong tea is a semi-fermented tea, almost free of vitamin C, but rich in minerals such as iron and calcium, and contains ingredients that promote digestive enzymes and fat decomposition. Drinking a cup of oolong tea before and after meals can promote fat decomposition, allowing it to be directly excreted without being absorbed by the body, preventing obesity caused by excessive fat intake.

5. Eucommia Tea:

It can reduce neutral fat. Because the components in Eucommia promote metabolism and heat consumption, leading to weight loss. In addition, it also has the effects of preventing aging and strengthening the body.

How to Create an Elegant Tea Drinking Atmosphere

Wed, 13 May 2026 01:30:02 +0800

Tea Host:

1. Keep the tea setting simple

No need for luxury, but it must be clean. Unused utensils should be kept off the table as much as possible. For dry brewing, any waste bowl (water container) that must appear on the table should be placed in a convenient but unobtrusive spot. Cups, utensils, flower arrangements, and other decorations should match the theme. Small decorative items like lid rests should be carefully chosen in color and material, ideally blending with the tea setting or echoing the main brewing vessel. Avoid stealing the spotlight.

2. Clean tea ware

All tea utensils must appear clean and transparent from the outside, with no tea stains, impurities, fingerprints, or other foreign matter adhering to the cups. Many people like to use old items because they carry traces of time, which is certainly acceptable. However, this does not include yellow-brown tea stains on a glass公道杯 (fairness cup), nor unpleasant water stains or tea residue left on the waste bowl,壶承 (tea pedestal), or tea tray. These personal preferences and casual habits should not affect others' senses.

3. Avoid touching the rim of others' cups

In reality, we also see some tea pourers making these mistakes: a. Picking up a cup carelessly, directly touching the rim with their hands; b. Playing with others' personal cups.

These are all unacceptable. Whether picking up a cup, offering tea, or borrowing someone else's personal cup, one should hold the bottom of the cup with one hand and support the lower half of the cup (below the handle or the cup body) with the other hand, keeping fingers away from the rim. If possible, use a tea saucer when serving tea.

4. Let guests choose and appreciate the tea

Before brewing tea for guests, the host should first present some fine teas on a tea tray for guests to select, expressing respect for the guests and allowing them to carefully appreciate the tea's appearance, color, and dry aroma.

5. Taking tea

When transferring tea leaves from the tea canister to the pot or cup, use a bamboo or wooden tea scoop. Do not use your hands. If no scoop is available, tilt the canister over the pot or cup and gently shake it to let the appropriate amount of leaves fall in. This is a sign of hygiene and civility.

6. The significance of counterclockwise movement

When performing circular movements such as pouring water, warming cups, or heating the pot, use both hands in a rotating motion. Generally, use the right hand in a counterclockwise direction, similar to a gesture inviting "come, come, come," which signifies welcome. Conversely, a clockwise motion implies waving away, meaning "go, go, go." If using the left hand, the direction is reversed.

7. The significance of clockwise movement

Usually, the tea host holds the teapot or fairness pitcher with the right hand to pour tea for guests, moving clockwise from left to right. In this way, the spout of the pot or pitcher moves backward as it serves tea. If pouring counterclockwise from right to left, the spout points forward toward the guests like a sharp blade, becoming an aggressive gesture that makes everyone uneasy. Of course, if you are left-handed, you may pour counterclockwise.

8. Serving tea

The principle "pour water from a height, serve tea from a low position" means care must be taken not to spill tea. Ensure each guest receives the same amount of tea, showing fairness and equality without favoritism. When serving tea, place the cups on the right side of the guests.

9. Full tea offends guests

Only fill the cup to seven-tenths full, implying "seven-tenths tea, three-tenths sentiment." As the saying goes, "Full tea offends guests," because a full cup is inconvenient to hold and sip.

10. Finally, pour tea for yourself

By convention, the cup on the far right is the last seat. Pour an appropriate amount of tea, and the host should handle the final pour for each infusion. The host should always pay attention to the changes in each tea infusion, adjusting brewing factors as needed to bring out the best quality.

11. Refilling tea

Once a guest finishes their cup and reaches the "end," the host should promptly refill it. If the guest's cup has tea residue, the host should wash it or replace it with a clean cup. The host should be familiar with the tea's condition; if the tea soup has become watery, it is time to change the tea. Evening tea sessions should not go too late. While enjoying the moment, the host should also know when to conclude the gathering.

12. Tea snacks

In formal settings, it is inappropriate to eat snacks while tasting fine tea, as it is considered disrespectful to the tea. If snacks are offered, avoid strongly flavored candied fruits or dairy sweets; nuts are more suitable. For late-night tea sessions, prepare some snacks.

13. Seating arrangement

To respect the order of seniority, try to seat elders or the chief guest to the far left of the tea brewer. This way, tea is served from left to right in order, ending with the host. If the main guest is placed incorrectly, the serving order will be disrupted and become chaotic.

14. Refilling the kettle

If there are many guests and an assistant is needed to refill the kettle, the host can signal by slightly opening the kettle lid when water is needed, avoiding loudly calling for water, which might embarrass the guests.

15. Placing the teapot

When setting down the teapot, never point the spout at anyone, as this implies asking them to leave quickly.

16. Wiping the teapot

Some tea hosts are very fond of their teapots and may pour water over them, wipe them, handle them, or even care for multiple pots during brewing. Unconsciously, these extra movements can distract guests from the tea. Similarly, tidying the tea table or wiping the furniture during a tea session may signal that the host wants the guests to leave.

Tea Guest:

1. Dress appropriately

Tea’s essence is calm and peaceful, so tea-drinking etiquette requires neat and tidy attire. Women should avoid heavy makeup and revealing clothing; men should avoid bizarre looks, such as long hair or beggar-style outfits. Besides a tidy appearance, guests should behave with dignity and poise.

2. Know the hierarchy of seating

Few people today understand the hierarchy of "guest seats." Although tea ceremony values "the host follows the guest's convenience," when many people drink tea together, this principle should be followed: facing the host, the host's left side is the "seat of honor." Moving clockwise, from honored to less honored, all the way to the host's right side—this rule is invariable regardless of the tea table's shape. The first priority for the seat of honor goes to the elderly, middle-aged, and those older than oneself. Among them, teachers and elders take precedence. If the age difference is small, women are given the seat of honor first.

3. About smoking

Smoking is strictly forbidden during tea drinking. If absolutely necessary, wait until after the fifth infusion and ask the host's permission first. Lighting up a cigarette as soon as you sit down is considered rude!

4. Control your words and actions

Topics of conversation should avoid gossip, speaking ill of others, or excessive excitement such as waving hands or slapping the table. A quiet atmosphere is best to truly taste the essence of the tea.

Whether host or guest, only sip tea slowly and carefully. Avoid drinking in big gulps or making slurping sounds. If tea leaves float on the surface, use the cup lid to brush them aside or gently blow them away. Do not pick leaves out of the cup with your fingers and throw them on the floor, nor eat the tea leaves.